Villa Vie Residence’s Odyssey is suffering yet another delay before its expansive world cruise even has a chance to begin. Just before embarkation, the ownership-style cruise line has reached out to booked guests to alert them to the delay due to issues in the ship’s grey water tanks.
Fortunately, the delay will just be a few days, and embarkation has been rescheduled for June 4. While another delay can be understandably frustrating and may even cause greater anxiety for passengers, it will permit enough time for the ship to be at her peak before setting sail.
“During our final DNV inspections yesterday, we identified issues with the steelwork in one of our grey water tanks. To address this, we will need to extend our stay in dry dock by an additional four days,” explained Mike Petterson, Villa Vie Residences Founder and CEO. “This extension ensures that we meet and exceed all DNV and MCA safety standards.”
Cruise ships undergo hundreds of tests, inspections, and certifications before they begin welcoming passengers. Those tests and inspections examine every aspect of a ship’s operation, from safety and navigation to propulsion, wiring, and waste processing.
A ship’s grey water tanks hold used water from kitchen uses, showers, laundry facilities, handwashing stations, decorative fountains, and similar sources – but not toilets (which is classified as black water or sewage). Grey water is filtered and treated to high standards, but may then be discharged into the surrounding waters, depending on local and regional regulations and requirements.
A “steelwork issue” could relate to the materials used in constructing or coating Odyssey‘s greywater tanks, how the tanks may be secured or supported, or even potential leaks or other structural problems. The exact details of the issue have not been revealed.
Nevertheless, the issue can pertain to safety, either for the structural integrity of the tanks, which could then create flooding of untreated or partially treated water, or for adjacent systems that might be affected by any sort of leak or malfunction.
“The safety of our guests is our top priority, and we are committed to ensuring everything is in perfect order before we set sail,” said Petterson.
While the additional delay is frustrating, it could also be reassuring to guests to know the ship is not being rushed to completion when some details may not be as sailaway-ready as they could be.
Odyssey was initially scheduled to exit the Harland & Wolff dry dock on May 21, but was pushed back to May 30 due to more extensive refurbishment than first believed. The ship was first built in 1993 and has had a long service life with various cruise lines, most recently with Fred. Olsen Cruises as Braemar before it was sold to Villa Vie Residences in late 2023.
The ship has been in an extensive dry dock in Belfast, Ireland since April 28, 2024. Technical updates, renovations, and finishing details have all been planned while the ship is prepared for her monumental 1,301-day world cruise.
Be Global Residents While Sailing Around the World
While the 23,344-gross-ton Odyssey does not have room for all the bells and whistles common on modern mega-ships, she is not without luxury.
Onboard, guests will be able to enjoy a wrap-around promenade for expansive views, two whirlpool hot tubs for relaxation, a state-of-the-art fitness center to stay energized, a golf simulator, a library, and much more.
The cruise line’s unique world cruise approach permits extensive exploration with the convenience of returning to one’s home every night before it sets sail to a new destination. In total, the ship is planned to visit all seven continents, more than 145 countries, and a total of 425 individual ports every 3.5 years.
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Guests can choose a full voyage (ownership) or shorter segments (rentals) from 35-131 days. Ownership options begin at $99,000 for inside cabins, and go as high as $349,999 for a balcony suite.
Additional monthly fees range from $1,750 to $7,999 per person, depending on the stateroom type and whether passengers are solo travelers or double occupancy.
