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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DILLON, Mont. — Low oxygen levels and excess nutrients led the Montana Department of Environmental Quality to officially determine that the Big Hole River is impaired, state officials said.
The conditions are affecting aquatic life and recreation along parts of the river. Officials said the nutrients can fuel algae and plant growth, especially during hot, low-water conditions.
The Big Hole has been the focus of water quality restoration efforts for decades, with more than $1.3 million in federal Clean Water Act funding invested since 1988.
The impairment will be included in DEQ’s next water quality report. Restoration work and funding for the watershed will continue.
A Nevada man is believed to have suffered a deadly fall while climbing in Oregon.
He’s been identified as 77-year-old Robert Pickering.
Search and rescue crews say they found his body along Mount Washington, northwest of Bend, according to a social media post from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
A climbing guide reported hearing a rockslide near the summit after Pickering passed his group.
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office was one of several groups that assisted in the search.
Josh’s Friday Night Forecast
Drier air and hotter temperatures have continued to spread across northern New Mexico today. This has brought very fewer thunderstorms to northern and northwestern parts of the state this afternoon. A few storms across northeastern New Mexico have become strong this afternoon, while isolated storms have developed across southern and southeastern New Mexico.
Temperatures will remain just as hot Saturday afternoon. Rain and thunderstorm chances will increase across the eastern half of the state, while much of western, northern, and central New Mexico stays mostly dry.
High temperatures will cool a few degrees Sunday and Monday as a large area of high pressure remains well north of New Mexico. This will also allow a surge of monsoon moisture to move in from the east and southeast. While low-level moisture will increase across the state, forecast models have trended drier in the mid and upper levels of the atmosphere. Storms are still expected to develop Sunday and Monday afternoon, but coverage may not be as widespread as earlier forecasts suggested. Storms will also begin moving from east to west during the afternoon and evening. This pattern is expected to continue through the middle of next week, with drier air returning in the mid-levels and potentially limiting thunderstorm coverage.
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