Following several delays over nearly three months, residential cruise brand Villa Vie has set a revised launch date. The company revealed this week that the Villa Vie Odyssey will depart with an amended itinerary on July 30. However, a booked resident tells Cruise Radio guests will board on July 31.
Booked Resident Says Departure to be Slightly Later Than Announced
The Villa Vie Odyssey, which previously operated as the Braemar for Fred. Olsen Cruises has now floated following major delays over a rudder stock issue. The resident says equipment testing and certification are required before the vessel can finally depart from the Belfast Harland & Wolff shipyard.
The Villa Vie Odyssey was initially set to launch in mid-May, and the latest planned launch was a week ago, on July 20. It has made changes to its itinerary, mostly impacting the first segment of the three-and-a-half-year round-the-world voyage. “Due to recent changes in our embarkation schedule, we have made some adjustments to ensure an enriching journey for all our residents,” Villa Vie said.
Rudder Issue Cause of Several Weeks’ Delay
Villa Vie CEO Mikael Petterson addressed the ongoing delay and technical issues in a video to booked residents earlier this month. While the rudder stock issues caused the pushbacks, Petterson shared the progress of the renovated interiors, which were virtually finished. This was before the July 20 launch date, which came and went.
The unnamed Villa Vie resident said that as of Friday, the ship’s technical testing agencies had not carried out full certification but could complete it by the end of this weekend. All guest hospitality areas, from staterooms to dining, are ready to accommodate residents.
Villa Vie Residences will visit 425 ports of call and offer two payment options. Guests can choose villa ownership or “pay as you go” rental per cruise segment, which ranges from 35 to 120 days in duration.
