Passengers of a ‘cursed’ cruise ship who were left stranded in Belfast for four months finally hopped aboard the luxury liner tonight as they set off on a three year, all-inclusive global voyage.
The swanky Villa Vie Residences’ Odyssey was supposed to set sail in May but has been dogged by a series of issues, from broken rudders and a faulty gearbox to steel works and engine problems.
It left globetrotters, who are paying £27,000-a-month for their new onboard cabins, abandoned in rainy Northern Ireland for the summer rather than sunning themselves in the Caribbean, as planned.
Yet tonight, 125 passengers crowded into a ferry terminal, escaped the pouring rain as they said goodbye to the city that became their temporary home for months.
Cheers and applause broke out in the ferry terminal as the liner finally pulled up outside and blasted a huge horn, while security guards said ‘welcome to your new home’.
The joyful crowd, of mostly American passengers, piled on each other for a huge group hug while others started dancing, shouting ‘she’s here, she’s here, she’s finally here’.
Others shouted ‘home sweet home’ as they carried their luggage, furniture and shopping bags up the ramp of the ship before being welcomed with champagne.
Hazel McKay, 71, born in Bolton before moving to New Zealand, was giddy as she said: ‘This is history in the making and we are about to be on it.’
CEO Mike Petterson confirmed they would be boarding at 8pm and setting off on their trip of a lifetime just after 10pm.
He told : ‘It’s great to have everyone here and we are now ready to go. I can’t describe the feeling really.
‘It’s been tough and everyone has been looking forward to this day for a really long time and now it’s finally happening people are very relieved.
‘It has been a rollercoaster but we’re here and we’ll be sailing off soon.’
Standing at the port in Belfast eagerly awaiting to board the ship, Shirene Thomas, in that 50s, Wilmington, North Carolina, said: ‘I am all in now. I’ve sold my home, car, all my possessions, left my job.
‘We’ve waited months for this so it will be exciting if tonight’s the night.
‘The people in Belfast were so warm – the weather not so much – but the people were great.
‘I am so relieved there have been so many set-backs and I was so worried it might be happening again.’
Melody Hennessee, travelling with their husband John, spent the time in Belfast decorating her new home.
The pair, who are part founders of the cruise, bought three adjacent cabins so they could have a larger space, complete with their very own bar and huge refrigerator.
The couple had been travelling in an RV across the US, clocking up 27,000 miles.
‘My husband then got tired of driving and said let’s just go on a cruise. We are excited,’ Melody said.
‘We have three cabins now knocked into one. A big bar, no kitchen as we have three restaurants.’
Hailing from Florida, known as the country’s Sunshine State, Holly Hennessey, 67, travelling with her six-year-old Siamese cat Captain, was not deterred by the set backs.
She said: ‘The bottom line is most of us don’t care where we are going. I want to live on a ship. I don’t care where it goes.
‘I didn’t even look at the itinerary other than to see if I could make it back for my 50th high school reunion and see my 93-year-old mother. Obviously neither of those things happened. I missed both of those things because we never left.
‘Most of us are pretty intrepid travellers, we are all very fluid. For many us this not our first rodeo. I had to make Belfast home. I couldn’t go anywhere because of the cat. I could only do day trips.’
Holly paid £275,000 for her balcony mini-suite which has space for a double bed, small living area and a balcony.
Luckily for Captain, who is a self-proclaimed ‘cruise addict’ having spent every winter of his life onboard a boat, the space is pet friendly. ‘Villa Vie is a community and a real community has pets,’ Holly said previously.
Last night dozens of the cruise passengers took a last lap of Belfast on beer bikes, being cheered on by city locals who they have come to know so well.
The round-the-world trip will take passengers to all seven continents, stopping at 147 ports and 425 different locations over the three-and-a-half year period.
The first stop is expected to be Bremerhaven before the cruise continues to Amsterdam and Lisbon before trawling across the Atlantic to begin the Caribbean stint of the tour.
The huge ship had arrived at Queen’s Island in the Northern Ireland capital on May 30 to be outfitted but was plagued with a series of mechanical problems.
