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A couple moved onto a never-ending, around-the-world cruise that's been stuck at port for 3 months — see inside the Villa Vie Odyssey ship
A couple moved onto a never-ending, around-the-world cruise that's been stuck at port for 3 months — see inside the Villa Vie Odyssey ship
Brittany ChangSep 5, 2024, 02:42 IST
<p class="ingestion featured-caption">Lanette Canen and Johan Bodin sold their successful car rental business in Hawaii to move onto the residential cruise ship Villa Vie Odyssey.Lanette Canen</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Villa Vie says its <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/passengers-cruise-ship-stuck-port-get-off-every-evening-2024-9">residential cruise ship Odyssey</a> will set sail on September 9 or 10 following a three-month delay.</li><li>Lanette Canen and Johan Bodin left their home in Hawaii in the spring to move onto the ship.</li></ul><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/villa-vie-residential-cruise-ship-odyssey-photos-2023-12">Villa Vie Odyssey</a> looks like any other cruise ship, complete with a modern pool deck, a buffet, a pickleball court, and excited travelers.</p><p>But Villa Vie Residences' 509-cabin vessel won't operate conventional <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/royal-caribbean-utopia-of-the-seas-vs-icon-new-ship-2024-7">Caribbean cruises</a> or Alaska sailings.</p><p>Instead, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-cabin-residential-cruise-ship-villa-vie-photos-retired-couple-2024-8">residential ship</a> is readying to embark on a never-ending vacation that would circumnavigate the world every 3 ½ years, stopping at 147 countries and 425 destinations along the way — all while providing travelers with the comforts of a traditional cruise liner.</p>
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But not without hiccups. The ship has been stuck in Belfast, Northern Ireland for more than 3 months.
Villa Vie acquired Odyssey, formerly the Fred Olsen Cruise Lines' Braemar vessel, in December.Lanette Canen
The uncertainty isn't worrying would-be residents Lanette Canen and Johan Bodin.
Petterson told BI that Villa Vie is offering a daily per diem to residents who "choose to do their own thing."Lanette Canen
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'We went pretty much every day for two weeks and spent all day there until they kicked us off,' Canen said.
The shared desks at the business center come with office chairs and table lamps.Living Life on a Cruise/YouTube
Bodin, however, preferred to edit their YouTube videos in the observatory lounge.
The couple predicts the observatory will be their go-to spot on Villa Vie Odyssey once it sets sail.Living Life on a Cruise/YouTube
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That's not to say Villa Vie hasn't been providing its guests with professional onboard entertainment.
Coral Club, pictured, and Neptune Lounge have lounge seating arranged in a semi-circle around a stage.Living Life on a Cruise/YouTube
In the meantime, residents also have an open bar, like the one at Morning Light Pub.
Guests like Bodin can enjoy the open bar and pickleball court.Living Life on a Cruise/YouTube
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Like any traditional cruise ship, Odyssey also has a fitness center, spa, and modern pool deck with two jacuzzis.
The ship has a pool deck with two hot tubs and a spa with services like massages, manicures, and hair styling.Living Life on a Cruise/YouTube
No need to cook or clean either — the ship has 3 restaurants, 2 of which are complementary.
Palms Cafe has a breakfast and lunch buffet, but Bodin and Canen, right, are partial to the Grill.Living Life on a Cruise/YouTube
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To residents like Canen and Bodin, these spaces aren't just bars and lounges — they're living rooms.
Canen said her obstructed view cabin is larger and has more natural light than she expected.Living Life on a Cruise/YouTube
They'll also have to pay $3,500 in monthly fees.
Lanette Canen and Johan Bodin met eight years ago in Maui, Hawaii, where they both resided until they moved onto Villa Vie Odyssey.Lanette Canen