Passengers waiting to embark on three-year 'dream world cruise' find love after months stranded on dry land in Belfast
25 September 2024, 10:08 | Updated: 25 September 2024, 12:17
Two strangers who met while stranded in Belfast waiting for their cruise to set sail have fallen for each other and will marry.
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Two strangers who met while stranded in Belfast waiting for their cruise to set sail have fallen for each other and will marry.
Gian Perroni and Angela Harsanyi were due to set sail on a three-year cruise on the Odyssey in May, but have been forced to wait after engine issues stalled the trip.
While stranded in the Northern Irish city, the pair met, began dating and found they "completely meshed."
Four months later the couple is engaged and plans to tie the knot when the ship finally sets sail.
Ms Harsanyi said: "We found that we had so much in common and enjoyed being in each other's company, so much that we really couldn't picture a life without each other.”
Speaking to Sky, Canadian Gian said he was due to leave Belfast four months ago but the Odyssey "ended up having a lot of issues that had to be addressed - many of them were surprises as we came along the way".
"About six weeks ago, we found ourselves commuting daily back to the ship, back to our hotels in central Belfast," he continued.
"And we just created a really deep friendship that blossomed into romance."
Ms Harsanyi is sure this isn’t just a summer romance as she declared Mr Perroni to be “the one.”
She said: "When you know, you know.
"Once I became friends with him and spent a bit of time with him, especially over the last five weeks, I started to get an understanding of his morals, his values and his future beliefs."
On his proposal, Mr Perroni said: "We started talking about getting married a few weeks ago," he said. "It's a first marriage for Angie - it's not my first marriage, but I wanted to do it right.
"We nice found a nice little jeweller in town, we picked out the ring together, and then I was planning on asking her on the ship, but we were out one night walking along the River Lagan - during the supermoon last week - the time just seemed right. So I popped the question."
The couple will get married on board the ship when it finally sets sail.
And, luckily, they don’t have to worry about a honeymoon, with the Odyssey due to make 400 stops on its multi-year trip.
