---
title: "Passengers stranded as Villa Vie Odyssey halts its world cruise "
url: https://radiomoldova.md/p/88515/passengers-stranded-as-villa-vie-odyssey-halts-its-world-cruise
published: 2026-10-30T05:10:00Z
language: en
author: "Rodica Dimitriu"
section: "International"
source: radiomoldova.md
---

# Passengers stranded as Villa Vie Odyssey halts its world cruise 

> Villa Vie Residences suspended the Odyssey’s world voyage in Cambodia on October 27, forcing 203 passengers to leave the ship as soaring fuel costs strained the operator’s finances.

![](https://storage.radiomoldova.md/images/1adc1c86-6caa-4645-b391-c30423a09713.jpg)

Villa Vie Residences suspended the Odyssey’s world voyage in Cambodia on October 27, forcing 203 passengers to leave the ship as soaring fuel costs strained the operator’s finances.

**A residential cruise interrupted**

The US-operated Villa Vie Odyssey had been sailing around the world since October 2024 on a planned three-and-a-half-year voyage covering nearly 150 countries and seven continents.

Passengers could purchase or rent cabins and live permanently aboard the vessel. Some sold their homes and businesses to finance the move.

*“I no longer have a home or a business in Australia because I sold them to buy my place on this ship,”* passenger Frances Paroissien said. *“So I have to find somewhere to live for the next few months, until they decide whether we can return to the ship or need to find alternative accommodation.”*

The passengers were given just seven hours to pack their belongings and disembark during a scheduled stop in Sihanoukville.

**Fuel costs put pressure on operations**

Villa Vie Residences attributed the suspension to a sharp increase in fuel expenses linked to the conflict in the Middle East.

The company said monthly fuel costs per cabin had risen from a historical average of $1,800 to an estimated $6,000–$8,000 in parts of Asia.

*“The owners of Villa Vie have said in the press and on television that fuel is what brought us into this difficult situation, but I don't believe that,”* Paroissien said.

Other passengers also questioned the company's management and its ability to sustain the business.

Paul Montoya, another passenger, said the experience had initially exceeded his expectations.

*“We boarded in Panama and have been on the ship for so long. During all that time, we only left the vessel for a few short excursions. We had a wonderful time. We wanted to see the world,”* he said.

**Uncertain future for passengers and crew**

The Odyssey arrived in Sihanoukville with 203 passengers, most of them Americans, and 156 crew members, according to Cambodian officials.

The vessel was docked in the Gulf of Thailand, with Vietnam scheduled as its next destination. Cambodian authorities said it was expected to refuel and leave on October 31, although the operator had not publicly confirmed a departure date.

Villa Vie Residences said it was seeking to restructure and recapitalise the business over the next 60 days.

The company also said it was working with passengers to coordinate their disembarkation and identify temporary accommodation. However, those affected still face uncertainty over the future of their residential arrangements and the costs of returning home.

Translation by **Iurie Tataru**