Queen sails off on a Princess

Putting all thoughts of pesky garden party guests behind her, the Queen is expected to set out on her summer holiday today. Sailing around the west coast of Scotland on board the luxurious cruise ship Hebridean Princess, the biggest nuisance she is likely to encounter will be the notorious midges rather than BNP leader Nick Griffin.
Her Majesty, together with Prince Philip, is flying to the island of Lewis and will be embarking in Stornoway this afternoon ready for a 10-night cruise.
She chartered the ship, a converted car ferry which now carries up to 49 passengers, for her 80th birthday celebrations in 2006. This year she is expected to hold a party on board to celebrate daughter Princess Anne’s 60th. Prince Andrew, who turned 50 in February, is also expected to join the cruise, along with daughters Beatrice and Eugenie.
The All Leisure Group which operates Hebridean Princess, as well as Voyages of Discovery and Swan Hellenic, has been coy about the charter and have never officially confirmed it, even though it has been widely reported since January.
They will not disclose the Queen’s itinerary, and certainly will not comment on how much she is paying – although the cost of the 2006 charter was reported as being £125,000. Never knowingly under-exaggerated, the Daily Mail is claiming that this year’s charter is costing £300,000.
Passengers who had already booked cruises on Hebridean Princess between now and August 5 received compensation and were offered alternative dates. Perhaps they should have considered hiring a different boat for themselves.
Dunoon-based Majestic Line, which operates two converted trawlers each carrying up to 11 passengers, has just announced a special deal offering private charters at £10,000 for six nights during August.
Guests can choose their own itinerary, and the cost includes the services of a crew of four, including chef. The crew can tailor a journey around the Argyll coast, further north to the Orkneys, or inland through the Caledonian Canal to Loch Ness.