A world cruise liner that was stuck in Belfast for months faced a lot of issues, especially with the toilets not working properly. Passengers on the Villa Vie Odyssey finally set sail after a chaotic four-month delay. However, during the early days of the journey, some passengers thought about leaving the ship for good because of the toilet problems. One passenger mentioned that the situation felt like a “Third-World situation” due to the plumbing issues and the inability to flush the toilets.
Passenger Joe Rhodes, who had been sharing his experiences on the ship, revealed that the water supply failed on the first night they left Ireland. Although it was fixed later in the day, hot water was not available for the passengers until their second day in Bilbao. The unpleasant smell of unflushed toilets mixed with the ocean breeze through the corridors, creating a less than ideal situation for everyone on board.
Joe Rhodes also mentioned that the journey had been far from smooth, with nothing going as planned except for being drunk most of the time. He expressed his disappointment in the food, furnishings, TV channels, and even the swimming pools, which were not operational. Despite some setbacks, the passengers were able to embark from Northern Ireland, only to find themselves back in Belfast Lough due to administrative paperwork that needed to be completed.
The 125 passengers on board were left to enjoy booze cruises and sightseeing tours around Northern Ireland while additional repair works were being done on the ship. The Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship had promised its passengers a luxurious global adventure, visiting 425 ports in 147 countries over three and a half years. The cruise offered rentals from 35 to 120 days, with the option to buy villas for prices ranging from £90,000 to £260,000. Villa ownership guaranteed a room for at least 15 years, with ownership valid for the entire operation of the ship.