Villa Vie Odyssey looks like any other cruise ship, complete with a modern pool deck, a buffet, a pickleball court, and excited travelers.
But Villa Vie Residences’ 509-cabin vessel won’t operate conventional Caribbean cruises or Alaska sailings.
Instead, the residential ship is readying to embark on a never-ending vacation that would circumnavigate the world every 3 ½ years, stopping at 147 countries and 425 destinations along the way — all while providing travelers with the comforts of a traditional cruise liner.
But not without hiccups. The ship has been stuck in Belfast, Northern Ireland for more than 3 months.
The cruise was initially scheduled to set sail in May following the company’s acquisition of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ more than 30-year-old Braemar vessel, now renamed Villa Vie Odyssey, in December 2023.
However, Villa Vie has said issues like the aging ship’s rudder stocks and recertification have since delayed its departure.
Mikael Petterson, the founder and CEO of Villa Vie, told Business Insider in an email in September his “best guess” is that the residential vessel would set sail on September 9 or 10 with some changes to the itinerary.
“But it’s a moving target if it’s either of those days,” he said.
The uncertainty isn’t worrying would-be residents Lanette Canen and Johan Bodin.
The couple, both 54, uprooted their lives in Maui, Hawaii, in the spring to move onto Villa Vie Odyssey in May. Since then, they — along with another 100 to 150 guests — have stayed in the UK in anticipation of its departure.
Residents can spend their days on Odyssey but aren’t allowed to stay overnight yet. In the interim, Petterson said the company is providing these would-be residents with lodging, shuttles to and from the ship, food, and drinks.
“We’re stuck in the harbor, but we’ve met some really cool people from all walks of life,” Bodin told BI. “We all have something in common. We’re a little crazy and want to see the world.”
‘We went pretty much every day for two weeks and spent all day there until they kicked us off,’ Canen said.
Canen spent much of these two weeks at Villa Vie Odyssey’s business center, designed for residents like her who plan to work remotely at sea.
According to the couple’s video tour of the ship — posted on their aptly named “Living Life on a Cruise” YouTube channel — the coworking space has shared desks, private offices, and conference rooms.
Villa Vie said the ship is also equipped with Starlink, an increasingly common amenity on cruise vessels.
Bodin, however, preferred to edit their YouTube videos in the observatory lounge.
The observatory is one of five bars and lounges on Odyssey. As its name suggests, the bright space has large windows with sprawling views of the ship’s surroundings.
It’s also furnished with a piano, which Bodin said has been frequented by a fellow resident and skilled pianist. “I’m sitting there getting a private piano concert.”
That’s not to say Villa Vie hasn’t been providing its guests with professional onboard entertainment.
According to the couple’s video, Villa Vie Odyssey has hosted live bands at the Coral Club and had a large Olympics viewing screen at the Neptune Lounge.
In the meantime, residents also have an open bar, like the one at Morning Light Pub.
“They’re schmoozing us a bit to keep us happy,” Bodin said. “They’re almost being too serviced-minded. I don’t need to be pampered all the time.”
Besides drinks, the roomy watering hole is home to the ship’s dartboard, which joins the outdoor shuffleboard, stack of board games, and, of course, pickleball court as onboard activity options.
Like any traditional cruise ship, Odyssey also has a fitness center, spa, and modern pool deck with two jacuzzis.
But unlike most cruise vessels, guests have access to the ship’s laundry room.
Laundry could be one of the only chores guests have to do, but even then, it’s not required.
Villa Vie said it’ll provide residents with laundry and housekeeping services twice a week.
No need to cook or clean either — the ship has 3 restaurants, 2 of which are complementary.
In the morning, travelers like Canen and Bodin can wake up to the buffet at Palms Cafe, which offers breakfast options such as bread, fruits, cheeses, and an omelet station.
For dinner, the couple said they’ve been especially partial to the Grill’s “really good barbecue.”
To residents like Canen and Bodin, these spaces aren’t just bars and lounges — they’re living rooms.
As for their bedroom, the duo will be slumbering in their “obstructed view cabin.”
The room is small, and a lifeboat obstructs its view, but they’ve already started to make it their home.
They’ve added risers under their bed to create additional storage. They also plan to remove the pullman bed to make space for a large world map, which they’ll annotate as they continue their global journey.
Canen and Bodin declined to disclose the price of their accommodation, but windowless inside cabins are currently listed at $100,000, while those with ocean views are $50,000 more.
They’ll also have to pay $3,500 in monthly fees.
Still, Canen said life on Maui was “way more expensive” than the Odyssey. “We’re traveling on a budget. It’s very affordable for the two of us.”
“Why do I live in Maui when I could travel the world?”
The post A couple moved onto a never-ending, around-the-world cruise that’s been stuck at port for 3 months — see inside the Villa Vie Odyssey ship appeared first on Business Insider.
