West
Cruise passengers 3 months into expensive 3-year excursion still haven't set sail
Passengers who paid upward of $99,000 for a three-year cruise have been stranded in Northern Ireland for three months, living out of hotels as they wait for their ship to be repaired.
The Villa Vie Residences Odyssey made its way to the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast of its own accord, but once it arrived, the 30-year-old ship had several mechanical issues, Villa Vie Residences CEO Mikael Petterson told “Good Morning America.”
“The rudder stocks took six weeks to get done, and now we’re dealing with a couple of other things,” Petterson said. “But, overall, I think three months is actually not that bad given the circumstances.”
Petterson told the morning show the Odyssey’s new departure date had been set for Sept. 9.
FLORIDA WOMAN HAS TRAVELED TO 55 COUNTRIES, SAYS CRUISE SHIP VACATIONS ARE THE WAY TO GO
The Odyssey, a U.S. cruise liner operated by Villa Vie Residences, is docked at Harland & Wolff ship repair facility in Belfast Harbour, Northern Ireland, on Friday. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
“It’s cold. It’s windy. It’s damp. It usually rains,” passenger Holly Hennessy of Florida told the outlet, describing the past three months in Belfast. “I’ve been moved five times to different accommodations.
“I thought I’d go home, or the ship sent some people to the Canary Islands,” she said. “And then I found out that because I have my cat with me, I can’t even leave.”
Passengers are allowed aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey during the day but must leave for their hotel rooms in the evening. Villa Vie Residences has reportedly helped passengers plan trips around Europe during the downtime. But, for passengers like Hennessy, who is traveling with her cat, options are limited.
AMERICAN TEEN WHO DISAPPEARED IN GERMANY AFTER LEAVING CARIBBEAN PRINCESS CRUISE SHIP IS FOUND SAFE
The Odyssey, a U.S. cruise liner operated by Villa Vie Residences, is being repaired at Harland & Wolff ship facility in Belfast Harbour, Northern Ireland, on Friday. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
The cruise advertises visits to 475 destinations across 147 countries. Cabin prices start at $100,000, according to the company’s website, and include an additional monthly fee for at least 15 years.
Marketing materials targeting retirees and digital nomads tout “the incredible opportunity to own a home on a floating paradise,” which comes with a gym, putting green, entertainment facilities, a business center, a spa and an “experiential culinary center,” according to The Associated Press.
Passengers Johan Bodin and his partner Lanette Canen — from Sweden and the U.S., respectively — relocated from Maui, Hawaii, to spend the next several years on the ship, “Good Morning America” reported. They have spent the last three months traveling around Europe while they wait for the ship to leave port.
LARGEST PIZZA PARTY, OVER 60,000 SLICES DEVOURED, GIVES GUINNESS WORLD RECORD TO CRUISE LINE
The Odyssey, a U.S. cruise liner operated by Villa Vie Residences, will depart on a three-year excursion after repairs are made at Harland & Wolff ship repair facility in Belfast Harbour, Northern Ireland, on Friday. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
“We intend to stay on for a long haul, but who knows how we will feel after a year,” Bodin told “Good Morning America.” “Hopefully, by next weekend, we’ll be floating away, saying goodbye to Belfast.”
Canen intends to run her Arizona-based auto glass business from the ship, the AP reported. Bodin, a carpenter by trade, is running a YouTube channel documenting the couple’s stalled journey.
“We might be crazy, stupid, naive or resilient,” Bodin said. “I don’t know. You can put any label on it that you want.”
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SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A man died after he was caught in an avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon over the weekend.
A spokesperson for the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Thursday that Kevin Williams, 57, had died.
He, along with one other person, was hospitalized in critical condition after Saturday’s avalanche in the backcountry.
MORE | Big Cottonwood Canyon Avalanche
In an interview with 2News earlier this week, one of Williams’ close friends, Nate Burbidge, described him as a loving family man.
“Kevin’s an amazing guy. He’s always serving, looking for ways that he can connect with others,” Burbidge said.
A GoFundMe was set up to help support Williams’ family.
