Just over 10 years after Dubai acquired it, the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) ocean line – which has been restored as a floating hotel – is set to open.

On April 18, the QE2 will have a soft launch, which will be followed by a more formal opening.

Rooms at the vessel will start at around $163 (AED600), with discounted deals expected in Ramadan, which starts in mid-May.

It houses 224 refurbished rooms and suites, 13 food and beverage venues, 25 meeting and conferencing facilities and a number of retail shops, according to the ship’s new website which hotel operators updated ahead of the launch.

The 13-deck hotel is now permanently docked at Dubai’s Port Rashid. Guests will be able to enter the ship from the terminal, which has been turned into a maritime museum featuring artworks from the historic vessel.

Dubai had bought the ship from American-British cruise line Cunard Line’s in 2007, though the economic recession slowed plans to turn it into a floating hotel.

Source  www.arabianbusiness.com