While it seemed like luxury cruises would come to an end after the pandemic, the opposite has recently happened. There are even rooms rented for 100,000 euros and even the most excellent hotel chains offer ultra-exclusive cruises. And among all the offers, one stood out above the rest. Villa Vie Residences’ Odyssey was set to set sail on its maiden voyage of a three-year round-the-world voyage on May 30. But things are not going as expected.

Fascinating idea. The more than 30-year-old ship was originally called Braemar and was owned by Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, but the company bought it last December and renamed it Odyssey. According to Villa Vie Residences’ itinerary, the ship was scheduled to depart in May on a 1,301-day voyage that would take it to 147 countries on seven continents, including destinations such as France, Mexico and Japan.

Buy a cabin. The idea of ​​a 3.5-year world cruise on a luxury cruise ship quickly caught the attention of many people. In fact, to give us an idea of ​​the boat, the Villa Vie Residences website states that the cost of purchasing a cabin can range from $99,999 to $899,000.

Rather than paying a daily fee for their rooms as in a traditional hotel, passengers were given the option to purchase their cabins outright, allowing them to continue living on board once the three-year cruise was over. Many of these buyers have recently told the media that they are paying six figures with the intention of living on board full-time for the ship’s expected 15-year lifespan.

Of course, if it comes out.

Problems. Villa Vie Residences’ Odyssey has arrived in Queen’s Island in the Northern Ireland capital to be fitted out ahead of its scheduled departure on May 30 for the first three-year leg. But it has yet to start due to problems with its rudder and gearbox, meaning around 200 passengers on the world tour have been stranded in Belfast for more than three months.

As Villa Vie Residences’ marketing manager Sebastian Stokkendal explains, the company was “impressed by the magnitude of what was required to revive a 30-year-old ship that had been dormant for four years.” The ship is currently still docked at the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, best known for being the site where the Titanic was built.

“Life” on a ship that doesn’t sail. The mood of hundreds of passengers who were promised happiness has been changing since May. Interestingly, they are allowed to stay on the ship during the day, but are forced to disembark every night for security reasons during the repair work, during which they are transferred to hotels in Belfast or other European cities.

There are all kinds of stories. Like Holly Hennessey, a self-proclaimed “travel addict” who enjoys the Irish landscapes over and over again: “I’ve been to the Giant’s Causeway twice,” she told the Daily Mail, “but the best part of the trip was a stop at Bushmills,” referring to the Irish whiskey distillery. Hennessey, who also spoke to the BBC, travels with her cat “Captain the Cruising Kitty.”

Going on a cruise without him. In addition to frequenting the many pubs in the city and making friends with the locals, others use their free time to visit nearby and not-so-nearby places. Yes, some have traveled to different places like Greenland and the Canary Islands. Sometimes we assume that some of these trips are organized by the cruise line itself to avoid complaints.

The surreality of the situation was such that one passenger even found time to return to Australia (twice) during the wait.

Promise. Meanwhile, Mikael Petterson, general manager of Villa Vie Residences, said this week that he hopes with all his might that Odyssey (the name is perfect) will be underway soon, or as soon as possible.

“When you’re the first to do something, you’re going to have setbacks. But we’re definitely making it, and even if we’re late, we’ll sail through,” the executive concludes. Interestingly, Petterson previously served as CEO of Life at Sea, a cruise line that has cancelled plans for a similar round-the-world voyage in 2023.

Image | YouTube, Odyssey of Villa Vie Residences

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