Around 200 people who chose a cruise ship as their permanent home are now stranded in Cambodia after the operator ran out of money. The US-based company Villa Vie Residences suddenly suspended operations, giving passengers only about seven hours to leave the ship after rising fuel prices brought their continuous world voyage to an unexpected halt.
The vessel, named the Odyssey, had set sail from Northern Ireland in October 2024 for an ambitious journey across seven continents. The operator marketed the trip as a way to combine long-term living with global travel, selling lifetime cabins starting at around $230,000. Many of the 203 guests on board, mostly American retirees and remote workers, had sold their houses and possessions to pay for the adventure.
The sudden eviction took place while the ship was docked at the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville. Company officials said monthly fuel expenses per cabin climbed from an average of $1,800 to between $6,000 and $8,000 in parts of Asia during the war in Iran. Villa Vie said it tried to conserve fuel by slowing its route and spending more time in ports, but it could no longer absorb the heavy operating losses or pass such large costs on to residents.
The decision left travelers without a home thousands of miles from their home countries. Some passengers immediately booked flights out of Cambodia, while others remained in the port city with uncertain plans. A resident on board accused the company of offering almost no help to stranded travelers, though Villa Vie stated that it is working to coordinate temporary living arrangements while seeking new financial support over the next 60 days.