Villa Vie Residences, which recently – and finally – watched its 23,344-gross-ton Villa Vie Odyssey set sail as a residential cruise ship on October 3, 2024, has plenty of space available on its around-the-world voyages.
To attract more residents, the cruise company is attempting to fill space by offering a new flexible cruise option for residential cruises without a permanent commitment.
The new Tour La Vie program, which seems to be more in line with a timeshare program but with a lot more freedom, allows cruisers to board the ship at any time along its ongoing, multi-year global journey to more than 425 ports in 140 countries.
Starting at just under $50,000 annually, Tour La Vie guests can live in one of Villa Vie Odyssey’s 600 residences at their convenience and schedule for a taste of the residential life.
“Villa Vie offers a unique one-of-a-kind way to see the whole world at a slow pace where you have enough time to actually experience the cultural vibe of every port,” said Villa Vie Residences’ Head of Sales Anne Alms.
“Your villa is your bedroom, and the ship is your home,” she continued. “She’ll take you across the globe to endless horizons.”
Villa Vie Odyssey has a passenger capacity of up to 600 residents but set off from Belfast, Northern Ireland, with only 100 passengers, leaving plenty of room for newcomers.
Through the Tour La Vie program, guests can select a one-, two-, three-, or four-year option in an ocean-view villa. Rates start at $49,999 per person for double occupancy or $79,999 for single occupancy for the one-year membership, while the four-year offering is $159,999 and $255,999 based on double or single occupancy.
The prices are heavily discounted from Villa Vie Residences’ original year-round passengers who invested a minimum of $99,999 for a villa and pay a monthly fee.
There is even a try-before-you-buy opportunity that gives potential Tour La Vie residents a 7-day stay for $1,998 for double occupancy or $999 for single occupancy. The cruises, like the residences, include accommodations, meals, activities, and fitness facilities.
Global Cruise Options After a Delayed Start
Villa Vie Residences, which will sail around the world every 3.5 years on a “perpetual journey,” was originally set to embark on May 15, 2024, but experienced a number of setbacks that forced the ship into dry dock until late July.
Once out of dry dock, the issues continued, and the ship was left to stay put in Belfast for five months, angering residents who were stuck in hotels after selling their worldly possessions to live onboard.
Even when released, the vessel was stranded off the coast of Belfast as it awaited new paperwork needed to continue to its first calls, since the original paperwork had expired during the delays.
The ship is now spending a month in the Caribbean and then will head to South America for four months, with two Panama Canal transits.
Villa Vie Odyssey’s journey south of the equator includes an Antarctic sailing, a visit to Rio de Janeiro during Carnival, and an 8-day sail along the Amazon River.
Villa Vie Residences are still selling villas at sea, as well, now starting at $139,999 for a guaranteed 15 years. Guests who spend on an “Endless Horizons” option, starting at $299,999, do not need to pay monthly fees.
Additionally, cruisers can rent villas and select from several voyage segments varying from 35 to 120 days.
