Passengers plagued by delays while waiting to set sail onVilla Vie Odyssey – with the promise of unlimited voyages around the globe and a guaranteed cabin – are now being asked to cover their expenses ahead of their adventure of a lifetime.
According to a recent YouTube update from MidLife Cruising, a vlog detailing life on board Villa Vie Odyssey with more than 9,000 subscribers, passengers received an email from the cruise line’s CEO late on Monday 9 September announcing “there were still some problems.”
According to the pair, the email stated that “sea trials weren’t as great as expected, and they still had to get through some final certifications”.
In this “devastating” update delivered to the couple and fellow would-be passengers, Villa Vie Residences also reportedly extended a request to ask passengers to cover their expenses for “at least the next seven days.”
Until now, the cruisers, who have left and returned to Northern Ireland four times during the ship’s delays, have had their hotels and food covered by Villa Vie Residences, and have been allowed on board during the day to use the facilities.
“Seven days is a lot in Belfast. It’s too much for us. It’s cheaper for us to fly back to the States,” explains MidLife Crusing in their video update. “They’ve spent basically half a million dollars already covering all of us here in Belfast.”
Villa Vie Odyssey was scheduled to set sail from Northern Ireland at the end of May. It was due to visit all seven continents, with stops at more than 425 ports in 147 destinations, but has been stalled due to the ship requiring work to the rudders and the gearbox, among other repairs and tests.
The Independent has contacted Villa Vie Residences for comment.
Odyssey, built in 1993, has sailed for several different cruise lines, including Cunard (as Crown Dynasty) and, most recently, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines as Braemar. Passengers had the opportunity to purchase their cabins outright for the multiyear float for prices between $99,999 (£75,600) and $899,000 (£680,000) rather than paying a daily rate.
US-based Villa Vie Residences has described itself as “a leading innovator in modern-day residential cruising”.
“Our goal is to offer a seamless solution for those looking to retire on a fixed budget to never worry about…
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