Villa Vie Odyssey Explained

Odyssey (formerly Braemar, Crown Dynasty, Cunard Crown Dynasty, Crown Majesty, and Norwegian Dynasty) is a cruise ship, most recently operating with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. During her Cunard ownership, she was marketed as Cunard Crown Dynasty, but her official name remained Crown Dynasty. The vessel was handed over to Villa Vie Residences in February 2024 with more than 70% of cabins sold (340/485 approximately).[1]

History

The vessel was constructed in 1993 for Crown Cruise Line, as Crown Dynasty, but she was marketed as the "Cunard Crown Dynasty" when Cunard Line signed an agreement to manage marketing, sales, and reservations for Crown Cruise Line.[2] The vessel sailed under this name until 1997, when she was transferred to Majesty Cruise Line, which renamed her Crown Majesty. This only lasted until the end of 1997, when the vessel was transferred again, this time to Norwegian Cruise Line, which renamed her Norwegian Dynasty.

The vessel returned to her original fleet and name in 1999, but was sold to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines in 2001, where the vessel operated under the name Braemar until 2020. Her sister ship, originally named Crown Jewel and now known as, currently sails for Celestyal Cruises and operates cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In 2008, during a second major refit, the vessel was also stretched, receiving a new 31-meter hull section that increased its tonnage to the current 25,000 GT. The ship's passenger capacity was also increased to 977.[3]

On 9 October 2019, while carrying her full capacity of 929 passengers, she became the longest ship ever to cruise through the Corinth Canal.[4]

On 8 March 2020, government officials in Cartagena, Colombia, announced that a recently disembarked passenger had tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019, and was accepted by a private local clinic for care. On 9 March 2020, government officials in Alberta, Canada, announced that a recently disembarked passenger had tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019.[5] A day later, Alberta officials confirmed a second infection of a passenger returning from Braemar.[6] On 13 March, the ship was denied entry to the Bahamas as a result of five passengers testing positive for the virus. For the same reason.[7] Sint Maarten also denied a request from the cruise ship to allow passengers to fly out.[8] The infected passenger disembarked off the cruise in Kingston, Jamaica, but it was unknown where they contracted the disease. On 16 March, it was announced that Cuba would accept the ship and evacuated all travelers to the United Kingdom.[9] [10] The ship was laid up in Scotland in 2020 as part of the operational pause during the pandemic.

In November 2022, the ship still had not returned to service; Fred Olsen cruises put the ship up for sale.[11] On 13 December 2023, it was announced that Villa Vie Residences bought the ship, renaming it the Villa Vie Odyssey, for their -year cruise.[12] She was refitted at Harland & Wolff shipyard.[13] [14]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2024-01-17 . Residenzschiff Villa Vie Residences meldet Tagesrekord, 70% Innen- und 50% Außenkabinen verkauft . 2024-01-30 . www.seereisenportal.de . de.
  2. Web site: Cruise Travel. Lakeside Publishing. Co. 11 November 1993. Lakeside Publishing Co.. Google Books.
  3. Web site: Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines to lengthen the Braemar . www.travelweekly.com . en.
  4. Web site: Huge cruise ship squeezes through Greek canal to claim record. Woodyatt. Amy. 12 October 2019. CNN Travel. en. 12 October 2019.
  5. Web site: Bennett . Dean . Alberta announces seven new coronavirus cases, bringing total to 14 . 11 March 2020 . National Post . The Canadian Press.
  6. Web site: Alberta's COVID -19 cases rise to 14 . 11 March 2020 . Lethbridge News Now.
  7. Web site: 13 March 2020 . Cruise Ship Carrying Persons With Coronavirus 'Will Not Be Permitted To Dock' . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20200327190153/http://www.tribune242.com/news/2020/mar/12/breaking-five-bahamas-bound-cruise-ship-test-posit/ . 27 March 2020 . 13 March 2020 . The Tribune . en.
  8. Web site: 12 March 2020 . St. Maarten denies 'MS Braemar' request to allow passengers to fly out . The Daily Herald . en.
  9. Web site: 16 March 2020 . Coronavirus-hit cruise ship in diplomatic scramble to find somewhere to dock . cnn.com . en.
  10. Web site: 17 March 2020 . Coronavirus-infected cruise ship stranded at sea for weeks to dock in Cuba . ABC News . en.
  11. Web site: Fred. Olsen To Sell Braemar . 25 July 2023 . Cruise Industry News.
  12. Web site: Buckley . Julia . 2023-12-13 . There’s now a three-and-a-half-year cruise planning to set sail in May . 2024-01-30 . CNN . en.
  13. https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/07/villa-vies-petterson-details-odyssey-refit-and-challenges/
  14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDyF93CvpPA