DUBAI : The new owner of luxury cruise liner Queen Elizabeth II (QE2) has categorically denied that the ship is headed to the scrapyard after nearly two years of lying idle in a Dubai dock.
A company spokesperson for Istithmar told XPRESS: "There are a number of options being considered for QE2, none of which involves her leaving Dubai."
The spokesperson, however, did not confirm if talks were on to sell or lease the QE2 to a company to be used as the centrepiece of the Sailing World Championships to be held in December 2011 in Freemantle, in western Australia.
Fans of the luxury cruiser feared that it will be broken up for scrap, but the spokesperson said such rumours are unfounded, saying: "Scrapping her is not an option being considered." It's been nearly two years since the QE2 sailed into Dubai in November 2008 on her final voyage. She was initially set for a retrofit before being permanently docked at Palm Jumeirah as a floating hotel.
Istithmar originally bought the QE2 from Cunard for $100 million (Dh367 million) and the new owner prepared lavish designs.
But the global financial turmoil and real estate slowdown in Dubai put those plans on hold and left her idling in a dock.
