Residents of a cruise ship stranded in Belfast for four months decided on a party bike tour of the city as they prepare to bid farewell.
The Villa Vie Odyssey, scheduled to leave the city on May 30 but docked due to a series of needed mechanical and technical repairs, will finally depart on its three and a half year tour of the world on Monday.
On Sunday, around 50 of the passengers, who bought their cabins for high six figure sums, gathered first at City Hall before departing on a number of beer bikes for a tour of the centre of the city.
During the time the Villa Vie was stranded in Belfast, some residents returned to their other homes, some travelled, while a number remained in the north.
One couple who remained in the city fell in love and are engaged to be married, while a woman was reportedly told to leave the ship after critical WhatsApp messages were revealed to the owners.
Another passenger, Holly Hennessy, originally from Florida but who remained in the north over the four months with her cat, told how she had to stock up on Vitamin D tablets to compensate for the lack of sunshine.
The ship has been plagued by problems, including to the electricity generators, to the on-board water distillation systems and the engines. Prior to the scheduled departure, it was refitted at Harland & Wolff.
Mikael Petterson, chief executive of owner, Villa Vie Residences, said the move from refit to setting sail has “proved a little more challenging than we expected”.
“Ultimately, things haven’t exactly gone our way,” Mr Petterson said last week prior to the green light being given for the ship to leave Belfast.
Mr Petterson told the BBC the cost to the company is considerable, approximately £22m for the refit and the long lay up.
On the frustration of the passengers, he added: “I totally get it. Hopefully we can make up for a lot of that, and we’re only days away from actually achieving that dream.”
During the period the ship was stranded in Belfast, Gian Perroni proposed to Angela Harsanyi. They had struck up a friendship while walking around Belfast on their way to and back from the ship.
One of the passengers, Sherrie Cornett from Phoenix, Arizona, left a bouquet of flowers at City Hall to say thank you to the people of Belfast for their welcome and hospitality.
