Passengers on a ‘cursed’ cruise ship stuck in Belfast harbour for four months were told they could finally leave today. But the voyage has been postponed due to a new crisis, MailOnline can reveal.
Hundreds of wealthy tourists, some of whom used their savings to book a three-year world cruise on the luxury £27,000-a-month Villa Vie Odyssey, have been stranded in Northern Ireland since May while the boat undergoes a series of repairs and tests.
The frustrated tourists, who had already visited all the tourist attractions Belfast has to offer and some had even visited the famous Giant’s Causeway twice to kill time, were told earlier this week that the ship was finally ready to depart – and that they should pack their bags.
However, it has now emerged that despite the ship passing its sea trials, there is a new critical problem that will delay its departure by at least another three days – and possibly considerably longer.
The new, unexpected problem is that the ship had been moored all this time in docks of the world-famous company Harland and Wolff, known for building the even worse Titanic, which went bankrupt last week.
The Villa Vie Odyssey, an American cruise ship operated by Villa Vie Residences (pictured), has been delayed again after being stuck in a Belfast port for four months
Gian Perroni, 62, (left) and his partner Angela Harsanyi, 53, (right) are engaged after meeting in Belfast four months ago after the cruise ship ran aground.
Passenger Holly Hennessy from Florida (pictured) laughed and suggested that changing the boat’s name could bring bad luck
Customers who paid a staggering £27,000 a month for the luxury cruise have been stuck in Northern Ireland for months (pictured: the interior)
This means that the shipyard where the Villa Vie Odyssey is moored is not legally allowed to accept passengers, and there is currently no available berth where this could happen.
One dock worker told us today: ‘I can see why people call this voyage ‘cursed’. I’ve been in this business for almost 30 years and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a ship suffer so many setbacks and delays.
‘But they can’t let the passengers board where the boat is now, for safety and insurance reasons, so they have to wait for a space to become available somewhere else and they don’t know how long that will take.
‘It’s unbelievable that they finally solved the engine problems, but now they can’t board their passengers anywhere. What a turn of events!’
Harland and Wolff announced last week that the company would go bankrupt for the second time in five years, laying off dozens of employees.
While the cruise ship passengers understood that it would not affect them at all, they did not understand that it would have such a big impact on them. That was until today, when it was announced that the new status would mean that passengers would no longer be allowed near the ship.
A passenger, Gian Perroni, 63, said today: ”As you know, we try to keep a positive attitude, but it seems the gods are against us!
‘Harland and Wolff’s bankruptcy came as a surprise and once again the stars do not seem to be aligning well with the Odyssey’s plans. But perseverance has become our mantra.
‘We’re so close, nothing can stop us now!’
Gian, 63, has every reason to be optimistic: he met fellow traveler Angie Harsanyi, 53, during the delay and they are now engaged.
The couple believe they are soulmates after meeting in Belfast when the cruise ship suffered engine problems
The couple opted for a pink engagement ring instead of the more traditional clear diamond
But as the cruise continues to face delays, Gian Perroni, 63, said they are trying to stay positive on board
Fellow passenger Holly Hennessey laughed when asked about the recent delay, saying she was worried the boat’s name change would bring bad luck. The Villa Vie Odyssey was called Braemar until its name change earlier this year.
There is a superstition that forbids this, explains Mrs Hennessey, who has been to the Giant’s Causeway twice while stuck in Belfast and has also visited other attractions: ‘They say it’s bad luck to change the name of a ship.
‘As a sailor I take sea rituals very seriously.
‘Anything that can help Neptune or Poisids to help us sail, I would approve.
“And since we haven’t had any luck in this whole process, I suggest they add Irish and Celtic sea gods to the ceremony.”
‘I don’t have that experience with my own boat. But the Odyssey has quite a pedigree with many name changes in her history.
The couple even got matching tattoos in Belfast, a trinity knot as a symbol of their never-ending love
“The only thing that matters now is that she is ours. I expect that she will love all the grateful souls who get the chance to live aboard her as much as we will love her.”
But she played down talk of a curse: “I don’t think she’s cursed. There’s no doubt that the staff at Harland and Wolff contributed [to the delays]but I find it terrible to see such an iconic brand suffer.’
A cook from another ship moored at the Harland and Wolff shipyard added: ‘I’m not sure I believe in curses, but if I did I’d say that ship could be one. I don’t work on that ship, but I know she’s had to go through so many changes. The poor people who wait so long to get on board, I feel sorry for them.
“They’ve also changed the name of the ship. Anyone who spends most of their time at sea knows that this is a bad omen.”
The latest blow comes just hours after Villa Vie Residences received its latest Passenger Ship Safety certificate from the DNV, a maritime safety assessment organization, which they thought would mean they could finally sail around the world.
Managing Director Mike Petterson told MailOnline last week he was confident the ship would be launched today or tomorrow, but the latest developments mean the ship will have to be moved to another port before passengers can board.
The luxury cruise ship also includes cabins worth between $92,000 and $920,000
Originally set to set sail in May 2024 as part of Villa Vie Residences’ luxury plan to offer “floating homes,” the Odyssey has had more false starts than just a cursed regatta.
When the ship arrived at the shipyard for a major overhaul, the problems piled up: all of the ship’s certifications had expired and the ship had been out of service for so long that it had to be completely restarted.
Despite a series of repairs, including a new rudder system in July, the Odyssey was still stuck in Belfast in September and unable to obtain the necessary paperwork to take passengers anywhere.
The shipping company and Harland and Wolff have been asked for comment.
