Latest news with #Odyssey
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
22 Games We'd Love To See On The Nintendo Switch 2
The original Switch was a trailblazing device that proved you could take console-quality games on the go, but it was demonstrably less powerful than its PlayStation and Xbox competitors. In the years since the handheld hit the shelves, that gap has only grown with the release of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Making up some ground, the Switch 2 is more powerful and runs games like Cyberpunk 2077 that wouldn't have been possible on the original system. So now that we know what is possible, we started thinking about some big games that we'd like to see ported to the Switch 2. Here are a few of our ideas. Assassin's Creed Valhalla seems like the obvious choice for an open-world RPG on the Switch 2, but I'm actually going to go with Odyssey. Developed solely for the PS4 and Xbox One, it might be a bit more technically feasible. Plus, despite Valhalla being a more robust (and certainly longer) game overall, Odyssey's ancient Greek isle hopping is the experience I keep pining for. The protagonists are solid, the combat is decent, and the ship-based exploration gives it an air of adventure missing in some of the other recent Assassin's Creed games. A cloud version of the game actually came to the Switch 1, but only in Japan. Now's the time to fix that. — Ethan Gach There have been rumors that Stellar Blade's PS5 exclusivity (Sony published it, but developer Shift Up owns the IP) might make the jump to the Switch 2. Fuel was certainly added to that fire when the studio bought the new Nintendo console for everyone on staff to celebrate the sci-fi action-adventure's recent success on PC. I don't know if the Switch 2 could really handle the current-gen release, but it would be fun to have it there. The Souls-y combat is more forgiving than other games that play footsie with the genre, and there are tons of collectibles and backtracking perfect for handheld mode. — Ethan Gach Soulslikes have completely taken over on PC and console, but they're still pretty rare on Nintendo's systems. While the Switch 2 is getting Elden Ring later this year, and FromSoftware is working on multiplayer PVP exclusive The Dusk Bloods, the original Dark Souls is the studio's only other game on the platform. Bloodborne is out of the question. Sony can't even get a next-gen upgrade of it for PS5, but Lies of P would be the next best thing. Its Pinocchio-inspired diesel punk world, brutal but imaginative boss fights, and gear system allowing you to mix-and-match crafting components and their respective perks all worked together to create a GOTY-worthy package in 2023. With the new Overture DLC just out, it feels like a great time to see an Ultimate Edition come to Switch 2. Pinocchio. — Ethan Gach If there were ever a game that could make great use of the Switch 2's mouse controls, it's Baldur's Gate 3. I like playing Larian's Dungeons & Dragons RPG on my PS5 as much as the next guy, but having experienced it on both my PC and console, it definitely feels built for mouse and keyboard. The Switch 2 feels like a decent middle ground between both experiences, as being able to scroll around the game's complex menus with my Joy-Con 2 while playing it on my TV sounds like the ideal way to play Baldur's Gate 3. I doubt it would run as well as it does on the other platforms, but we give up pretty graphics for function with the Switch 2, and it's the only system that could even come close to replicating how the game was meant to be played. — Kenneth Shepard Bungie's loot shooter might not run great on the Switch 2 (it sometimes feels like it's barely holding it together on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S), but Destiny 2 could really use some fresh blood, and the Switch 2's mouse controls would be a perfect test case for the sci-fi FPS. The timing couldn't be better either. Does Bungie have the resources to port its increasingly ancient tech stack to a completely new platform? Who knows. But with The Final Shape wrapping up the MMO's 10-year storytelling arc, it would be neat to see an ultimate edition that lets Nintendo fans finally dig into the glories and grind of that big, beautiful universe. — Ethan Gach Red Dead Redemption is already on the Switch, so it just makes sense to bring the bigger sequel to Nintendo's more powerful portable console. While I personally don't want to play an epic western like RDR2 on a tiny Switch 2 screen, I get the desire to take a game like that with you on the go. Heck, over on Steam, RDR2 is regularly one of the most-played Steam Deck games. So there's an audience for it. Plus, the Switch 2 could likely run it just as well as a base Xbox One when you plug your new Nintendo console into its dock. The question now is if Rockstar will actually make this port happen. Considering that we still haven't gotten a PS5/XSX update for Red Dead Redemption 2 after all these years, I'm not confident at all that the company's amazing western will arrive on the Switch 2 anytime soon. – Zack Zwiezen It's easy to forget, but Sea of Thieves began life as an Xbox One game. You can still go play it there! There's no question that the Switch 2 should be capable of running it. Thanks