The story of the Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship has had many ups and downs, and that’s putting it mildly. After a four-month wait, the ship finally left Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Monday night. But just a few miles into the water, it had to stop again due to some last-minute “paperwork” issues. As days went by, passengers and people watching from the shore felt more and more confused about what was happening.
Now, there’s good news! The Odyssey, which used to be called the Braemar and was operated by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, is finally on the move. As of 11:00 a.m. GMT (7:00 a.m. ET) on Friday, it was heading toward Brest, France, according to marine tracking website Vesselfinder.
Mike Petterson, the CEO of Villa Vie, announced that the ship will stay in France for one day before making its way to Bilbao, Spain. This news is a huge relief for passengers who have spent tens of thousands of dollars and, in some cases, even given up their homes to be on this cruise.
Holly Hennessey, who is travelling with her cat, shared that she and her fellow passengers had a small “christening ceremony” on board and were excited to finally set sail.
“It’s not what we were expecting, and it’s been frustrating at times, but we know we’re about to begin the adventure of a lifetime,” said Angela Theriac, a U.S. passenger travelling with her husband.
Petterson had explained earlier that the delay was due to a longer-than-usual certification process. Even though the ship was built in 1993, it had to meet the same safety standards as a new vessel. The long-awaited journey has now begun, and the passengers are ready for the adventure ahead!
Stay informed with the latest updates – visit TTNBC for more breaking news!
BBC NEWS, CNN, ARY NEWS, DAWN NEWS, EXPRESS NEWS
