Queen Elizabeth II, or QE2 as it's popularly known, retired from cruising in 2008 after some 40 years in service (launched in 1969). The ocean liner, one of cruising's most storied vessels, was sold in 2007 for $100 million to Istithmar World, the investment arm of state-run Dubai World. At the time, Dubai World's developer, Nakheel, outlined a grand plan to transform the iconic ship into a luxury floating hotel, boasting features from a West End-style theater to a glass penthouse complex where the iconic fire red funnel once stood. Hit hard by the worldwide recession, Dubai World became saddled debt, and QE2 has been languishing at Dubai's Port Rashid since arriving there in November 2008. Plans to dock the QE2 in South Africa as a floating hotel during the 2010 FIFA World Cup were scuppered.

In 2012 a consortium -- QE2 London -- was formed to buy the ship back from Dubai and moor her opposite the O2 Centre and alongside ExCeL in the Docklands area of London.

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Highlights about this Queen Elizabeth II model cruise ship:

• This model ship is entirely handmade by skilled and experienced craftsmen, using the plank on frame construction method

• No kits are use

• Use high-quality wood such as rosewood, ebony, black wood, mahogany wood...., timbers are after process step of pre-construction.

• The Queen Elizabeth 2 model ship is built on scale by the original plan, then drawn up and painted by actual photographs to ensure the best accuracy.