It was presupposed to be the journey of a lifetime taking on the planet’s most unforgettable experiences, from marvelling on the elegant great thing about the Norwegian fjords to sipping rum cocktails within the Caribbean.
However as an alternative, cruise passengers who paid £27,000-a-month for a three-year voyage spanning Europe, Asia and the Americas have spent the final three months in a moderately much less salubrious location – a rain-lashed quayside in Belfast.
The Odyssey, which is operated by US cruise line Villa Vie Residences and might maintain almost a thousand passengers, was set to depart the town on Could 30 for the primary leg of its voyage, however issues with the ship’s rudders and gearbox imply it’s nonetheless docked.
Because of this, moderately than luxuriating within the tropical solar, these on board have been left to make do with Guinness and fish and chips in Belfast’s pubs – paired with excursions to Liverpool and Tenerife.
The unfortunate passengers, who’re primarily Individuals, left their regular lives behind for the round-the-world journey, with promoting their properties to pay between £75,000 and £700,000 to purchase their cabins for the 15-year lifetime of the vessel.
Whereas they can keep on the ship through the day and use its services, which embrace 4 lounges, a library, fitness center and spa, they must disembark at evening and keep in native resorts.
Lanette Canen and Johan Bodin, each 54, have determined in opposition to staying put and launched into a European tour of Norway, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, and Sweden. However others are hunkering down and making an attempt to benefit from life in Belfast (with the assistance of some Vitamin D tablets).
Lanette Canen and Johan Bodin, each 54, have determined in opposition to staying put in Belfast and launched into a European tour of Norway, Spain , Italy , Croatia, Slovenia, and Sweden
The couple in Italy. The couple have taken to flying to their dream locations as they ‘did not join a ship to remain in a single port’
The pair, who’re seen right here in Croatia, offered their automobile rental enterprise in Hawaii to maneuver onto the residential cruise ship and are booked in to remain on the cruise for 15 years
Mr Bodin, a retired carpenter from Sweden, stated: ‘We have had fun however we did not join a ship to remain in a single port!
‘Everybody on the ship is fairly optimistic… There are worse locations to be caught!’
Holly Hennessy, 67, from sunny Florida, is travelling along with her cat Captain and doing her finest to adapt to the brand new environment.
‘It hasn’t felt like summer season. It has been winter so far as I am involved. I am used to the Florida sunshine. I needed to exit and purchase vitamin D tablets,’ she advised the Telegraph.
‘There have been a number of days of sunshine when I’ve been in a position to get out and stroll alongside the river. The persons are so good.’
Villa Vie Residences allowed clients to purchase a cabin onboard The Odyssey – which was in-built 1993 and might maintain 929 passengers – in return for limitless cruises. There was additionally an choice to ebook shorter spells on board of between 35 and 120 days.
The typical passenger is aged 58 and eight per cent of the homeowners come from the US, with 90 per cent planning to remain onboard for the complete world cruise. Round half the cabins are at the moment occupied by one particular person.
Dr David Austin, from Georgia in the US offered his dwelling only for an opportunity on the new journey.
‘The payoff of seeing the world on this style is simply too nice to really feel too disillusioned with every delay announcement,’ he stated.
‘I used to be dedicated, having offered my home proper earlier than my arrival, and I’ve stayed dedicated to this journey with each delay.’
Lanette and Johan met whereas on vacation in Hawaii 9 years in the past and are paying £27,000 a month to go on the cruise
The luxurious cruise liner consists of cabins which are value between £70,000 and £700,000
Villa Vie Residences’ Odyssey was set to depart Belfast for the primary leg of its three yr journey on Could 30
Hopefully passengers will not have to attend for much longer, as Villa Vie Residences’ CEO Mike Petterson advised MailOnline: ‘We anticipate a really anticipated profitable launch subsequent week.’
Lanette and Johan, who met whereas on vacation in Hawaii 9 years in the past, are paying $35,000 (£27,000) a month to remain on the ship, which incorporates three eating places, 5 bars and an prolonged pool with two scorching tubs.
The couple offered their automobile rental enterprise in Hawaii and are set to remain on the ship for 15 years. Whereas they’ve the choice to promote their cabin, they plan to ‘see how issues go’ as soon as they lastly start the cruise.
Johan stated: ‘Whereas in Northern Eire we have been to a great deal of pubs and consuming fishing and chips. We additionally went to Large’s Causeway after which in Eire we did the Castaway excursions.’
The couple say they’ve fallen in love with Irish music and the native delicacies.
