Villa Vie Odyssey passengers told how they were evicted from the ship

Passengers on the round-the-world "continuous cruise" who have lived on the Villa Vie Odyssey for more than two years have told how they were evicted from a ship in Cambodia, given just eight hours to gather, Business Insider reports.

The airliner was in Sihanoukville when Villa Vie Residences announced the suspension on October 27. According to passengers, about 6:00 (02:00 GMT) they were informed about the need to leave the ship before 14:00 (10:00 GMT) of the same day.

“We knew it was possible to leave the ship, but the eight-hour notice was still a surprise to us,” they said.

Villa Vie Residences attributed the shutdown to rising fuel costs after the war with Iran began in late February. Monthly fuel costs per cabin rose from $1,800 to $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia. The company slowed down the pace of travel and increased the duration of stays in ports, but these measures did not compensate for the increase in costs.

The operator said it was helping passengers arrange temporary accommodation.

Earlier, the Khmer Times reported that Villa Vie Residences offered passengers an additional $ 500 per month, but the proposal did not receive the necessary support. In the next 60 days, the operator intends to consider options for restructuring and attracting additional financing.

The American company Villa Vie Residences organizes round-the-world cruises with the possibility of permanent residence on board. The Villa Vie Odyssey, designed for 650 passengers, set off on its maiden voyage in September 2024. The route lasted approximately 3.5 years and included visits to more than 425 ports in 147 countries. The company offers cabin rentals as well as the purchase of a lifetime residence right starting at $349,999.