A cruise ship stranded in Belfast for four months left the city last night – but could be making a quick return.
Mapping data suggests it has travelled only a few miles overnight, and will make a second attempt to leave Belfast later today.
The Villa Vie Residences’ Odyssey arrived in Belfast in May and had been stuck ever since as it needed major repairs.
It was supposed to be undertaking the first part of a three-year cruise, but repairs took much longer than expected.
Although it finally departed last night, it doesn’t appear to have got far.
At 9am this morning the CruiseMapper tracking website placed the ship a few miles from Bangor, Co Down.
There have also been reports that the vessel may be heading back to Belfast.
The Belfast Harbour schedule has the boat listed for another departure at 11pm this evening.
Yesterday, amid jubilant scenes, Odyssey residents gathered at Belfast Harbour’s cruise ship dock from early afternoon to board.
Many of the 600 passengers were seen celebrating as they boarded the ship, seemingly ready to head to the Caribbean.
Mike Petterson, chief executive of Villa Vie Residences, was applauded by waiting passengers after telling them the ship was on the way at around 7pm.
Speaking to reporters at the cruise terminal, he 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 harbour master has been in direct contact with the MD.
“We’ve been expecting this outcome for hours.”
He said the initial departure was due at 11.59pm last night — a minute before the terminal closes.
“The good news is that we have complete clearance and we will be out of here very, very, very soon.”
Asked how would he remember Belfast, he said “your summer is horrible” and “you can’t cook to save your lives, but you do know how to drink”.
The cruise costs passengers up to £27,000 per month. The firm acquired the ship previously owned by Braemar Cruise Ltd for $13m and planned to invest $10m to ensure it was operational and kitted out for guests.
It has now spent double that figure after being besieged by problems, ranging from issues with electricity generators to problems with on-board water distillation systems — even one of the vessel’s four engines was found to have cracked.
The ship is completely residential — to own a cabin with a balcony, you’ll need to fork out over £220,000, alongside monthly fees.
I bet he thought he would never be back when he said 'you can't cook to save your lives'
by c0n0rm
7 comments
You can check out but you can never leave
They forgot someone lol
Sounds like some genie plot twist… “I’ll grant your wish to spend your retirement on a cruise ship, but it’s forever docked in Belfast”
Watching the news footage last night you knew it wasn’t going to plan,Mike Petterson the MD might have been smiling but it was one of those rictus grin type smiles, where he was barely keeping it all together..looks like he’ll be back eating our shite food..ah well.
27g a month for a fancy floating prison ,
keep it
Cruise ships are either floating gerontophile brothels or floating daycare centres. Which one is this?