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 since delayed its departure by three months.
The 509 cabins cost at least $100,000. The Odyssey is due to sail around the world every three-and-a-half years, visiting 147 countries and 425 destinations en route.
But 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, previously told BI that Villa Vie provided residents with a shuttle to and from the ship, as well as food, drinks, excursions, and lodging — or a per diem payment for those who “choose to do their own thing.”
One couple on the ship, Johan Bodin and Lanette Canen, previously told BI they’ve 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’ve 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 previously told BI they’d started decorating their floating condo with “personal touches”, adding: “Our room is our bedroom, and the ship is our home.”
Petterson, the CEO and founder, previously told BI in an August 19 email that Villa Vie Odyssey would embark from Belfast “any day now.”
Villa Vie did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, sent outside US working hours.
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