The ship is currently docked in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, where the company is coordinating the disembarkation of passengers and arranging temporary accommodation. The sudden halt has left residents uncertain about when they will be able to resume their journey. The Villa Vie Odyssey, a residential cruise ship offering passengers the chance to live at sea while travelling around the world, has suspended its voyage due to soaring fuel costs, forcing around 200 passengers to disembark in Cambodia.
The US-based operator, Villa Vie Residences, announced the decision on Tuesday, October 27, saying rising fuel expenses had made its current business model increasingly difficult to sustain, BBC reported.
The Villa Vie Odyssey departed Belfast, Northern Ireland, in October 2024 on a planned 3.5-year voyage that was expected to cover nearly 150 countries.
The company has not confirmed when the Villa Vie Odyssey will resume its journey, and questions remain over the future itinerary and possible refunds. Passengers Face Uncertainty Over Travel Plans Following the suspension, the company began coordinating arrangements for passengers to leave the ship and find temporary accommodation. A Cruise Ship Designed To Be A Permanent Home Unlike conventional cruise ships that operate on fixed itineraries for holidays lasting a few days or weeks, the Villa Vie Odyssey offers passengers the option of living aboard for extended periods. Residents can purchase cabins, rent accommodation or explore rent-to-own arrangements, allowing them to travel continuously without maintaining a conventional home on land. For many residents, the arrangement was intended to provide an alternative retirement lifestyle, combining accommodation, travel and access to facilities while visiting destinations around the world. Repair work delayed the ship’s departure, leaving passengers in Belfast for months and adding to the company’s expenses. Since setting sail, the vessel has visited destinations across the Pacific and other regions. Its itinerary had included stops from Tonga to Australia, with plans to visit additional destinations as the voyage continued. The company had also promoted residential packages aimed at people looking to spend their retirement years travelling around the world. The latest suspension has put those plans on hold as the operator grapples with rising costs.
The suspension has therefore raised questions about the immediate living arrangements of passengers who had chosen the vessel as their home.
Villa Vie Residences founder Mikael Petterson told Bloomberg that the company was covering lodging and local transportation but had not committed to paying for passengers’ international travel out of Cambodia.
