The cruise ship Villa Vie Residences has been docked in Belfast for over five months, after it arrived to be outfitted on May 30th. Initially, the ship was due to depart four months ago, however, repairs were needed and it was subsequently held up in the Northern Irish port. The lengthy delay has left passengers stranded in Belfast, with restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic making the situation even more challenging.
The ship has undergone final inspections before it can be signed off to sail. Mikael Petterson, chief executive of the company behind the ship, acknowledged that bringing the ship out of a layup, “proved a little more challenging than we expected”. Petterson has also confirmed that the unexpected layover in Belfast has cost the company millions of pounds, explaining that they are “about £22m deep so far” and “about £10m over budget”. He acknowledged that the delay was frustrating for passengers, but that he hoped to make up for that soon. Petterson laughed off social media speculation about the future of the ship, saying that “the non-believers will be believers as we sail out over the next number of days”.
Passengers have been facing a difficult time in adapting to life in Belfast, with Randy and Kit Cassingham, who sold their home in the Colorado mountains to become residents of the ship, feeling that they have been “banned from our own home.” They have paid their bills and live aboard the ship, yet have been unable to be on it for months due to the ongoing paperwork and inspections. With cabin prices well into six figures, the Villa Vie Residences ship was set to be their home for the lifetime of the Odyssey.
Holly Hennessey, from Florida, has been travelling with her six-year-old Siamese cat Captain, and they have stayed in six different locations in Belfast since their journey was disrupted. The delay has been a “big challenge”, and while she had hoped to only stay in Belfast briefly, she has been there for almost four months and has grown somewhat attached to the area. Nevertheless, she is keen to set sail as soon as the ship is cleared to go.
While the delays have been challenging for passengers and crew alike, Villa Vie Residences and Petterson remain committed to taking to the seas soon, as they await clearance for take off
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