Odyssey cruise ship finally leaves Belfast – but sails for Scotland rather than France - The vessel was originally due to depart four months ago

Villa Vie's is not the first extended cruise plan that's run into problems. Another company, Life at Sea Cruises, had scheduled a three year round-the-world cruise - the first of its kind to be relatively affordable - for departure in 2023. That voyage was postponed again and again, before being canceled definitively in November.

A cruise ship taking passengers on a 3 ½-year around-the-world voyage has finally sailed from Belfast, after spending four months stuck in the Northern Ireland capital.