The QEII will
pull into Dubai's port of Mina Rashid today at 3 p.m. (Dubai local time).
The ship will be gutted, rebuilt and reborn in some two to three years as
a floating luxury hotel berthed on The Palm Jumeirah, a massive manmade
island shaped like a tree. QEII's afternoon arrival in Dubai will begin a
day of "celebratory" events. The ship will sail to its berth
joined by a flotilla of private yachts (including the massive yacht owned
by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai), the Royal Navy
and the Coast Guard. Later, an Emirate Airlines A380 Airbus will make a
fly-by, and in proper festive fashion, there will be a huge fireworks
display. The official handover, from Cunard to Nakheel, the Dubai-based
real estate development company responsible for the transformation, will
occur on Thursday. Rumors have swirled about planned changes -- replacing
of the iconic funnel with a glass "funnel" housing penthouse
suites, changing the famed engine room into a theater space -- but
official plans from Nakheel have yet to be revealed.
On Tuesday, 11th
November QEII will leave Southampton for the final time, bound for Dubai.
An enormous send off is planned with a vast amount of people expected to
see her leave and a firework display will take
place off Mayflower Park, River Test, Southampton.
Cunard
Line has unveiled plans to mark QE2’s final departure from her home port
of Southampton on Tuesday 11 November 2008. After 39 years of service,
which have seen QE2 sail 5.9 million nautical miles, complete 806
transatlantic crossings, carry over 2.5 million guests, undertake 25 World
Cruises and answer her country’s call during the Falklands Campaign, QE2
will leave Cunard service following this final voyage from Southampton to
Dubai where she will become a first class hotel and entertainment centre.
The highlight of 11 November will be a farewell visit by His Royal
Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, who will be making his seventh visit to
the most famous ship in the world. During the visit, His Royal Highness
will observe the two-minutes’ silence at 1100 hours prior to meeting
crew members who went down to the Falklands on the ship. His Royal
Highness will then undertake a tour of the vessel, including visits to the
Wardroom, Bridge, Engine Control Room and Hospital before attending a
Reception in the Queens Room. There he will present a painting of QE2,
which was unveiled by Her Majesty The Queen during her farewell visit to
the ship on 2 June 2008, to the Mayor of Southampton, who will accept it
on behalf of the city. At the Reception he will meet long-serving staff,
as well as the former Captains of HMS Ardent, Antelope and Coventry whose
ships were lost in the Falklands Campaign and who returned to the UK on
QE2. After lunch His Royal Highness will watch a flypast by a Harrier jet
from the aft decks of QE2.
People from all over the country are expected to travel to Southampton to
say goodbye to QE2.
She will arrive alongside her berth at the Queen Elizabeth II Terminal at
just after 0630 hours where she will remain until her departure at 1915
hours.
At 1100 hours a million poppies will be dropped over the ship from a Tiger
Moth to commemorate Remembrance Day, mark QE2’s role in the Falklands,
and note the fact that her final departure is on 11 November.
This will be followed at 1340 hours by a flypast of a Harrier which will
hover and bow to QE2 approximately 500-feet off her stern.
QE2 is planned to leave her berth at 1915 hours and proceed astern to be
off Mayflower Park where she will remain for a period. A pre-recorded
message from her Master, Captain Ian McNaught, will be broadcast on a
specially-erected screen in the Park. Immediately after this there will be
a brief, spectacular firework display. QE2 will then proceed downriver
with her whistle blasting and she is expected to be accompanied by a large
flotilla. She will pass the Queen Elizabeth II Terminal just before 2000
hours for the final time and then make her way down Southampton Water en
route to Dubai.
7:15 p.m. -- QE2 will leave
its berth in the Eastern Docks for the final time and head to the Western
Docks, where it will turn and be in held in position off Mayflower Park.
7:25 p.m. -- The Captain of QE2 will deliver a message from the ship,
which will be broadcast onto the screen in Mayflower Park.
7:40 p.m. -- There will be a fireworks display to commemorate QE2's final
sailing.
8 p.m. -- QE2 will sail out of Southampton.
