Key facts
- The Villa Vie Odyssey departed Cambodia with no passengers and around 50 crew, per Taing Sochitkrishna.
- Villa Vie Residences said fuel price increases from the Iran war made operations prohibitively expensive.
- Around 100 passengers remained in Cambodia, while others largely flew to other regional destinations, Taing said.
- The ship had been cruising the world for at least 755 days offering long-term or permanent residences on board.
The Villa Vie Odyssey left Cambodia early on Wednesday, November 4, carrying no passengers and around 50 crew, according to Taing Sochitkrishna, head of the Sihanoukville tourism department. The vessel had been cruising the world for at least 755 days as one of only a handful of ships offering passengers the chance to rent or buy long-term or permanent residences on board.
Last week, owner Villa Vie Residences, based in Florida, suspended operations and forced more than 200 passengers off the ship at the port town of Sihanoukville. The company said fuel price increases from the Iran war had made operations prohibitively expensive. Passengers had paid tens of thousands of dollars to live on board for years.
Passengers unloaded their last belongings on Tuesday, and many said they did not expect to return to the ship. Taing said around 100 passengers remained in Cambodia, while the others largely flew to other destinations in the region. The ship's final destination was unconfirmed; some passengers and maritime tracking websites indicated it was bound for Singapore. Villa Vie Residences did not respond to emails or phone calls seeking comment.
Shirine Thomas of Wilmington, North Carolina, said shortly after collecting some final items: "There are still many things on the ship that I wish I could take with me." Mary Ann Demsar, a 67-year-old retired high school teacher from Ontario, Canada, said the owners had provided no information on whether the voyage would continue. "We don't get any clear indication from the owners of Villa Vie as to what is happening," she said. "They've been so quiet, the only information we get is from the wonderful government and the representatives here in Cambodia."