From ruler of the waves to QUEEN OF THE DESERT
British maritime history lives on in the QE2, now a hotel permanently moored against the glittering Dubai skyline. By Jenny Johnson
In one of the world’s most futuristic cities, known for its record-breaking skyscrapers and headline-stealing mega-projects, a unique hotel is transporting guests back to Britain’s maritime heyday. The Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2), the transatlantic liner launched in 1967, is now a floating hotel permanently moored in Dubai and sensitively restored to her former glory. Bought by the Dubai government following her retirement in 2007, she completed her final voyage in 2008 to her new home in the United Arab Emirates but the global financial crisis immediately halted the ambitious transformation plans. After a decade of uncertainty, she is finally being given her chance to shine.
I arrived at the QE2’s berth at the Mina Rashid port — now converted into a grand reception area just for the QE2, with a museum showing the ship’s history and a café with books from her original library.
On catching sight of her gleaming hull, I shared the anticipation those first passengers must have felt waiting to board the grande dame of the Cunard fleet for her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, albeit in the Middle East.
Staff in marine-themed uniforms were there to welcome nostalgic Britons and intrigued locals as they escorted us along the red-carpeted gangway and on to the city’s quirkiest hotel.
A GRAND TIME CAPSULE
In her lifetime, the QE2 covered a distance equivalent to 12 round trips to the moon — and those wanting to learn more will want to stop and explore the interactive exhibits in the ship’s lobby.
Or better still, book a tour (free for hotel guests) with Peter Warwick, the heritage-tour supervisor and the ship’s former cruise director, who sailed as a passenger on the QE2 10 times before making it his mission to work on board — then doing so for six years.
“It’s almost as if the last decade didn’t happen,” he tells me as we explore the time capsule of a hotel. “Stepping back on board all these years later, it looks and even smells the same.”
Following its multimillion-pound revamp, the ship has been given a new lease of life with 21st-century tech that includes an app to control room functions such as door access, lighting, television channels, as well as to order room service, access high-speed wifi and regulate the powerful air-con.
Happily, though, the original fixtures and fittings, including columns, railings, staircases and seating, have been retained and carpets feature replica prints from her sailing heyday.
“The QE2 was a destination in her own right and where she was sailing was almost superfluous,” Warwick recalled. “Despite the fact that a ton of caviar, 20 tons of lobster and 77,000 bottles of champagne were consumed on board every year, it wasn’t pretentious or snobby at all and passengers were like extended family.”
Though he met some of the world’s most notable leaders and artists on board, from Nelson Mandela to Aretha Franklin, one of his favourite passengers was pensioner Beatrice Muller, who sold her home and lived on the ship for 14 years at a cost of £3,500 per month after her husband passed away on board.
He also has fond memories of dancing with Millvina Dean, the last remaining survivor and youngest passenger (at two months old) of the Titanic.
WHO WILL LOVE IT?
So who will the QE2 appeal to now she’s permanently moored in Dubai? The crowd during my stay was predominantly British — either Dubai-based expats, homesick for a slice of Blighty, or former passengers taking a trip down memory lane.
I met a couple who had met on-board in the ’80s and were celebrating their anniversary with a dinner at the fine-dining experience the Queen’s Grill.
Our waiter explained that when cruise ships dock in Dubai many passengers hop straight on board the QE2 before exploring the city, such is her legacy, and book in for a meal at the Queen’s Grill.
In her sailing days, it was reserved for first-class passengers, had a three-year waiting list and has even played host to Queen Elizabeth.
For a true taste of life aboard this ship, consider splashing out on the 1969 ninecourse tasting menu (£180 or £300 with wine pairings), which features the same dishes served on her maiden voyage.
Ramasamy Pavadai, chef de cuisine, had the pleasure of serving members of the British royal family and former US president Bill Clinton during his years at sea.
“We always served the best and most delicious fine-dining dishes,” he said. “The ingredients for the new menu, including sous vide of Dover sole and milk-fed lamb loin, are sourced almost entirely from the UK, combining classic ingredients with modern cooking techniques.”
MODERN WITH A VINTAGE FEEL
Other popular spots include the more casual Lido, the family-friendly all-day dining buffet restaurant; the Yacht Club lounge with an outdoor deck overlooking the glittering Dubai skyline; traditional British pub The Golden Lion, which displays commemorative shields from her ports of call and shows live sports; and the Chart Room with its nautical interiors and original glass route-map still in place.
Though updated to meet the needs of today’s travellers, rooms maintain a vintage feel with maritime accents, original portholes in many cabins and wood panelling. Even the standard rooms, billed as “practical and cosy”, come with king-size beds, vanity tables, decent-sized wardrobes and bathrooms with a bathtub and shower, while the Captain’s Club Rooms feature twin vanities, cosy slippers and robes, coffee machines and some have a private balcony.
The two royal suites, the Queen Mary Suite and the Queen Elizabeth Suite, which come with a conservatory and personalised amenities, are by invitation only.
Even naysayers who bemoan her fate, halfway across the world under the desert sun, will be glad to see the careful preservation of this British icon in a city known for excess. Some might even dare say Dubai is a fitting location for such a pioneering technological marvel that was way ahead of her years.
As Cunard declared in 1968: “We made the QE2 for the space age, in an age when most other ships still smack of the 19th century. They’ve been dreary and dull and that’s one thing we won’t stand for. Ships have been boring long enough.” Luxury hotels in Dubai, take note.