“The good news is that we have complete clearance and we will be out of here very, very, very soon.” Asked how would he remember Belfast, he said “your summer is horrible” and “you can’t cook to save your lives, but you do know how to drink”.

A luxury cruise ship has set off from a Belfast dock after unexpectedly spending four months in the city ahead of a three-year voyage. The luxury liner became stranded due to unexpected repair works in May, forcing passengers to become familiar with the sights Belfast and Northern Ireland has to offer.

Belfast’s stranded cruise ship, which finally set sail on Monday after months of delays, is set to return to the port on Tuesday afternoon. Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey was scheduled to leave the city in May but was delayed as it needed repairs.