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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| QE2 set to become floating hotel | QE2 set to become floating hotel |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Dubai is to buy the Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise ship for $100m (£50.5m) and turn it into a floating hotel off the Gulf emirate's man-made islands. | Dubai is to buy the Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise ship for $100m (£50.5m) and turn it into a floating hotel off the Gulf emirate's man-made islands. |
| The 70,000-tonne vessel, launched by the Queen in 1967, is to be sold to the Dubai World firm by Carnival, the world's largest cruise operator. | The 70,000-tonne vessel, launched by the Queen in 1967, is to be sold to the Dubai World firm by Carnival, the world's largest cruise operator. |
| Dubai government-owned real-estate developer Nakheel is building three palm-frond shaped isles off its coast. | Dubai government-owned real-estate developer Nakheel is building three palm-frond shaped isles off its coast. |
| The ship will be berthed from 2009 at a pier at the Palm Jumeirah development. | The ship will be berthed from 2009 at a pier at the Palm Jumeirah development. |
| 'Maritime nation' | 'Maritime nation' |
| Dubai World, whose investment arm Istithmar has made the purchase, also owns shipping company P&O. | Dubai World, whose investment arm Istithmar has made the purchase, also owns shipping company P&O. |
| Istithmar hopes to recreate the QE2's original interior decor and fittings, and to establish a museum charting the ship's history. | Istithmar hopes to recreate the QE2's original interior decor and fittings, and to establish a museum charting the ship's history. |
| Dubai World chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem said: "Dubai is a maritime nation and we understand the rich heritage of QE2. | Dubai World chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem said: "Dubai is a maritime nation and we understand the rich heritage of QE2. |
| "She is coming to a home where she will be cherished." | "She is coming to a home where she will be cherished." |
| The ship came into service in 1969 and has crossed the Atlantic more than 800 times, carrying more than 2.5 million passengers, Istithmar said. | |
| Istithmar is the investment arm of Dubai World, which owns Nakheel and Dubai Ports World, the port operator that bought P&O, a 165-year-old British company, in 2006. |