Gransnet forums

Chat

Bon VoyageBelfast

(82 Posts)
HelterSkelter1 Tue 01-Oct-24 09:40:55

My first reaction to the thought of a long period of time on a cruise ship...especially as I have never even spent a short time on one...was no thank you.
But on thinking about it, well maybe. At the moment home circumstances would prevent it, but in the future I wonder.
A whole year? Would I fall out with other passengers? Would I feel completely claustrophobic? Or would once I was used to it enjoy a year of being kept warm, fed and watered? I could switch off from the world by not reading papers or watching the news. Exercised by walking the decks and swimming. Could read. Learn to paint. Learn a language. Make a new friend or 2. I would need a balcony and light.

Could you?

NotSpaghetti Thu 03-Oct-24 07:43:09

This is the liner. Originally a Cunard vessel.

villavieresidences.com/odyssey/

Minimum 15 years ownership guaranteed and can sell on or rent out if you want to.

May be a good option for some people. Not for me but charges probably in line with a residential home and does have lots of facilities and activities on board. Also lots of port stops.
Some people may love it.

BlueBelle Thu 03-Oct-24 07:28:17

Maybe they have doctors etc on board probably a little hospital and I guess if it was serious it would be helicopter off

I just can’t think of anything worse Freya5 I ll get all the peace I need when I m dead I would find it so boring yes I know it’s big and thousands of people on board but to look out at sky and sea for weeks would drive me crackers
No pollution is a strange thing to say I believe these big old boats are polluters in their own right

HelterSkelter1 Thu 03-Oct-24 06:46:07

Goodness 15 years on the real Belfast would be a nightmare!!

Allira Wed 02-Oct-24 19:45:23

HelterSkelter1

Apologies. I got carried away. The ship is Odyssey. Not Belfast. So Bon Voyage Odyssey.

The Belfast is moored in the Thames near Tower Bridge 😁

MayBee70 Wed 02-Oct-24 18:59:48

What happens if you get ill whilst on board eg covid or even worse?

Freya5 Wed 02-Oct-24 18:27:36

Grammaretto

I was on a ship for 6 weeks coming to the UK from NZ. Admittedly it was no cruise but even with the daily routine of deck games, swimming, schoolwork (I was a child) meals, cinema and stopoffs in various ports, it was very boring when we were at sea for days on end.
"You join the navy, to see the world and what do you see, you see the sea".

Loved my cruise days at sea. No traffic, no pollution, no noise from shouty neighbours, no unwanted phone calls, no rubbish TV. Just peace, the far horizon, the odd ship passing a good book, and the odd G&T.

BlueBelle Wed 02-Oct-24 18:17:30

No it’s not left yet they said another three or so days !
It would be my idea of hell on earth
Sone people are taking pets how cruel is that a dog or cat that never sees a bit of grass or a tree
Some are expecting to spend their lives on it !!!! Oh goodness that’s got to be totally punishment

Chocolatelovinggran Wed 02-Oct-24 18:11:14

The name of the ship should have been a warning...

HelterSkelter1 Wed 02-Oct-24 14:37:54

To begin with I thought it was brand new. Not 30 years old and 2nd hand. Yes the passengers are being very gung ho.

JenniferEccles Wed 02-Oct-24 13:37:35

I wonder if it has left yet.

Despite how expensive it is to cruise on this ship I was a bit surprised to see it’s an old Fred Olsen cast-off, the Braemar!

merlotgran Wed 02-Oct-24 13:30:52

I’m amazed they all seem to be so easy going about it. Americans are the most litigious people on the planet so there must be some very disappointed lawyers back home!

HelterSkelter1 Tue 01-Oct-24 13:48:23

I am always amazed at how people don't know where they are flying/sailing to. I always consult the atlas to track my journey. Everyone's different.

Grammaretto Tue 01-Oct-24 13:40:56

I know someone who constantly cruises.
I tease her that she doesn't even know where she's going!
She flew to Miami to meet their Caribbean cruise ship.
When I reminded her that she'd been to Florida she denied it.

Bridie22 Tue 01-Oct-24 13:24:44

Oops looks like they are on their way back to Belfast , administrative error or something!!!

Moonwatcher1904 Tue 01-Oct-24 12:56:48

We went on a cruise 10 years ago. It was an amazing experience going round the Mediterranean stopping at different places. We were on board for 2 weeks but it was long enough. I couldn't imagine being on board for anything longer than that apart from the cost.

1summer Tue 01-Oct-24 12:33:37

My son used to work on cruise ships. Many retired older people used to do back to back cruises and also the long boring re positioning cruises which were cheaper.
He got to know some people quite well, he told some were wealthy but some had sold family homes and lived in park homes or trailer parks to fund the cruises. They likened it to care homes, food, laundry, entertainment, company provided, even a Doctor on board. They had a few deaths over the years so the onboard mortuary was well used.
Not for me but for some can see the attraction.

kircubbin2000 Tue 01-Oct-24 12:30:10

A couple who met on the boat have got engaged.

RosiesMaw2 Tue 01-Oct-24 12:28:17

Spoke too soon?
From the BBC. Website
A cruise ship, which finally set sail from Belfast on Monday after months of delays, is set to return to the port on Tuesday afternoon
The round-the-world cruise liner anchored off the coast of Northern Ireland overnight on Monday and was expected to set sail again on Tuesday
But passengers have been told they will be returning to the port so some final pieces of paperwork can be completed
According to the Belfast Harbour website, the ship will arrive back in the port at 13:30 BST on Tuesday

Shortest cruise ever? 🚢🚢🚢🚢.

Jaxjacky Tue 01-Oct-24 12:18:09

Paperwork allegedly FGT.

NotSpaghetti Tue 01-Oct-24 12:02:00

There are round world cruises and other long options that don't involve buying The cabin.

Rekarie Tue 01-Oct-24 11:33:07

I guess it's cheaper than a care home!

pascal30 Tue 01-Oct-24 11:26:18

Like a prison on sea but costing £7.500 per month after having bought the room for £330.000..

Bargain how do they ever escape I wonder...

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Tue 01-Oct-24 11:14:43

I read just now the ship has had to return to port. Beset by woes of one kind or another it seems. Perhaps an old ship now needing attention. A flaming old folks home. I can see the attractions in some ways. Access to a doctor and a dentist being two of them!

JamesandJon33 Tue 01-Oct-24 11:11:19

What are the fees?

MissInterpreted Tue 01-Oct-24 11:04:35

Whether I could afford it or not, that would be my idea of absolute hell on earth.