Passengers Who Paid $120,000 To Live on 'Endless' Cruise Ordered To Leave Ship in Cambodia

Residents aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey have been ordered to disembark in Cambodia after the company operating their residential world cruise suspended operations, citing rising fuel costs and losses.

The ship was docked in Sihanoukville when residents were told to leave by 2pm local time on 26 October, according to a notice reproduced by passenger Randy Cassingham on his Residential Cruising blog. Crew were to remain on board during a temporary lay-up to maintain essential systems.

Cabins have been advertised from about $120,000 (£90,000),with more expensive accommodation available. Villa Vie Residences said monthly fuel costs per cabin had risen from about $1,800 (£1,350) to between $6,000 and $8,000 (£4,500 to £6,000) in parts of Asia.

Fuel Costs Force Suspension

In a statement issued on 27 October, Villa Vie said the increase had placed its operating model under unsustainable financial pressure. It said it could not absorb the higher costs or pass the full increase on to residents.

Executive chairman Mikael Petterson attributed the surge to the conflict in Iran, which he said began in late February. The company said it had tried to reduce fuel consumption by slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port, but those measures had not offset the extra expense.

Villa Vie said it was coordinating disembarkation and temporary living arrangements. However, The Straits Times reported that Petterson said the company was covering local accommodation and transport but had not provided funding for passengers to leave Cambodia.

The operator has not announced when the voyage might resume or confirmed whether residents would receive refunds. It is pursuing restructuring and recapitalisation over the next 60 days, but has warned that no outcome is assured.

Residents Face Uncertain Next Steps

Villa Vie allows customers to buy or rent cabins for extended stays aboard a ship intended to travel continuously around the world. Some residents sold their homes before moving aboard, according to The Independent, leaving them uncertain about where to live while the vessel remains out of service.

The notice shared by Cassingham said the company had been unable to secure the fuel needed to continue operations. It instructed residents to disembark by 2pm and said shuttles would remain available until 6pm on 27 October for people collecting belongings.

Earlier Delays and Funding Questions

The Odyssey, built in 1993, previously operated as the Braemar for Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. It began its residential world voyage in October 2024 after delays involving refurbishment and certification work in Belfast.

Villa Vie announced plans for a second residential ship, Legacy, in July 2026. It said more than 85 per cent of the Odyssey's available residences had been sold, according to Cruise Critic and other cruise industry reports.

Cruise Industry News reported that Villa Vie had sought emergency funding from residents in April through a proposed $3 million (£2.25 million) loan. The offer included annual interest rates of 12 to 24 per cent. The publication said it could not establish whether the funding had been secured.

Villa Vie has not announced a completed financing deal, leaving residents waiting for clarity on the ship's future.