2,000 Brits stranded in Spain due to the volcanic ash cloud were transported back to Britain on the Celebrity Eclipse, a brand new luxury liner.

The Celebrity Eclipse was all set to embark on its maiden voyage, when a last minute rethink resulted in the rescue mission.

Celebrity Cruisers, the US owners of the ship stepped in to offer assistance to some of the thousands of Britons that have been stuck overseas.

The lucky Brits were awed by their luxury transportation - some even burst into tears as they boarded the ship. All passengers were offered free accommodation, entertainment and food, but they were asked to pay towards fuel costs.

The Celebrity Eclipse has three swimming pools, 13 bars and two penthouse suites, both of which have self-playing pianos. There’s even an onboard glass blowing team offering demonstrations and a lawn made of real grass.

Celebrity Eclipse picked up its unexpected passengers from Bilbao, where it embarked on a 28 hour voyage to Southampton. Many of the passengers had already endured arduous coach journeys in order to reach the port in Bilbao.

Some of the passengers had been stranded after taking cheap package holidays in Spain, so their luxurious ride home presented a real contrast. Hopefully their journey home washed away some of the tedium of being stranded.

On a normal day, passengers on the ship would have to pay around £1,000 for a week-long cruise.

Iceland’s volcanic ash cloud has caused worldwide travel chaos and there are still thousands of Britons stranded abroad, but many of them should make it back to the UK over the next few days.