A long time waiting, but this is the big one.

[Rob Lightbody]

Dear QE2 Story readers (mostly "guests"!),

In January 2009, in a world before Facebook Groups, we all started watching and waiting here, to see what Dubai would do with "our" beloved QE2.  The other cruise ship forums told us to "move on", this was my repsonse.

There are pages and pages of discussions archived here, where you can see what we were all thinking and wondering and hoping as each year passed.   There was the period when she still looked OK, and we all dreamed of her sailing again (2009 to the end of 2012) then there was the period when it just looked like they'd just given up (2013 to mid 2015) and we wondered if she'd be scrapped or come "home".  Then... all change.  They put her back in the port, cleaned her up, and we've observed steady progress since, culminating today where she's in Dry Dock having her full "ship to static hotel" conversion carried out.

At the same time as watching and waiting, the rest of the forum built up a formidable history of stories and memories from those who lived, worked and holidayed on board.  People find and read these posts daily via Google searches, but most don't post because its slightly different to Facebook...  We nearly ran out of bandwidth last month due to the high number of searches to our site.

Sadly, over the nearly 10 years of waiting, quite a number of our members have passed away, and I'm sad they didn't see what I'm sure we're about to see now.  They won't be forgotten, and we plan on putting together a wee tribute page for them here soon.  Their stories will remain. 

For me its been an amazing period which has taken me to Dubai, put me on TV and radio and in national newspapers, but more than anything has been the dozens and dozens of QE2 friends that I've made from all around the world, most of them with more interesting QE2 stories to tell than my own - I've met captains, officers, famous passengers, authors and even the lovely man who designed her replacement.  I don't think any of this would have happened, had you not all joined this site.  We've had numerous wondeful "QE2 Story Get togethers" culimating in last year's wonderful conference, which I'll never forget.

Maybe we'll meet in the QE2 hotel one day - the ultimate "QE2 get together".

QE2 as a ship is no more, QE2 as a hotel is about to appear.  Good luck to her, and all who stay or work on her.

- Rob

[Trevor Harris]

Thank you, Rob.

[Brandon Sterkel]

Nicely said, Rob.

[Thomas Hypher]

Maybe we'll meet in the QE2 hotel one day - the ultimate

I can work to this! Will be very emotional and surreal for many of us, particularly former passengers and crew who lived the "old days" onboard as I find myself saying now even at my young age   

[June Ingram]

Very well said, Rob ! And thank you !

QE2's stay in Dubai has been long and arduous, and we have followed her throughout that time with our hearts in our throats not knowing what would become of our beloved ship.

But now, a new life awaits our QE2 ! Our spirits are boosted as we wait to see QE2's life continue ! 

[cunardqueen]

Wouldnt  that feature be an ideal front section to Welcome new members to here...   

[Rod]

And it's all down to you Rob. THANKS!

[Dave Lowing]

Rob, an excellent post, you have said it all so eloquently.

Thanks,

Dave Lowing
1973-1979

[Bob C.]

Well said Rob!!! 

[Clydebuilt1971]

Nice on Rob - hit the nail on the head.

Lets hope we can meet on board some time in the future.

And just to add - being part of the conference team was a great honour and something I will never forget!

Gav

[Rob Lightbody]

I never thought I'd get to say this in this area of the website, but after 9 years and 3 months of watching here, QE2 is available to book to stay in.

Wow.

[cunardqueen]

It will be interesting to hear what the new passengers think of The QE2 hotel and more importantly what her old passengers think of the new look...

[Peter Mugridge]

How do the prices compare with when she was in service ( allowing for inflation, of course ) and against other hotels in Dubai?

[cunardqueen]

   How do the prices compare with when she was in service ( allowing for inflation, of course ) and against other hotels in Dubai?
   

Lord knows, for a great many of us, all we looked at were the single cabin rates in QE2s brochures, then there was the time you needed a degree to figure out the sole occp rates on the other ships, then l believe some of them introduced single cabins, alas i havent  seen a Cunard brochure for quite some time...

Im not sure we should compare QE2 to other hotels in Dubai, some of them are quite over the top, The Burj (the fancy one) for all the money you pay for one of their fancy rooms, try taping housekeeping for extra bathroom smellies.... on QE2 there was no such word as No     

[Chris]

So glad to see QE2 coming alive once again.