Iran war leaves ‘forever cruise’ residents stranded

Some 200 Villa Vie Odyssey residents were given just seven hours to disembark in Cambodia after the operator suspended operations, citing soaring fuel costs A cruise ship selling “permanent homes at sea” has abruptly suspended operations, leaving around 200 residents stranded in Cambodia as its operator blamed soaring fuel costs caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran. The 200-meter (656-foot) Odyssey, with a capacity for 650 passengers, departed Belfast in October 2024 on a “continuous” round-the-world “forever cruise. ” It offered cabins for rent, purchase, or lifetime ownership starting at $59,999 and reaching $440,000, plus monthly fees for meals, drinks, Wi-Fi and other services.

On Monday, Florida-based operator Villa Vie Residences (VVR) ordered passengers – some of whom reportedly sold their homes or spent their life savings on cabins – off the ship during a stop in Cambodia’s Sihanoukville. They had just seven hours to pack and leave, passenger Randy Cassingham reported on his cruise blog . US hints at expanding Russian diesel deal Cassingham shared a message from VVR CEO Kathy Villalba saying the company was “unable to secure the fuel necessary to continue operations” and that the Odyssey would enter a “temporary layup,” with crew remaining aboard. Other residents, many of whom also run travel blogs, confirmed the account. Sihanoukville deputy governor Long Dimanche confirmed Tuesday that the vessel, which arrived from Thailand on October 23 with 203 passengers and 156 crew, was due to sail to Vietnam later this week, but instead disembarked all passengers. Some have since flown out of Cambodia, while others remain in Sihanoukville, he said in a statement to local media. Passengers voiced their anger online. Cassingham blamed a “cascade of problems,” including a…