Key facts
- Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority said the Odyssey was placed under arrest pursuant to a court order.
- The Odyssey arrived in Singapore on November 8 from Cambodia, where around 200 guests were told to disembark.
- Villa Vie Residences, based in Florida, suspended the residential cruise in late October, citing fuel costs.
- Singapore law firm Helmsman LLC is listed in court records as solicitor responsible for the arrest, per The Straits Times.
- A source familiar with the matter told CBS News the action was likely initiated by a fuel supplier.
- Cambodia's Tourism Ministry said about 98 passengers remained in the country as of November 4.
Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority said on Monday that the Odyssey, a residential cruise ship, had been arrested in Singapore under a court order. The vessel arrived on Sunday, November 8, from Cambodia, where around 200 guests had been told to disembark.
The authority gave no further details. The Straits Times reported that Singapore law firm Helmsman LLC is listed in court records as the solicitor responsible for the arrest, though it was unclear whom the firm represents. A source familiar with the matter told CBS News the legal action was likely initiated by a fuel supplier, and the newspaper reported Villa Vie owes a supplier in the region approximately $500,000, with the claimant's identity unconfirmed.
Villa Vie Residences, based in Florida, marketed the Odyssey as a floating home for a continuous voyage around the world. The company suspended operations in late October, and residents were told to leave at Sihanoukville Autonomous Port in Cambodia with little notice. The ship departed Sihanoukville on November 4 without passengers.
Cambodia Tourism Ministry spokesman Top Sopheak said approximately 98 passengers remained in the country as of November 4, staying in Sihanoukville, Kampot, Kep, Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, while others had returned home or traveled elsewhere in the region. The ministry said it welcomed those remaining to continue exploring Cambodia, with a team available to assist them.
Some passengers face substantial losses. CBS News reported that American passenger Joel Greiff, 57, paid $350,000 for a cabin and spent only 26 days aboard after joining in October; he found accommodation in Kampot for about $200 a month and said he had come to terms with possibly never recovering the money. The Straits Times reported that an attempt by residents to buy the vessel, which attracted pledges from 169 residents, failed after a lender declined to provide funding.