The new owners of the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) hope to attract twice as many guests as the majestic cruise liner did when she sailed the world's oceans, after she is transformed by the UAE developer Nakheel into a luxury floating hotel and museum.
"In 40 years, the ship has had about 2.5 million guests on board, but when we are done with transforming her we expect to see more than double that number in the same period," said Manfred Ursprunger, the chief executive of QE2 Enterprises at Nakheel Hotels, which is taking charge of the project.
Istithmar, the investment arm of the state-owned Dubai World development company, bought the ship last year from Britain's Cunard Line for US$100 million (Dh367.3m).
"Nakheel Hotels, as a subsidiary arm of Dubai World, will now take charge of the refurbishments, which we expect to complete in two to three years time," said Mr Ursprunger, who declined to comment on the cost of the transformation.
Building the ship in the mid-1960s cost Cunard £29m. Since then, about 15 times that amount had been spent on the ship's refurbishments, said Mr Ursprunger. "We have respected the fact that Cunard has hold of the ship, so our engineers have not been on board and estimated the costs needed, but ultra luxury is the direction we aim to go."
With an ambitious tourism target of attracting 15 million visitors by 2015, Dubai is constantly faced with the challenge of reinventing itself and introducing new attractions.
"This project is very much in line with the overall tourism strategy, and I think the outcome will attract millions of visitors not only from Europe, but also from within the region," said Mr Ursprunger.
The hotel will have 200 rooms, which the company estimates will be about 50 square metres each, and 130 apartments that rage from one to three bedrooms starting from 80 to 120 sq metres. "The apartments will be up for sale under a fractional ownership contact, and we still haven't set the prices for the property," said Mr Ursprunger.
Under the current design, the ship has 900 cabins, which in many cases are smaller than 30 sq metres. "Being a luxury hotel, we wanted the rooms to be very spacious - that's why we went for a smaller number of rooms."
The refurbishment will take place at the Dubai Drydocks area, which is a sister company of Nakheel, located near Port Rashid, where the ship arrived yesterday. "Once the transformation is complete, the ship will be towed to its final destination on the north-east end of the Palm Jumeirah," said Mr Ursprunger.
In an effort to lure more tourists to the hotel, day visitors will be allowed on board for the first time in the cruise liner's history. Day guests and other visitors will be able to take organised tours of the ship or use the facilities, which will include a 5,000 sq metre spa and wellness centre, six continental restaurants and a 500-seat theatre, which will replace the boat's engine.
In terms of running the hotel, the company plans to sign more than one management contract with operators in the next two years. "Because we have more than one component to the project, we are planning to sign a contract with a luxury hotel operator, a spa operator and a theatre production operator," said Mr Ursprunger, adding that the theatre performances held on board were expected to compete with international shows such as those on New York's Broadway.
Projects around the QE2 are already under way. "There will be a residential area, a retail area and a maritime museum, which will all be completed in two to three years time," said Mr Ursprunger. "Make no mistake, at the end of the day this is a business and our aim is to generate profits. Given such a popular brand like QE2, I think we already managed to attract a lot of attention."
abakr@thenational.ae
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
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Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
Background: Chemical Weapons
How do Sim card scams work?
Sim swap frauds are a form of identity theft.
They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards by claiming to be the victim, often pretending their phone has been lost or stolen in order to secure a new Sim.
They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.
The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
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5 of the most-popular Airbnb locations in Dubai
Bobby Grudziecki, chief operating officer of Frank Porter, identifies the five most popular areas in Dubai for those looking to make the most out of their properties and the rates owners can secure:
• Dubai Marina
The Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence are popular locations, says Mr Grudziecki, due to their closeness to the beach, restaurants and hotels.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh482 to Dh739
Two bedroom: Dh627 to Dh960
Three bedroom: Dh721 to Dh1,104
• Downtown
Within walking distance of the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and the famous fountains, this location combines business and leisure. “Sure it’s for tourists,” says Mr Grudziecki. “Though Downtown [still caters to business people] because it’s close to Dubai International Financial Centre."
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh497 to Dh772
Two bedroom: Dh646 to Dh1,003
Three bedroom: Dh743 to Dh1,154
• City Walk
The rising star of the Dubai property market, this area is lined with pristine sidewalks, boutiques and cafes and close to the new entertainment venue Coca Cola Arena. “Downtown and Marina are pretty much the same prices,” Mr Grudziecki says, “but City Walk is higher.”
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh524 to Dh809
Two bedroom: Dh682 to Dh1,052
Three bedroom: Dh784 to Dh1,210
• Jumeirah Lake Towers
Dubai Marina’s little brother JLT resides on the other side of Sheikh Zayed road but is still close enough to beachside outlets and attractions. The big selling point for Airbnb renters, however, is that “it’s cheaper than Dubai Marina”, Mr Grudziecki says.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh422 to Dh629
Two bedroom: Dh549 to Dh818
Three bedroom: Dh631 to Dh941
• Palm Jumeirah
Palm Jumeirah's proximity to luxury resorts is attractive, especially for big families, says Mr Grudziecki, as Airbnb renters can secure competitive rates on one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh503 to Dh770
Two bedroom: Dh654 to Dh1,002
Three bedroom: Dh752 to Dh1,152
