Glad you held out as long as you have since we have really enjoyed your blog. It has been good to know what is really happening on board from your perspective. It is hard to believe that their customer service has not improved over time but we knew when they sent that cease and desist letter to BRT they meant business and could not take any criticism. We cruise a lot but will never set foot on VVR even though they call once per week trying to entice us to sail. Look forward to reading about your future adventures.
No offense to you, but I would never trust the people running Villa Vie. What they have done to all of you, those they kicked off etc is disgusting. I know you're already in for a penny in for a pound, and I wish you nothing but the best. But F the CEOs. They are feckless and liars.
I got banned from CruiseCritic (probably thanks to Kathy not liking my posts about how screwed up the company's management was) just before the 3rd edition of Villa Vie Residences on CC was shut down permanently. I decided I'd had enough of following VVR and have moved on to other more interesting and upbeat leisure-time pursuits, preferably legal but not necessarily so. One thing I definitely won't leave behind is you and your writing -- which I will follow until you get tired of me and send me packing like Kathy did. Hope you can enjoy the rest of your time on the ship, and I'll look forward your future posts letting your fans know what mischief you're up to in your new adventures post Odyssey! :-)
Haha, nice one. I got banned too! Wear it like a badge of honour Claire!
I kept gently baiting a chap about the sticky, dirty carpets on VVO, just for my own selfish amusement. He lost his shit every time, and I got banned half way through the second CC edition, just as it was boarded by Kathy’s Cheer-Troopers.
Totally understand why you are choosing to end your trip, but very sad nevertheless to see the end of this wonderful blog and a voice that continues to hold Villa Vie to account. If I ever did get on that ship (still debating), I’d probably end up in the ‘unpopular opinions’, club very fast lol. I have zero time for managerial BS or cheerleading crews. Not sure if I need that level of drama, when all I want to do is float around the world and paint in my travel journal.
It will take some time to get over the reflex of looking around to see if self-appointed snitches, especially from the Mean Girls’ Club, are taking notes on your conversations or living in fear of a 2nd call to the Principal’s Office to explain why you asked a reasonable question on Circle
Rest easy knowing in November that you will no longer live in the horror that Bud Light may be the only choice onboard. On terra firma you will have good beer on-demand. Take some time to decompress in calmer environs such as Pyongyang.
Oh no say it isn’t so, Mr. Bill…I mean Mr Rhodes! If I had to hear “Hi, friends” from one of your shipmates again I would vomit…and the JJ happy cruisers in that suite. All laughable. I admire your stamina to stay to recoup as much money as possible and will miss your humor and honesty about the whole experience. Enjoy the rest of your sail and Oh, the stories you can tell!
I am so glad to hear that there is some one else has the same reaction to 'Hi, friends". I am also shocked that those 2 guys from DC would continue dumping huge amounts of money into redoing their cabin, again. If I had purchased I would be thinking about how to minimize the financial pain. I guess they are live for today kind of people.
Wise decision to part company with MK Ultra (Mike, Kathy and sycophants). If you get a chance, you'd be doing any prospective Odyssey passengers a favor if you'd buy the JJ Cruise boys a shitty beer and tell them how the cow ate the cabbage on Odyssey. Without input from pax like you who have nothing to lose (other than another run-in with Mr. Fong), the JJ Bros will get nothing but rosy scenario bovine excrement from Captain's Mom et al.
I was thinking the same thing, meeting up with JJ Cruise. They drink fancy stuff tho. I first heard about VVO from them a year & half ago. They are cheerleaders. They are "guests" of VVO I believe, so paid to say nice things. I hope they are honest about the experience (lack of hot tubs etc) when they disembark in another week or so.
Hey Joe. We haven’t met but I’ve enjoyed your commentary. I arrived, dutifully, in Southampton last May to board the Odyssey. Oops. Then again in Belfast multiple times. Oops, Oops,Oops. Next Reykjavik. Oops. Then the Bahamas. Oops again. Finally, met up with the Odyssey in Guayaquil, Ecuador and removed my worldly possessions.
I love the Villa Vie concept and much has been accomplished but... To be fair however, after a bit of a struggle, I received a full refund from VVR.
In case you are wondering, Florida won the Stanley Cup and OKC are NBA champions.
You are heading to Victoria in a couple of days, where I currently am hanging out, so I just might run into you in a pub. If not, just remember SGA is Canadian. And, we make stronger beer!!
I was just in Victoria last week on an Alaska cruise on Celebrity. What a beautiful city! I only had time to go to Butchart Gardens, but I’d love to go back & spend more time there. Especially, tea at the Empress Hotel. Have fun there.
Your suggestions are real travel. I consider cruising (which I occasionally do) travel lite. Even staying a few days occasionally in a port is too cursory and distant from in-depth travel. I found French Polynesia islands the best area where a cruise made the most sense but never on some big mass market behemoth.
Your example of Bavaria is spot on. You won’t get there by cruise ship. After recently having spent 3 weeks in that area, it would be a huge miss for anyone wanting to see the world. There are endless other examples including cities where ships overnight. Spending a day or even two in Florence, Rome, Berlin,Paris, Beijing is useless. Then there’s the reading. Visiting Florence without reading The Inferno should be illegal. Wagner in Bavaria—the list is endless. And know enough language to at least communicate common courtesies.