to GameChat, the social features should be straightforward to bring over as well. Wouldn't it be extra neat if you could use webcams to see players' faces over their characters, too? The ship sailing pirate sim remains one of the most underrated MMOs out there, and one of the few crew-based multiplayer games available on console. It came to PS5 last year. Hopefully, Nintendo's platform is next. — Ethan Gach Leading the pack is the remastered collection that I was hoping and pleading would end up on the original Switch when it was released in 2021. Mass Effect: Legendary Edition combines three landmark RPGs into one package and would be an excellent addition to the Switch 2 line-up. This wouldn't be unprecedented for BioWare and EA, as they, for some reason, released Mass Effect 3 as a Wii U launch title. Might as well give Nintendo fans the full experience. Now if only they'd throw in Mass Effect: Andromeda for good measure before the fifth game comes out. — Kenneth Shepard Sometimes it feels like Dragon's Dogma 2 came and went last year, but the game is widely beloved by those who played it, and Capcom brought the original fantasy RPG to the Switch, so why not bring the sequel to the Switch 2? You, too, could experience the jaw-drop moment of the game's second title card on your commute. — Kenneth Shepard Fans are probably hoping for a full remaster of the original three Dragon Age games, but while that sounds like a far-off dream at the moment, I wouldn't be surprised if The Veilguard ended up on the Switch 2 in the near future (well, it seemed possible when I first wrote this in January). Even though none of the previous games have been on a Nintendo platform, it's a decent enough entry point, and who among us doesn't want to take a great RPG party with us wherever we go? — Kenneth Shepard Resident Evil 4 has a long history with Nintendo. The original game launched exclusively on the GameCube and director Shinji Mikami said he would 'disembowel' himself if it ever came to another console. Well, it's launched on about a dozen other platforms since then, but the 2023 remake has only been on half as many. Why not add another to the list, Capcom? — Kenneth Shepard The original Switch has Overwatch 2 and it is not a great version of the game. But the Switch 2 could get an upgrade and include the hero shooter of the moment, running in all its twitchy glory. Marvel Rivals has been such a huge success that it's hard to imagine developer NetEase isn't already trying to get the game onto as many platforms as it can. The Switch 2 might not be the optimal way to play a game like Marvel Rivals which thrives on high framerates and reaction times, but more people playing a competitive game is always a good thing. — Kenneth Shepard Metaphor: ReFantazio and Persona 3 Reload are the kind of RPGs that thrive on handheld, and feel like shoo-ins for eventual Switch 2 ports. I adored playing these long, meticulous social sim RPGs on my PS5, but they would have been much better on my Switch. The long stretches of visual novel-style dialogue are the kind of thing you'd rather not squint at across your living room when you could, instead, read them at arm's length in bed. I'd bet money that we will see one or both of these games on the Switch 2 in its first 12 months. — Kenneth Shepard Remember when people datamined Tango Gameworks' rhythm action game Hi-Fi Rush and found what appeared to be an in-game shirt referencing a Switch version that never came to be? Well, Tango Gameworks is alive, well, and outside of Microsoft's clutches, so this incredible gem of a game should show up on the Switch 2. — Kenneth Shepard The original Switch could certainly have run both The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD remasters since they both launched on the Wii U. I'm here to say they should be on the Switch 2 because they're two of the few Wii U exclusives that never made their way to the original Switch. Just rectify the issue, Nintendo. — Kenneth Shepard If you were to look up 'surefire money-making machine' in the dictionary, you'd find Grand Theft Auto V on the Switch 2 right next to it. Grand Theft Auto VI is supposed to be gracing PS5 and Xbox Series X/S later this year, but if you want to make sure the Nintendo kids don't feel too left out, porting Grand Theft Auto V to another platform seems like a decent compromise. It would sell another bazillion copies, even 12 years after its original launch. — Kenneth Shepard It's surprising that Sparking! Zero, the latest fighting game in the Budokai Tenkaichi subseries, never made its way to Switch. The series has pretty consistently landed on Nintendo's platforms in the past, so Sparking! Zero is an odd outlier. The only reason I can think of is Bandai Namco aiming for an early Switch 2 release date. I'm not one to make bets, especially not two in the same article, but I'm betting again that Sparking! Zero makes an appearance at a Nintendo showcase at some point this year. — Kenneth Shepard Incredible games like the Kingdom Hearts series, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Control are all playable on Switch, kinda: if you've got a fast and stable internet connection, you can play them through the cloud, but it doesn't live up to the experience of playing them