Queen to set sail!

The Queen to due to take to the waters again after a 12 year break from cruising.

It is reported she is due to charter the Hebridean Princess at the end of July. Prince Philip and other members of the Royal Family will join her on the ship, which has 30 cabins.

The two week cruise will be happening at the end of July before heading for Balmoral and is reported to cost at least £150,000 per week.

The 200ft vessel is owned by All Leisure Group, and P&O's former boss Lord Sterling who has been put in a sticky situation as they have to cancel other passengers bookings.

I know if it was me I would be pretty unhappy to have my hard earned summer holiday cancelled by the Queen! It is said passengers are being given different travel dates and compensated generously.

Says Lee Hayhurst, the cruise expert of Travel Weekly magazine: 'Although the Hebridean Princess is small for a cruise ship, she is quite luxurious in an old-fashioned, traditional kind of way.

All the cabins are decked out in tartan, they have dark, canopied beds and there is a lot of polished wood around.