Johan stated: ‘I’ve by no means met so many cool, enjoyable, pleasant individuals – we preserve getting requested to exit for pints by locals, everyone seems to be so pleasant.’
After the primary postponement, the couple travelled to the Norwegian fjords, earlier than spending a while travelling across the countryside in Eire.
In addition they went to the Canary Islands for nearly two weeks earlier than flying to Croatia and spending one other two weeks there.
Passengers may also take pleasure in swimming pools, a golf simulator, tremendous eating experiences and extra whereas on board
Facilities together with onboard the ship embrace entry to a swimming pool, a theatre and a connoisseur restaurant
They had been then advised that the ship can be setting sail on July 31 so that they flew again to Belfast the place they spent one other two weeks however as soon as once more the departure date was prolonged.
Lanette, from Arizona, stated: ‘We had been in a position to get on the ship – however not allowed to sleep on there, although we will do all the things else.
‘They’ve an open bar for us however the entire thing has simply been delayed and delayed.
‘We’re usually used to simply travelling with a backpack – we have solely executed one cruise collectively for 2 weeks, but it surely’s a good way of seeing the world.
The pair say they’re ‘very relaxed’ concerning the scenario, although are wanting ahead to lastly beginning their massive cruise.
‘We’re simple going to be sincere – and the corporate has paid for all our lodging in all places which has been actually good.’
Lanette is continuous to work on operating her autoglass enterprise based mostly in Arizona whereas globetrotting, whereas Johan is engaged on YouTube vlogging the {couples}’ travelling expertise.
Others on board have taken to creating Belfast their ‘sudden dwelling’.
Florida resident Holly Hennessey and self-proclaimed ‘cruise addict’ stated: ‘We will spend all day aboard the ship, and so they present shuttle buses to get on and off.
‘We will have all of our meals and so they even have motion pictures and trivia leisure, nearly like cruising besides we’re on the dock.’
Florida native Holly Hennessey (pictured) has tailored to the wet local weather of the British Isles. She stated: ‘I’ve by no means had a lot use for my umbrella in my life, and I carry my raincoat in all places I’m going’
Holly is travelling along with her cat, Captain, and is a self-proclaimed ‘cruise addict’
Holly and her cat Captain. Passengers are allowed to spend time on the ship through the day, however should disembark within the evenings
Passengers have used their peculiar predicament to their benefit and brought the chance to journey throughout Europe. Since Could, Angela and Stephen Theriac (pictured) have travelled by practice throughout Spain, took day journeys to England and even visited Greenland
She continued that she is rapidly adapting to the wet British climate, claiming to have ‘by no means had a lot use for my umbrella in my life’.
In the meantime, Angela and Stephen Theriac, from Nicaragua, joked with that they plan to use for residency in Eire as a result of they like it a lot.
‘We’re travellers, and we need to benefit from the place we’re in. We preserve teasing that we are going to apply for residency right here in Belfast,’ the couple advised the BBC.
‘We now have eaten in each restaurant and had a Guinness in each pub. It’s simply all a part of our journey.’
Villa Vie Residences’ Mike Petterson advised MailOnline: ‘Coming into Belfast from Edinburgh on our personal energy we had been assured that our lovely Odyssey would fly by means of class surveys.
‘We now have since then been fairly humbled by the dimensions of what it takes to reactivate a 30-year-old vessel from a 4-year layup.
‘After the lapse of all classifications of sophistication we are actually thought-about a brand new ship the place all equipment and tools should work as if new.
‘Regardless of having to do main works such because the rudder shares, main metal work and engine overhauls, now we have persevered and are actually within the final levels of departure. We’re scheduling sea trials early subsequent week.
All passengers have entry to the onboard eating places, swimming pools, scorching tubs, spa and health centre
Villa Vie Residences CEO Mikael Petterson stated the corporate goals to ’empower travellers to make the world their dwelling’
The residential ship will circle the world each three and a half years visiting greater than 420 ports in 147 international locations throughout all seven continents
‘We anticipate a really anticipated profitable launch subsequent week the place we’ll head to Bremerhaven, Amsterdam, Lisbon, then throughout the Atlantic for our Caribbean section.
‘We’re extraordinarily grateful for our residents who’ve stood by our aspect by means of the robust occasions.
‘We now have labored with our residents to offer resorts, cruises, shore excursions, journeys to Tenerife, Liverpool and are welcoming them for onboard visits the place they’ll get their rooms prepared and join with crew and fellow residents.
‘It’s nice to see the relationships constructing and the group bonding as we’re wanting ahead to the subsequent 15 years of discovery.’