natively on other platforms. Maybe with the Switch 2's more powerful hardware, we'll see some of those games make their way to the device in ports that feel as good to play as these games should. — Kenneth Shepard Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth both started out as PlayStation exclusives, but now they're on PC, so they're probably fair game for the Switch 2. Depending on the device's specs, I could see both of those games getting relegated to cloud versions, and I swear that's not a pun on their spikey-haired hero. It just seems like that's Square's go-to approach for games that might be a bit too demanding on Nintendo's system. Think of the groans that would echo throughout the theater when Square announced a Final Fantasy VII Remake: Cloud Version at a press conference! Would the company want that reaction to be associated with the game forever? Or maybe the pun would be too good to pass up as an expensive bit? Anyway, sure, yeah, let's put these games on Switch 2. — Kenneth Shepard Speaking of Final Fantasy, the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV would be a great showcase for the apparent mouse controls included in the Switch 2's Joy-Cons. I've tried to play XIV on my PlayStation multiple times and loathe its controller support, so this could be a nice middle ground between the two. And again, more people playing a multiplayer game is always a good thing. — Kenneth Shepard The Diablo games are ideal for handheld play, and Diablo III was great on the original Switch. Diablo II also found its way to the Switch through the Resurrected remaster, so the series has a strong history with the Nintendo console already. Diablo IV feels like another guaranteed Switch 2 port down the line. — Kenneth Shepard Rounding out this list are some of the best Star Wars games on the market. The Jedi games starring Shameless' Cameron Monaghan are good enough to make a certified Star Wars hater pick up a lightsaber. Bring them to the Switch 2, Respawn. They deserve to be played by as many people as possible. — Kenneth ShepardThis is where I'd normally ask what games you'd like to see on the Switch 2, but the powers that be still haven't turned the comments back on, and at this rate, I don't think they're going to. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
NDTV
19 hours ago
- NDTV
US Woman Leaves Home At 77 To Spend 15 Years On A Cruise Ship
Sharon Lane, 77, began daydreaming about life on board as soon as she learnt that a cruise line was conducting a global tour. In mid-June, she departed California to live on the residential cruise ship Villa Vie Odyssey, which will be sailing around the world. Ms Lane, a former California high school teacher, loves to travel. She used to teach foreign languages and enjoyed taking her students on European vacations. She moved to Cape Town, South Africa, in the 1990s for two years of adventure. She has recently switched to cruise travel, not only because it gives her the chance to travel the world but also because she loves the experience of being lost at sea. 'I am finally able to do what I have wanted to do for years,' Ms Lane told CNN Travel. This is not a short cruise holiday for Ms Lane. The 77-year-old Californian intends to spend the next 15 years travelling around the world's oceans and making port calls at places like Japan and New Zealand. Being a "residential" cruise ship, guests usually do not board Villa Vie Odyssey for a brief excursion. The Odyssey is a newly rebuilt, three-decade-old ship, and its cabins are sold permanently, or for as long as the ship is expected to last. According to CEO Mikael Petterson of Villa Vie Residences, cabin rates begin at $129,000 for a 15-year stay, plus monthly costs of $2,000 per person for double occupancy and $3,000 for single occupancy. Cabins outside start at $169,000, and each person's monthly fee goes up by $500. Ms Lane purchased her cabins at the end of 2024, and she boarded the ship a few months later when the ship arrived in her hometown of San Diego, California. The monthly charge for residents includes food and soft drinks. Wi-Fi, medical visits (but not surgeries or medications), and wine during dinner are also acceptable. Furthermore, there is free weekly housekeeping, biweekly laundry service, and room service available. Ms Lane claimed that she bought her inside cabin with all her money, but she considers it to be a fantastic deal. 'I buy the cabin, I live in the cabin, and that's it. And then there's no end,' Ms Lane remarked to the outlet. "I no longer have to do my laundry. I don't have to go grocery shopping. It is far less expensive to live on the ship than it is in Southern California," she added. Although she is eager to see the places, Ms Lane said her favourite aspect of cruising is being on the ship, and she intends to spend most of her free time on deck. She claimed that the only purpose of her windowless cabin is to sleep. Originally scheduled to set sail in mid-2024, Villa Vie Odyssey was delayed for four months at Belfast, Northern Ireland, while it awaited safety certification. The Odyssey finally sailed in late September of last year.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Mars orbiter that launched from Florida captures 1st-ever pic of volcano above clouds
