Under a blazing blue sky in the legendary Harland & Wolff shipyard in Northern Ireland, where the Titanic was built, the modestly sized Villa Vie Odyssey sits in dry dock, dwarfed by the huge 12-deck Caribbean party boat beside it. But when it sets sail on May 30, after intense refurbishment and cosmetic work, this 31-year-old ship will be one of the hottest new innovations in the cruise industry.
“A lot of these spaces were only in service for four months since they were last revitalised, so we haven’t had to do anything to them,” Pettersen said. There are plans to keep updating spaces after launch, too — like a lived-in home rather than an off-the-peg hotel. Less than $50,000 a year As the Odyssey, the ship will have eight decks, a wraparound promenade and an enlarged pool — combining the Braemar’s two so that passengers can swim laps.