Passengers on a “cursed” cruise ship that has been stuck in Belfast port for four months have been told they can finally set sail today – but the journey has been delayed due to a fresh crisis, MailOnline can reveal.
Hundreds of wealthy holidaymakers, some of whom used their life savings to book a three-year world cruise on the luxury Villa Vie Odyssey costing up to £27,000 a month, have been stranded in Northern Ireland since May while the ship has undergone a series of repairs and tests.
Frustrated tourists, who had exhausted all the tourist attractions Belfast has to offer, with some having visited the famous Giant’s Causeway twice to pass the time, were told earlier this week that the ship was finally ready to leave and they should pack their bags.
But it has now emerged that despite the ship passing its sea trials, a critical new problem will delay its departure by at least another three days, and potentially much longer.
The new and unforeseen problem is that the ship has been moored all this time at docks owned by the world-famous Harland and Wolff company, famous for building the even more ill-fated Titanic, which went bankrupt last week.
The Villa Vie Odyssey, an American cruise ship operated by Villa Vie Residences (pictured), has been delayed once again after being stuck in a Belfast port for four months.
Gian Perroni, 62 (left), with his partner Angela Harsanyi, 53 (right), are engaged after meeting in Belfast after their cruise ship got stuck four months ago.
Passenger Holly Hennessy, from Florida (pictured), laughed and suggested that changing the ship’s name could have brought bad luck.
Customers who have paid an exorbitant £27,000 a month for the luxury cruise ship have been stuck in Northern Ireland for months (pictured: inside)
This means that the shipyard where the Villa Vie Odyssey is moored cannot legally allow passengers to enter and there is currently no berth available where this could happen.
One shipyard worker told us today: “I can understand why people call this voyage ‘cursed’. I’ve been in this business for nearly three decades and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a ship suffer so many setbacks and delays.”
‘But for safety and security reasons they cannot board where the ship is moored, so they have to wait for a free space somewhere else and they don’t know how long that will take.
“It’s incredible that they finally solved the engine problems but now they have nowhere to board their passengers. What a surprise!”
Harland and Wolff announced last week that it was filing for bankruptcy for the second time in five years, putting dozens of its workers out of work.
Although sympathetic, the cruise ship passengers did not understand that this would have any effect on them, until today, when news leaked that their new status will prevent any passenger from entering the vicinity of the ship.
One passenger, Gian Perroni, 63, said today: “As you know, we are trying to remain as positive as possible, but it certainly feels like the gods are against us.”
‘The bankruptcy of Harland and Wolff came as a surprise and once again it seems that the stars are not aligned with Odyssey’s plans, however perseverance has become our mantra.
‘We’re so close that nothing will stop us now!’
Gian, 63, has every reason to be optimistic: during the delay he met his travelling companion Angie Harsanyi, 53, and they are now engaged to be married.
The couple believe they are soulmates after meeting in Belfast when their cruise ship suffered engine problems.
The couple opted for a pink engagement ring instead of the traditional clear diamond.
But as the cruise ship suffers further delays, Gian Perroni, 63, said they were trying to stay positive on board.
When fellow passenger Holly Hennessey was asked about the latest delay, she laughed and said she was worried the ship’s name change might have brought bad luck: the Villa Vie Odyssey was called Braemar until its rebranding earlier this year.
There is a superstition against the practice, explained Ms Hennessey (who has been to the Giant’s Causeway twice while stuck in Belfast and also seen other attractions): “They say it’s bad luck to change a ship’s name.
‘As a sailor, I take marine rituals very seriously.
‘Anything that can appease Neptune or Poisiden to help us set sail, I would approve.
“And since we haven’t had a single stroke of luck in this whole process, I’m going to suggest that they add Irish and Celtic sea gods to the ceremony.”
“I didn’t have that experience with my own boat, but the Odyssey has a great pedigree and has changed names many times throughout its history.
The couple even got matching tattoos in Belfast, a trinity knot to symbolize their everlasting love.
“All that matters now is that she is ours. I hope she loves all the grateful souls who have the opportunity to live on board as much as we will love her.”
But she played down rumours of a curse: “I don’t think it’s cursed. There’s no doubt that Harland and Wolff staff contributed (to the delays), but it breaks my heart to see such an iconic brand suffer.”
A cook on another ship docked at the Harland and Wolff shipyard added: “I’m not sure I believe in curses, but if I did I’d say that ship could be one. I don’t work on that ship but I know it’s been through a lot of changes. The poor people who have been waiting so long to get on board – I feel sorry for them.”
‘They also changed the name of the ship, which, as anyone who spends any amount of time at sea knows, is a bad omen.’
The new blow comes just hours after Villa Vie Residences received its final passenger ship safety certificate from DNV, a maritime safety assessment organisation, which they had thought would mean they would finally be ready to circumnavigate the globe.
Managing director Mike Petterson told MailOnline last week he was confident the ship would be able to set sail today or tomorrow, but the latest development means the ship will now need to be moved to another port before passengers can board.
The luxury cruise ship also includes cabins priced between $92,000 and $920,000.
The Odyssey, scheduled to sail in May 2024 as part of Villa Vie Residences’ luxury “floating home” scheme, has had more false starts than a cursed regatta.
First, when it arrived at the shipyard for overhaul, problems began to pile up: the ship’s certifications were all out of date and the vessel had been out of service for so long that it needed a complete refit.
Despite a series of fixes, including a new rudder system in July, by September the Odyssey was still stuck in Belfast unable to obtain the necessary paperwork to take passengers anywhere.
The shipping company and Harland and Wolff have been contacted for comment.