Nakheel, one of the largest development companies in Dubai, has revealed that the final stop for the cruise liner, the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2), will be an upscale marina development on the eastern trunk side of Palm Jumeirah. Purchased for US$100 million (Dh367m) last year by Nakheel's parent organisation Dubai World, the QE2 will embark on its ultimate journey from Southampton, England to Dubai in November. "The ship will be in Dubai in mid-November but it will be several months before its opening to the public because it will be refurbished," said a spokesman from Nakheel.
QE2 will reside at the end of a pier that will stretch 300 metres into Arabian Gulf from the trunk of the palm-shaped island. The entrance-area of the pier will feature hotels, apartments, gardens and retail and entertainment venues. A yacht club will service a marina attached to the pier. Plans for the QE2 include transforming it into a floating luxury hotel that will include a heritage museum displaying artefacts from the QE2 and maritime history. "We still don't know how many rooms the ship will have and its too early to say who the management company will be," said the spokesman.
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