After cancelling the initial UK launch celebrations for new cruise ship, Celebrity Eclipse, on Monday night the 122,000 tonne, £500 million ship is scheduled to arrive in Bilbao, Spain at approx 0600 BST (0500 GMT) on Thursday 22 April to pick up 2,000 British tourists stranded by the travel chaos caused by the Icelandic volcano eruption.

As many of the marooned holidaymakers as possible will be given their own bedrooms onboard the ship for the overnight trip back to the UK and will have access to the pools, grass lawn area and the ships many restaurants, offering a welcome bit of luxury after the chaos of the last week.

Celebrity Eclipse is scheduled to depart Bilbao at 1300 BST (1200 GMT) on Thursday for an overnight trip back to the UK and is provisionally expected to dock in Southampton at approx 1700-1900 BST (1600-1800 GMT). More exact times for the ships arrival will be provided nearer the time.