Cruise ship that was stranded in Belfast finally heads off to next destination

A cruise ship stranded in Belfast for the past four months has finally left Belfast Lough.

Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey, which was being fitted out in the city, should have departed in May but was delayed as it needed repairs.

Passengers have remained in good spirits despite the delays, which are estimated to have cost the company millions of pounds.

Cruise ship chief executive Mikael Petterson said the hold up had been related to administrative paperwork.

Some 125 passengers boarded the cruise liner at about 20:00 BST on Monday expecting it to be their departure from Belfast.

It did leave the port just after 23:30, but remained in the lough for almost three more days before departing at about 16:30 on Thursday.

Mr Petterson said it would sail to Hunterston in Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland and dock there overnight before travelling south to Brest in France.

Passenger Holly Hennessey said: “Hallelujah! All of us are beyond words, delighted, and the celebration is already under way.

"We have stopped for christening ceremonies we will be heading to Scotland to refuel and then head south in the morning.

Mary Ann Demsar told BBC News NI: “We are leaving our beloved Belfast on our way to Hunterson, Scotland.

"I have no idea where that is, but that doesn’t matter. We are moving."

Passengers gathered for champagne in one of the lounges to celeberate.

Wade Rand said: "We are leaving for Scotland momentarily to get water and for the night. We are having a sailing party in the eighth deck observatory."

The ship was scheduled to depart in May but has been beset with delays.

If it doesn't leave, it will "just be another hiccup, I think, in four months of hiccups", Monica said, adding that she was "confident we'll sail today".

After Brest, the ship is set to head to the Azores and then the Caribbean, John said.

Villa Vie Residences bought the 31-year-old ship from Fred Olsen Cruise Lines in 2023.

The ship arrived at Queen’s Island in the Northern Ireland capital to be outfitted in April 2024.

It was scheduled to leave on 30 May for the first leg of its cruise.

But until 30 September, it was stuck in Belfast due to problems with its rudders and gearbox.

The vessel had some final inspections to pass this week before it was signed off to sail.

Passengers have been able to spend time on the ship during the day while waiting for a departure date but had to disembark in the evenings to stay in hotels.

The Odyssey is a residential, around-the-world cruise that was scheduled to depart from Belfast in May.

The company's website states that the cost of buying a cabin can range from $99,999 to $899,000.

Passengers on the cruise were given the option of buying their cabin outright rather than paying a daily rate for their room like a traditional hotel.

It allows them to remain onboard beyond the Odyssey's initial three-year tour.

Residents on the cruise are encouraged to treat the ship like their home, with some opting to bring pets aboard for the journey.