A luxury cruise ship is set to return to Belfast just hours after it finally set sail on its three-year trip around the world. The Villa Vie Odyssey was due to embark on its lengthy cruise from Northern Ireland on 30 May, but emergency repair works left the boat - and its passengers - stranded for four months while they waited for it to leave. On Monday night, passengers cheered, applauded and hugged the liner’s chief when it was finally announced they were ready to depart before leaving the dock at 11.
30pm. However , the boat is now expected to return to the port this afternoon, having remained docked off the Co Down coast overnight. The Independent understands that the ship is expected to depart once again later today after returning briefly for “paperwork”.
Residents had expected to have seen much of the world by now, but instead became very familiar with Belfast, with many making friends and one couple even becoming engaged as they waited for the cruise to begin while staying on the stationary ship. Gian Perroni, from Vancouver in Canada, and Angie Harsanyi, from Colorado in the US, got to know each other as they walked to and back from the ship in the past few months. After a proposal under a supermoon, they said they had found a soulmate in each other.
One man, who carried a self-assembled model of the Titanic on board on Monday, said he enjoyed Belfast but was ready for the rest of the cruise. Another woman from Georgia said she had always wanted to see the world.
