• Video
  • Shop
  • Culture
  • Family
  • Wellness
  • Food
  • Living
  • Style
  • Travel
  • News
  • Book Club
  • GMA3: WYNTK
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • Terms of Use
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Contact Us
  • © 2025 ABC News
  • Travel

Passengers on 3-year cruise speak out as ship remains stuck in harbor

2:21
3-year cruise stuck in harbor months after it was scheduled to set sail
Peter Morrison/AP
ByLaura Machuca Pacheco
September 02, 2024, 5:51 PM

Passengers planning to travel the world on a three-year cruise are speaking out as they remain stuck on land, waiting for their ship to depart.

Holly Hennessy said she has been stuck in Belfast, Ireland, for three months as she and her fellow passengers wait for the cruise ship, the Villa Vie Odyssey, to be repaired.

"It's cold. It's windy. It's damp. It usually rains," Hennessy told "Good Morning America," describing the past three months in Belfast. "I've been moved five times to different accommodations."

Holly Hennessy, a passenger on Villa Vie Odyssey, speaks with ABC News.
ABC News

Johan Bodin and his partner Lanette Canen have spent the past three months traveling around Europe as they wait for the ship to depart from Belfast. The couple relocated from Maui, Hawaii, to spend the next several years on the Villa Vie Odyssey, according to their website, where they post travel content.

"We intend to stay on for a long haul, but who knows how we feel after a year," Bodin told "GMA."

Bodin and other passengers on the Villa Vie Odyssey, operated by Villa Vie Residences, have been waiting since May for the cruise to depart.

Lanette Canen and Johan Bodin, passengers on Villa Vie Odyssey, speak with ABC News.
ABC News

Mikael Petterson, the founder and CEO of Villa Vie Residences, told "GMA" the Villa Vie Odyssey is a 30-year-old ship. He said the ship made the trip to Belfast on its own power before other maintenance issues were discovered.

"The rudder stocks took six weeks to get done, and now we're dealing with a couple of other things," Petterson said. "But overall, I think three months is actually not that bad given the circumstances."

Related Articles

What is a crew appreciation fee? Why 1 major cruise line is raising the price

Petterson added that the ship's repairs are in their final stages, and said he expects the ship to depart the week of Sept. 9.

The cruise is advertised to visit 475 destinations in 147 countries. The price to purchase an all-inclusive cabin starts at around $100,000, with an additional monthly fee for at least 15 years.

The Odyssey, a U.S. cruise liner operated by Villa Vie Residences docked at Harland & Wolf ship repair facility in Belfast Harbour, Northern Ireland, Aug. 30, 2024.
Peter Morrison/AP

While the Villa Vie Odyssey has been out of commission, passengers are allowed on the ship during the day but cannot stay overnight, staying in hotel rooms in Belfast instead.

Editor’s Picks

Antarctica bound travelers demand answers after cruise ship rerouted mid-voyage

  • Feb 14, 2024

Ultimate World Cruise goes viral as social media users track 9-month trip

  • Jan 02, 2024

Family speaks out after getting stranded in Alaska mid-cruise

  • Jul 19, 2024

For passengers who are using the time to travel, Villa Vie Residences has helped them plan trips.

Related Articles

How these cruise passengers missed boarding, got stranded in Africa

Canen said she and Bodin are optimistic that after months of delays, they will sail out of Belfast soon.

"Hopefully by next weekend, we'll be floating away, saying goodbye to Belfast," Canen said.

Related Topics

  • Travel
  • Cruises

Editor’s Picks

Antarctica bound travelers demand answers after cruise ship rerouted mid-voyage

  • Feb 14, 2024

Ultimate World Cruise goes viral as social media users track 9-month trip

  • Jan 02, 2024

Family speaks out after getting stranded in Alaska mid-cruise

  • Jul 19, 2024

Up Next in Travel—

Protect your luggage with these travel security essentials that frequent flyers swear by

June 5, 2025

Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World to get 'largest expansion' with new national park-themed attraction

June 3, 2025

Pigeons board a Delta flight, causing pandemonium and 2 trips back to the gate

May 27, 2025

Southwest Airlines to start charging checked bag fee this week

May 27, 2025

Shop GMA Favorites

ABC will receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Sponsored Content by Taboola

The latest lifestyle and entertainment news and inspiration for how to live your best life - all from Good Morning America.
  • Contests
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Children’s Online Privacy Policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • About Nielsen Measurement
  • Press
  • Feedback
  • Shop FAQs
  • ABC News
  • ABC
  • All Videos
  • All Topics
  • Sitemap

© 2025 ABC News
  • Privacy Policy— 
  • Your US State Privacy Rights— 
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy— 
  • Interest-Based Ads— 
  • Terms of Use— 
  • Do Not Sell My Info— 
  • Contact Us— 

© 2025 ABC News