An “endless” cruise was supposed to be the ultimate escape. Instead, for roughly 200 passengers, it ended with an order to abandon their floating homes in Cambodia.
On October 27, Villa Vie Residences suspended operations aboard the Odyssey in Sihanoukville, giving residents roughly eight hours to disembark. Some had sold their houses, cars, or businesses to trade life on land for years—possibly decades—at sea.
The ship was carrying 203 passengers and 156 crew members, according to Cambodian officials. For many, Sihanoukville had been just another scheduled port, not a place to rebuild their lives. Take a look inside the nightmare scenario below.
The ambitious venture promised a continuous world voyage, circling the globe every three-and-a-half years and visiting more than 400 ports. Cabins were marketed as permanent homes, with a pool, spa, and an ever-changing view. According to Business Insider, lifetime residences cost $119,999 to $439,999, plus monthly fees.
The dream got off to a rocky start. Mechanical repairs delayed its planned May 2024 departure from Belfast by four months, with preparations costing $15 million more than expected. The ship finally sailed that fall, but financial problems continued.
Then fuel prices surged following the war involving Iran. Villa Vie says monthly fuel costs increased from about $1,800 per cabin to as much as $8,000 in parts of Asia.
“We have been unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses. Passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution,” the company said in a statement.
Founder Mikael Petterson told Business Insider that rising prices triggered a “cascading effect.” The company slowed its itinerary, spent longer in port, and sought investors. But a financing deal collapsed, leaving the company contemplating bankruptcy.
Meanwhile, passengers were watching their dream unravel. Lanette Canen and Johan Bodin, who sold a business to buy a $100,000 cabin, documented the crisis in video updates. “It seems that this financial situation is much more dire,” Bodin said in one video.
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Randy Cassingham, who sold his Colorado home and car with his wife Kit to permanently live on the ship, compared the sudden eviction to losing a traditional home. “It’s like buying a house expecting to live there forever and then being kicked out after two years,” he said.
There had been warning signs, too. Residents described repeated requests for fuel contributions, shrinking amenities, and uncertainty over the ship’s finances. Yet many still cherished the friendships and extraordinary places they had experienced.
Villa Vie says it is coordinating temporary accommodations while exploring restructuring over the next 60 days. No restart is guaranteed.
And for passengers who sold everything to live at sea, the question remains:
What happens when your forever home suddenly disappears?
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