Photos taken outside, on board QE2 Hotel Dubai

[Rob Lightbody]

Some pics taken out on deck.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I must admit it is a pleasure to see these photos of the old familiar friend, looking different, but not tooooo different.

It could all have been so much worse. And could still be, of course.

I am very grateful to see the photos and read the reports of visits, but would be reluctant to go and see for myself... I prefer to keep my own (fading) memories.

[Thomas Hypher]

Great set of photos. She's tidier in certain places than even just a month ago...slowly but surely she is coming together in her new role.

Very similar to my thoughts Isabelle, but on setting eyes on the ship again in person. Still a very familiar second home despite the changes and much better than languishing in the cold layup even longer (SS US kind of fate) or the original 2008/9 plans Dubai had to carve her up.

[Rob Lightbody]

Some more deck pics taken last week.

The wooden porthole doors get a big thumbs up from me.

But oh my goodness, how bare and empty is the boat deck.  We heard that one of the reasons for removing the davits was to make space, yet they've never actually used all that space, and guests are given conflicting messages about whether they're actually allowed to walk the decks or not.

[Thomas Hypher]

One is not meant to walk the length of Boat Deck (including the bit beneath the bridge) if security have anything to do with it or one asks them or any staff unless the circumstances are unusual and one is accompanied by a member of staff (senior). It sure is boiling all along Boat Deck in the midday (January!) Sun...where are the shades or better yet the lifeboats! This is probably all I should say publicly...

[June Ingram]

Great photos, Rob ! Thanks for posting ! 

[Clydebuilt1971]

Liking those pics!!

I was supposed to meet a friend on board for dinner / drinks last Thursday during my business trip to Dubai but sadly it didnt happen. I am due to be back for another meeting so it will be a proirity!

Off subject but the grey hull in the second to last photo looks like one of the Bay Class RFA ships.

Gav

[Thomas Hypher]

Liking those pics!!

I was supposed to meet a friend on board for dinner / drinks last Thursday during my business trip to Dubai but sadly it didnt happen. I am due to be back for another meeting so it will be a proirity!

Off subject but the grey hull in the second to last photo looks like one of the Bay Class RFA ships.

Gav

Sorry to hear you didn't get onboard Gav, hopefully you can soon!

Indeed she is one of the RFA's Bay Class Amphibious ships, perhaps supporting RN Minesweepers as they've done in the recent past in the Persian Gulf area.

[Thomas Hypher]

Just been doing some investigating upon noticing the davits that QE2's Catamaran tenders had (of the same overhanging style as QM2's davits) had their own pedestals next to the superstructure which are still intact today, albeit cut down in height, along with various other structures and items that were once involved with the davits that are still in place today.

In the process, I came across this very high resolution (drone?) photo of her alongside where she is today but before her 2018 drydocking (hence looking rather grubby and needing a repaint) which shows the cut in her forward superstructure the clearest I've ever seen it - with the cut out area of superstructure even resting up against the galley "box" minus the sheet metal that blanked the old windows of the Lookout Bar. The cut out bit of superstructure doesn't seem to have been returned and the area seems to have been boarded up MDF style from looking at my photos from last year.

The photo also shows a few other things such as the Boat Deck railings as they were, the lights that used to overhang Boat Deck and illuminate the water below before being removed, and the cut to make an entrance near the old Queens Grill Bar having recently been made (the window being next to the new entrance), and finally the bow foghorn (Kockumsonics MTX 150/130 ElectroTyfon - thank you Skilly!) still in place on the foredeck mast before it was removed.

http://home.bt.com/images/qe2-set-to-open-as-floating-hotel-136426482684502601-180416162209.jpg

[Rob Lightbody]

Good investigations Thomas

One of my favourite moments in Dubai, ten years ago now, was spending a good bit of time standing in what was the lookout bar and trying to visualise it. You could still make out the shape of the space, the door and the blocked up windows being crucial mental key points to locate around, if that makes any sense.  Then stepping out the door onto the bit of deck and imagining the full width original.  The white superstructure in the Dubai midday sun... I only lasted about a minute outside.

[Thomas Hypher]

Good investigations Thomas

One of my favourite moments in Dubai, ten years ago now, was spending a good bit of time standing in what was the lookout bar and trying to visualise it. You could still make out the shape of the space, the door and the blocked up windows being crucial mental key points to locate around, if that makes any sense.  Then stepping out the door onto the bit of deck and imagining the full width original.  The white superstructure in the Dubai midday sun... I only lasted about a minute outside.

Very lucky to have had free reign to explore and document QE2, Rob! I gather the railing top on that narrow bit of deck is still the original black plastic (Bakelite?) to this day, as also found on the bridge wing staircases until they were removed circa 2006 and unlike the wood (teak?) retrofitted elsewhere onboard for the railing tops.

I can imagine that regarding the Dubai Midday Sun as I got sunburnt (on one side) on the dockside in January waiting for QM2's departure in the early afternoon and it was boiling and very unsheltered (unlike how it was!) when filming on Boat Deck at Midday/in early afternoon. The reflectivity of the white superstructure also reminds me of the only visit to Propriano which was extremely sunny - stepping back inside into A Stairway near Queens Grill I had to allow quite some time to adjust in order to see properly again!

[Rod]

Since my time, the ramps up to the double wooden porthole doors are new, as are the fire extinguishers.

[Rob Lightbody]

Since my time, the ramps up to the double wooden porthole doors are new, as are the fire extinguishers.

There were quite a lot of ramps added after your time, to make her more accessible, but this one is a Dubai addition, as are the doors to the QG bar.

[Rod]

Believe it or not, QE2 was one of the first ships/hotels built with at least more than a token nod to the disabled.
eg a lot of the rooms had no "threshold" at the cabin door that you had to step over. Same with some of the doors to the deck.