Even though we have what appears to be an official press release, I’m still considering this a rumor. No other media outlets are currently reporting on it. This could be anything from a publicity stunt by UEM, to Nakheel shedding their assets. I’ll believe it when Nakheel releases a statement.

You might recall that Cunard originally sold the QE2 to Nakheel (the government run construction company in Dubai) in 2008. The most famous ocean liner has been laid up ever since. The original plan was to moor her at Palm Jumeria as a floating hotel/event center. Plans have been put off as Nakheel has been suffering serious financial issues. The current recession put a nasty hit on Dubai’s economy, halting all new construction. The city came to a halt. The work stoppage was felt all the way down to the QE2. Ever since then, the QE2 project was put on the back burner.

UPDATED FRIDAY3/30:

CruiseCritic, late to the punch as always, posted the above rumor yesterday. They were, however, able to get a quote from the “Social Manager of the Ships Calendar” (whatever the heck that means).

Leili Gerami of Lege Solutions:

But Gerami shot down that statement, telling Cruise Critic that it wasn’t true and that Universal Events Management had no right to represent the ship in any fashion. "They are doing it themselves, without being in a position to do so," she said.

So basically its just a publicity stunt by an insane CEO from Asia that has no idea how to do a proper publicity stunt.

(© : MER ET MARINE )

RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 in Trondheim, Norway 2008

]]> http://cruiseind.com/2009/08/10/qe2-plans-up-in-the-air/feed/ 0 http://cruiseind.com/2009/07/20/the-past-week-summed-up/ http://cruiseind.com/2009/07/20/the-past-week-summed-up/#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:11:00 +0000 Greg http://cruiseind.wordpress.com/2009/07/20/the-past-week-summed-up/ Well I’m back and as promised here is everything that happened recently including two big stories out of San Diego and Dubai.

• A domestic dispute turned deadly as a husband murdered his wife in their cabin. A couple on the last leg of their cruise on the Carnival Elation could be heard fighting. When security showed up, she was dead. The FBI and Coast Guard were notified and the FBI took the husband into custody when the ship arrived in San Diego. More here
• The rumors earlier in the week regarding the fate of the QE2 are starting to become true. A newspaper in Dubai is reporting that QE2’s owner, Nakheel, part of Dubai World, is contemplating sending the ship to South Africa for use as a floating hotel there instead. Then latter in the week word came out that Nakheel will only temporarily move the vessel there. The reports states the the vessel will leave Dubai, where its currently at, for 18 months. Its main duty there will be a floating hotel for the World Cup that will be played there next summer.
• Carnival Adds Jobless (just like the automakers have) and Storm protection insurance.
• CLIA now supports the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2009. More here
• Maritime Matters is reporting that Spain’s Quail Cruises ship Pacific (former Sea Venture and most famously Princes Cruises “Love Boat” Pacific Princess) has been arrested by the Italian Coast Guard. The Coast Guard ordered the vessel to remain at the dock until the $14 Million lien placed against the ship the a shipyard that just did the renovations on her, is paid.

Check back latter as I will post the latest shipyard reports from the Oasis of the Seas in Finland, the Carnival Dream in Italy, and the Norwegian Epic in France.