Decorated in the style of a faded English country home, the 2,000-ton Leander has been leased to the Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall for the 10-day trip next month at the rate negotiated to £40,000-a-day fee. The Prince, sensitive to criticisms of the costs of his overseas tours which are funded by the taxpayer, will travel with his entourage to Trinidad on a scheduled flight rather than a chartered plane. The Royal entourage, which will stay on the liner, will then sail to Tobago, St Lucia, Montserrat and Jamaica before flying back to Britain.
There is a plus point in using the Leander. There will be a 40 per cent reduction in carbon emissions compared with the Prince's last Caribbean tour in 2000 in the private jet and the cost of hiring will also be lower. The Royal Yacht Britannia was scrapped in 1997 and since then this is the first time that a member of the Royal Family has hired a private vessel for an official overseas visit.
The 245 ft vessel is owned by the car park tycoon Sir Donald Gosling, who founded NCP.
Leander, named after the warship on which Sir Donald served during the war, takes a maximum of 12 guests. The dining room, which seats 100, has a floor-to-ceiling mural of classic sailing ships. The master cabin includes en-suite bathroom, study room, sitting room and massage room. There is also a freshwater swimming pool, a rarity on even the grandest yachts. There is a fully equipped gymnasium and a water level lobby from which the guest can dive into the sea.
Britannia, by contrast, had no chandeliers, opulent furnishings, or swimming pools!
Would like to have such cheap options at our disposal soon...