So instead of soaking up the rays on tropical beaches or exploring quaint European cities, cruisers were left in a drizzly British quayside.
Passengers were allowed to have full access to the ship in the day – which includes three restaurants, four lounges, a library, gym, golf simulator and spa with a pool and two hot tubs – but were forced to disembark into local hotels and AirBnBs at night.
Many immersed themselves in local culture, sinking pints of Guinness at tradtional pubs, checking off all the tourists attractions such as nearby Giant’s Causeway – sometimes twice – and making new friends at Sunday church or at the races.
The Odyssey’s parent company, Villa Vie Residences had initially covered the living expenses of their guests, but as the delay extended, they announced they would no longer cover costs as it was ‘unsustainable’, leaving many to arrange their own accommodations.
Some of the unlucky passengers, who were mostly American, had to fly home temorarily as they were struggling with the cost of living in the Northern Irish capital.
But for Gian Perroni, from Vancouver in Canada, and Angie Harsanyi, from Colorado in the US, the weeks spent delayed in Belfast led to a whirlwind romance.
The pair met in the city after being unable to board and quickly fell for each other. Soon enough they got engaged and getting matching tattoos trinity knot tattoos to always remember their Belfast love story.
The couple will be married by the ship’s captain on the deck of the boat when they travel between Costa Rica and Panama in April.
The loved-up couple told today they were looking forward to sailing off into the sunset together and embarking on their ‘perpetual honeymoon’.
Mr Perroni: ‘It has been a long few weeks but it’s all about patience. We got engaged last week and time has gone by so fast. We spent most of our time enjoying the city.
‘We will get married between Panama and Costa Rica and get the captain to marry us – we haven’t actually asked him yet – but that’s the plan.
‘Half of our wedding party is already onboard and our friends will come out as well.’
Angie was originally travelling with her sister but will now split her time between both cabins.
She added: ‘I will share rooms between the two of them. Gian has been really understanding that this was originally a sister trip.
‘We will miss Belfast. Fantastic folk, lovely landscape. Despite the weather it’s a great city. It’s always going to be a special place for us.’
Dr David Austin, from Georgia in the United States sold his home hoping for a new adventure.
Eagerly awaiting to get onboard today, the retired anaesthologist said: ‘The last four months our community has formed and come together to support each other – there’s even been an engagement. We are helping each other out.
‘To travel the world with a group of like-minded adventurers is a dream.’
Fran Paroissien, 76, from Melbourne, , decided to sell her home and board the ship instead of going into assisted accommodation.
The widow and grandmother-of-one said:
Retired doctor Basia Kruszewska, 69, from New York added: ‘It’s great to get going today but we are feeling overwhelmed.
‘We have been dreaming about this and waiting for such a long time but it is overwhelming.
‘Belfast was great. If we had to be stuck somewhere Belfast was a good place to be but we are keen to get moving.’
Dr Victor Torres, 53, who is travelling with his wife Shristie, 35, added: ‘I tried to look at the delay as everything happens for a reason and stay positive.
‘One thing about the boat is the community. After four months you really get to know everyone.
Pat Patrick, 63, and Cherie Olson, 75, are amongst those boarding their ‘home away from home’ this evening.
Cabins on the cruise cost anywhere between £75,000 and £700,000 for the 15-year life of the cruise. It meant some of the cruisers sold their homes and the majority of their possessions.
Those who bought the cabins will be able to continue living on the ship after the three-year tour comes to an end.
The Odyssey, formerly known as the MS Braemar from Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, was built in 1993 and can hold up to 929 passengers.
It was acquired by Villa Vie Residences in March 2024 to offer unlimited cruises. There is, however, the option to book shorter spells between 35 and 120 days.
The average passenger is aged 58 and 90 per cent of those onboard plan to stay onboard for the full world cruise taking in all seven continents. Around half the cabins are currently occupied by one person.
The cruise ship underwent an extensive refit at the famed Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, including major repairs to its rudder stocks and grey water tanks, which were essential to meet environmental standards.