Cruise Ship Abandons 200 Passengers in Cambodia Over Fuel Costs
Luxury cruise stranded 200 passengers in Cambodia due to rising fuel prices, leaving many homeless.
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A luxury cruise ship that promised passengers a life at sea abruptly abandoned its voyage, stranding over 200 passengers in a Cambodian port. The Villa Vie Odyssey, which had been carrying 203 passengers and 156 crew members, halted its round-the-world journey in Sihanoukville after its operator cited soaring fuel costs as the reason.
According to the Associated Press, the cruise company suspended operations in Sihanoukville on Tuesday, leaving most of the passengers, who were largely American, stranded. Chief Executive Kathy Villalba issued a notice shortly after 7:00 a.m., giving residents until 2:00 p.m. to pack and disembark. Passengers were left to arrange their own accommodations, with no assistance provided by the company.
The company attributed the decision to a sharp increase in fuel prices, which surged following the Iran war that began in late February. Reuters reported that monthly fuel costs for each cabin had climbed from about $1,800 to between $6,000 and $8,000 in parts of Asia. The operator stated that they could not pass on such a significant increase to residents, as it would be unsustainable.
Residents of the Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship were left stranded and at a loss in the Cambodian port city of Sihanoukville after being told to leave the vessel, saying the operator had run out of money to pay for fuel https://t.co/9Ekw1dmlMQ https://t.co/NS18N7Bpzl
Many residents had sold their homes to live aboard the vessel full-time, according to The Street. Long Dimanche, deputy governor of Preah Sihanouk province, noted in a statement reported by ABC News that the sudden order to disembark had left many retirees and remote workers homeless thousands of miles from their home countries.
Paul and Lynn Montoya, a retired couple from Wyoming, had boarded the ship 17 months ago and were repeatedly asked to pay more toward fuel, according to the AP. “We were tired of every two to four weeks being asked for money for fuel, money for everything,” Lynn Montoya told the AP. Carol Larson, who paid $120,000 for her cabin, voiced no regrets about the investment, the AP reported. “Because it was a startup company, I believe that it was a risk,” Larson said.
The Odyssey set out from Belfast, Northern Ireland, in October 2024 for a planned three-and-a-half-year trip around the globe. It had sailed for at least 755 days before docking in Cambodia, according to Reuters.
Villa Vie had pitched the vessel as a permanent residence, selling lifetime access for a one-time $299,999 for a single cabin or $499,999 for a double, according to Fox Business. The company courted retirees worried about inflation and outliving their savings, Fox Business reported. “For less than the price of an average home, you can secure a lifetime of experiences,” founder Mikael Petterson said in 2024, according to Fox Business.
The ship was set to refuel and depart Cambodia on Saturday, according to Reuters. The company said it would try to restructure and raise new money within 60 days, though it had not secured financing.
Source: Daily Caller
