Friday, October 11, 2024

Cruise ship stranded in Ireland for months returns to port — hours after setting off on world voyage

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The luxury cruise ship that was stranded in Northern Ireland for four months finally set off for its world voyage — just to almost immediately be forced back to port Tuesday.

The Villa Vie Residences’ Odyssey ship, which had been scheduled to depart Belfast in May before it was plagued with repair issues, set sail on its three-year trip late Monday night.

The Villa Vie Residences’ Odyssey cruise ship finally departs from the harbor on Sept. 30, 2024. Getty Images

However, within just hours the ship was forced to backtrack and return to dock Tuesday because final pieces of paperwork weren’t completed, the BBC reported.

The liner, which docked off the coast overnight with some 125 passengers on board, is set to arrive back in Belfast’s harbor at about 1:30 p.m. local time before departing again at 11:30 p.m.

Odyssey cruise ship passengers are overcome with emotion as they finally prepare to board the cruise liner on Sept. 30, 2024. Getty Images

“Not sure exactly what’s happening but we are going to be docking back in Belfast today and then leaving later on,” one of the passengers, Mary Ann Demsar, told the outlet.

Passengers board the Villa Vie Residences’ ‘Odyssey’ cruise ship, which has been stranded in Belfast since May 2024. REUTERS

“There is some paperwork that still needs to be done.”

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