The much-awaited Odyssey from Villa Vie Residences has formally been floated and launched from dry dock following in depth delays from her unique launch date in late Could.
The cruise line launched a video exhibiting the momentous event because the ship’s hull met water and he or she pulled out from the dock on the Harland & Wolff shipyard, prepared for her subsequent step in welcoming visitors.
The video additionally confirmed the set up of the notorious rudder shares, a essential half that was discovered to be overly corroded and in want of substitute, inflicting the most recent delay for the ship’s debut. After the shares had been put in, the ship was in a position to be refloated and launched.
“We’re past excited to share a monumental milestone in our journey – our stunning Odyssey is now floating and out of dry dock!” the cruise line introduced on social media. “This unimaginable achievement is a testomony to the laborious work, dedication, and fervour of our complete workforce – in addition to the assist from our residents.”
This newest step will come as an important reduction to these booked on the ship’s unprecedented three-year journey. Whereas no agency itinerary adjustments have been shared given the delays in Odyssey‘s launch, the plan is for the vessel to go to 425 locations throughout 147 international locations on all seven continents.
With a flatter hull design than typical, the ship can simply go to extra distant locations bigger ships can not entry.
This distinctive crusing is being billed as a “perpetual journey” that can circumnavigate the world each 3.5 years. Residents will personal their very own villa onboard with charges assured by no means to extend, whereas extra informal vacationers can be a part of the ship for segments identical to a extra conventional cruise. Cabin charges begin at $99,999 (USD) per particular person for an inside stateroom.
In preparation for this distinctive kind of cruising, Odyssey has been refurbished from prime to backside, with all new supplies and design components to utterly remodel the ship to the very best luxurious requirements.
The ship now options three eating places, eight bars, 4 lounges, an prolonged pool with twin jacuzzis, a golf simulator, a library, a enterprise middle, and a state-of-the-art spa and health middle.
The 24,344-gross-ton ship first debuted in 1993 as Crown Dynasty with the now defunct Crown Cruise Line, and has sailed with Cunard, Norwegian Cruise Line, and different cruise traces. Most just lately, the ship was Braemar with Fred. Olsen Cruises.
Will There Be Extra Delays?
Whereas it’s actually an encouraging step that Odyssey is now floating and out of dry dock, that doesn’t imply the ship is essentially prepared for visitors. There could also be further outfitting to be accomplished, and the rudders will probably should be totally examined and inspected earlier than the ship is licensed as seaworthy.
The cruise line will undoubtedly attain out to residents and booked visitors with additional info and updates now that the ship is nearer to embarkation.
Odyssey has been plagued with delays since her official debut date that had been set for Could 24, following what was to have been solely a month in dry dock.
Initially, the ship’s refurbishment took longer than anticipated, and so she was delayed till Could 30. At the moment, one other delay was introduced because of bother with the steelwork in one of many vessel’s gray water tanks, and the ship was then scheduled to depart on June 3.
At first of June, the difficulty with the rudder shares was found, and the ship was delayed but once more. The brand new anticipated launch date was to have been June 15.
In early July, because the ship was not but out of dry dock, a “definitive” launch date was set for July 20, because the rudder shares had been decided to want full substitute quite than refurbishment.
Luckily, the cruise line’s CEO, Mikael Petterson, has maintained communication with residents and visitors, conserving them apprised of the progress and never hiding issues about what points are being addressed.
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“That is nonetheless an older vessel and we’re nonetheless dealing with some challenges right here and there. It might be not so clever to suppose we’re going to get issues completely accomplished unexpectedly,” he mentioned. “However there’s some room for us to wiggle.”
The cruise line has not launched particulars about the way it could also be compensating visitors for these additional delays, or what adjustments could also be obligatory for the ship’s itinerary as she’s going to now be leaving on her voyage a lot later than initially deliberate. Ultimate changes should still be within the processing part, and undoubtedly all events shall be up to date as quickly as potential.
