Your support helps us to tell the story

Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.

Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.

Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.

Louise Thomas

Editor

Find out more

A cruise ship that was stranded in Belfast for four months has finally set sail – but instead of sailing to its first stop in France, it will make an overnight detour in Scotland, passengers say.

The chief executive of Villa Vie Residences, Mike Petterson, told BBC News that the ship would dock overnight on Thursday (3 October) in Hunterston in Ayrshire before travelling south to Brest, France.

The Villa Vie Odyssey had been scheduled to leave Belfast in May for a three-year, round-the-world cruise but was delayed due to unexpected repairs.

After four months of being stranded in the Northern Irish city, the ship eventually set sail from Belfast Harbour on Monday night but only travelled a few miles before dropping anchor in Belfast Lough.

open image in gallery

Petterson blamed administrative paperwork for the delay in Lough, yet this afternoon the ship began to sail away from Northern Ireland.

Passenger Holly Hennessey said: “Hallelujah! All of us are beyond words, delighted, and the celebration is already under way.

“We have stopped for christening ceremonies we will be heading to Scotland to refuel and then head south in the morning.”

open image in gallery

Other passengers also said the stop in Scotland was to gather further supplies for their journey to northwestern France.

Passenger Wade Rand said: “We are leaving for Scotland momentarily to get water and for the night. We are having a sailing party in the eighth deck observatory.”

“The ship needs fuel, but Petterson told the planner he ‘doesn’t care where we go, just go — but not to Belfast’, cruise resident Randy Cassingham told The Belfast Telegraph.

Petterson has said the ship was now “fully certified without conditions”.

The luxury cruise offers rentals from 35 to 120 days, or villas can be purchased ranging from £90,000 to £260,000. Owning a villa on board guarantees the room for a minimum of 15 years but the ownership stays valid for the entire operation of the ship.

Many of the passengers thanked Belfast for hosting them for many months, praising the people and the many pubs the city has to offer.

One man, who carried a self-assembled model of the Titanic on board on Monday, said he enjoyed Belfast but was ready for the rest of the cruise.

For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast

Read More