Passengers included 23 Britons, 17 Dutch and 13 Americans

In total, 154 people were evacuated from the M/S Explorer after an object struck its hold as the vessel passed though ice.

Speaking from King George Island in Antarctica, where the passengers were taken after their rescue, Gillian Plant said it had been about midnight when the crew discovered the ship had started to take on water.

"We were cruising, everybody was in high spirits, everything on the ship had been fantastic, but then unfortunately the captain alerted us that they were aware there was a problem," she recalled.

I have actually booked for the same boat to go to the Arctic next year but I'll have to reassess my travel plans now Gillian Plant

"They couldn't sort the problem out and the captain said it was abandon ship.

"There was no panic at all.

"We were in the lifeboat about four-and-a-half hours. What was reassuring was when we saw the helicopter fly around, twice.

"It was cold when we were sprayed with water but the weather was very good, so it could have been a lot worse. The weather was on our side. If we'd had bad weather it would have possibly been a different story."

A Danish passenger who had planned to propose to his girlfriend that evening ended up popping the question on board the lifeboat, Gillian added.

"She accepted and they're going somewhere hot and sunny for their honeymoon.

"I have actually booked for the same boat to go to the Arctic next year but I'll have to reassess my travel plans now - I'll have to go on a different ship. But I would come to Antarctica again."

Mandy Flood's husband Bob, 52, was an ornithology lecturer aboard the Explorer.

"When I saw the map of the Antarctic and they said it was a cruise liner, I just thought 'Oh my God'," she said.

Bob Flood was giving lectures on ornithology to passengers

"My friend told me not to panic as they were all in life rafts, but I just went to pieces."

But her fears were allayed at 1400 GMT on Friday when she received a very brief phone call from Bob, by then on the rescue boat NordNorge.

"It was good to speak to him, but it was very brief and he couldn't go into too much detail," she added.

"I was so glad to know he was OK, but he sounded terrible.

"I think he was very shocked and cold. He had been in the life rafts and it was very obviously very traumatic.

"I would just like to speak to him at length, but what I am most looking forward to is just having him home."

Grandfather Raymond King said he had been left with nothing except his clothes, camera and watch after fleeing the Explorer.

He told ITV News: "It was pretty horrific. It was cold, it was wet, it was scary."