- Kenya airport whistleblower fears for his life
- Goff perfect as Lions claw Seahawks, Titans sink Dolphins
- Champions League can put Asian women's football on map, say players
- Vinicius taking control as holders Madrid face Lille
- Bologna living the dream with Champions League clash at Liverpool
- Tokyo recovers some losses as most Asian markets rise
- 'Teflon Mark' Rutte to stick to his guns as NATO chief
- Rutte takes reins at NATO as US vote looms
- Australia look to cement dominance in women's T20 World Cup
- Aston Villa target repeat of 1982 Champions League heroics against Bayern
- Rwandan ex-doctor goes on trial in France accused of genocide
- With bulging in-tray, Ishiba to become Japan PM
- Sheinbaum to take office as Mexico's first woman president
- Scientists fear underfunded Argentina research on verge of collapse
- Long-delayed cruise leaves Belfast after four months
- Baseball great Pete Rose dead at 83: team
- Baseball great Pete Rose dead at 83: US media
- Israeli forces start 'targeted ground raids' in south Lebanon
- US port officials gird for strike despite last-minute bargaining
- Braves, Mets split double-header to seal wild card berths
- With 118 dead from Hurricane Helene, Biden defends US government response
- California enacts law to protect brain data
- Breeder who tried to create enormous trophy sheep jailed in US
- Qatar Airways seeking 25% stake in Virgin Australia
- Georgia judge overturns US state's six-week abortion ban
- US port officials gird for strike as labor talks stay stuck
- Evanilson off the mark in Bournemouth win over Southampton
- 'Rust' armorer loses bid for new trial
- China stocks soar on stimulus as US indices end Q3 at records
- LeBron James 'given life' by playing with son, Olympic gold
- As toll crosses 100, Trump puts Hurricane Helene at election center stage
- US Fed Chair sees 'further disinflation' in economy
- Israeli forces in 'limited' Lebanon ground operations against Hezbollah: US
- Guardiola promises strong City side in Slovan Champions League tie
- Brazilians choke as fire smoke blankets 80% of country
- Netflix loses bid to toss 'Baby Reindeer' defamation lawsuit
- Renault to end Formula One engine production from 2026
- Epic Games sues Google and Samsung over app store
- PSG's Dembele axed for Arsenal clash over disciplinary reasons: Luis Enrique
- Bulked-up Wemby eyes Spurs playoff return
- Officials see no shortages from likely US port strike
- Mexico president gives 1,438th - and last - edition of 'AMLO Show'
- UK families of Gaza hostages warn Lebanon attack 'takes focus away'
- Dissident brother of Nicaragua's Ortega dead: army
- 100 deaths put Hurricane Helene at election center stage
- Seven killed in gang-ridden Ecuador's latest massacre
- Gaza children 'extremely impacted' by war: UNICEF
- Haiti security mission extended for one year as WFP sounds alarm
- South Africa pick three spinners for Bangladesh Test series
- Shares in Stellantis, Aston Martin skid on profit warnings
Long-delayed cruise leaves Belfast after four months
A luxury round-the-world cruise ship beset with technical delays and docked in rainy Belfast since May finally departed from the Northern Irish capital late Monday, prompting celebration among its passengers.
"We are going to have one heck of a time tonight, we are going to party like there's no tomorrow," beaming passenger Joe Martino told AFP before boarding.
The Odyssey residential cruise ship pulled out from Belfast harbour at 2240 GMT as passengers cheered on board.
But even Monday's departure was hit with yet another technical hiccup.
Dozens of passengers were left waiting in Belfast's cruise terminal beyond the scheduled boarding time as a last piece of required paperwork was held up.
After Mike Petersen, head of the US-based firm Villa Vie Residences that owns the Odyssey ship, at last announced the green light for the ship's exit passengers shrieked with elation and hugged each other.
"The the exhilaration of getting on that ship, when it takes off it will be the feeling of a lifetime," said Martino, 61, an actor from Chicago who spent the last four months waiting in Belfast.
Passenger Holly Hennessy, holding her cat named "Captain", said ecstatically: "I've been in Belfast for four months and two days, but hey, who's counting!"
- 'Everything went wrong' -
The Odyssey was scheduled to set sail from the Northern Irish capital on May 30 on a three-and-a-half-year cruise.
But outfitting, certification processes and engine repairs all took much longer than expected.
"Everything that could go wrong went wrong," Martino said.
The ship had undergone repairs for engine trouble in drydock at Belfast's Harland & Wolff, the famed shipyard where the doomed Titanic was built more than a hundred years ago.
Further delay was caused by the shipbuilder going into financial administration this month.
Passengers are able to either buy or rent long-term cabins on the so-called "residential" cruise ship, with the promise of unlimited voyages around the globe.
During the long wait, passengers could spend all day on board the ship but were not allowed to sleep there, so spent the nights in hotels or rented apartments instead.
Some decided to explore Northern Ireland, while others took the opportunity to travel in Europe or join other cruises while the Odyssey remained stuck.
They then flocked back to Belfast in recent days for the expected departure, which will see the ship head first to Brest, then Bilbao, the Azores, and across the Atlantic towards the Caribbean.
The floating town, which can accommodate around 600 passengers, is due to visit all seven continents with more than 425 stops in 147 destinations planned.
Port stays will last between two to seven days.
Ch.Kahalev--AMWN