The QE2 Revives Its Legacy With an 80-Night Culinary Journey
A landmark liner in Dubai reinterprets its global crossings through an 80-night dining series at Queens Grill.
Photo: Courtesy of QE2
This October, one of the world’s most storied liners will channel its seafaring past through an unexpected medium: food. The Queen Elizabeth 2, permanently docked in Dubai as a floating hotel, is launching a dining series that reimagines the ship’s decades of global crossings as an 80-night gastronomic tour.
Running from Oct. 1 to Dec. 19, Around the World in 80 Days will transform the QE2’s Queens Grill into a rotating stage for menus inspired by 80 destinations once visited during the ship’s heyday. Each evening brings a three-course experience designed to capture both the flavor and atmosphere of ports that defined her golden era—from Southampton and Singapore to Marseille and Mumbai.
The initiative nods to the ship’s original role as a cultural bridge across continents. Built at John Brown’s Clydebank shipyard and launched in 1967, the QE2 became a fixture of the North Atlantic and later a round-the-world cruiser before retiring in 2008. Its second life in Dubai has leaned heavily on nostalgia, but this culinary program suggests a more dynamic approach: blending heritage with contemporary hospitality trends.
“The QE2 has always represented adventure, discovery, and elegance,” said general manager Shaileen Jiwa. “With ‘Around the World in 80 Days,’ she sails again, this time on a culinary journey. It’s not just about food; it’s about storytelling.”
Unlike standard hotel theme nights, this series ties its menus to a specific history of place and voyage. For guests who commit to multiple evenings, the program also offers an incentive: those who attend 10 or more dinners will be entered into a drawing for a trip to one of the featured destinations, including a stay at an Accor hotel on a full-board basis.
Once the promotion concludes, Queens Grill will remain open as a signature fine dining outlet aboard the ship.
