QE2's Maiden Call to Dubai in 1997

[Lynda Bradford]

Rob has found this interesting little article about QE2's maiden call to Dubai in 1997when it was berthed at Port Rashid on her maiden call to UAE. 

http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx?issue=11252013032200000000001001&page=30&article=304c49cb-508f-43c4-95cd-56ae15f40a22&key=da1fJB4gemKS3GMoRVe78A==&feed=rss

1997 Sailing into the history books of Dubai’s emergence as a passenger ship destination, the legendary Queen Elizabeth 2 ( QE2) berthed at Port Rashid on its maiden voyage to the UAE. There was a buzz of activity and 500 passengers streamed on to Berth 10 from the gangway to catch tour coaches and shuttle buses. A mobile Dubai Duty Free, camel rides, two majlis tents, a falcon from Pakistan, the Dubai Police bagpipe and brass bands, schoolgirls performing traditional songs and dances, the fragrance of burning frankincense and a sale of Iranian carpets greeted the visitors of 28 nationalities.

Was any of our members on this voyage?  The date on the QE2 maiden calls and final calls timeline is 22 March 1997.

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,1824.0.html

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Rob has found this interesting little article about QE2's maiden call to Dubai in 1997 when it was berthed at Port Rashid on her maiden call to UAE. 

http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx?issue=11252013032200000000001001&page=30&article=304c49cb-508f-43c4-95cd-56ae15f40a22&key=da1fJB4gemKS3GMoRVe78A==&feed=rss

The start of the actual article is there (see the quote in Lynda's posting above), but registration is required to read more than these first few lines. I wonder is there a way that we could obtain the article itself?

[Louis De Sousa]

Yes I was onboard for this maiden call.

[Michael Gallagher]

HMS Southampto excorted QE2 into Dubai on her maiden call there

[Lynda Bradford]

Fantastic picture that commemorates a historic occasion and who would have thought then that Dubai would be QE2's destination on retirement.

[Clydebuilt1971]

HMS Southampto excorted QE2 into Dubai on her maiden call there

Great shot - sadly HMS Southampton was decommissioned in 2009 and sold for scrap as was HMS Manchester - the RN vessel which escorted QE2 up river on her last visit to the Clyde in 2008 - although at least she did last until 2011

Gav