Cruise ship Odyssey FINALLY sets sail, three months after its £27,000-a-month passengers were stranded in Belfast (but still no start date for their three-year round-the-world voyage)

A cruise ship whose passengers paid up to £27,000 a month for an epic three-year world tour but were instead stuck in Belfast for three months has finally set sail again, MailOnline can reveal.

The cruise ship Odyssey has been docked in dry dock in Belfast for repairs since May, but passengers were given new hope that they could finally set sail when the ship was given its long-awaited ‘sea trial’.

Passenger Starr Davis told MailOnline today: ‘I’m really pleased she’s finally moving.’

But even yesterday’s exercise was delayed at the last minute when one of the tugs involved in re-launching the Odyssey developed technical problems, preventing the ship from leaving as planned in the early morning.

It was not until this afternoon that the Odyssey finally got moving, with two tugs – one at the bow and the other at the stern – slowly guiding her out of Belfast harbour, across the loch, past Carrickfergus and Whitehead, and out to sea.

A cruise ship whose passengers paid up to £27,000 a month to enjoy an epic three-year world tour but were instead stuck in Belfast for three months has finally set sail again, MailOnline can reveal

The cruise ship Odyssey has been moored in dry dock in Belfast since May, undergoing repairs. But passengers were given new hope that they could finally set sail when the ship underwent a long-awaited “sea trial.” (Pictured: Passengers at a reception with the Lord Mayor of Belfast.)

Holly Hennessy (pictured) had been hoping for some good news ahead of her 68th birthday tomorrow. She told MailOnline: ‘It’s been a busy few days. We’ve had official updates at least twice a week and we’re already hearing positive things about the sea trials. We’re all really excited about what’s to come.’

The move was watched by many of her passengers, who were noticeably patient despite their three-month delay in Northern Ireland.

Belfast Harbour’s website was updated throughout the day with information on shipping traffic entering and leaving the port.

A few hours later the ship was back at the dock and although no official announcement has been made, passengers reported that they were told informally by the ship’s staff that everything had gone well, meaning that they would finally be able to get underway again soon.

Ms Davis was among those who had heard unconfirmed reports that the tests had gone well. She told us: ‘I am so happy to be starting this adventure.’

Another passenger who was very happy was Holly Hennessy, who had been hoping for good news before she celebrates her 68th birthday tomorrow (Friday).

She told MailOnline: ‘It’s been a busy few days.

‘We receive official updates at least twice a week and are already hearing positive feedback from the sea trials.

“We are all very excited about what is to come.”

The 642-foot vessel has been under repair at Belfast’s famous Harland & Wolfe shipyard since late May.

Odyssey is being billed as the world’s first “perpetual world cruise” and has a busy itinerary of 425 ports in 147 countries through 2028.

The cabins, called “villas” by their owners, Florida-based Villa Vie Residences, rent from $99,999 and go up to $899,000, plus hefty monthly fees.

The top rate is expected to be £27,000 per month.

Ms. Hennessy explained how the fees she pays for the cruise are structured.

She said, “My stateroom, a balcony suite, cost $329,000, and monthly it will be $7,000 as a solo. For a couple it would be $8,000.

‘An outside cabin costs about $169,000 to buy, $3,999 for a single person and $4,999 for a couple.

‘Inside the prices are around $99,000 and $2,500/$3,000. I think all prices can go up once we get sailing.

‘There are many people watching and waiting, and that is wise.

‘But without those of us who believed in the concept and booked or bought in time, this would never have happened.

“And there are 73 of us who invested in the company to get it off the ground.”

The three-month delay in boarding left around 200 passengers, mainly from the US, Australia and New Zealand, spending an unexpected summer in rainy Northern Ireland.

Villa Vie Reisdences has been approached for comment on the further development of the Odyssey.