CELEBRITY Eclipse is this morning entering the English Channel under bright blue skies.

Cutting through the calm waters at a speed of 22.2 knots, the luxury liner is expected to dock in Southampton between 5pm and 6pm.

A fleet of coaches will be waiting at the docks to take the 2,200 rescued British holidaymakers back to their homes across the UK.

Many of the stranded tourists were from northern parts of England, in particular Newcastle, Leeds and Glasgow.

The liner was quiet this morning, with most of the passengers enjoying their first comfortable night's sleep in days.

Hundreds enjoyed a special performance in the theatre the night before and the many bars were packed with the lucky Britons.

Peter Law is on board the Celebrity Eclipse