> Cruise News - Updated Daily > Queen heads off on a Princess

An excited Royal Family arrived en masse at Stornoway on Friday to begin a 10-day luxury cruise aboard the Hebridean Princess.

The charter, estimated to have cost £300k, was organised by the Queen to celebrate Princess Anne's forthcoming 60th birthday and Prince Andrew's 50th birthday earlier this year.

No doubt there'll be a lot of reminiscing aboard. The monarch is said to have adored her yearly cruises around Scotland aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia, and was devasted when the ship was decommissioned in 1997.

The Queen was joined by a large group of Royal family members including the Duke of York, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, the Princess Royal and husband, Vice-Admiral Tim Laurence, her son Viscount Linley, and Princess Margaret’s son and his family, to name but a few.

The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex, with their children are due to board the ship at a later date.

Believe it or not, the Hebridean Princess is actually a former car ferry but, after an 'extreme makeover', now boasts 30 luxury cabins and suites.

No doubt the Queen will stay in the prime Isle of Arran suite (below) - which has a Victorian marble-tiled bathroom and normally costs £10,000-a-week.



Although the ship's itinerary is strictly confidential, it is well known that The Queen has a favourite picnic beach on the remote island of Colonsay and another at Scarista on Harris in the Outer Hebrides.

The cruise is due to end with a visit to the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother’s home at the Castle of Mey on the northern coast of Caithness at around the time of the 110th anniversary of her birth.

Has anyone ever cruised aboard Hebridean Princess?

I've visited the Hebridean Princess. Each cabin has a name, not a number and no door lock! The ship has a country-house feel about it, complete with a artificial fire place in the lounge.

I visited the 'Britannia', the ex-royal yacht too. That was surprisingly modest compared to what you might expect.

Have seen lots of photos of the 'Britannia's interior' she was indeed very modest!

I am now donning my 'tin hat' and running for the 'shelter' but surely we could afford a new Royal Yacht'?

The amount of trade generated far exceeded costs. An excellent ROI!

Lizzie.

__________________

I agree Lizzie, the Britannia was more about generating trade, I was lucky enough to see the Britannia twice in Falmouth ,I had my photo taken by the gangway, the teak and the brasses gleamed that's the only way I can describe Britannia.
I watched the Royal Marine band play the beating the retreat in the dark on the quayside and the queen and Duke of Edinburgh watching from the decks, and the next time she came to Falmouth I was invited into the docks and met and spoke to the Queen mother returning from Sunday service a very gracious lady.
I think it was a very spiteful thing to take the Britannia out of service, especially when as we now know, our MP's were feathering their own nest's, and Tony and Cherie were living the life of Riley. As you can see I am a royalist. CG

__________________

Not sure, even if I could afford it. If there were a group of us It could tempt. What would happen if you didnt like any of the other passengers? Not a great deal of choice for dining companions if you did'nt gel!

PS. CG....... I do hope your ref.to the 'DUCK' was a typing error.
Otherwise it could be CG Heads Off.x.

__________________
*Carol M*

300,000 pounds for a cruise to celebrate a couple of birthdays - and Buckingham Palace is in dire state of repair. Something is wrong here - but then of course you still have the good old British Taxpayers to kick in!

Yes actually I went around Norway throughout the Fjords on the Saga Ruby - I would highly recommend it!

I think you misunderstand the difference between Queen and state. The Queen is independently very wealthy and is responsible for the upkeep of her own personal palaces. However Buckingham Palace is owned by the State and is effectively the Queen's office and place where she carries out official functions in London hence it is maintained by the State. Of course the Queen also entertains at her personal house at Windsor Castle on behalf of the nation too!

Also, the money the Royal family from the civil list historically doesn't come from taxpayers but is actually from the revenues of the Duchy of Lancaster which were always privately held by the monarch since the time of Henry IV who inherited them from his mother, Blanche of Lancaster.

__________________
Cruising my way through life!

Sue

If the queen wants a yatch she should buy one.

Any money the Queen has has been taken from the British People, as has the Duchy of Lancaster and Cornwall.