Villa Vie Odyssey accidents and incidents

June 2024Structural and Technical Issues

Due to technical and compliance issues during the drydock refit and refurbishment (at Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast), Villa Vie Residences' inaugural cruise was postponed several times - May 15th and May 30th (both out of Southampton), then June 15th, 25th, July 2nd, July 15th, July 20th, July 27th, July 30th, August 20th, September 30th, and finally October 3rd (from Belfast).

The latest delay (in June) resulted from issues with the rudder stocks (vertical post at the forward edge of a rudder that enables the rudder to pivot). To fix the problems, new custom-made 4000-pound/1,8-ton rudder stocks were ordered and installed, pushing Villa Vie Residences' start date/Villa Vie Odyssey's Maiden Voyage to July 30th.

The ship was floated out from drydock on July 24th and moved to the yard's repair quay on August 2nd. The vessel was slated to depart Belfast on August 20th.

On September 10th, in a letter sent to the company's customers/residents, Mike Petterson (Villa Vie Residences' CEO) announced that the World Cruise's departure is once again postponed due to delayed sea trials. Reportedly, since May, the company spent ~US$2 million to cover their accommodation and travel expenses, including hotel stays (20+ different hotels) and land transportation/excursions throughout Europe. Between Sept 10-15th, residents' expenses were compensated with OBC/onboard credit of US$200 per person per day.

Note: Most residents were accommodated in Belfast hotels, and some were flown to a Spanish resort. Passengers accommodated in Belfast were permitted to board Villa Vie Odyssey and use their staterooms during the day but were required to disembark each night, with the company providing hotel-ship-hotel transfers, three meals daily and onboard entertainment.

Sea trials started on September 11th.

December 2020Other Incidents

(Fred Olsen Braemar) In mid-December 2020, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines canceled Braemar ship's 2021-2022 program. The winter program was based on Caribbean fly-cruises (from the UK) and homeporting in Havana Cuba.

Starting on December 7, 2021, with the 30-days Transatlantic crossing (Southampton to Havana), the program included two ex-Cuba itineraries.

14-day "Uncrowded Caribbean Islands with Havana" itinerary, prices from USD 3280 pp

14-day "Cultural Caribbean Discovery" itinerary, prices from USD 3350 pp

Followed a 14-day relocation voyage from Havana to Bridgetown (prices from USD 3420 pp)

For summer 2021 (May 11 through November 23), the ship had scheduled a total of 20 itineraries, all of which were Southampton roundtrips to Norway, Canaries, Iberia, Mediterranean-Adriatic, also 5-day mini-cruises to Antwerp (Belgium) and Amsterdam (Holland).

March 2020Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

(Fred Olsen Braemar/Coronavirus) On March 9, 2020, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines via online statement announced that 2 passengers from the previous Braemar Caribbean cruise were diagnosed with COVID-19 (Coronavirus) after returning home. Neither of them presented any influenza-like symptoms before the voyage or while onboard and didn't visit the ship's Infirmary for medical assistance. On the current cruise (14-day Western Caribbean and Central America, itinerary February 27 - March 12), the ship reported a total of 5 people with flu-like symptoms.

The patients were quarantined receiving treatments from the ship's medical team. The Captain kept all passengers and crew fully informed of all developments. The ship activated the standard for Norovirus outbreak procedures, including suspension of the self-service buffets and increased sanitation.

As scheduled, on March 10th, the vessel docked in call port Willemstad (Curacao) and sent the collected tests of 6 people (experiencing flu-like symptoms) ashore to be tested for Coronavirus. While in Port Willemstad, the vessel was denied passenger disembarkation. All pre-purchased shore excursions were fully refunded. At 11 pm (March 10) Fred Olsen published that 5 of the 6 tests (1 passenger and 4 crew) returned Coronavirus-positive.

Fred Olsen stated that the results are provisional and subject to final confirmation from a Holland-based laboratory. The ship left Curacao and continued to Barbados (Bridgetown). To all passengers (682) and crew (381) were provided free of charge phone calls and free WiFi Internet. On March 12 was denied docking in Bridgetown. The ship continued to Freetown (Barbados) where was also blocked from entry.

On March 11th, Fred Olsen officially cancelled the next-scheduled Braemar cruise (booking code M2006) - 16-day Transatlantic crossing from Bridgetown to Southampton (itinerary March 12-28). The 30-day B2B (back-to-back cruise) from La Romana to Southampton (itinerary Feb 27 - Mar 28) was planned to end in Barbados on March 12th. After the vessel was denied entry and passenger debarkation in Bridgetown, it continued towards Freetown Barbados (where was also blocked from entry) then continued towards The Bahamas (its flag-state) with planned docking in Nassau and return flights to the UK.

On March 13, The Bahamas Ministry of Transport officially denied the vessel docking and passenger disembarkation in any Bahamian port. BMA (Bahamas Maritime Authority) announced that the ship will be allowed to enter the Bahamian waters and provided with all the needed humanitarian assistance, including provisions (food, water, medical supplies, etc), fueling and wastewater services.

The ship remained anchored approx 25 mi (40 km) off Nassau (New Providence Island) after 20 passengers and 20 crew (including a physician) displayed flu-like symptoms and were quarantined. The UK's FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) is currently negotiating with other Caribbean countries to allow docking and debarkation. If unsuccessful, the ship had to make a 10-day Transatlantic crossing to England.

At noon on March 17th, CruiseMapper's Braemar tracker showed the vessel navigating at speed 8 knots (9 mph / 15 kph) along Cuba's northern coast and near Havana. Later, "out of humanitarian concerns" Cuba accepted the vessel and allowed debarkation in Mariel (approx 25 mi / 40 km west of Havana). A total of 667 British tourists were flown back to the UK (London Heathrow Airport) from Havana via British Airways charter flights. The first flight left at 6 PM on March 18.

A total of 28 passengers and 27 crew remained quarantined on the ship after showing flu-like symptoms. For them was planned a separate (3rd) flight to MoD Boscombe Down (military aircraft base near Amesbury, Wiltshire England / west of London).

Next table shows the affected itineraries as ports and dates.

The accident started with an 85-year-old female passenger (British) who was first diagnosed with COVID-19 after MS Braemar docked in Cartagena Colombia (March 8). The elderly woman was allowed to disembark.

02 January 2016Crew / Passenger Deaths

(Fred Olsen Braemar) On January 2, 2016, a helicopter was called to medevac a 30-year-old female passenger but was stood down as she died on the ship.

The incident occurred during a 28-day Transatlantic repositioning cruise (itinerary Dec 10 to Jan 7), one-way from Tenerife (Canary Islands) to Bridgetown (Barbados). Due to bad weather, the ship skipped 2 call ports on this voyage – Funchal (Madiera, Dec 19) and Tenerife (Dec 22-23).