It was supposed to be a dream trip, three years aboard a cruise ship equipped with every comfort, ploughing the ocean far and wide. The Odyssey, operated by the American cruise company Villa Vie Residences, was supposed to leave the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on May 30. Instead, due to bad weather and repeated problems, first with the rudder and then with the gearbox, the ship is still docked at the port.
The three-year cruise worth 900 thousand dollars
The passengers who had booked a place on board had spent a whopping 899 thousand dollars, equal to over 800 thousand euros, and in May they had all arrived with the expectation of setting sail on their long journey. For the past three months, people have had the opportunity to spend the days on the ship, but in the evening they have to disembark to spend the night in a hotel: “We can have all the meals,” Holly Hennessey, from Florida, who is traveling with her cat Captain, told the Guardian. “There are also films, entertainment and quizzes: it’s almost like a cruise, except that we are stuck at the dock.
The Villa Vie Residences company is doing everything it can to “alleviate” the bad mood of passengers, still staying in hotels, in a situation that many define as “paradoxical”. The company allows you to buy a cabin for 15 years, for a sum between 100 thousand and 900 thousand dollars, to which monthly fees must be added. During that period of time, those who buy this package can enjoy unlimited cruises, but it is also possible to buy “shorter” packages, starting from a minimum of 35 days.
The Odyssey ship
The company does not impose minimum age limits, but their target customers include mostly retirees, with an average age between 58 and 60: 80% come from the United States and most of them intend to spend their entire vacation on board the ship. The Odyssey, built in 1993 and able to carry 929 passengers, is a true floating palace, equipped with all the comforts: three restaurants, eight bars, four lounges, a library, a business center, a gym, a spa and areas for live music and film screenings. Passengers can also take advantage of a free medical service throughout the cruise.
Passengers waiting
Despite the long delay, some passengers took it philosophically, like Stephen Theriac, a man originally from Nicaragua traveling with his wife: “The postponement of the departure is part of our adventure”. A thought also shared by another passenger interviewed by the British media, David Austin, from Georgia in the United States: “I have stopped counting down to departure. The reward of seeing the world is too great to be discouraged by a delay”.
Luckily, at least according to Mike Petterson, CEO of Villa Vie Residences, the wait may be almost over: “Despite major work to be done and engine overhauls, we are in the final stages. We expect to be able to leave next week: we will head to Bremerhaven, Amsterdam and Lisbon, and then cross the Atlantic to the Caribbean”.
This article is originally published on today.it
