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Delayed cruise ship still stuck off the coast of Northern Ireland after 'paperwork' setback

Passengers wait at the Belfast port before boarding the Odyssey on Monday, September 30. (Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters via CNN Newsource)
Passengers wait at the Belfast port before boarding the Odyssey on Monday, September 30. (Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters via CNN Newsource)
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It finally set off on a three-and-a-half-year cruise from Belfast, Northern Ireland on Monday night after months of setbacks.

But nearly two days later, Villa Vie Odyssey remains just a few miles into its journey, having dropped anchor in the Belfast Lough waterway within hours of embarking.

The ship, which was scheduled to set sail on its round-the-world voyage May, was hampered by yet another delay when outstanding final 鈥減aperwork鈥 meant it had to halt at around 11:30 p.m. on Monday.

Villa Vie CEO Mike Petterson told CNN on Wednesday that the ship would be leaving for France later in the evening after receiving the appropriate 鈥渟ign offs.鈥

As of 11:30 p.m. GMT (7:30 p.m. ET) Wednesday, Villa Vie Odyssey was still in the same position, according to marine tracking website Vesselfinder. However, the ship鈥檚 destination has since been updated to Brest, France.

The delayed departure had previously been blamed on a longer than usual certification process.

The ship, formerly the Braemar operated by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, was built in 1993, but has been held to the standards of a new vessel, according to Petterson.

The long delays meant that passengers, many of whom have paid tens of thousands of dollars and, in some cases, given up their homes, were waiting to embark Odyssey for four months.

鈥淲e are excited and relieved,鈥 passenger Lanette Canen said shortly before the ship was due to set sail on Monday.

鈥淲e are at our muster station doing the safety drills now. [Villa Vie] did it! There is nothing but smiles here.鈥

CNN鈥檚 Julia Buckley and Marnie Hunter contributed to this report.

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