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Villa Vie Odyssey was supposed to set sail on a global cruise from Belfast in May.
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Problems with the ship mean it’s been docked there for the past three months.
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Some passengers are staying positive and using the delay to take trips elsewhere.
A residential cruise ship that was supposed to travel around the world has been stuck in Northern Ireland for the past three months.
Business Insider previously reported that the Villa Vie Odyssey was initially set to sail from Belfast in May. The ship has been docked there because it needed updating, as it’s more than 30 years old. It was previously called the Braemar and operated by Fred Olsen Cruise Lines.
Villa Vie has said issues such as the aging ship’s rudder stocks and recertification have delayed its departure by three months.
The 509 cabins cost at least $100,000 each. The Odyssey is due to sail around the world every 3 ½ years, visiting 147 countries and 425 destinations en route.
While the ship is stuck in Belfast, passengers can go on board during the day but not stay on it overnight.
The cruise line’s CEO, Mikael Petterson, told BI in an email on Thursday that Villa Vie had provided residents with hotels, other cruises, shore excursions, and trips to the likes of Spain, Liverpool, and Amsterdam.
It’s also welcoming residents on board, “where they can get their rooms ready and connect with crew and fellow residents,” he added. “It is great to see the relationships building and the community bonding as we are looking forward to the next 15 years of discovery.”
One couple on the ship, Johan Bodin and Lanette Canen, previously told BI they’d traveled elsewhere during the delay, to the likes of Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, and Sweden.
The couple said Villa Vie had also sent them on various excursions, including a trip to the Canary Islands and a cruise to the Norwegian fjords.
“We understand there are hiccups,” Bodin told BI. “They’re schmoozing us a bit to keep us happy. They’re almost being too serviced-minded — I don’t need to be pampered all the time.”
Holly Hennessey, from Florida, told BBC News: “We can have all of our meals, and they even have movies and trivia entertainment, almost like cruising except we’re at the dock.”
Angela and Stephen Theriac told the outlet they’d spent the delay traveling around Spain by train, visiting Greenland, and taking weekend trips to England.
“We keep teasing we will apply for residency here in Belfast,” Angela Theriac told the BBC.
“We have eaten in every restaurant and had a Guinness in every pub,” her husband added. “It is just all part of our adventure.”
Angela Theriac previously told BI she and her husband had started decorating their floating condo with “personal touches,” adding: “Our room is our bedroom, and the ship is our home.”
Petterson, Villa Vie’s CEO and founder, told BI, “We are going through the last few surveys and expect to launch within the next week.”
He added that sea trials were scheduled for Monday.
Read the original article on Business Insider
Source Agencies
