IT was billed as the ultimate dream trip, cruising exotic locations on a non-stop journey around the world.
Passengers on the luxury Villa Vie Odyssey should be sunning themselves in the Bahamas today after seeing Norway’s majestic fjords and northern lights, soaking up the romance of France and taking in the delights of Spain and Portugal.
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Instead, they spent four months in not-so-sunny Belfast after the ship — meant to circumnavigate the globe every three years — was beset by repairs, inspections and delays.
It was stuck at the docks of Harland & Wolff, famous for building the ill-fated Titanic.
Last week the owners of the dock went bankrupt, which meant they had nowhere to board passengers, causing a further delay of five days.
Jubilant travellers finally hit the high seas on Monday, only to spend the night moored off the coast of Northern Ireland before going BACK to Belfast again.
Last night the 200 or so beleaguered passengers were hoping to finally get going for real after the crew turned the ship around to deal with last-minute paperwork.
The voyagers have stayed upbeat as many enjoyed the hospitality of Ireland, staying in hotels and Airbnbs.
Others took up the offer of a free holiday in the Canaries while some toured Europe.
Two passengers even fell in love during their time in the Emerald Isle and will marry on board next April after getting matching Celtic tattoos.
Canadian Gian Perronic, 62, and Angie Harsanyi, 53, from Colorado, will exchange vows in a “gigantic wedding” between Costa Rica and Panama after he proposed.
‘Gotta roll with the tide’
Gian said: “I don’t think we could have picked a better place to end up.
“We’ve enjoyed the pubs — my liver is crying a little bit.”
Most of those on the ship have bought their cabins and intend to travel the world for at least three years. Others have rented accommodation for segments of the cruise.
The trip offers seaborne nomads the chance to actually reside on board, and many sold their homes to afford the opportunity. It meant they had nowhere to go when delays hit.
Others have cabins as second homes and will join different legs of the voyage.
John Hennessee, 76, and his wife Melody, 64, sold their Florida home to buy a cabin on the continuous cruise and hope to stay on the ship for the rest of their lives.
They spent their four months stranded converting their living quarters into a two-bedroom, two-bathroom suite — the largest one on the ship, Melody said.
She added: “We embraced the city and all it had to offer. The people there are so friendly and kind.”
Tension and worry built all day — was yet another disappointment brewing? But finally, it all worked out
Randy Cassingham
The cruise saga has echoes of the 2017 stage musical Come From Away, which told the real-life story of 6,579 airline passengers who were left stranded in a tiny town in Newfoundland, Canada, following the 9/11 terror attacks.
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Residents welcomed the passengers with open arms, clothing, feeding and entertaining them.
Just like the families in the town of Gander, Belfast residents gave a warm welcome to tourists in pubs, hotels and restaurants.
It was not quite what holidaymakers had planned when they booked themselves on the perpetually travelling Odyssey, which will visit 425 ports in 147 countries in all seven continents.
Passengers can join the ship at different stages of the voyage or buy a permanent cabin for around £75,000, with monthly fees of £1,870 for one person or £2,620 for a couple.
It boasts 484 cabins, three restaurants, five bars, a library, pool and gym as well as a golf simulator and a business centre.
Cruisers, mostly from the US and Canada, were meant to set sail on May 30.
But the Odyssey was hit by mechanical issues, repairs on its rudder shafts, steel hull and gear box and official inspections which sent costs soaring £10million over the original £12million budget.
At first, Villa Vie Residences, which operates the vessel, paid for travellers’ hotels and food, as well as holidays to the Canaries. But in the middle of last month it offered them onboard credit instead.
Passengers were delighted when they finally boarded on Monday.
Holly Hennessy, 67, from Florida, exclaimed: “I’m on board! In my cabin! I love my ship home!”
She is travelling with her cat Captain and says he is happy with ship life, adding: “I used to live on my own boat so he’s used to it.”
Shirene Thomas, 50, of North Carolina, said she had tried to be patient during the ship repairs, adding: “You gotta be flexible and roll with the tide, pun intended.”
Many boarding carried souvenirs from Ireland, including one man who proudly showed off a self-assembled model of the Titanic.
US travel blogger Andy Garrison, 75, said he arrived in Belfast for what he thought would be three days in August to join the trip — and ended up there for six weeks.
He filled the time building his Titanic model but insisted it was not a bad omen, saying: “I’m going to put this on the wall of my room.”
Cyndi Grzybowski, 69, from Appling, Georgia, said: “We started off as strangers and now we truly are a family.”
Before setting sail on Monday, 65-year-old writer Randy Cassingham, from Colorado, said: “Tension and worry built all day — was yet another disappointment brewing? But finally, it all worked out.”
Except it didn’t. The vessel only made it to Bangor in Co. Down around 30 miles away before anchoring overnight.
The crew were told to return to Belfast to complete some final pieces of paperwork yesterday but were due to leave for real last night.
It would be wonderful if we can make this work so I can start living my dream
Bonny Kelter
One passenger will not be making the trip after being kicked off the cruise for allegedly being “negative” on a WhatsApp group.
Bonny Kelter, 66, from New Jersey, paid more than £75,000 for a cabin but claims she was one of two women who had their contracts terminated in July for making critical comments of the voyage.
Nine boxes and two suitcases of her possessions are still on board, along with medicines and a safe full of jewellery.
She went back home to stay in an Airbnb after selling her house to fund the trip, but was unable to get back to Ireland before the Odyssey set sail.
Bonny is now hoping to reach a deal with the owners to join at a later stage, saying: “It would be wonderful if we can make this work so I can start living my dream.”
But as the ship approached Belfast last night to resolve the 11-hour paperwork issues, passengers claimed the vessel had been hit by yet ANOTHER delay.
There were reports there was no free berth for the boat to move into so they were once again stranded in Belfast Lough.
They were just ten miles from the city when the ship stopped and its engine was switched off.
No official announcement had been made on board.
The latest blow came after Villa Vie Residences chief executive Mike Petterson said he was a “little stressed” as he worked to clear “a few last-minute things”.
Asked how he would remember Belfast, he told reporters: “Your summer is horrible, you can’t cook to save your lives, but you do know how to drink.”
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