Operational delays proceed to hamper the debut of Villa Vie Residences’s first vessel, Villa Vie Odyssey, which stays in dry dock on the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Northern Eire. The cruise line’s newest replace offers no new launch date for the ship, whose inaugural voyage has been postponed a number of occasions.
Villa Vie Odyssey, which was scheduled to depart from Southampton on her first 3.5-year world cruise on Might 15, 2024, most not too long ago skilled issues together with her rudder shares, a vital propulsion ingredient.
In a YouTube video posted on June 24, 2024, a cruise line consultant supplied particulars concerning the mechanical challenge, explaining that the 2 chrome steel rods — referred to as rudder shares— that management the rudders had been discovered by inspectors to be corroded and rusted, and wanted restore.
The official, who was filmed within the dry dock house inside the development bay the place the ship is now saved, reported that the rudder shares had been eliminated and hauled to a machine store, the place staff are “grinding and shaping them to allow them to be put again in.”
The rudder shares are anticipated to have their ultimate match take a look at on the machine store on June 25, 2024, after which be delivered to the shipyard and put in. As soon as they’re in place, the rudders will likely be mounted again onto the rudder shares and Villa Vie Odyssey may be floated out of dry dock.
Price Studying: How the Ship’s Rudder Works – The Fundamentals
The ship, inbuilt 1993, has been plagued with issues and delays. The primary delay occurred in early March, when the ship was unable to depart Edinburgh, the place she had been saved for a number of years earlier than Villa Vie Residences bought her.
The vessel was slated to sail to Belfast to endure an eight-week renovation, however as an alternative entered dry dock in Edinburgh and remained there till about April 24. At that time, the cruise line modified her unique launch location of Southampton to Belfast, and delayed her launch date from Might 15, 2024 to Might 30, 2024.
Nonetheless, Villa Vie Odyssey’s debut date modified once more, to June 4, 2024, after issues with the ship’s gray water tanks had been found. After that challenge was resolved, her new debut date was set for June 15, 2024. However at that time, the rudder inventory drawback revealed itself, and presently, there isn’t a scheduled date for the ship to enter service.
Villa Vie Residences has not launched any new details about the way it could be aiding company who already arrived in Northern Eire to board the ship. After the ship’s earlier delays, the cruise line had supplied lodging, transportation, and excursions to company caught in Belfast ready for the ship to sail.
Residential World Cruise Charges Begin at $99,999 Per Particular person
Villa Vie Residences, whose enterprise mannequin relies on working steady world voyages, every with a period of three.5 years, purchased the ship in March 2024. Villa Vie Odyssey, inbuilt 1993, was previously named MS Braemar and was final owned by Fred. Olsen Cruise Traces. Earlier than that, it was operated by different traces, together with Cunard, as Cunard Crown Dynasty.
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Fort Lauderdale-based Villa Vie Residences revealed its residence-at-sea program in 2023, inviting cruisers to purchase a cabin and stay on the ship because it operates steady world cruises each 3.5 years.
Cabin charges begin at $99,999 (USD) per individual for an inside stateroom, rising to $299,999 for a balcony stateroom, and to $349,999 for a balcony suite. The 23,344-gross ton ship accommodates 929 world cruise company, who will go to all seven continents, greater than 145 nations, and a complete of 425 particular person ports each 3.5 years.
The corporate not too long ago unveiled its Infinite Horizons program for retirees. It provides lifetime crusing aboard the ship for a one-time price of $299,999 (USD) for single occupancy and $499,999 (USD) for double occupancy.
