US cruise ship that charged up to $120,000 per person leaves around 200 passengers stranded in Cambodia, gives them just seven hours to disembark

A US residential cruise ship has left around 200 passengers standard in Cambodia citing rising fuel expenses due to Iran war, some of them paid as much as $119,999 for a trip around the world. The ship, Villa Vie Odyssey, has been sailing continuously since departing Belfast, Northern Ireland, more than two years ago. However, amid mounting financial pressure, its Florida-based operator decided to pull the plug.

The company announced the suspension on Tuesday, citing an “extraordinary” increase in fuel costs as the primary reason for its financial difficulties. Fuel expenses per cabin surged from around $1,800 to between $6,000 and $8,000 in parts of Asia, while disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East added to the pressure.

“Since the conflict began in late February, we have taken significant steps to reduce fuel consumption, including slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port,” Villa Vie Residences said in a statement. However, these measures failed to offset the sharp rise in fuel prices, resulting in significant operating losses.


As per Euro News, passengers were reportedly given about seven hours to disembark during a scheduled stop at the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville on October 23. Long Dimanche, deputy governor of Preah Sihanouk province, said 203 guests and 156 crew members had arrived from Thailand and were scheduled to continue to Vietnam.

The sudden disembarkation left many retirees and remote workers scrambling to find accommodation thousands of miles from their home countries.

“The sudden order to disembark has left many retirees and remote workers homeless thousands of miles from their home countries,” Dimanche was quoted as saying by Euro News.

Some passengers managed to book flights, while others chose to remain in the city. The Odyssey was scheduled to refuel and depart by October 31.

Villa Vie said rising fuel prices had placed its business model under “unsustainable financial pressure.” The company added that “passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution.”

It acknowledged the difficulties facing residents and staff and said it was working to coordinate disembarkations and arrange temporary accommodation for those affected.

It is now focused on supporting passengers, crew members and employees while pursuing “restructuring and recapitalization over the next 60 days.”

As per CNN, the ship's five-year residency packages starts at $59,999, while permanent cabin ownership cost around $119,999. Monthly fees ranged from $3,299 to $9,500, depending on the suite.