The Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise liner is finally opening for business again nearly a decade after last crossing the ocean.
The ship has now been transformed into a luxury hotel in Dubai.
Put to sea in 1969, the QE2 was named after the Queen Mother, the second vessel named after the mother of the current Queen.
Here we glimpse inside the refurbished vessel and look back on its glorious history:
![The Queen Elizabeth 2 is moored at the Rashid Port (Kamran Jebreili/AP)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/5e8630c9d1abbefc68639d62c354e2d8Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTI0MDYzMDQw/2.36046779.jpg?w=640)
![The refurbished bar is ready to receive guests (Kamran Jebreili/AP)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/9b40965085d97cdacefa54fdc9e67ea7Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTI0MDYzMDg3/2.36046885.jpg?w=640)
![The Queen Elizabeth last sailed a decade ago (Kamran Jebreili/AP)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/27d9409f3d57710a35c318b22607eb2bY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTI0MDYzMTMw/2.36046735.jpg?w=640)
![Hamza Mustafa, the chief executive of Dubai’s Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corp’s investment arm, passes slot machines that will remain turned off as gambling is illegal (Kamran Jebreili/AP)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/6ba24e6785e1ca58bb3f2044845186e0Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTI0MDYzMTgy/2.36046680.jpg?w=640)
![A duplex room is ready to receive guests (Kamran Jebreili/AP)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/d5b2da6d9b3beaeaf3e7df0dd093fa8aY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTI0MDYzMjYy/2.36046949.jpg?w=640)
![The QE2 successfully enters the mouth of the Tyne at Tynemouth in 2007 (Owen Humphreys/PA)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/88909a02afcea1df1249d422f2989ad4Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTI0MDYzMzEx/2.5142724.jpg?w=640)
![The QE2 sits docked on the River Mersey in Liverpool in 2007 (Martin Rickett/PA)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/d3a87efe7e5e9aa42ecb001d295715c8Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTI0MDYzNDkx/2.5160944.jpg?w=640)
![The QE2 moors in the River Forth beside the Forth Rail Bridge, again in 2007 (Andrew Milligan/PA)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/d2dd18387415284a3b6c8524747a40d7Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTI0MDYzNjQ4/2.5149436.jpg?w=640)
![Well wishers watch the departure of the Queen Elizabeth 2 from Southampton on her maiden voyage to New York in 1969 (PA).](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/239511aa005028ee07e5728f9858840fY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTI0MDYzODE4/2.24661009.jpg?w=640)
![The launching of the newly-named Queen Elizabeth II by the Queen at John Brown’s Yard, Clydebank in 1967 (PA)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/9f76ed0072a23737ee562ada853c3cdfY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTI0MDYzOTM0/2.1628993.jpg?w=640)
![Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr getting ready for some deck games on board the QE2 at Southampton (PA)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/277d42462523905edd278847a36ea471Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTI0MDYzOTkx/2.1656535.jpg?w=640)
![The Queen and Princess Margaret on the launching platform in 1967 (PA)](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/710d58ce14932dedbdc68aa7b5f9bffeY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNTI0MDY0MDU0/2.1629003.jpg?w=640)
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