Villa Vie Residences

[Lee Jones Jnr]

There is no way that Odyssey completes even the first 3.5 year cycle.

i really hope that it’s a Fyre Festival style calamity rather than a terrible disaster.

[as3369]

There are some unsubstantiated reports that Villa Vie departed with unpaid bills...Yikes!

[Travel_Around_The_World]

9 minutes ago, as3369 said:

There are some unsubstantiated reports that Villa Vie departed with unpaid bills...Yikes!

Hit and run? 🤣

[Leither]

22 minutes ago, as3369 said:

There are some unsubstantiated reports that Villa Vie departed with unpaid bills...Yikes!

Is that unusual? I would have thought that invoices are subject to whatever the trader’s credit terms are - 30, 45 days etc.

[chengkp75]

5 minutes ago, Leither said:

Is that unusual? I would have thought that invoices are subject to whatever the trader’s credit terms are - 30, 45 days etc.

Yes, maritime credit terms are typically 60 days after the material is delivered to the ship.  And, if they were substantial debts, as I've said earlier, they can swear out a bailiff and seize the ship before it left Belfast.  They can still do that, just it needs to be done in whatever country's courts  the ship is in at the time.

[Travel_Around_The_World]

14 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Yes, maritime credit terms are typically 60 days after the material is delivered to the ship.  And, if they were substantial debts, as I've said earlier, they can swear out a bailiff and seize the ship before it left Belfast.  They can still do that, just it needs to be done in whatever country's courts  the ship is in at the time.

60 days? Wow. I can see that with an established cruise line but a newbee like VVR. I certainly would demand a wire transfer at least for the first time. 

 

In 60 days and multiple ports you could run up a gigantic bill. 

[as3369]

I enjoy following this saga.  However, some of the bloggers making personal attacks are not warranted.  There is no way that we would invest in this company based on too many red flags, but to personally attack those that made that choice is really uncalled for.  Shipmonk and Backroad Tourist have already blocked some people for unnecessary comments.

 

 

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

On 10/5/2024 at 8:17 PM, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

Thanks.

 

I have some nagging doubts about Backroads Tourist.

 

At first he was very supportive of Jenny Phenix when he needed her cooperation and sought her trust and posted her two detailed uploads. I found her balanced and reasonable. Then he seemed to turn on her.

 

So I’m wary.

 

Jeff

 

 

Hi all,

 

I’ve just noticed that Jeff mentioned this post on his blog, and in fairness to him, I thought I’d relook at the Youtube in question.

 

It works out I had totally misinterpreted and misunderstood a comment and so my comment made was totally wrong and unfair to him and it’s only right that I unhesitatingly withdraw it and apologise.  

 

I’t only a small thing  but one must always correct one’s errors.  🙂

 

He hosts a great set of Youtubes and he is well worth following. 

 

Jeff

[as3369]

7 minutes ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

 

Hi all,

 

I’ve just noticed that Jeff mentioned this post on his blog, and in fairness to him, I thought I’d relook at the Youtube in question.

 

It works out I had totally misinterpreted and misunderstood a comment and so my comment made was totally wrong and unfair to him and it’s only right that I unhesitatingly withdraw it and apologise.  

 

I’t only a small thing  but one must always correct one’s errors.  🙂

 

He hosts a great set of Youtubes and he is well worth following. 

 

Jeff

His YouTube channel is the only one I trust in regards to the Villa Vie Series!  Very big of you to apologize.  Cheers!!

[Giovanni66]

It's worth having a look at Shipmonks posts. There is a comment that quotes a comment made by a former ship's officer.

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10160849541155000&set=p.10160849541155000

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 8 by Giovanni66
link

[UKCruiseJeff]

8 minutes ago, as3369 said:

His YouTube channel is the only one I trust in regards to the Villa Vie Series!  Very big of you to apologize.  Cheers!!

 

Thanks, but it’s not really big of me.  My wife and I both misunderstood it.  

 

He works hard on his content and I couldn’t not put it right and so had to apologise.  I’m an idiot and I’ll sit in the naughty corner until allowed to rejoin the adults. 😃

 

Jeff

Edited October 8 by UKCruiseJeff

[Giovanni66]

second link:

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10160849542320000&set=p.10160849542320000&type=3

 

from post:

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1072720618187614&set=a.179359104190441

Edited October 8 by Giovanni66

[Buck1949]

On 10/7/2024 at 2:48 AM, Giovanni66 said:

I see that their YouTube couples have not being posting as much... What is really going on ? Is there any one who has more inside ?

 

Why Mike and Kathy left together ? Is there money for fuel, crew etc ? And finally are there more clients other that the 125 ? ..

 

 

Is it possible that MIke and Kathy left the ship in order to attend to matters with the impending Hurricane Milton set to strike a good part of Florida around Thursday morning?

[LA_FadeAway]

No, they left the ship in Brest on Saturday, before Hurricane Milton was a known threat

Edited October 9 by LA_FadeAway

[gkbiiii]

Why would they need "passport control," when this ship left from an EU port and docked in France?  Something is very strange here, there is something more going on.  Notice the CEO & gal, left at the first chance they got.  Oddly, with unpaid bills as stated above and not fully provisioned, with basics like fresh water: what gives?

