We love living in our luxury cruise ship after escaping Ukraine – we are sad to have to leave soon

THE only refugees housed on boats in the UK say they love it so much they want to stay.

But they are Ukrainians fleeing a war zone — and on a luxury cruise ship rather than the floating barges that are expected to soon harbor migrants from the English Channel.

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This week ministers sparked outrage over their proposals to send asylum seekers onto the ships normally used for offshore construction projects.

But those on the MS Victoria – docked at Leith Port, Edinburgh – are impressed with the ‘five star’ facilities.

Lawyer Olena Bartyna, 39, who has been on the ship since September, is sad they will have to leave soon.

Olena, who lives among 1,400 compatriots with her 72-year-old mother and one-year-old baby, said: “We have a cinema and a room for children to play and learn.

“We have English classes and a psychologist to deal with the trauma.”

Olena from Kharkiv added: “Our cabin is small, maybe six meters wide, but we have hot water, electricity and a good view of the sea.

“We are really sad that we have to move out in the next three months.”

Daria Bondarenko has previously stayed at a Holiday Inn with her daughters, but prefers to stay on MS Victoria.

The mother from Kiev, whose ballet dancer husband Igor is still in Ukraine, said: “In the evenings there are cinemas and they organize activities.”

Despite the warm welcome, some hope to return to Ukraine.

Alisa Liudmyla from Kiev said: “I think that now I will return to my real home, I miss my mother and brother who are there.”

Scot Lib Dem boss Alex Cole-Hamilton initially had doubts about the accommodation.

But he said: “It’s like a giant all-inclusive hotel.

“The refugees have a shuttle bus that takes them into the city and I wouldn’t make a big difference between staying on a cruise ship and staying in a hotel.”

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