QE2 Dubai has opened the ship’s navigation bridge to the general public as part of its popular ship-wide tour of the former ocean liner.

Unfortunately the bridge will only be accessible through one of these tours, but they’re led by entertaining and engaging hosts with a depth of knowledge of the most famous passenger ship ever built.

QE2 (now the QE2 Dubai hotel)

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Queen Elizabeth II, popularly known as QE2, was launched in 1969 and sold to DP World in 2008. It’s currently operated as a static floating hotel in Dubai’s Port Rashid by PCFC Hotels, the hospitality arm of DP World.

During her 35 years in service (she was decommissioned in 2004), QE2 sailed 801 trans-Atlantic crossings, 25 World Cruises and 10 ‘extended’ voyages. In total, she sailed 1,400 voyages, carried 2.5-million people and racked up more than 6-million nautical miles.

All of that was done from her bridge, the command post of the ship and the nerve-centre of everything that happened on-board.

The helm station aboard QE2 Dubai

For the first time in her history, the bridge can now be explored by the public.

Visitors to the ship and guests staying onboard will be able to go on a tour around the bridge every day at 10am, noon and 4pm.

QE2’s chart room

Tours cost AED135 per person or AED200, which includes AED100 to spend on food and drink on the ship (such as in the Golden Lion or at the Lido buffet).

The Lido buffet aboard QE2

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For guests staying on the ship the price is AED60.

Tours include all public areas of the vessel and provide a comprehensive look at her history and what she meant for the cruise industry and passenger shipping during her years in service as an ocean liner.

The Bridge component of the ship tours will include the main control features of the bridge suite, the Captain’s day room, the Chart Room and the Flag Room, as well as the Captain’s offices.

The opening of the ship’s Bridge is a great sign of more to come from this famous old ship. When she was first launched as a hotel back in 2018, PCFC Hotels CEO told Cruise Arabia & Africa that engine room tours are also part of the plan for the ship.