I have so enjoyed your view of your trip and I will be very sorry when it doesn't pop up on an irregular basis to give me a laugh. I get it though, I watch the channels and find most of the people achingly positive, mostly committed to saving their investment and trying to convince me to join the Ponzi scheme that is VVR. I am reasonably sure they wouldn't be fun to have a (bad) beer with in the broken hot tub. Jenny's latest account of her experience has broken my heart and I know I would have been one of those tossed overboard for asking for what I paid for initially. Enjoy your 5 months and please keep us laughing from where ever you land.
Thanks Joe for another riotous post! It sounds like the medical treatments went well and that you passed the mini mental status exam with flying colors...as you've correctly reasoned your November departure based on recalled events. 🙂
Please consider a heart-to-heart on-camera interview with JJ so they can report the balanced truth. It will also increase their viewership 2 fold!
Fully understandable. You will be greatly missed by those of us on the outside, and I assume by more than you expect on the inside 😉. Where will we get a fair, balanced opinion from? BRT and I suspect CC have been shut down. What a shame. I guess free speech is not welcome anymore...much like T's 'Merica. I look forward to more of your writing in what limited time you have left. Thank you for "taking the plunge", and sharing your experiences with the rest of us!
Sad to see you are leaving. You were the ONLY VV resident that “tells it like it is” in a funny and respectful way. Unlike the “cheerleaders “ who make it sound FANTASTIC! I truly understand how the expression “I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused.” can take a toll. Still looking forward to reading about your adventures regardless of where you are.
I’m one of the ones staying.
I don’t have much to go back to in my hometown in Australia.
This journey is not perfect and I whinge loudly.
I’ve fantastic visits to some wonderful ports.
I’ll be very sad to see our resident YOUNG curmudgeon leave us.
I’m no cheerleader and we need more “call unprofessional management and assistants toaccount” residents.
Happy birthday Fran! 🙂
Glad you held out as long as you have since we have really enjoyed your blog. It has been good to know what is really happening on board from your perspective. It is hard to believe that their customer service has not improved over time but we knew when they sent that cease and desist letter to BRT they meant business and could not take any criticism. We cruise a lot but will never set foot on VVR even though they call once per week trying to entice us to sail. Look forward to reading about your future adventures.
May our Vans meet on the road over a Cold Beer!
No offense to you, but I would never trust the people running Villa Vie. What they have done to all of you, those they kicked off etc is disgusting. I know you're already in for a penny in for a pound, and I wish you nothing but the best. But F the CEOs. They are feckless and liars.
I got banned from CruiseCritic (probably thanks to Kathy not liking my posts about how screwed up the company's management was) just before the 3rd edition of Villa Vie Residences on CC was shut down permanently. I decided I'd had enough of following VVR and have moved on to other more interesting and upbeat leisure-time pursuits, preferably legal but not necessarily so. One thing I definitely won't leave behind is you and your writing -- which I will follow until you get tired of me and send me packing like Kathy did. Hope you can enjoy the rest of your time on the ship, and I'll look forward your future posts letting your fans know what mischief you're up to in your new adventures post Odyssey! :-)
Haha, nice one. I got banned too! Wear it like a badge of honour Claire!
I kept gently baiting a chap about the sticky, dirty carpets on VVO, just for my own selfish amusement. He lost his shit every time, and I got banned half way through the second CC edition, just as it was boarded by Kathy’s Cheer-Troopers.
Totally understand why you are choosing to end your trip, but very sad nevertheless to see the end of this wonderful blog and a voice that continues to hold Villa Vie to account. If I ever did get on that ship (still debating), I’d probably end up in the ‘unpopular opinions’, club very fast lol. I have zero time for managerial BS or cheerleading crews. Not sure if I need that level of drama, when all I want to do is float around the world and paint in my travel journal.
Ah, a kindred spirit. If we both ever ended up on Odyssey, you'd be welcome to sit with me at the uncool kids' lunch table.
It will take some time to get over the reflex of looking around to see if self-appointed snitches, especially from the Mean Girls’ Club, are taking notes on your conversations or living in fear of a 2nd call to the Principal’s Office to explain why you asked a reasonable question on Circle
Rest easy knowing in November that you will no longer live in the horror that Bud Light may be the only choice onboard. On terra firma you will have good beer on-demand. Take some time to decompress in calmer environs such as Pyongyang.
Oh no say it isn’t so, Mr. Bill…I mean Mr Rhodes! If I had to hear “Hi, friends” from one of your shipmates again I would vomit…and the JJ happy cruisers in that suite. All laughable. I admire your stamina to stay to recoup as much money as possible and will miss your humor and honesty about the whole experience. Enjoy the rest of your sail and Oh, the stories you can tell!
I am so glad to hear that there is some one else has the same reaction to 'Hi, friends". I am also shocked that those 2 guys from DC would continue dumping huge amounts of money into redoing their cabin, again. If I had purchased I would be thinking about how to minimize the financial pain. I guess they are live for today kind of people.
