QE2 may be converted into Cape Town hotel – paper

Dubai World plans to berth the Queen Elizabeth 2 ship at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town and convert it into a luxury hotel, according to a report.

The company is applying for berthing rights from the National Port Authority, the Johannesburg-based newspaper said.

Dubai World is in talks with a South African company to manage the hotel, the daily added.

Ronel Bester, the South African tourism department’s spokeswoman, said yesterday that the department was aware of the plans, but several approvals were required before any decision could be made.

“The National Ports Authority has to decide on the practical implications of berthing [and] a decision has to be taken by the department on the desirability of allowing the QE2 to berth in Cape Town in the light of the available accommodation in the city and surrounds. We are consulting with the industry and the department will take a decision by the end of next week,” Bester said. (


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Last month, state-owned developer Nakheel, a subsidiary of Dubai World denied that the luxury cruise liner QE2 would be returning to her home city in the UK, just eight months after she was sold to Dubai for $83m (£50m).

In November, Nakheel bought the ship with aim of turning it into a luxury hotel. But the global downturn has thrown these plans into doubt.

The ship, once renovated, would have formed the centerpiece of the QE2 precinct on Palm Jumeirah.

Plans included 200 rooms, 10 of which will be suites, a 500-seater theatre as well as a 5,000 square metre indoor and outdoor wellness centre and spa.