Villa Vie Odyssey Belfast: Fond farewells as passengers finally board perpetual-round-the-world cruise liner for launch
As the News Letter went to print tonight everything was set for perhaps the second most famous cruise liner ever to launch from Belfast.
The Villa Vie Odyssey – apparently the world's first perpetual round the world cruise liner – has been on the cusp of departing since the weekend, after being delayed from launching from Belfast for four months.
Having been in storage for five years during the pandemic, the new owners – US-based Villa Vie Residences – bought the vessel in March and have spent over £12m with Harland & Wolff in bringing it up to date.
Tonight about 100 passengers – many of whom have called Belfast home for the past four months – were in jovial mood as they arrived at the cruise liner departure lounge at Belfast City Harbour on shuttle buses after 5pm.
However, two hours later, their dream boat was still tied up within sight about a kilometre away with Harland & Wolff.
Villa Vie Residences CEO Mike Petterson joined passengers in the departure lounge at about 7.10pm to tell them there was still some essential paperwork outstanding but he expected they would leave within 24 hours.
However, 15 minutes later he appeared once again to announce that all paperwork had been signed off, to cheers from passengers and slaps on the back. By 9pm the vessel had docked at the passenger departure lounge. Mr Petterson had told the passengers that they would depart by 11.58pm.
Speaking to reporters at the cruise terminal, Mr Petterson said he was “a little stressed” as efforts were made to clear “a few last-minute things”.
“It’s administrative paperwork. We needed the right person to press the button, at the end of the day. It’s been done and we’re putting the vessel in motion right now,” the Press Association reported.
“The harbour master has been in direct contact with the MD. We’ve been expecting this outcome for hours.”
Jim Lovell, a scuba diving instructor, has left his home of 45 years in Hawaii to join the ship.
“Nothing has ever been good enough to take me out of Hawaii – until I saw Villa Vie Residences. And now here I am, about to climb aboard in Belfast,” he told the News Letter. “It is just the whole lifestyle that appeals to me.”
He estimates that his living costs in Hawaii are about £5,000 per month but on Villa Vie Residences it will be about £3,200.
“My ship mates have enjoyed getting to know the community in Belfast. Belfast has bent over backwards to help them,” he said.
He noted that people from across the world were wishing them well on social media and hoping the launch would go ahead last night.
He was very patient with the delays. “Nobody has ever done this before and the stress for [CEO] Mike and his wife Cathy [who also works for the company] in pulling this off has got to have been incredible.
“This ship has not been cruising for five years, so not only has it to be recertified but now they have to meet the standards of a brand new cruise ship.
“Normally a cruise ship just docks in Belfast and then leaves again so this is not a normal routine.”
• HAVE WE LEFT YET? See for yourself by checking out the satellite tracker on the Villa Vie Odyssey. Click here.