Your support helps us to tell the story
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
Louise Thomas
Editor
A cruise ship that was stranded in Belfast for four months has finally set sail after a string of delays and is now en route to France on its first stop of an around-the-world voyage.
The Odyssey is believed to be on its way to Brest in France, with marine traffic website CrusieMapper showing the ship sailing south past west England as of Friday morning, with an expected time of arrival in France around 8pm this evening.
The Villa Vie Residences chief executive, Mikael Petterson, said Thursday evening: “We’re now moving towards our first destination, Brest, France. With a community united by adventure, the journey we’ve all anticipated has begun. The world awaits us.”
Petterson initially said that the ship would dock overnight on Thursday (3 October) in Hunterston in Ayrshire before travelling south, BBC News reported.
Passengers were also under the impression they would stop in Scotland overnight to refuel, as many reported that is what they had been initially told, but The Belfast Telegraph reports that the ship changed direction for France as scheduled as it had enough in the tanks to make the journey.
The Villa Vie Odyssey had been scheduled to leave Belfast in May for a three-year, round-the-world cruise but was delayed due to unexpected repairs.
After four months of being stranded in the Northern Irish city, the ship eventually set sail from Belfast Harbour on Monday night but only travelled a few miles before dropping anchor in Belfast Lough.
Petterson blamed administrative paperwork for the delay in Lough, yet Thursday afternoon, the ship began to sail away from Northern Ireland.
Passenger Holly Hennessey said: “Hallelujah! All of us are beyond words, delighted, and the celebration is already under way.
Petterson has said the ship was now “fully certified without conditions”.
The luxury cruise offers rentals from 35 to 120 days, or villas can be purchased ranging from £90,000 to £260,000. Owning a villa on board guarantees the room for a minimum of 15 years but the ownership stays valid for the entire operation of the ship.
Many of the passengers thanked Belfast for hosting them for many months, praising the people and the many pubs the city has to offer.
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.
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
