I've posted some images of QE2's big new years bash here:
http://www.chriscunard.com/qe2_nye2011_dubai.php

Despite the advertised "b-grade celebrities" not showing up, those onboard seem to have had a superb time with QE2 proving to be a very effective party venue.

[ 01-03-2012: Message edited by: Chris ]

No Lindsay Lohan, but the QE2 proves to be the star of its own NYE party

Alex Ritman
Jan 2, 2012

It's a dangerous game brandishing the power of "celebrity appearances" to help promote your party, as the organisers of the New Year's Eve bash on the QE2, Global Events Management, can no doubt confirm. For all the racket about Lindsay Lohan and Pamela Anderson, both supposedly "confirmed" for the exclusive black-tie event aboard the famous ocean liner that has been docked in Dubai's Port Rashid for the past three years, star spotters were instead left with a few, let's just say less-established names from the international famous list.

Among the confirmed sightings on Saturday night were singer Nadine Coyle (of Girls Aloud and, of late, a less-than-enthusiastic solo career), actor Liam Cunningham (recently seen in 3D swords-and-sandals fest Clash of the Titans), Vanessa Feltz (broadcaster and, according to a 2003 list, "93rd Worst Briton") and, er, Lady Victoria Hervey, a name that might whirr up the memory banks of only those who were partial to British reality shows in the mid-noughties. Rumours of Shah Rukh Khan's waltz down the increasingly unnecessary red carpet came to nothing and British cricketer Allan Lamb could well have been there, but he's hardly a face most are likely instantly to recognise...

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[ 01-03-2012: Message edited by: joe at travelpage ]

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Originally posted by joe at travelpage:
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It's a dangerous game brandishing the power of "celebrity appearances" to help promote your party[...]

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This was certainly very cheap at best.

However, I think that events like that are the best one can do with QE2 before she is sent to the scrapper.

With the ex P & O Cruises Sea Princess, which later sailed as Mona Lisa, now open as a floating hotel at Oman it does show what can be done with these older cruise ships when the money is available.

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Originally posted by Neil - Ex P. & O. S. N. Company.:
With the ex P & O Cruises Sea Princess, which later sailed as Mona Lisa, now open as a floating hotel at Oman

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So Mona Lisa is in Muscat Oman? I'll be there on January 11th I'll have to check it out.

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Originally posted by LeBarryboat:
So Mona Lisa is in Muscat Oman?

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No, she is in Duqm a long way south. Check out the Royal Yachts instead

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Originally posted by Neil - Ex P. & O. S. N. Company.:
With the party being held on deck it does make you wonder what the state is inside the Q E 2.

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Not sure what your concern is. The guy who was there a few months ago and posted the pictures on his blog showed that she was being kept very nicely and looked like she was ready for her next sailing.

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Originally posted by Neil - Ex P. & O. S. N. Company.:
[...] when this event was held they had to put portable toilets on deck !

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Originally posted by Ernst:
Very likely the whole system is shut down and it was not worth to switch it on just for a small party.

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The whole treatment/sewage plant would have needed flushing through and cleaning out again. Not worth it all for one evening; Portaloos get used at many functions in hotel grounds too. It's nice she was used for something and I see no evidence that she is not being cared for, quite the contrary.

I don't believe Veronica is yet open? I did see some job adverts around the net a couple of months ago, but no start date was listed afaicr.

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Originally posted by dougnewman:
seems sad and rather pathetic.

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Just like the global economy. The plans for the QE2 where dreamed up in the go - go era and Dubai was especially hard hit by the global economic meltdown which is causing a rethink of the plan.