Hundreds of passengers have been left stranded in Cambodia after residential cruise operator Villa Vie Residences suspended the voyage of its ship, the Villa Vie Odyssey, because of soaring fuel costs.
Among those forced ashore was Arizona resident Sherrie Cornett, who said passengers were given only seven hours to leave the vessel while it was docked at Sihanoukville.
“The port provided shuttles for us to get into town, and we were dropped on a public square and had to find our way from there,” she said. “It’s been quite the challenge to get everyone situated.”
Cambodian officials said 203 guests and 156 crew members were aboard when the ship arrived from Thailand on October 23. It had been expected to continue to Vietnam after its stop in Sihanoukville.
Cornett said passengers were left to arrange accommodation and travel with little immediate support. She claimed it took 36 hours for the company to provide information about hotels, possible financial assistance and flights home.
“People had to leave the ship to go to like a Starbucks or a hotel lobby just to have internet so that they could book reservations and plane tickets,” she said.
Villa Vie Odyssey suspension follows sharp rise in fuel costs
Villa Vie Residences said its monthly fuel costs, calculated per cabin, had risen from an average of about $1,800 (£1,380) to between $6,000 and $8,000 in parts of Asia.
The company said it had tried to reduce spending by slowing the itinerary and remaining in port for longer, but the measures had not been enough to offset the increase. It is now examining restructuring and recapitalisation options over the next 60 days, while warning that no outcome is guaranteed.
In a statement, the operator said it was working with residents to co-ordinate their disembarkation and identify temporary living arrangements. The ship has capacity for about 650 residents.
The Odyssey left Belfast in October 2024 on a continuous world voyage, offering passengers the chance to rent or buy accommodation and live aboard for extended periods. The service was marketed as a permanent or long-term home at sea rather than a conventional holiday cruise.
Cornett said there had been warning signs before the suspension, including the ship leaving some ports earlier than expected and spending longer in others. She criticised the company’s handling of the crisis.
“Their communication has been dreadful and almost nonexistent,” she said. “We went 36 hours without hearing from them after we got the formal announcement that we had to disembark.”
Despite the disruption, Cornett said she had enjoyed life aboard the ship and was not rushing to return to the United States. She plans to continue travelling while the company’s future is decided.
