Passengers on a round-the-world cruise now stuck at port have to get off every evening and stay at hotels while the company tries to 'reactivate' the vessel
Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey cruise ship was set to embark on a round-the-world voyage in May.
But the vessel has been undergoing repair work at a shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Villa Vie Residences said the ship could start sailing again this week.
Passengers looking to embark on a 3 ½-year around-the-world voyage on Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey cruise ship have been left hanging for the past three months.
On the planned 1,301-day journey, the cruise liner is set to visit 147 countries across seven continents, including destinations such as France, Mexico, and Japan, according to Villa Vie's itinerary.
In December, the company announced it had purchased a vessel from Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. The more than 30-year-old ship was initially scheduled to set sail in May.
But mechanical problems — such as issues with the aging ship's rudder stocks and recertification — have left Odyssey stuck in Belfast, Northern Ireland, instead.
Sebastian Stokkendal, a marketing manager for Villa Vie, told the Associated Press that the company was "humbled by the scale of what it takes to reactivate a 30-year-old vessel from a four-year layup."
The vessel is now docked at Belfast's Harland and Wolff shipyard, which is best known for being where the ill-fated Titanic ocean liner was built.
The need for repairs means the Odyssey's passengers have also been stuck in Belfast.
Residents can spend their days on the ship but aren't allowed to stay overnight yet. Mikael Petterson, the founder and CEO of Villa Vie, told BI in August that the company is providing would-be residents with shuttles to and from the ship, food, drinks, and lodging — or a daily per diem for those who "choose to do their own thing."
Would-be passengers Lanette Canen and Johan Bodin told BI that Villa Vie had also sent them on various excursions, including a trip to the Canary Islands and a cruise to the Norwegian fjords.
In the interim, they say the food on Odyssey has been good — especially the barbecue. They've also enjoyed onboard amenities like the spa, a live band, and an open bar.
"We understand there are hiccups," Bodin told BI. "They're schmoozing us a bit to keep us happy. They're almost being too serviced-minded. I don't need to be pampered all the time."
Stokkendal told the AP that Villa Vie anticipates to launch its ship in the first week of September.
Representatives for Villa Vie Residences didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.
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