CLIMBING aboard the Celebrity Eclipse hundreds of passengers stranded in Europe will be guaranteed of a warm welcome from one of the most modern cruise ships to enter Southampton.

From central hub of glass elevators joining the 13 decks of the 2,850 passenger vessel to the giant chandeliers and two storey wine tower in the ship's main dining room, it is hard not to be impressed by the latest addition to Royal Caribbean's fleet.

Joining a band of special guests for a sneak preview of the liner before it was fully completed last month, cruise bosses were eager to show off the latest installations and improvements which makes the Eclipse stand out from its Celebrity sisters Equinox and Solstice.

Along with luxurious spa rooms, pools, a bowling lawn and lounge bars, the cabins - or state rooms - are bigger than before with 90 per cent featuring outside views and 85 per cent with private balconies.

The comfortable soothing yet plain colours of the hallways and cabins are also given an energetic boost of bright blues and greens across the health and spa features.

With the AquaClass state rooms sharing a deck with the Aqua Spa relaxation room, and the stylishly designed Blu restaurant focusing on a range of healthy dishes.

Also new from its sister ships is the Qsine restaurant, which encourages passengers to throw the dining rulebook out of the nearest balcony window and get creative with their meals for a fun menu of food.

Included on offer is a make-your-own cheesecake-style dessert along with Crunchie Munchies - a variety of foods served with a crunchy, seasoned bite.

Another new feature just announced is the i-Lounge Royal Caribbean is the first cruise company to team up with Apple to sell its gadgets and computers on board, as well as use i-Touch devices to display menus and wine lists in some of the restaurants.

Although the full range of facilities is unlikely to be made available to scores of passengers boarding in Bilbao, the surroundings alone will no doubt add a relaxing sense of relief and will be in stark contrast to those travellers awaiting the arrival of Royal Navy's warships to hitch a lift home.