PASSENGERS who paid £27,000-a-month for a three-year world cruise have been trapped in Belfast for months. The Odyssey was supposed to take passengers on an epic tour of Europe , Asia and the Americas. But the ship has been stuck in Belfast for three months after crew discovered problems with its rudders and gearbox.
Some of The Odyssey's passengers had sold all their possessions to pay between £75,000 and £700,000 for a cabin. They now have to disembark from the ship at night and stay in local hotels. Swedish pensioner Johan Bodin, 54, told the Mail : "We've had good time but we didn't sign up for a ship to stay in one port.
" Read More Travel Johan has kept himself busy touring Belfast's pubs, visiting Giant's Causeway and trying fish and chips. Holly Hennessy, 67, from Florida, told the Telegraph : "It hasn't felt like summer. "It has been winter as far as I'm concerned.
I'm used to the Florida sunshine. I had to go out and buy vitamin D tablets." The Odyssey was built in 1993 and can hold more than 900 passengers.
Most read in News Travel Operator Villa Vie Residences has sold cabins both for unlimited cruises and for shorter ones lasting between 35 and 120 days. Nine out of ten passengers reportedly plan to stay on board for the whole world cruise. David Austin, from the US state of Georgia , said: "I was committed, having sold my house right before my arrival.
He added: "I've stayed committed to this adventure with every delay." Villa Vie Residences boss Mike Petterso.