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. In 2023 Villa Vie Residences bought the ship, renaming it the Villa Vie Odyssey, for their -year cruise.

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.[1] 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.

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.[2]

On 9 October 2019, while carrying her full capacity of 929 passengers, she became the longest ship ever to cruise through the Corinth Canal.[3]

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.[4] A day later, Alberta officials confirmed a second infection of a passenger returning from Braemar.[5] 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.[6] Sint Maarten also denied a request from the cruise ship to allow passengers to fly out.[7] 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.[8] [9]

In November 2022, the ship still had not returned to service; Fred Olsen cruises put the ship up for sale.[10]

In 2023 Villa Vie Residences bought the ship, renaming it the Villa Vie Odyssey, for their -year cruise.[11] The vessel was handed over to Villa Vie Residences in February 2024 with more than 70% of cabins sold (340/485 approximately).[12] She left Leith docks where she was laid up and arrived at Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast for refitting on 28 April 2024. The ship was then delayed with rudders and gearbox problems, new rudder stocks had to be manufactured, with future residents waiting for a revised sailing date of September 2024. The company paid for their accommodations and travel, with some residents waiting in Belfast and others touring Europe.[13] [14] [15] [16] She was floated out of the dock on 24 July and moved to the ship repair quay on 2 August.[17] She was eventually sailed out on the evening of 30 September.[18] However, due to a failure to complete what was described as "some final pieces of paperwork", She anchored just outside Belfast that night.[19] She left the Belfast anchorage at approximately 16:30 BST on 3 October on her way to Brest, France.[20]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cruise Travel. Lakeside Publishing. Co. 11 November 1993. Lakeside Publishing Co.. Google Books.
  2. Web site: Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines to lengthen the Braemar . www.travelweekly.com . en.
  3. Web site: Huge cruise ship squeezes through Greek canal to claim record. Woodyatt. Amy. 12 October 2019. CNN Travel. en. 12 October 2019.
  4. Web site: Bennett . Dean . Alberta announces seven new coronavirus cases, bringing total to 14 . 11 March 2020 . National Post . The Canadian Press.
  5. Web site: Alberta's COVID -19 cases rise to 14 . 11 March 2020 . Lethbridge News Now.
  6. 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.
  7. Web site: 12 March 2020 . St. Maarten denies 'MS Braemar' request to allow passengers to fly out . The Daily Herald . en.
  8. Web site: 16 March 2020 . Coronavirus-hit cruise ship in diplomatic scramble to find somewhere to dock . cnn.com . en.
  9. Web site: 17 March 2020 . Coronavirus-infected cruise ship stranded at sea for weeks to dock in Cuba . ABC News . en.
  10. Web site: Fred. Olsen To Sell Braemar . 25 July 2023 . Cruise Industry News.
  11. 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.
  12. Web site: 2024-01-17 . Residenzschiff Villa Vie Residences meldet Tagesrekord, 70% Innen- und 50% Außenkabinen verkauft . 2024-01-30 . www.seereisenportal.de . de.
  13. Web site: Villa Vie's Petterson Details Odyssey Refit and Challenges . July 5, 2024 . Cruise Industry News.
  14. Web site: Progress & Updates | July . . 2 July 2024 .
  15. News: Taylor . Abigail . Logan . Rebekah . Three months into their global cruise, they've not left Belfast . 29 August 2024 . BBC . 28 August 2024 . Passengers on a round-the-world cruise have been left stranded in Belfast for three months after their voyage was beset by delays. Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey arrived at Queen’s Island in the Northern Ireland capital to be outfitted before it was scheduled to leave on 30 May for the first leg of a three-year cruise But the ship has still not left yet thanks to problems with its rudders and gearbox. Passengers on the cruise were given the option of buying their cabin outright rather than paying a daily rate for their room like a traditional hotel. It allows them to remain onboard beyond the Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey's initial three-year tour. Villa Vie Residences' website states that the cost of buying a cabin can range from $99,999 to $899,000. CEO Mike Petterson said that he expects the ship to launch by the end of next week. Mr Petterson explained that Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey is the first "affordable" residential cruise ship..
  16. News: Mathias . George . 29 August 2024 . Belfast cruise ship couple "keep getting asked to go out for pints by locals" . BelfastLive . 6 September 2024.
  17. Web site: Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey still stuck in Belfast . Ships Monthly . 30 September 2024 . September 2024.
  18. News: Graham . Claire . Totten . Ali . Cruise ship passengers say bon voyage to Belfast . 30 September 2024 . 29 September 2024.
  19. News: McKeown . Lesley-Anne . Moore . Catherine . Cruise ship remains in Belfast hours after leaving harbour . 1 October 2024 . 1 October 2024.
  20. Web site: 2024-10-03 . Stranded cruise ship Odyssey sails out of Belfast Lough . 2024-10-03 . BBC News . en-GB.

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