A cruise ship that disembarked over 200 passengers who had paid tens of hundreds of {dollars} to reside on the vessel for 3 years left a Cambodian port this week, with solely workers on board.
The Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship docked within the Cambodian city of Sihanoukville final week and suspended operations after its Florida-based operator mentioned the rising prices of gas from the Iran warfare made its journey financially untenable, leaving these dwelling on board stranded.
Cambodia’s Minister of Tourism Huot Hak (R) and Captain Emanuele Giudice (C) disembark from the Villa Vie Residences’ cruise ship Odyssey at Sihanoukville port in Preah Sihanouk province on October 29, 2026.
Getty Pictures
The ship left with no passengers and round 50 crew members on Tuesday, in response to Taing Sochitkrishna, head of the Sihanoukville tourism division, Reuters reported. He instructed the U.Ok. information company that round 100 passengers had been nonetheless in Cambodia, and that others had largely flown to different locations within the area.
Passengers had been capable of unload their remaining belongings from the vessel on Tuesday; many mentioned they didn’t anticipate to return again to the ship.
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“There are nonetheless many issues on the ship that I want I may take with me,” Shirine Thomas, of Wilmington, North Carolina, instructed Reuters shortly after amassing her closing possessions.
The cruise, which is operated by Villa Vie Residences, had been at sea for 755 days with 203 passengers on board when it determined to halt its journey.
The ship allowed passengers to lease and even purchase long-term and everlasting residences on board. The operator wrote in a press launch final week that the price of working a single cabin had elevated considerably for the reason that cruise first set sail over two years in the past and that it couldn’t depend on passengers to shoulder charge hikes.
“Gas prices have risen sharply within the areas the place the corporate has been working,” it mentioned final week, noting that month-to-month prices per cabin had skyrocketed from USD $1,800 to an estimated $6,000 to $8,000. It attributed the issue to the warfare within the Iran.
A lady walks onboard the Villa Vie Residences’ cruise ship Odyssey docked at Sihanoukville port in Preah Sihanouk province on October 29, 2026. Round 200 passengers who paid to reside on a cruise ship whereas travelling the world had been abruptly left in a Cambodian port after the corporate ran out of cash, an official mentioned on October 28.
TANG CHHIN Sothy / AFP by way of Getty Pictures
Site visitors has been decreased within the Strait of Hormuz for the reason that warfare in Iran started, straining provide chains of every kind of petroleum-based fuels, particularly in Southeast Asia, and sharply growing costs.
The operators mentioned the corporate would help stranded passengers in offering non permanent lodging, however some on board mentioned that they had obtained no assist.
Sixty-seven-year-old retired highschool trainer Mary Ann Demsar from Ontario, Canada, instructed Reuters that the house owners had not offered data on whether or not the voyage would proceed.
“We don’t get any clear indication from the house owners of Villa Vie as to what’s occurring,” she mentioned. “They’ve been so quiet; the one data we get is from the fantastic authorities and the representatives right here in Cambodia.”
She additionally instructed NBC Information that she stays in Cambodia with different passengers who watched the ship go away port on Tuesday.
Villa Vie Residences has not confirmed the place the ship’s closing vacation spot might be. Demsar instructed the U.S. information outlet she heard rumours it was heading to Singapore.
The acquisition value for a set on the vessel begins at $230,000, in response to the Related Press.
The general public on board had been Individuals.
The ship had 156 crew members and a passenger capability of 650.
— with information from Reuters
© 2026 International Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
