A group of Border volunteers left in limbo after the collapse of Air Vanuatu are heading home on a cruise ship after making a plea for help.
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The Paying it Forward team linked to the Albury-administered Hive Rotary Club boarded a P&O vessel from the Vanuatu capital Port Vila on Friday May 17.
The rescue offer from the cruise company followed an appeal by Hive Rotary Club president Kellie Kadaoui in the wake of the grounding of Air Vanuatu last week.
"We were jumping for joy when P&O made their offer, after such a frustrating and stressful few days wondering how we were going to get home," Mrs Kadaoui said.
"This will be an exciting and wonderful way to finish our volunteering trip."
P&O Cruises Australia senior vice president Peter Little said the efforts of the group in helping others, after arriving in Vanuatu on May 5, had been touching.
"P&O Cruises Australia is delighted to help this inspiring group of students get home," Mr Little said.
"We are proud of our Australian heritage that extends back more than 90 years, and answering a call to help young Australians stranded a long way from home, is the right thing to do.
"Vanuatu is a favourite destination for our cruise guests, and we were inspired by the students who volunteered their time to help local communities."
The team of 18, 16 students and two chaperones, had been on the island of Tanna, 200 kilometres south-east of Port Vila, when news of the failure of Air Vanuatu broke.
They were able to secure chartered flights to depart Tanna on Wednesday May 15 thanks to Vanuatu Travel.
The ship voyage will be free and Rotary District 9790, which extends throughout the North East and much of the Riverina, has provided money to cover out of pocket expenses.
"Unfortunately Rotary's extensive travel insurance policy does not cover insolvency so we are still up to around $10,000 in expenses such as domestic flights home to Albury and Adelaide and Port Vila costs," Mrs Kadaoui said.
" We have reached out to Qantas to see if they could help us and are awaiting a response."
The ship is due to dock in Sydney on Thursday May 23 with a flight to Albury planned later that day.
After leaving Port Vila, the group will be able to take in a stop at Mystery Island as part of the cruise itinerary.