A NASA spacecraft that has been circling Mars for more than two decades recently spotted something it never has before in well over 100,000 orbits of the Red Planet. On a morning horizon in May, the Odyssey spacecraft caught a stunning glimpse of one of the planet's largest volcanoes peeking out above a canopy of clouds. Known as Arsia Mons, the volcano dwarfs Earth's tallest volcanoes. Odyssey, which launched on its mission about 24 years ago from Florida, snapped some photos of the volcano in May, which NASA released in June in a blog post. Scientists at the U.S. space agency say the images provide far more than just a striking never-before-seen view of the Martian geography. In fact, studying the features detailed in Odyssey's photos could help NASA prepare for future crewed missions to Mars by better understanding the planet's weather and atmosphere. Here's a look at what Odyssey captured and what to know about the volcano, Arsia Mons. The new panorama captured by the Odyssey orbiter shows one of Mars' tallest volcanoes poking through clouds just before dawn. The image marks the first time a Martian volcano can be seen on the planet's horizon, offering what NASA says is a view akin to what astronauts on the International Space Station have of Earth. Odyssey's camera, called the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS,) is built to study the Martian surface. The THEMIS camera is equipped to view Mars in both visible and infrared light, the second of which allows scientists to identify subsurface areas that contain water ice. Such a resource would be an invaluable source of not only water, but a means to produce oxygen and fuel for crewed spacecraft when the first astronauts land on Mars. Odyssey rotated 90 degrees while orbiting Mars so that its camera had the correct angle to capture the shot, which, by revealing the horizon, allows scientists to observe seasonal changes on the Red Planet. Understandin the planet's weather, including its dust storms, could also help the space agency plan for future human spaceflights, according to NASA. The volcano Odyssey spotted is known as Arsia Mons, which is one of three on Mars forming the Tharsis Montes, or Tharsis Mountains. While clouds composed of carbon dioxide are common on Mars, the Martian mountain range is instead often surrounded by water ice clouds, especially in the morning, NASA says. Odyssey's latest horizon image, captured May 2, indicates that Arsia Mons stands 12 miles high. That's roughly twice as tall as Earth's largest volcano, Mauna Loa in Hawaii, which rises six miles above the seafloor. The southernmost of the Tharsis volcanoes, Arsia Mons is also the cloudiest of the three. The clouds, which form when air expands as it blows up the sides of the mountain and rapidly cools, are especially thick when Mars is farthest from the sun. The band of clouds that forms across the planet's equator at this time of year, called the aphelion cloud belt, is on prominent display in Odyssey's new panorama. 'We picked Arsia Mons hoping we would see the summit poke above the early morning clouds," Jonathon Hill, a researcher at Arizona State University who is the operations lead for THEMIS, said in a statement. "And it didn't disappoint.' Odyssey, which launched in 2021 from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, is the longest-running mission orbiting any planet besides Earth. The orbiter is also one of two spacecrafts orbiting Mars under threat of being axed under President Donald Trump's budget proposal for NASA. Managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, Odyssey completed its primary science mission from February 2002 through August 2004. Since then, the orbiter has set out to study Martian clouds, fog and frost while mapping the surface to pave the way for future crewed landings. The newest panorama, NASA said, represents the kind of science the orbiter began pursuing in 2023, when it captured the first of its now four high-altitude images of the Martian horizon. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Mars orbiter get unprecedented look at volcano years after Florida launch
Global News
2 days ago
- Global News
Winnipeg man in custody after string of overnight convenience store robberies
Winnipeg police say a suspect is in custody after a string of early morning convenience store robberies within a four-hour period. Just after 4:45 a.m. Wednesday, police pulled over a vehicle on Kirkbridge Drive after the driver was identified as a suspect in five overnight incidents. The 53-year-old is in custody facing five counts of robbery for the spree, which began around 12:45 a.m. In each case, a man armed with a knife (or suggesting he was armed) demanded money from the cash register before fleeing in a 2019 Honda Odyssey. He made off with an undisclosed amount of cash, as well as a cordless phone from one of the stores. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Police allege he hit stores on Lorette Avenue, Cavalier Drive, Ness Avenue, Academy Road and Pembina Highway. Shortly after the last robbery, officers on patrol spotted the Odyssey near Pembina Highway and Killarney Avenue, pulled it over and took the suspect into custody. Story continues below advertisement No one was injured in any of the incidents.
