IT is a ship of hope.

For more than 2,500 stranded British tourists, Southampton’s newest cruise liner is an angel of mercy on her way to rescue them from their exile.

Today the £500m Celebrity Eclipse was heading to the northern Spanish city of Bilbao to pick up travellers left high and dry by the volcanic ash cloud that has brought Britain’s airports to a standstill. She is expected back late on Friday.

The luxury liner was almost empty when she sailed from Southampton at 8pm last night with three blasts of her horn. Her crew of more than 1,200 were joined by just 88 lucky Spanish tourists who had been contacted by travel agents yesterday.

Daily Echo reporter Peter Law and photographer Chris Moorhouse were also on board, the only newspaper journalists on the unique voyage.

Around 100 people gathered in Southampton’s Mayflower Park to watch the majestic ship leave port in the fading light of the setting sun.

Among those who came to see the imposing sight was student Joseph Bailey, 28, of Southampton, a student at Southampton Solent University’s Warsash Maritime Academy.

He said: “Good things come from good beginnings and this is setting the ship off on the right foot.”

Dave Garlick, 47, a bank worker from West End, said: “I was interested in coming to see the ship. It’s good that people are going to be helped out.”

Meanwhile David Hammond, an IT worker from Totton said: “I saw that Celebrity Eclipse was going to help people trapped because of the volcanic ash. It’s pretty decent of them to help out.”

By the time the ship reached The Solent the shops were open and bartenders were serving cocktails.

A string quartet was tuning up for its evening performance, while the casino croupiers were at their tables.

In stark contrast to the scene at ferry terminals and train stations across Europe, broad smiles were spread across the faces of the passengers.

As well as free food and a comfortable cabin – complete with flat-screen television – they will have free use of the three pools, indoor gym, beauty spa, basketball court, games arcade, disco and even a theatre.

The Spanish party included a group of 26 schoolchildren who had been stranded in London. The children, aged between 12 and 15, were from the town of Castellon, between Barcelona and Valencia.

They were supposed to fly back to Barcelona on Sunday, but were forced to spend two extra nights at their London hotel.

Teacher Elisa Frasquet said: “It’s incredible. I cannot believe it, I think I’m dreaming.

For the students this is so exciting. They are all telling me that next year they want to go on a cruise instead of to London.

“I have no words to say how grateful we are. We did not be so wonderful.”

Anna-Maria Cantene arrived in London for a one-day business conference last Thursday only to be stranded in the capital for five extra nights.

She was planning a trip back to her home in Madrid via Eurostar to Paris, a coach to Geneva in Switzerland, a ferry to Barcelona and a coach to the Spanish capital.

“We got a call to run to Southampton to get on a big cruiser that was going to Bilbao. We never expected to find this here,” she said. “It’s amazing.”

Tourist Alberto Martine, also from Madrid, added: “We are so lucky. I thought maybe we were getting on a ferry. I cannot believe this is all free.”

Celebrity Eclipse arrived in Southampton at 9am yesterday ahead of a planned two-day launch cruise starting tomorrow but the crisis caused by the Iceland volcanic eruption changed plans.

Now she is scheduled to arrive in Bilbao in the early hours of tomorrow.

Some of the delayed holidaymakers she is due to pick up have been stranded for up to seven days and many were on package holidays with major UK tour operators Thomson Holidays, First Choice and The Co-operative Travel Group.

Celebrity Cruises president Dan Hanrahan said: “There will be 2,000-plus coming on board at Bilbao. We could handle 2,500 and it might end up being that many. I have heard stories that people are catching coaches to Bilbao to get on board.

“We suspect there will be some people there who will want to get on board, but it is all being handled by the tour operators who have contacted their customers. We hope that there will not be a problem. It is going to be mostly families so there will be hundreds of children.

“We are treating it as a normal cruise. All food will be complementary, as will juice and water. People will have to pay for soft drinks and alcohol.

“We have not received any financial aid, nor are we expecting any.

“It has gathered so much momentum and I am actually surprised at how much interest there has been, but we are just doing what we thought was the right thing to do.

“It felt wrong to have a party when there are so many people stranded abroad.”

The naming celebrations for the ship are planned to go ahead unchanged. Celebrity Eclipse will be named by Hampshire yachtswoman and breast cancer survivor Emma Pontin on Saturday.