Passengers on a round-the-world cruise have been left stranded in Belfast for the past three months with the passengers all on board as the ship undergoes lengthy repairs. Villa Vie Residences’ Odyssey was set to leave Belfast for the first leg of its three-year journey on May 30. However, the luxury ocean liner has been plagued by delays including issues with its rudders and the gearbox.
This has meant that passengers, some of whom have paid €810,000 for their lavish cabin, have instead found themselves spending their summer in Belfast rather than Bermuda. Many of the passengers who now call the city home are from across the world. They are allowed to spend time on the ship during the day but must leave during the evenings.
The company has paid for them to stay in hotels for the time being. Speaking to BBC News , Florida native Holly Hennessey said that she has adapted to the rainy Irish climate. She said: ‘I’ve never had so much use for my umbrella in my life, and I carry my raincoat everywhere I go.
’ Ms Hennessey, a self-described ‘cruise addict’, is travelling with her cat, Captain. She said Villa Vie has offered passengers meals and onboard entertainment which is like the cruise experience – except you’re still in the dock. While Ms Hennessey has stayed put in Belfast, other passengers have used their peculiar predicament to their advantage and taken the opportunity to travel across Europe.
Since May, Angela and Stephen Theriac have travelled by train a.