CNN
2 days ago
- Business
- CNN
She left her home in California to live on a cruise ship for 15 years
When Sharon Lane stepped onto Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship in mid-June, she was flooded with feelings of joy and relief. This moment was the fulfillment of a dream a long time coming. 'I'm finally able to do what I've wanted to do for years,' she tells CNN Travel. For Lane, this is no brief cruise vacation. The 77-year-old Californian plans to be on this ship for the next 15 years, perpetually circumnavigating the world's oceans and stopping off at destinations from Japan to New Zealand. Villa Vie Odyssey is a 'residential' cruise ship, meaning passengers don't generally board for just a quick jaunt. Its cabins are sold on a permanent basis — or at least for the estimated 15-year lifetime of the Odyssey, which is a recently renovated, three-decade-old ship. 'I buy the cabin, I live in the cabin, and that's it. And then there's no end,' says Lane. Or at least that's the hope. Residential ships are still new territory for the cruise ship industry. While the Odyssey is currently sailing smoothly up the US West Coast, its initial launch was delayed by months. Meanwhile some passengers, including Lane, had already experienced the disappointment of an earlier long-term residential cruise collapsing before it even secured a boat. Operated by cruise startup Villa Vie Residences, the Odyssey finally set sail at the end of September last year. There are still cabins available to purchase. Lane bought hers at the end of last year and boarded several months later, when the ship passed through her home port of San Diego, California. Villa Vie Residences' CEO Mikael Pettersen says cabin prices start at $129,000 for an inside for 15 years, on top of which there are monthly fees — $2,000 per person per month for double occupancy, $3,000 for single. Outside cabins start at $169,000, with monthly fees rising $500 per person. These figures aren't cheap — but remain comparatively so in contrast to The World, the only other residential cruise ship experience currently at sea, which caters for a more luxury market with a starting price of $2.5 million. There are other residential ship projects in the works — such as NJORD, a self-described 'exclusive community at sea' — but they've yet to be realized. Odyssey's concept is also potentially cheaper than hopping from one shorter cruise voyage to another. Villa Vie owners can also rent their cabin out to others, which means short-term passengers can still come and go from Odyssey. But the majority of owners have purchased their cabin with the intention of living on board, according to the cruise company. 'Most of our cabins are sold to full-time or mostly full-time residents,' Pettersen tells CNN Travel. 'I only know of a couple of residents who have investment cabins that they actively rent out. Most rentals come from owners who decide to stay off the ship for a period of time.' Lane says she used her life savings to purchase her interior cabin, but she sees this as a good deal. Food and soft drinks are included in residents' monthly fee. So is alcohol at dinner, Wi-Fi and medical visits (but not procedures or medicines). There's also 24/7 room service, weekly housekeeping and bi-weekly laundry service at no extra cost. 'I don't have to do my laundry anymore. I don't have to do grocery shopping,' says Lane. 'Living on the ship is much less expensive than living in Southern California.' Entertainment is also provided, including 'a singing duet, pianist, professional dancers,' according to Pettersen. Local performers are booked at ports of call, and residents are also encouraged to host their own events at a regular 'speakers' corner.' 'Residents present every week,' Pettersen says. 'We have a very diverse community including a Nobel Peace Prize winner, a White House chief of staff, an astronaut and many scientists and doctors onboard that share their knowledge and experiences.' Odyssey usually stops in each port for a couple of days, where optional shore excursions are organized for an additional fee. Throughout the course of its anticipated 15-year life span, the ship will continually circle the globe, calling at different locations with each circumnavigation. Lane says she is excited about the destinations, but being on the ship is her favorite part of cruising and she plans to spend most of her downtime on the deck. She says her windowless cabin is simply for sleeping. Her berth is 'toward the front of the ship, because I can feel the ocean more there,' she adds. 'I like the ocean motion.' The eight-deck Odyssey can 'technically' accommodate 924 people, according to Villa Vie's Pettersen, but some cabins have now been combined into one, meaning 'about 450 cabins in total.' 'Given the solo rate and that residents often travel away from the ship, we don't expect more than 500 residents onboard at any given time,' he explains. 'I find that delightful,' Lane says. 