It was supposed to be a life on the ocean wave, a home on the rolling deep. Instead, cruise passengers who signed up for a three-year voyage around the world have been gazing at a rainswept quayside in Belfast for the past three months after a series of delays.
The Odyssey, operated by the US cruise line Villa Vie Residences, was scheduled to depart from Queen’s Island, Belfast – where the Titanic was built more than 100 years ago – on 30 May. But problems with the ship’s rudders and gearbox mean the Odyssey is still docked.
Passengers who had paid up to $899,000 (£683,730) to buy a cabin arrived in May in the expectation of setting sail within days. For the past three months they have been permitted to spend their days onboard but must disembark overnight.
“We can have all of our meals and they even have movies and trivia entertainment, almost like cruising except we’re at the dock,” said Holly Hennessey, from Florida, who is travelling with her cat, Captain.
A big downside to the delay was the weather, she told the BBC. “I’ve never had so much use for my umbrella in my life, and I carry my raincoat everywhere I go.”
Villa Vie Residences said it was trying to do everything it could to “relieve the anxiety” of passengers by planning trips and other cruises or putting them up in hotels.
Earlier publicity material from the company claimed it was a “leading innovator in modern-day residential cruising”.
It offered prospective passengers the chance to buy a cabin for the 15-year life of the vessel, for between $99,999 and $899,000 plus monthly fees. In that time they would get unlimited cruises. Those unable or unwilling to make such a commitment could book shorter spells onboard, from 35 to 120 days.
Although its target market is retired people, the company stipulates no minimum age for its residents. The average age of residents is 58 and half the cabins are being occupied by one person, according to the company. Eighty per cent of owners come from the US, and around nine in 10 plan on staying onboard for the full world cruise.
The Odyssey was built in 1993 and has capacity to take 929 passengers. Its eight decks have three restaurants, eight bars, four lounges, a library, a business centre and a gym and spa. It offers live music, lectures and film screenings, and a complimentary medical service during cruises.
Hennessey, who described herself as a “cruise addict”, said: “I have always wanted to live on a ship, and it will be a dream come true for me.”
Her cabin has a double bed, a small living area with room for her cat, and a balcony. “Villa Vie is a community, and a real community has pets,” she said.
Stephen Theriac, from Nicaragua, said he and his wife had “eaten in every [nearby] restaurant and had a Guinness in every pub”. The long delay was “just all part of our adventure”.
David Austin, from Georgia in the US, said he had “stopped counting down” the days until the ship launched. “The payoff of seeing the world in this fashion is too great to feel too disappointed with each delay announcement,” he said. “I was committed, having sold my house right before my arrival, and I’ve stayed committed to this adventure.”
Mike Petterson, the CEO of Villa Vie Residences, said he expected the ship to launch by the end of next week.
“We’re not focused on the next days or weeks, we are focused on the rest of our lives and what this company will do for the residents and the industry,” he told the BBC. “When you’re the first at doing something you will run into hiccups, but we’re definitely getting there.”
