QE2 photos from Dubai 2018

[Rob Lightbody]

photo on reply 127
That's the megayacht Dubai owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum in the background that too (to my knowledge) has never left Dubi since it was completed 2006, I think it's got something to do with registry, certification or some other bureaucratic red tape although the website claims it has an exceptional worldwide capability.        www.superyachts.com/motor-yacht-2611/dubai.htm

The Captain of the Dubai was good friends with the captain of QE2 (William Cooper) and they'd join each other socially on each other's ships, during their time spent tied up across the same dock.  I hadn't realised she'd never gone far though, what a waste!

[dellboy]

Ye Rob what a waste, I would like to be proven wrong which is why I posted on the forum. Have been quite interested in the yacht as I have a large model of it. pics of which I posted on https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,7058.msg90195.html#msg90195

[Rob Lightbody]

In terms of talking about what's happened to QE2, and crucially why, one area in which this forum has always excelled beyond others, is getting to the FACTS.  In 2011, the QE2 enthusiast community was plagued with people saying "I've heard this..." or "I think that..." and it caused really quite wild speculation to take place, and I ended up in Dubai to prove it was wrong! 

We just must try to be clear when we're making educated guesses or if just repeating something that we ourselves have no idea if its true or not.    I made educated guesses that Port Vila would disappear, and in fact last October I said that this dry docking had to take place before she opened  - hopefully I was in both cases clear that I was making educated guesses about something,.

[Rob Lightbody]

Photos from Yves Weemarls

[Scott Ebersold]

Great photos!  I can't believe I'm warming to the "Dubai".  She looks so great otherwise, I guess I'm getting used to it!

I didn't realize the lifeboats were "scattered" so far away from the ship. I wonder how far away they are and what the approach to the ship is like?

And, I kept thinking that the new "Queen Elizabeth 2" crown logo looked so familiar and "right" for QE2... And then I realized, it looks like it might be inspired by something that was once seen in many places around QE2, especially while eating....

[Thomas Hypher]

Great photos!  I can't believe I'm warming to the "Dubai".  She looks so great otherwise, I guess I'm getting used to it!

I didn't realize the lifeboats were "scattered" so far away from the ship. I wonder how far away they are and what the approach to the ship is like?

And, I kept thinking that the new "Queen Elizabeth 2" crown logo looked so familiar and "right" for QE2... And then I realized, it looks like it might be inspired by something that was once seen in many places around QE2, especially while eating....

The Wedgewood (if my memory is correct?) crockery. Was also on the napkins I think? The onboard writing paper in our cabins (I think we kept some that I have somewhere within our memorabilia)? And was on official documentation (see my scanned envelope below) A good connection that completely escaped me! Just missing the Cunard lion!

QE2 July 2008 - my 2nd bridge visit by Thomas Hypher, on Flickr

[Rob Lightbody]

https://instagram.com/p/BhMSUh4A46a

[Thomas Hypher]

https://instagram.com/p/BhMSUh4A46a

If anyone is interested in a before and after comparison from a very similar angle compared to this Instagram photo, here is one of my Dad's photos from Monte Carlo/Monaco in August 2007:

Dad's QE2 Mediterranean digital photos, July/August 2007 by Thomas Hypher, on Flickr

Note the anti-personnel sonic weapon mounted in front of the starboard, aft life raft crane (only noticed it recently myself as my Dad's photo is my desktop background at the moment)

I'm not sure if it's been mentioned elsewhere on the forum, but one of the several One Deck aft changes I have noticed for a while (specifically since the removal of the pool) is the removal of the cranes that were latterly for her life rafts (along with the removal of the life rafts too as not needed) but their through deck bases/foundations remain. These cranes were located on Two Deck aft (or replaced the cranes that were there) as she was built but were moved up a deck during the 1986/7 re-engining refit from looking at relevant photos over the years.

Please move my post if it's off topic for this topic!

Thomas

[Thomas Hypher]

Also curious to note that none of her ship's lines appear to be under tension in a lot of photos from the last couple of years in her permanent home. Is this normal or are more permanent docking arrangements actually keeping her in place and have been for the last couple of years?

[Brandon Sterkel]

I'm not sure if it's been mentioned elsewhere on the forum, but one of the several One Deck aft changes I have noticed for a while (specifically since the removal of the pool) is the removal of the cranes that were latterly for her life rafts (along with the removal of the life rafts too as not needed) but their through deck bases/foundations remain. These cranes were located on Two Deck aft (or replaced the cranes that were there) as she was built but were moved up a deck during the 1986/7 re-engining refit from looking at relevant photos over the years.

I must have overlooked the fact that the aft cranes had been removed. The thing that stood out was the removal of the life rafts in that area.

[Trevor Harris]

No need for them.. why keep them?

[Rob Lightbody]

No need for them.. why keep them?

Are you referring to her engines?

Because without everything that made her a ship, she loses everything that makes her interesting.  If you only look at her with a practical head, as you're doing in that comment, you'd have been far better Just building a rectangular monoblock hotel.

SS Rotterdam and, to an extent, the yacht Britannia are good templates of how to do it all right.

[Thomas Hypher]

What's curious to note is the two CCTV cameras remain in position. Whether they are functional and/or wired in anymore is another matter... I took a photo with one of them in the shot along with her wake back in July 2008 when getting a photo from as far astern as I could as a passenger. That is the only photo that remains on the SD card for some reason...I need to transfer it to my computer and back it up before I forget it!

[Trevor Harris]

Are you referring to her engines?

That's funny! I wasn't even thinking about the engines. I was talking about her stern cranes. 

[skilly56]

Re the comment on the slack mooring lines - this will be because there are no generators running. To leave the mooring winches in 'Auto-Tension' mode, they must have power on all the time, which QE2 can no longer supply, so they leave the mooring lines with a bit of slack to allow for the rise and fall of the tides.

When previously operated in the 'Auto' mode, the winches would keep the lines tight, regardless of the state of the tide.

Skilly