[Travel_Around_The_World]

1 hour ago, LA_FadeAway said:

No, they left the ship in Brest on Saturday, before Hurricane Milton was a known threat

If they left on Saturday Milton was no hurricane and no threat to anybody and just bobbling around in the Western Gulf of Mexico.

 

Assuming they made the reservations at least a day before their departure, Milton didn't exist when they made the reservation. It was just a tropical wave. 

 

[gkbiiii]

5 hours ago, Giovanni66 said:

second link:

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10160849542320000&set=p.10160849542320000&type=3

 

from post:

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1072720618187614&set=a.179359104190441

 

From my past understanding of Fred Olson Line, (as an American) is they bought second hand ships, using them until they became unprofitable.  Then they would buy new ones, just like this Maritime Officer is saying.  Notice he identified the same problems, which is crippling Villa Vie.  Did they not even bother with a ship's inspection or do any do diligence at all?  Oh yes, "Caveat emptor," not just on those who purchased Villa Vie, but for the company itself.  The problem seems to be, needing to buy "el cheapo" used crap, instead of higher quality, new builds: notice Bahamas Paradise/Margaritaville at Sea, was able to successfully do this, VV totally failed, in every regard. 

Edited October 9 by gkbiiii

[Travel_Around_The_World]

9 minutes ago, gkbiiii said:

 

From my past understanding of Fred Olson Line, (as an American) is they bought second hand ships, using them until they became unprofitable.  Then they would buy new ones, just like this Maritime Officer is saying.  Notice he identified the same problems, which is crippling Villa Vie.  Did they not even bother with a ship's inspection or do any do diligence at all?  Oh yes, "Caveat emptor," not just on those who purchased Villa Vie, but for the company itself.  The problem seems to be, needing to buy "el cheapo" used crap, instead of higher quality, new builds: notice Bahamas Paradise/Margaritaville at Sea, was able to successfully do this, VV totally failed, in every regard. 

If you are the buyer you are responsible for what you buy. The ship was sitting in the water for 4 years exposed to the weather. They did not do their due diligence and instead blamed everybody else. 

 

What is really mind boggling is that they did not even change some of the carpet or furniture.  What did they do in drydock?

[Host Hattie]

1 hour ago, gkbiiii said:

Why would they need "passport control," when this ship left from an EU port and docked in France?  Something is very strange here, there is something more going on.  Notice the CEO & gal, left at the first chance they got.  Oddly, with unpaid bills as stated above and not fully provisioned, with basics like fresh water: what gives?

Belfast isn't an EU port 

[Leither]

1 hour ago, gkbiiii said:

Why would they need "passport control," when this ship left from an EU port and docked in France?  Something is very strange here, there is something more going on.  Notice the CEO & gal, left at the first chance they got.  Oddly, with unpaid bills as stated above and not fully provisioned, with basics like fresh water: what gives?

 

27 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

Belfast isn't an EU port 

Who says rhey have “unpaid bills”? And NI isn’t in the EU.

[gkbiiii]

12 minutes ago, Leither said:

 

Who says rhey have “unpaid bills”? And NI isn’t in the EU.

I don't understand; I thought the Republic of Ireland is in the EU and that Northern Ireland (UK) had no Hard Borders with Ireland?

Edited October 9 by gkbiiii

[Leither]

8 minutes ago, gkbiiii said:

I don't understand; I thought the Republic of Ireland is in the EU and that Northern Ireland (UK) had no Hard Borders with Ireland?

 

9 minutes ago, gkbiiii said:

I don't understand; I thought the Republic of Ireland is in the EU and that Northern Ireland (UK) had no Hard Borders with Ireland?

No hard border with the Republic but it does have with the rest of the EU.

[gkbiiii]

59 minutes ago, Leither said:

 

No hard border with the Republic but it does have with the rest of the EU.

I never understood why this was done, when I would fly from France/Spain to UK?  Other EU countries, it did not matter, so why here?

[fruitmachine]

1 minute ago, gkbiiii said:

I never understood why this was done, when I would fly from France/Spain to UK?  Other EU countries, it did not matter, so why here?

It's complicated 😉

 

You're conflating Schengen Area membership (where there are no passport controls between countries) and EU membership.  They are not the same.

Ireland and UK are in the Common Travel Area - something that's existed far longer than either Schengen or the EU - which is why there is border-free travel between them.  Ireland is in the EU, but not in Schengen (as was the UK before Brexit).  The non-EU countries that are part of the Schengen area are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. They have border-free travel with other Schengen countries.

[gkbiiii]

24 minutes ago, fruitmachine said:

It's complicated 😉

 

You're conflating Schengen Area membership (where there are no passport controls between countries) and EU membership.  They are not the same.

Ireland and UK are in the Common Travel Area - something that's existed far longer than either Schengen or the EU - which is why there is border-free travel between them.  Ireland is in the EU, but not in Schengen (as was the UK before Brexit).  The non-EU countries that are part of the Schengen area are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. They have border-free travel with other Schengen countries.

Yet to add complication, I saw a documentary about Switzerland, where custom officers taxed French groceries coming across the border towns.  I thought there were no taxes on EU food products, across Europe?