'Never-ending' cruise grinds to devastating end, stranding over 200 passengers abroad
A dream cruise around the world has come to an abrupt halt after two years at sea, reportedly leaving passengers scrambling to find somewhere to stay in Cambodia.
The Villa Vie Odyssey, a residential cruise ship that promised passengers the chance to make the ocean their permanent home, suspended its voyage Tuesday after its operator said soaring fuel costs had made it too expensive to continue.
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The ship was carrying 203 passengers, most of them Americans, and 156 crew members when it arrived in the Cambodian port city of Sihanoukville, according to The Associated Press.
Passengers said they were given just seven hours' notice to leave the vessel Tuesday and had to make their own arrangements, despite the company's claims that it was helping residents find temporary accommodations.
In a statement, Villa Vie Residences, which is headquartered in Florida, announced that it had been "unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses."
The company said monthly fuel expenses per cabin had climbed from roughly $1,800 to as much as $8,000 in parts of Asia.
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"Passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution," the company said, according to the AP. "Our focus now is on supporting residents, crew, and employees."
The company added, "The company is working with residents to coordinate disembarkation and identify temporary living arrangements."
The ship first set sail from Belfast, Northern Ireland, in October 2024, on what was supposed to be a 3 1/2-year journey around the world.
For some passengers, the ship was supposed to be their permanent home long after the initial voyage ended.
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Fox Business reported in May 2024 that Villa Vie Residences was offering lifetime access to its Odyssey cruise ship through its "Endless Horizons" program for a one-time payment of $299,999 for a single-occupancy cabin or $499,999 for double occupancy.
At the time, the experience was billed as a budget-conscious alternative to traditional retirement.
The company marketed the program to retirees concerned about inflation, rising living expenses and the possibility of outliving their savings.
CEO Mikael Petterson similarly promoted the experience as a way for retirees to live on a fixed budget without worrying about ongoing expenses.
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"For less than the price of an average home, you can secure a lifetime of experiences," Petterson said at the time.
Speaking to AP, passengers expressed disappointment over the abrupt end to their voyage.
Paul and Lynn Montoya, a retired couple from Wyoming who boarded the ship 17 months ago, said they purchased a cabin with plans to spend years traveling the world — but were repeatedly asked to contribute more money for fuel.
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"We were tired of every two to four weeks being asked for money for fuel, money for everything," Lynn Montoya said.
"We had hopes, but they just kept sinking further and further into the hole," the AP reported.
California sisters Carol Larson, 69, and Crystal Lavering, 72, also said they were heartbroken after spending 18 months aboard the ship.
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Larson, who paid $120,000 for her cabin, said she hoped residents could buy the ship and keep the cruise going.
Despite the setback, she told the AP she had no regrets about her investment.
"Because it was a startup company, I believe that it was a risk," said Larson.
"From the very first day, I said to myself that if it lasts a year, I can walk away and feel like I got my money's worth. … I still feel that way."
Fox News Digital reached out to Villa Vie Residences for comment.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.