'It's very roomy for the number of people.' In November 2024 Villa Vie said that 50% of passengers in the first takeup were traveling solo. Today, Villa Vie Residences' CEO Pettersen confirms single travelers now make up 'close to 55%' of those on board — Lane among them. Pettersen says 80% of Villa Vie Odyssey's owners are from the US and Canada, with Australia and New Zealand a close second. As a recent addition to the on-board community, Lane is enjoying meeting and mingling with her fellow residents. 'There's very, very few, if any, people on the ship who are not lifelong travelers,' she says. 'When you're with a group of people that think like you, life gets easier.' Villa Vie Odyssey was originally supposed to embark in mid-2024, but ended up stalled in Belfast, Northern Ireland, for four months, awaiting safety certification. When the vessel eventually set sail, Villa Vie contended with some cancelled ports and itinerary changes. Missed stop-offs in the Galapagos Islands, the Falklands in the South Atlantic and Antarctica led to some disappointment among passengers. 'Residents understand for the most part that we are doing something new and there will be occasional challenges but I think overall we are getting better,' says Villa Vie's Pettersen. Pettersen blames cancelled ports on weather, red tape and logistical problems in destinations where smaller 'tender' vessels are needed to carry passengers ashore. 'Galapagos was not possible for us to go because you need 100% Ecuadorian crew,' he says. 'Falklands was due to 50-knot winds.' Pettersen says that in Antarctica, Villa Vie 'did not get the certificates in time and the weather did not allow for an exemption. We had some other missed tender ports where waves were simply not safe for tender operations.' Pettersen suggests these teething problems will be overcome as Villa Vie Residences' gains more experience. He points out this is a kind of voyage never really attempted before. Villa Vie is currently building a custom walkway to link the ship and tender boats to reduce movement from waves and swell. This, says Pettersen, will 'greatly reduce these missed ports.' 'We have a very capable itinerary planner who plans about a year ahead,' Pettersen adds. 'It is an extremely difficult task as there is really nobody that has done this sort of itinerary before so it is challenging to understand all regulations in every region of the world. However, we are learning a tremendous amount.' To make up for the missed ports, a new segment has been added to the cruise 'which offers everything that was missed in 2024, including Antarctica, Falklands, Greenland, and northern Europe,' according to Pettersen. This will involve an extended stay in the Argentine port of Ushuaia, on the southern tip of South America. 'This time we are spending an entire month in Ushuaia, giving us plenty of opportunity to work with the weather to make sure we hit the Falklands and Antarctica,' he adds. 'We learned that the weather down there is highly unpredictable so giving us this flexibility will ensure an amazing customer experience.' Lane says she's relieved to have missed much of the Odyssey's early drama and is confident that Villa Vie had enough time to 'work out the kinks' by the time she joined in mid-June. 'I don't want complications in my life, you know, I'm at a point in my life where I want simplicity,' she says. Lane has, however, experienced first-hand some of the uncertainties of the nascent years-long cruising industry. She was among hundreds of passengers who committed thousands of dollars toward a three-year-long cruise voyage planned by a start-up called Life at Sea. After repeated postponements, that project collapsed, with management company Miray Cruises never actually managing to secure a ship to host the voyage. Lane got a refund, but by then had given up her rental lease and sold many of her belongings. When the cruise dream collapsed, she moved into a retirement village in Orange County, California, where she felt stagnant. 'The whole two years I was there, I was looking for someplace else to go… I wasn't settled. I didn't feel settled. Because it wasn't the life I wanted,' says Lane. Lane explains she wasn't aware of the progress with Villa Vie Residences until the Odyssey made headlines when it finally set sail in fall 2024. She was immediately sold. Her reaction, she says, was just two words: 'Holy cow.' 'I called them up and I gave them money the same day,' recalls Lane. Pettersen, who worked for Life at Sea until departing in a management schism, says about half of the passengers let down by Life at Sea have followed him to his new company. 'We have about half of them on the Odyssey,' he says. Those who purchase long-term cabins on Odyssey do have the option to sell up should circumstances change. Lane says she currently hopes to see out the full 15 years at sea, finally living her dream life. 'There's no end,' she says. 'Sure, in 15 years… but in 15 years, I'll be ready for a home… Or maybe, at the end, I'll go on their next ship… I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.' 'Being on a ship deck, that's my happy place,' Lane adds. 'Whenever the weather is good, I will be on that deck. And when the weather isn't quite good, I'll bundle up and be on that deck, because that is my happy place. You can stand there, you can sit there, you can chat with people, you can read a book. You have the ocean breeze, you have sea air.'
