We liquidated our residential properties to embark on a three-year, £700,000 global cruise. However, contrary to our expectations of enjoying cocktails in the Caribbean, we have been stationed in Belfast for three months. Consequently, we have had to purchase Vitamin D supplements to manage the situation.
The journey was intended to be an unparalleled experience, offering passengers the chance to witness some of the world’s most extraordinary sights, from the breathtaking Norwegian fjords to enjoying rum cocktails in the Caribbean.
However, instead of the anticipated global adventure, passengers who invested £27,000 per month for a three-year voyage across Europe, Asia, and the Americas have spent the past three months in a considerably less luxurious setting—a rain-soaked dockside in Belfast.
The Odyssey, a vessel operated by the U.S.-based cruise line Villa Vie Residences, with a capacity for nearly one thousand passengers, was scheduled to depart from the city on May 30 to commence its voyage. However, due to mechanical issues with the ship’s rudders and gearbox, it remains docked.
As a consequence, instead of enjoying the tropical climate, the passengers have been relegated to experiencing Belfast’s local fare, such as Guinness and fish and chips, accompanied by brief excursions to Liverpool and Tenerife.
The passengers, primarily American citizens, had abandoned their previous lives for this global voyage, with some liquidating their homes and assets to afford the substantial investment of between £75,000 and £700,000 for cabin ownership over the vessel’s 15-year lifespan.
While passengers have access to the ship’s amenities during the day—comprising three restaurants, four lounges, a library, gym, golf simulator, and a spa with a pool and two hot tubs—they are required to disembark at night and secure lodging in local hotels.
Lanette Canen and Johan Bodin, both aged 54, chose to forego staying on the ship and have instead embarked on a European tour of Norway, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, and Sweden. Meanwhile, other passengers are attempting to adapt to their unforeseen stay in Belfast, supplemented by Vitamin D tablets.
