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The Queen Elizabeth II is headed for Cape Town, South Africa. This just in from BBC News:

Cunard sold the Southampton-based liner for £50m to the United Arab Emirates real estate developer Nakheel.

It had planned to refurbish the ship and open it as a floating hotel in Dubai but that has been put on hold.

The QE2 will now go to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town, where there is a shortage of hotel rooms.

According to the report, the QE2 is planning on staying in Cape Town for 18 months set to coincide with the June 2010 Fifa World Cup and the trip will delay refurbishment of the famed ocean liner.  Reasoning behind this decision , “QE2 is simply a victim of the recession.”

The ship is expected to be moved to South Africa under its own power, but the sale contract with Cunard meant it could not carry passengers as a cruise ship.

READ MORE at BBC

Above image via Calshot observer on flickr

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