Belfast cruise ship not yet at departure dock

A cruise vessel that was owed to permission connected Monday aft being stuck successful Belfast for 4 months has not yet arrived astatine the departure dock.

Passengers were owed to committee the vessel astatine 17:00 BST, and depart astatine 23:00, however, BBC News NI understands the vessel remains successful the repair yard.

The Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey arrived successful the city's docks to beryllium outfitted and should person departed successful May but was held up arsenic it needed repairs.

On Sunday, immoderate of them celebrated what they hoped would beryllium their last nighttime successful the metropolis by taking successful the sights connected a brew motorcycle tour.

Lesly Curtis, who lived successful Seattle earlier embarking connected the cruise, said she present knows Belfast truthful good that she has been helping different tourists with directions.

"The blessing of the hold has truly been a batch of america person been here," she said.

"I person been present beauteous overmuch for 4 and a fractional months and we’ve each gotten close. We’ve tally each implicit the place," Lesly said.

She was staying astatine a edifice but planned to walk Monday getting acceptable for the departure.

"I’m going to spell to my cabin, beryllium gladsome to beryllium there, and we’re going to party," she said.

A full of 125 passengers are inactive hoping to acceptable sail connected Monday evening and yet question goodbye to the city.

Becky Cressy, who is from "sunny, sunny Florida", is leaving with 1 souvenir, an umbrella.

"We are conscionable excited to commencement this and get going and question goodbye to Belfast, but you guys person been astonishing and we’re going to miss it," Becky said.

She attended a section religion successful Belfast implicit the past 4 months.

"There’s been truly bully days, and not truthful bully days and conscionable going determination and gathering them, having their support, has meant a lot," she said.

Becky and her hubby are compartment owners truthful mightiness beryllium travelling connected the vessel for a while.

"I’m determination for 15 years," she said.

"I’ve committed to 3 and a fractional [years] to my husband, but let's spot if we emotion it, I’ll beryllium connected for fifteen."

Holly Hennessey, from Florida, has been travelling with her six-year-old Siamese cat, Captain.

Since they person been successful Belfast they person had to determination six times, staying successful hotels, an flat and an Airbnb.

Holly said she has been surviving a "normal life" portion successful Northern Ireland.

"Belfast has been location for me. I had to marque it home. I couldn’t spell anyplace due to the fact that of Captain, truthful I cognize shopkeepers by name; I person recovered a religion that I emotion going to," she said.

"I’m precise excited, but erstwhile we get connected that ship, I volition beryllium ecstatic. It is the beingness I’ve dreamed of living, to really unrecorded aboard a vessel and really person my small buddy present with me," Holly said.

Holly said Captain was besides excited to determination retired of the edifice room.

"Everybody wants to cognize Captain. The Europa joked that they’re going to adhd him to the database of their astir celebrated guests," she added.

Angela Theriac said the hold was each portion of the "journey".

"It’s decidedly been portion of the adventure, uncovering breathtaking things to bash successful the waiting," she said.

She is travelling with her husband, Stephen.

"We’re primitively Floridian truthful the memories volition beryllium staying warm, a batch of cuddling to enactment cosy, but Steve ever says helium loves the humour, and loves the banter with the locals," she said.

Stephen said determination was "super excitement astir sailing" and they are leaving with "wonderful memories".

Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey arrived astatine Queen’s Island successful the Northern Ireland superior to beryllium outfitted earlier it was scheduled to permission connected 30 May for the archetypal limb of its cruise.

But until Monday 30 September, the vessel was stuck successful Belfast owed to problems with its rudders and gearbox.

The vas had immoderate last inspections to walk this week earlier it was signed disconnected to sail.

The unexpected layover successful Belfast has outgo the institution millions of pounds.

The vessel volition instrumentality 3 years to spell astir the satellite and immoderate passengers person purchased their spot connected committee truthful they tin support cruising the satellite for arsenic agelong arsenic they like.

Their archetypal halt is Brest successful France.