About 200 passengers stranded in Cambodia after cruise operator suspends operations
Around 200 passengers on the Villa Vie Odyssey were left stranded in the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville after the operator said it had suspended operations in the country. The passengers had been told to disembark during a scheduled stop, with only hours to pack their belongings and leave. The ship had arrived from Thailand and was due to continue on to Vietnam.
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According to a statement from the deputy governor of Preah Sihanouk province, 203 guests and 156 crew arrived aboard the Bahamas-flagged vessel on 23 October. The ship was due to refuel and depart on 31 October, but passengers were instead given seven hours to leave. The operator said it had suspended operations in Cambodia while it worked to address what it described as extraordinary increases in fuel costs.
The disruption has affected passengers who had paid to live on the ship while travelling the world, including retirees and remote workers. Some passengers left on flights, while others remained in the city after the disembarkation order. The company said it was working with residents to coordinate disembarkation and identify temporary living arrangements.
The incident highlights the financial strain facing a niche cruise model that allows people to buy or rent cabins for extended periods at sea. The ship, which left Northern Ireland in October 2024 for a continuous voyage, was marketed as a long-term residence as well as a holiday option. One passenger said the vessel had not reached its planned capacity and described a series of operational problems before the latest disruption.
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The operator said per-cabin monthly fuel expenses had risen from an average of $1,800 to an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia. It said the increase could not simply be passed on to residents and that the shortfall had placed its operating model under unsustainable financial pressure. The company also said it recognised the period was difficult and disruptive for residents, crew members and employees.
What remains unclear is how long the suspension in Cambodia will last and whether the ship will resume its planned route through the region. It is also not clear how many passengers have secured onward accommodation or travel. The next developments are likely to depend on whether the operator can stabilise costs and arrange a new operating plan for residents still affected by the disruption.
