France-bound cruise still waiting to say 'au revoir' to Belfast

An around-the-world cruise ship which has been stranded in Belfast for months is still anchored in Belfast Lough.

After more than four months of delays, Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey set sail on Monday - but it only travelled a few miles.

It had been expected to set sail again on Tuesday, then again on Wednesday night, but passengers were told there would be a further delay for final pieces of paperwork to be completed.

The latest estimated departure from Belfast is Thursday night, with it due to sail to Brest in France.

Holly Hennessey, from Florida, is travelling with her six-year-old Siamese cat.

She said: “I’m not the one to talk to if you want to hear frustration. I’m blissfully happy and content just being on board. The people I have surrounded myself with feel the same.

“The frustrating part is the same thing that has been throughout this ordeal, and that is the agency that keeps coming up with one more thing each time we’ve been told we have clearance," she added.

“But the truth is that we’ve come to expect that of them.”

Mary Ann Demsar, from Canada, said it was disappointing that the ship was delayed.

She added: “We thought we were going to sail away yesterday but it didn’t happen. We are hoping to sail away today so we shall see."

“As I understand it, the ship is all ready to go, safe to sail, so it is unclear why the paperwork is being held up and final clearance is being withheld," she said.

“There’s nothing we residents can do but enjoy the sunshine of a Belfast day on board the Odyssey with wonderful company, looking out at the sea and patiently waiting to sail.”

Passenger Donna Martemucci said despite delays nobody is "upset".

She said "mostly folks are making jokes about when we will actually get moving".

Donna said the staff "have been apologetic about the delay and we all know they are doing everything they can to get the clearances we need".

“We had another night of dancing and a great dinner, so why be upset?”

We couldn’t let the cruise passengers who’d won the hearts of Northern Ireland sail away from their mooring point without a personal “bon voyage” on Wednesday.

A 10-minute boat trip from Bangor Marina was all it took to reach shouting distance of the Villa Vie Odyssey.

Seafarers happily gathered at the stern deck to greet us with cheers and waves - even a Mexican one.

They thanked Belfast for helping them to finally realise their dream of living on a liner to travel the world.

Near the bridge, we spotted the CEO Mikael Petterson - and took the opportunity to ask him for any news.

Anchors aweigh “any minute now” was the answer.

Passengers John and Monica Frim told BBC News NI they had been told the ship would head back to the port in Belfast on Wednesday "to pick up a few things" before departing for Brest in France later that evening.

However, the Belfast Harbour website said the ship is scheduled to depart on Thursday at 23:00 BST.

Speaking to the BBC from the bridge of the Villa Vie Odyssey Residences, Mike Petterson said: "No offence, we love you guys, but we have got to go”.

John Frim said he was "pretty confident" the ship would finally begin its journey.

"Today I think we are going to leave, yes," he said.

"We're obviously anxious to get going. It's been a rollercoaster ride of: 'We're ready to go. Oops, there's something still to clear.'

"And then: 'Okay, we got that cleared.' And then: 'Oops, there's something else.'

"So it's been up and down, but we just got clearance. As I understand, we can sail later today."

The ship was scheduled to depart in May but has been beset with delays.

If it doesn't leave, it will "just be another hiccup, I think, in four months of hiccups", Monica said, adding that she was "confident we'll sail today".

John said the couple were "enjoying the ship, meeting with friends at meals and in the afternoons".

"It's not overly depressing but a little frustrating," he said.

"We're in good spirits. We've never lost faith in the idea and the concept. Out of three and a half years of sailing, it's not a significant chunk of time."

After Brest, the ship is set to head to the Azores and then the Caribbean, John said.

Villa Vie Residences bought the 31-year-old ship from Fred Olsen Cruise Lines in 2023.

The ship arrived at Queen’s Island in the Northern Ireland capital to be outfitted in April 2024.

It was scheduled to leave on 30 May for the first leg of its cruise.

But until 30 September, it was stuck in Belfast due to problems with its rudders and gearbox.

The vessel had some final inspections to pass this week before it was signed off to sail.

Passengers have been able to spend time on the ship during the day while waiting for a departure date but had to disembark in the evenings to stay in hotels.

Some have sold their houses and plan to live on the ship.

Melody and John Hennessey, from Palm Beach in Florida, hope to stay on board for the rest of their lives.

They used their unexpected months in Belfast "to build the largest suite on the ship", Melody told BBC News NI.

"It has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and the time here has allowed us to complete the project."

Cruise ship chief executive Mikael Petterson told BBC News NI the unexpected layover in Belfast has cost the company millions of pounds.

Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey is a residential, around-the-world cruise that was scheduled to depart from Belfast in May.

The company's website states that the cost of buying a cabin can range from $99,999 to $899,000.

Passengers on the cruise were given the option of buying their cabin outright rather than paying a daily rate for their room like a traditional hotel.

It allows them to remain onboard beyond the Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey's initial three-year tour.

Residents on the cruise are encouraged to treat the ship like their home, with some opting to bring pets aboard for the journey.