For those who have been stranded in Spain for nearly a week now this will be a welcome relief, especially travelling back in the 5* luxury of the Celebrity Eclipse cruise liner which can carry 2,850 passengers. The President and Chief Executive of Celebrity Cruises Dan Hanrahan, contacted tour operators Thomas Cook, TUI and Co-Op Travel Group to look at bringing back their stranded customers.

He said. “They responded favourably to our idea of bringing these passengers back and they knew where their guests were in Spain and they could give us a manifest of people. It seemed a better idea than having a two-day party and it’s all worked out and we’re happy to help.”

The Eclipse is due to arrive in Bilbao in the early hours of Thursday 22nd and pick up the stranded holiday makers before returning to Southampton.

Picture courtesy of eastleighbusman

The volcano that has caused all this disruption is the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland which erupted yesterday for the second time in a month, spewing massive clouds of ash thousands of feet into the sky. This ash in the atmosphere is what is causing the closures of UK airports, the Met Office has advised airlines not to fly, and the plume of ash which is currently moving towards the UK can affect aircraft flying between 5,000ft and 35,000ft. Volcanic ash is abrasive and dangerous for aircraft. It reduces visibility, causes damage to fuel and water systems and can clog engines causing them to fail. It can also affect landing gear.

Many travellers due to depart today have been advised to contact their airline for more information, its expected that some airports will not be open until tomorrow depending on the situation. This morning a Heathrow Airport spokesman said “150 flights, both arrivals and departures, had been cancelled – at the busiest time of the day – and more flights were expected to be affected as the cloud of ash moved south.”

Picture courtesy of U-g-g-B-o-y-(-Photograph-World-Sense-)

Mr Podolsky did not have his mobile phone on him when he became trapped 10m above ground he decided against jumping from the lift as the drop probably would have caused an injury and increased his chances of freezing to death. Because Mr Podolsky had, had military training in the past he was able to use his survival skills to fight off hypothermia however before for he was rescued his limbs began to go numb and he kept falling asleep.

After he was spotted by the cleaning crew he was taken to hospital and treated for hypothermia but was released later and able to go home. Mr Podolsky has stated he intends to sue the company that operates the ski lift however a spokesman for the company states it was not meant for downward trips and Mr Podolsky had apparently ignored signs warning against boarding it.

Picture courtesy of dani0010

In a statement Holiday Inn spokeswoman Jane Bednall said “The new Holiday Inn bed warmers service is a bit like having a giant hot water bottle in your bed,” the warmer would be fully dressed and leave the bed before the guest occupied it.

Apparently the bed-warmer is equipped with a thermometer to make sure the beds required temperature of 20 degrees Celsius (68 Fahrenheit) is reached, sleep-expert Chris Idzikowski who is director of the Edinburgh Sleep Center stated the idea could help people sleep and said “There’s plenty of scientific evidence to show that sleep starts at the beginning of the night when body temperature starts to drop,” he said. “A warm bed — approximately 20 to 24 Celsius — is a good way to start this process whereas a cold bed would inhibit sleep.”

The bed warming service will be offered at two of the chain’s London hotels and one in the city of Manchester, in response to Britain’s recent cold weather.

Picture courtesy of jm3

Picture courtesy of e. Berquist

The £800million cruise ship is the world’s largest passenger vessel that is 40 per cent bigger than any other cruise ship afloat, (think taller than London’s Canary Wharf or the Chrysler Building in New York) putting it in a league of its own, it is most technologically advanced cruise ship in the world capable of holding 5,400 guests in some 2,700 cabins. The Oasis of the Seas is built to a new design concept that sees the ship split up into different 7 neighborhoods spanning 16 decks including, Boardwalk which is dedicated to family fun and nostalgia, Central Park that combines nautical and nature and Royal Promenade at the heart of the ship.

Next year will also see its sister ship the Allure of the Seas coming into commission that will also be built to the same size and same high standards.

Picture courtesy of Ereine