Cruise passengers who spent £75,000 on world cruise that still hasn't left port break down £3,500 a month cost

A cruise ship that was supposed to set sail in May and spend three years journeying around the world is still stuck in a Belfast dock months later.

The Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship is set to visit 425 destinations across 147 countries but various issues including with the gearbox and rudders mean it is yet to actually depart.

Passengers who plan to go on the ship are being put up in Belfast at the cost of the cruise ship company, though some have taken the time to have a few holidays of their own.

Among these are couple Lanette Canen and Johan Bodin, who've joined YouTube to chronicle their journey after buying one of the cabins on the cruise ship.

People can spend up to £680,000 to outright buy a cabin for the three year cruise around the world, but while the Villa Vie Odyssey has been undergoing repairs in Belfast, they've been heading off to places like Croatia and Sweden.

It's supposed to be going round the world for three years, but it hasn't set off yet due to technical issues. (Villa Vie Residences)

They're allowed onto the ship during the daytime but aren't permitted to spend the night there, and the YouTubing couple have been giving viewers tours of what's going on aboard the boat.

While it's cost them a pretty penny to buy their cabin on board the ship, they do have to spend some money while on board.

The plan is to keep going around the world every few years, and while they said their cabin cost $100,000 (£75,771) up front, they do have to also pay $3,500 (£2,650) a month.

They told their viewers that for this they get access to a doctor, medication done at 'international pricing' so it's cheaper than the US, while food and a couple of free alcoholic drinks with their midday and evening meals will be supplied.

For that amount of money, they can basically keep living on the ship in perpetuity, as long as it doesn't break down again, and they can keep going on successive three-year cruises around the globe.

Lanette Canen and John Bodin outright own one of the cabins on the cruise ship, though they do have to spend a monthly fee. (Lanette Canen)

Fortunately for them, it shouldn't be long before they can set sail as Villa Vie Residences' CEO Mike Petterson as said that the round-the-world cruise will launch by the end of next week.

He told the BBC: "When you're the first at doing something, you will run into hiccups, but we're definitely getting there, and although we are late, we will launch."

The ship itself is more than 30 years old, and used to be a ship called the Braemar.

Here's hoping they can set off soon.

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