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What's happening to the QE2

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

LONDON, AP - No work carried out to transform the liner into a floating hotel eight months after leaving the UK.

Once she was the pride of Britain.

Now the QE2 sits forlorn and neglected at docks in Dubai, looking as if she may be one more victim of the recession.

On her retirement the luxury liner, which carried stars and Royalty for nearly 40 years, was meant to become a glittering hotel, the centrepiece of man-made Palm Jumeirah island.

Dubai-based property developer Nakheel bought the ú50million vessel two years ago with plans to restore the decor and fittings to the opulence seen on her maiden voyage in 1969.

But since she was delivered to the Gulf last November, the 70,000-ton QE2 - which saw action as a troop ship during the Falklands War - has been left at a quayside in industrial Port Rashid with little evidence of any renovation taking place.

On board, a skeleton crew keep just one of her nine turbocharged diesel engines turning over to provide power for lighting.

The only sign of life is a wisp of blue smoke from the funnel of the liner, which was the longest-serving ship in Cunard's 158-year history.

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