Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey cruise ship

In June 2024 I was on a cruise from Iceland to Belfast. In Belfast on 14 June I saw a small cruise ship in the Harland and Wolff’s dry dock, so Googled it. It was the Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey and I saw that it was a residential cruise ship where passengers have the chance to buy their cabin for US$99,999 to $899,000. 

The ship arrived in Belfast  to be outfitted before it was scheduled to leave on 30 May for the first leg of a three-year cruise. But at the end of August the ship has still not left yet thanks to problems with its rudders and gearbox. Passengers already on a round-the-world cruise have been left stranded in Belfast for three months.

Passengers are allowed to spend time on the ship during the day, but must disembark in the evenings and go to a hotel. 

Passengers on the cruise were given the option of buying their cabin outright rather than paying a daily rate for their room like a traditional hotel. It allows them to remain onboard beyond the Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey's initial three-year tour.

Some of the passengers have been able to travel to other countries whilst waiting for the ship to be repaired. 

It is now estimated the ship will launch early Sept.

It is of interest to me as the ship used to be MS Braemar - a 31-year-old ship belonging to Fred. Olsen. The 24,000-tonne cruise ship was built for Crown Cruise Line and then passed through a number of upscale cruise lines before the UK-based, Norwegian-owned Fred.Olsen bought and renamed her MS Braemar in 2001. Under Fred.Olsen the ship had even set a record: In 2019 it became the longest ship to squeeze through the Corinth Canal. That was when I started cruising, and I thought I'd like to do the Corinth Canal - but it wasn't to be. I still have the brochure and this is the front cover -

After Fred owning her, the original ship was enlarged during a refit in 2009 and then renovated again in 2019 - just months before being laid up. 

Villa Vie bought Braemar during Covid. The ship's hull was apparently in excellent condition due to MS Braemar’s being laid up in cold water. This virtually eliminated the build-up of marine life on that hull, something that was most apparent as we walked alongside the ship in Harland and Wolff’s drydock. The hull is also flatter than on many other ships, so she can navigate inland waterways.

As the Odyssey, she will have 8 decks, and a capacity of 924 passengers or residents in its 485 cabins. It also allows for pets. And of course there is a business centre that will provide wifi virtually everywhere. 

Once the ship sets sail, Odyssey will circumnavigate the world every 3½ years. The itinerary will include visiting more than 420 ports in 147 countries across all seven continents. Passengers either purchase a cabin to own onboard or join Villa Vie Residences Voyagers Program and do any from one to 16 world cruise segments. 

From All Things Cruise -

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My 2022 blog on Harland and Wolff "Harland & Wolff to work on cruise ships again".

BBC New 28 Aug "Three months into their global cruise, they've not left Belfast".

All Things Cruise 15 June "The Most Awaited Launch in Cruising … Villa Vie Residences “Odyssey” will now set sail from Belfast June 15th"

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UPDATE Sept 2024 :

Sept 10 cruiseindustry news  "Villa Vie: More Delays as Company Asks Guests to Cover Own Expenses". In a letter sent to guests on Tuesday, the company said it had spent approximately $500,000 covering guest expenses during the delay including hotels, excursions and more, and is now asking passengers to cover their own expenses for “at least the next seven days,”. The company had covered guest expenses since May, when the ship was originally scheduled to sail from Southampton but was subsequently delayed. 

Sept 30  Ville Vie was finally ready to leave, and the ship sailed from Belfast at 11.30 pm on its 3 year cruise. BUT it didn't go far, it had to anchor off the coast of Northern Ireland as there was administrative paperwork to be completed. The ship finally set sail on the evening of 3 Oct and was on its way at long last.

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