Villa Vie Odyssey, the residential cruise ship that plans to operate continuous world cruises, celebrated arriving at its first port of call since launching on October 3, 2024, some four months later than originally planned.
The Port of Bilbao, in northern Spain, welcomed the innovative ship on its inaugural global voyage, scheduled to operate every 3.5 years. Villa Vie Residences owns and operates the ship, which can accommodate 924 guests.
Villa Vie Odyssey’s October 9, 2024 port visit to Bilbao, a small port on the Bay of Biscay in Spain’s Basque Country, was marked with a traditional maritime ceremony and a plaque exchange between the vessel and port officials.
“We couldn’t have asked for a more fitting destination for our newly launched Odyssey. Bilbao blends rich history with modernity, offering exquisite cuisine and a wealth of engaging activities,” said Captain Zeljko Jurac, master of Villa Vie Odyssey.
The Spanish destination is the first of a planned 425 port calls during the ship’s first world cruise. Villa Vie Odyssey will sail a transatlantic cruise to the Caribbean, transit the Panama Canal, and head south to the Chilean fjords and Antarctica.
The 24,344-gross ton ship will arrive in Rio De Janeiro in time for Carnival, in February 2025, before starting an Amazon River exploration. The remainder of the ship’s first 3.5-year world cruise is not confirmed.
The itinerary shown on the Villa Vie Residences website is outdated and still shows the originally planned departure date of May 30, 2024. Had the ship entered service as scheduled, she would already be in the Caribbean, visiting destinations in Jamaica and Mexico in mid-October. However, a late departure is better than none at all.
“We have achieved what no one else in the industry has before us: the official launch of the first-ever affordable residential cruise line,” said Mikael Petterson, CEO of Villa Vie Residences.
“It has been a monumental journey to reach this point, but the wait for our residents is finally over. They can now enjoy the lifetime of global experiences they signed up for,” Petterson added.
Villa Vie Odyssey is a 30-year-old ship that formerly sailed as Braemar, for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, and as Cunard Crown Dynasty, for Cunard, among other names and ownerships. Villa Vie Residences bought the ship in 2023 and introduced itself to the cruise industry as a residential brand.
Under its pricing policy, guests can purchase cabins to be occupied for the duration of the world cruise. The original cabin purchase price was $99,000, but the Villa Vie Residences website currently is showing a cost of $119,000.
Those unable to commit to the full itinerary can choose a pay-as-you-go option called the “Voyager Program,” and book certain segments of the world cruise.
For example, the “Asian Tapestry Voyage,” a 92-day segment that visits Bali, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong starts at $19,191 per person, single occupancy, and $27,416, double occupancy.
A third option, called Endless Horizons, is tailored to retired guests. It offers a one-time cabin purchase starting at $299,000 for single occupancy, and $499,000 double occupancy.
Ship’s Launch Followed Months of Delays
Following her purchase in 2023, Villa Vie Odyssey underwent a renovation at the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, and had a launch date of May 30, 2024.
However, due to several problems with operational systems, including the ship’s gray water tanks and rudder shocks, her debut was postponed multiple times through summer 2024.
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More challenges surfaced in September, when the ship failed her sea trials. Finally, with all repairs complete and operating certificates in hand, Villa Vie Odyssey was set to depart from Belfast on October 1, 2024.
But there was to be one more delay: Villa Vie Odyssey remained anchored in Belfast due to a paperwork snafu tied to her planned visit to Norway. The glitch was resolved and the ship was able to begin her world cruise two days later. According to Villa Vie Residences, cabins on the ship are 85% sold out.
