Around 200 passengers were left in Cambodia after Villa Vie Residences suspended operations of its Odyssey cruise ship, ending a voyage marketed as a way to live aboard while traveling around the world.
The U.S.-based operator announced the suspension Tuesday, during a scheduled stop in the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville. Local authorities said residents were given about seven hours to pack their belongings and leave the ship. Passengers were staying in hotels in the city Wednesday.
Fuel costs put pressure on the voyage
Villa Vie said operating expenses had increased sharply in parts of Asia. The company said average monthly fuel costs per cabin had risen from about $1,800 to an estimated $6,000 to $8,000. The operator attributed the financial pressure to what it described as extraordinary fuel-cost increases following the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.
The Odyssey began its voyage from Belfast in October 2024 and had been at sea for about two years. Villa Vie allowed residents to buy or rent cabins for vacations or longer-term stays, including arrangements intended to last for 15 years or the life of the ship.
The company said it could not pass the full increase in fuel expenses on to residents. Villa Vie said the resulting shortfall had put its current operating model under unsustainable financial pressure.
- The Odyssey left Belfast in October 2024.
- About 200 passengers were put ashore in Sihanoukville on Tuesday.
- Villa Vie said monthly fuel expenses per cabin had reached an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia.
Residents describe an abrupt end
Randy Cassingham and his wife, Kit, had lived aboard the ship since it departed Belfast. Cassingham told AFP that the couple had spent about $1 million on an all-inclusive trip they hoped would last at least 15 years.
“Money aside, it was a fantastic adventure.” — Randy Cassingham, speaking to AFP
Cassingham said the arrangement appealed to the couple because they could unpack once, sleep in the same bed and wake up in a different place every few days. He said they would return to the ship if the cruise resumed.
Carol Larson, a 69-year-old California resident, told AFP that she paid $120,000 for her cabin, not including monthly maintenance fees. She and a friend had expected the arrangement to last 15 years or the life of the ship, but were left in Sihanoukville after about a year and a half.
