Couple treated like royalty on cruise ship after volcanic ash delay

A COUPLE were treated like royalty aboard a luxury cruise ship after being stranded in Cyprus by the volcanic ash cloud. Dave and Sally Whitby of Therfield, and Mr Whitby s brother Geoffrey, of Barley, got a surprise three-day stay on the Thomson Spirit

A COUPLE were treated like royalty aboard a luxury cruise ship after being stranded in Cyprus by the volcanic ash cloud.

Dave and Sally Whitby of Therfield, and Mr Whitby's brother Geoffrey, of Barley, got a surprise three-day stay on the Thomson Spirit liner after their flight was grounded last week.

Mrs Whitby said: We were treated like royalty, they were so good to us. They gave us full board and we had access to all the facilities on the ship. It was lovely.

The trio had arrived in Cyprus on Wednesday, April 14, and were due to fly home seven days later.

"As soon as we arrived the problems started with the ash cloud, and as the week went on we were wondering whether we would get home," said Mr Whitby.

"We had gone to the airport on the Wednesday we were due to come back, and were expecting to have to wait around on the stand-by list to see if we could get a flight.

"That's when our Thomson representative got in touch and told us we'd be going to the cruise ship. We had a great time and it was one of the most memorable holidays we've had."

Flights into UK airports were banned for five days after the eruption of a volcano in Iceland, causing a cloud of ash which made flying jet planes dangerous.

As reported in The Crow last week, Royston couple Tom Bradley and Yelsel Geraghty faced a delay of ten days after their flight was cancelled. They are expected to arrive home today.