Nearly 200 people who sold their homes and life savings to live permanently aboard a cruise ship were forced off that ship in Cambodia with almost no warning.
Story Snapshot
- Villa Vie Residences suspended its round-the-world voyage on October 27, 2026, and ordered residents off the ship in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.
- The company says monthly fuel costs per cabin jumped from about $1,800 to as much as $6,000 to $8,000.
- One couple sold their house in Wyoming, bought a $179,000 cabin, and lived aboard 17 months before being told to leave.
- The company says it is arranging temporary housing while it pursues a 60-day financial restructuring plan.
Residents Ordered Off the Ship in Cambodia
Villa Vie Residences announced on October 27, 2026, that it was suspending operations while it dealt with “extraordinary” fuel-cost increases and looked at ways to restructure the company. Roughly 200 passengers were aboard the ship, called Odyssey, when they were told to disembark in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. The company had sold the trip as a never-ending cruise, letting people live aboard full time instead of owning a house on land.
Some passengers said they got very little time to pack and leave the only home they had known for months or years. The sudden order left families scrambling for flights, hotels, and a way to store or replace belongings they had built their lives around while at sea.
Fuel Bills More Than Triple Overnight
Villa Vie said the average fuel cost per cabin had historically run about $1,800 a month, but that figure climbed to between $6,000 and $8,000 in parts of Asia. The company said it had slowed its itinerary and spent more time in port to cut fuel use after a conflict drove up prices starting in late February, but those steps weren’t enough to close the gap.
Lynn and Paul Montoya felt that gap firsthand. The couple sold their Wyoming house and their cars, then paid $179,000 for a cabin and roughly $6,000 a month in fees. After 17 months living aboard, they were told to leave along with everyone else. Their retirement plan had been built entirely around staying on the ship.
Company Promises Help While Pursuing a Restructuring Plan
Villa Vie said it was working with passengers on disembarkation plans and “temporary living arrangements” while it tries to recapitalize the company over a 60-day period. The company has not said how many residents have received hotel stays, meal money, or travel reimbursement so far, and it has acknowledged that the outcome of its restructuring effort is not guaranteed.
This is not the first time a “life at sea” venture has collapsed on its customers. In 2023, a similar three-year voyage sold by Miray Cruises fell apart after delays and operational problems, leaving would-be passengers out hundreds of thousands of dollars before they ever boarded a ship. Villa Vie’s situation shows the same basic risk: these ventures ask customers to hand over large sums and give up permanent housing in exchange for a promise that depends entirely on one company staying afloat financially.
About 200 long-term passengers were left scrambling in Cambodia after the Villa Vie Odyssey suspended its three-year world cruise over surging fuel costs.https://t.co/aVW5ytWu2o
— The Traveler (@thetraveler_org) November 1, 2026
For now, the roughly 200 people who built their retirement around the Odyssey are left sorting out hotel rooms and flights in a country far from home, waiting to see whether the company can recapitalize or whether their floating address is gone for good.
Sources:
theguardian.com, reuters.com, cnbc.com, ttgmedia.com, independent.co.uk, travelweekly.com.au