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A registered sex offender convicted in a child sex abuse material case is seeking elected office in California — launching a campaign for Fresno City Council amid fierce backlash and renewed questions about whether someone with his record should hold public office.
Rene Campos, a Fresno native required to register as a sex offender, has announced plans to run for the District 7 seat on the Fresno City Council.
Campos was charged in 2018 with possession of child sex abuse material, according to court records. He has said he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge and is now a registered sex offender.
His opponent, Nav Gurm, says the campaign has transformed what should be a local race focused on infrastructure and public safety into a national controversy.
Rene Campos in a 2018 booking photo related to a child sex abuse material possession case. Campos, now a registered sex offender, has launched a campaign for Fresno City Council. (State of California Department of Justice)
“His candidacy is a slap in the face to families and children in Fresno,” Gurm told Fox News Digital. “They deserve a councilmember who can show up at their schools and in their neighborhoods without restriction.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Campos defended his candidacy, arguing he has met all legal requirements.
“I satisfied every legal obligation imposed under the laws this state enacted for accountability and rehabilitation,” Campos said.
CONVICTED KILLER KEPT IN POLICE OVERSIGHT ROLE AS CITY COUNCIL DISMISSES CONCERNS OVER PUBLIC SAFETY
The entrance to Fresno City Hall in Fresno, California. The District 7 City Council seat is up for election amid controversy surrounding a registered sex offender candidate. (James Ward, Visalia Times-Delta via Imagn Content Services, LLC)
“If those same laws can be set aside when politically inconvenient, then we are not debating one candidacy — we are testing whether the rule of law is stable or selective. Democracy depends on consistent standards. When eligibility shifts under pressure, public confidence weakens. Voters decide elections — not political preference.”
Under California law, registered sex offenders are not automatically barred from seeking or holding local office as long as they meet voter registration and residency requirements.
But Gurm argues that legality does not equate to fitness for office.
CHILD PREDATOR DUBBED ‘MONSTER PARENTS FEAR MOST’ CLEARED FOR RELEASE THROUGH CALIFORNIA PAROLE PROGRAM
“While it may not be a legal disqualification, it’s a disqualification in practice,” he said. “If you can’t fully participate in school events, youth gatherings and community activities, you can’t fully do the job.”
Gurm is urging state lawmakers to amend eligibility standards.
“I urge the Fresno City Council and the California State Legislature to push forward legislation making lifetime sex offender registration an explicit disqualification for holding public office,” he said.
NEW JERSEY POLICE SERGEANT, FORMER DEM MAYOR ALLEGEDLY DRUGGED, SEXUALLY ASSAULTED CHILD HE MET ONLINE
Nav Gurm, a candidate for Fresno City Council District 7, has called on his opponent to withdraw from the race amid controversy. (Nav Gurm for Fresno City Council Campaign Team)
The backlash has extended beyond campaign opponents.
Fresno City Council President Mike Karbassi said he believes voters will reject Campos and suggested he would oppose him taking office if elected.
“When it comes to the safety and welfare of our children, your past matters,” Karbassi said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “So long as I am Council President, I will not permit him to be seated on the Fresno City Council.”
VICTIM FEARS FOR OTHERS AFTER CALIFORNIA PAROLE BOARD APPROVES RELEASE OF CONVICTED CHILD PREDATOR
It remains unclear what legal authority, if any, the council president would have to prevent an elected candidate from assuming office.
Outgoing Councilman Nelson Esparza, who currently represents District 7 and is termed out, also criticized the campaign.
“Regardless of any rehabilitation, he needs to find a different line of work,” Esparza told Fox News Digital. “So much of what I do in this district is for and with respect to our children and youth. I don’t see any reasonable way someone with registered sex offender status could effectively do this job.”
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Esparza noted that councilmembers regularly participate in school initiatives and that children frequently visit City Hall for tours and meetings. He said councilmembers are examining possible municipal policy changes and urging legislative action at the state level.
The District 7 seat will open when Esparza’s term expires. Candidates face a filing deadline in early March, and the primary election is scheduled for June.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
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