A woman who sold everything to embark on a $350,000 dream cruise around the world has claimed she has been banned from the ship after her private WhatsApp messages were leaked.
Jenny Phenix, a divorced mother-of-two from Florida, is one of the unlucky passengers whose three-year voyage across Europe, Asia and the Americas has been scuppered by major delays.
Some of those on board the ill-fated Villa Vie Odyssey have even turned to Vitamin D tablets as they await a new departure date after being left stranded in Belfast for three months.
The cruise has suffered multiple delays delayed because of problems renovating the ship, which the company bought in 2023 ahead of offering the landmark three-and-a-half year cruise.
Life at Sea Cruises is not covering food, accommodation or other costs for those waiting to board and many have returned to their home countries because of the cost of remaining in Northern Ireland.
Jenny Phenix, 68, says she was banned from the Villa Vie Odyssey after her WhatsApp messages leaked
Ms Phenix, 68, sold her possessions to join the trip of a lifetime and was planning to stop off in Miami along the way to pick up belongings for the rest of the cruise.
But amid ongoing delays, she vented to fellow passengers in a WhatsApp group that the ship would no longer be docking in Miami.
She also voiced her concerns that refurbishment work on the massive ship may continue even after it departs Belfast and that she would have to use a temporary cabin because the one she had booked was still being used by the crew.
Those messages were apparently leaked to the owners of Villa Vie Residences.
They then told her her contract for the voyage had been cancelled for ‘behavior impacting community morale.’
The Odyssey cruise ship was anchored at the dry dock in Belfast for several months, undergoing repairs (Pictured: The passengers at a reception with the lord mayor of Belfast Micky Hurray)
The Telegraph reports that Chief Operating Officer Kathy Villalba told her: ‘We have received over a dozen formal complaints from residents regarding your continuous complaints and negativity. This behavior has significantly impacted the morale and well-being of other passengers.
‘Given the overwhelming feedback, we must cancel your contract permanently to uphold the well-being and satisfaction of our community,’ Villalba wrote, according to the Telegraph.
Ms Phenix said she was left stunned by the notice.
‘I was never rude or disrespectful and I never participated in personal attacks,’ she insisted. ‘These were private conversations – I posted nothing on social media platforms.’
She added that she was not the only one upset as the maiden voyage kept getting pushed back.
‘The frustration among the residents grew after every delay,’ Ms Phenix said. ‘I tended to be one of the most outspoken in asking important questions.’
‘Many of the residents thanked me privately for speaking up for the entire group.’
Holly Hennessy, 67, also from sunny Florida, is travelling with her cat Captain. She previously told how she’d turned to Vitamin D tablets after being unable to bask in the tropical sunshine
She paid an initial deposit on the world voyage, and had planned to decide once on board whether to purchase a cabin or join the company’s Endless Horizon program – which allows passengers to cruise for the rest of their lives
The luxury cruise liner includes cabins that are worth between $92,000 and $920,000
Passengers can also enjoy pools, a golf simulator, fine dining experiences and more while on board
Amenities including onboard the ship include access to a swimming pool, a theatre and a gourmet restaurant
Passengers, some of whom had sold their homes to go on the trip, have previously spoken about their struggles while the ship was docked in Belfast.
Holly Hennessy, 67, who is also from Florida, is travelling with her cat Captain and doing her best to adapt to the new surroundings.
‘It hasn’t felt like summer. It has been winter as far as I’m concerned. I’m used to the Florida sunshine. I had to go out and buy vitamin D tablets,’ she previously told the Telegraph.
For Ms Phenix, she had pinned all of her plans on the three-year cruise after another residential ship scheme, Florida-based Life at Sea, filed for bankruptcy – and owed her $30,000.
She waited for Villa Vie to buy the former Fred. Olsen ship Braemar before signing up.
Ms Phenix then paid an initial deposit on the world voyage, and had planned to decide once on board whether to spend up between $120,000 to over $350,000 for a cabin or join the company’s Endless Horizon program – which allows passengers to cruise for the rest of their lives starting at $300,000.
She then flew to Southampton, England in May to embark on the journey to 425 destinations in 147 countries.
‘We had been notified of one short delay, but nothing seemed critical and, of course, travel plans and hotel reservations had been made months in advance,’ Ms Phenix said.
But the cruise line then announced it was moving the ship’s departure to Belfast on May 30, and more problems were discovered during a dry dock at the Harland & Wolff shipbuilding yard – which is infamous for building the doomed Titanic.
The ship has been docked in Belfast, Ireland for months as it underwent multiple repairs
All passengers have access to the onboard restaurants, pools, hot tubs, spa and fitness center
Villa Vie Residences CEO Mikael Petterson said the company aims to ’empower travelers to make the world their home’
The ship will circle the world every three and a half years visiting more than 420 ports in 147 countries
The vessel was left idle for four years during the pandemic, its certifications expired and instead of being able to simply renew them, Villa Vie had to start from scratch.
CEO Mike Petterson explained to CNN that the issues arose when DNV – the company conducting certification – asked for documentation on past repairs to the ship, which Fred. Olsen did not provide.
He claimed that other work was recommended in the past, but was never completed – including a replacement to a bearing that DNV will not let Villa Vie sail without changing, even though the ship has been recertified multiple times since the recommendation was first made in 2003.
And because Villa Vie does not have documentation of a 2007 repair to an engine, a new repair had to be undertaken and documented.
Amid these repairs, eager passengers were left stranded in Belfast, while Ms Phenix has recently returned to her home state after joining the last leg of another world cruise – the Royal Caribbean’s four-month voyage on Serenade of the Seas.
Phenix said she could not understand why she was kicked off the ship
She said her deposit for the Odyssey has been partially refunded, but is still struggling to understand what happened.
‘I cannot even begin to explain the emotional devastation and the physical toll this has taken on me,’ Ms Phenix said. ‘It was weeks before I cold talk about the situation and could even explain it to my children.
‘It is still very hard for me to discuss, as I had the same dream everyone else on that ship does, and they took that from me, seemingly without a thought.
‘I will have to stay with my daughter until I figure out a whole new plan for my life,’ she added.
But Mr Petterson said Ms Phenix ‘broke multiple terms and conditions, and signed a non-disclosure agreement.
‘The founding residents voted an agreed to uphold her suspension and we plan on respecting that decision,’ he said. ‘We have nothing else to comment on the ongoing dispute.’
It is now set to set sail as soon as next week, after successfully completing two sea trials
Those other residents are now set to set sail as soon as next week after the Odyssey held sea trials, which Mr Petterson sent went well.
‘Everything was good. We passed everything,’ he told CNN.
He said the company was given ‘a couple of takeaways’ of ‘adjustments’ to be made, including to staff training, but those issues would not impede certification and the departure of the ship.
‘Any outstanding items will be done over the weekend,’ Mr Petterson said, noting the final stage is to get coastguard clearance, which he hopes will happen in the coming days.
In the meantime, the company has announced it would stop paying residents’ $501,300 monthly hotel bills, saying the expense was becoming ‘unsustainable’ after spending more than $2million over four months.
The residents will then be compensated with onboard credit of up to $200 each day, Mr Petterson said.
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