The DC guys have more teeth than a Steinway & Sons Grand Piano has keys, that’s not a criticism, just a statement of fact.
I just spit my coke out! lol
Wise decision to part company with MK Ultra (Mike, Kathy and sycophants). If you get a chance, you'd be doing any prospective Odyssey passengers a favor if you'd buy the JJ Cruise boys a shitty beer and tell them how the cow ate the cabbage on Odyssey. Without input from pax like you who have nothing to lose (other than another run-in with Mr. Fong), the JJ Bros will get nothing but rosy scenario bovine excrement from Captain's Mom et al.
I was thinking the same thing, meeting up with JJ Cruise. They drink fancy stuff tho. I first heard about VVO from them a year & half ago. They are cheerleaders. They are "guests" of VVO I believe, so paid to say nice things. I hope they are honest about the experience (lack of hot tubs etc) when they disembark in another week or so.
Hey Joe. We haven’t met but I’ve enjoyed your commentary. I arrived, dutifully, in Southampton last May to board the Odyssey. Oops. Then again in Belfast multiple times. Oops, Oops,Oops. Next Reykjavik. Oops. Then the Bahamas. Oops again. Finally, met up with the Odyssey in Guayaquil, Ecuador and removed my worldly possessions.
I love the Villa Vie concept and much has been accomplished but... To be fair however, after a bit of a struggle, I received a full refund from VVR.
In case you are wondering, Florida won the Stanley Cup and OKC are NBA champions.
You are heading to Victoria in a couple of days, where I currently am hanging out, so I just might run into you in a pub. If not, just remember SGA is Canadian. And, we make stronger beer!!
Take care and continue to keep it real.
Thinking about going to the Bart in Victoria tomorrow afternoon. Let me know if you’re around.
I was just in Victoria last week on an Alaska cruise on Celebrity. What a beautiful city! I only had time to go to Butchart Gardens, but I’d love to go back & spend more time there. Especially, tea at the Empress Hotel. Have fun there.
Yes, definitely a beautiful part of the world!!!
It has been a delight getting to hear your perspective via Hyperfixed and this newsletter. Looking forward to whatever happens in the future.
I just found the Hyperfixed YouTube channel and enjoyed listening to the first interview!
https://youtu.be/LAyhll_rWh4?si=3dZZ8cs-3-3Bcy8u
Joe Rhodes - you are, and continue to be, an absolute legend.
This was beautifully written; the tone heartfelt and sincere. You nearly made me cry, you bastard.
I’m already looking forward to hearing your future plans…
- A tour of Italy’s Amalfi coastline on a Lambretta Scooter?
- A tour of Bavaria, Germany in a VW Camper. (Think of the beer!)
- A month of musings from the French Riviera?
…or just freeze your tits off with an Antarctic cruise to Villa Vie (Deception) Island to tickle those fluffy little penguins. You know you want to.
Whatever you choose to do, I’m sure it will be epic.
As ever, do please write again soon.
Your suggestions are real travel. I consider cruising (which I occasionally do) travel lite. Even staying a few days occasionally in a port is too cursory and distant from in-depth travel. I found French Polynesia islands the best area where a cruise made the most sense but never on some big mass market behemoth.
Your example of Bavaria is spot on. You won’t get there by cruise ship. After recently having spent 3 weeks in that area, it would be a huge miss for anyone wanting to see the world. There are endless other examples including cities where ships overnight. Spending a day or even two in Florence, Rome, Berlin,Paris, Beijing is useless. Then there’s the reading. Visiting Florence without reading The Inferno should be illegal. Wagner in Bavaria—the list is endless. And know enough language to at least communicate common courtesies.
I have so enjoyed your view of your trip and I will be very sorry when it doesn't pop up on an irregular basis to give me a laugh. I get it though, I watch the channels and find most of the people achingly positive, mostly committed to saving their investment and trying to convince me to join the Ponzi scheme that is VVR. I am reasonably sure they wouldn't be fun to have a (bad) beer with in the broken hot tub. Jenny's latest account of her experience has broken my heart and I know I would have been one of those tossed overboard for asking for what I paid for initially. Enjoy your 5 months and please keep us laughing from where ever you land.
Thanks Joe for another riotous post! It sounds like the medical treatments went well and that you passed the mini mental status exam with flying colors...as you've correctly reasoned your November departure based on recalled events. 🙂
Please consider a heart-to-heart on-camera interview with JJ so they can report the balanced truth. It will also increase their viewership 2 fold!
Looking forward to your next post!
Fully understandable. You will be greatly missed by those of us on the outside, and I assume by more than you expect on the inside 😉. Where will we get a fair, balanced opinion from? BRT and I suspect CC have been shut down. What a shame. I guess free speech is not welcome anymore...much like T's 'Merica. I look forward to more of your writing in what limited time you have left. Thank you for "taking the plunge", and sharing your experiences with the rest of us!
Sad to see you are leaving. You were the ONLY VV resident that “tells it like it is” in a funny and respectful way. Unlike the “cheerleaders “ who make it sound FANTASTIC! I truly understand how the expression “I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused.” can take a toll. Still looking forward to reading about your adventures regardless of where you are.