The American residential cruise ship “Villa V Odyssey” originally attracted long-stay travelers with three and a half year around-the-world voyages, allowing retirees to use the cruise ship as a mobile home. However, due to skyrocketing fuel costs, the ship suspended operations in Cambodia on October 27 and was forced to disembark 203 passengers. According to CBS, the ship has been taken over by creditors; It is reported that the ship will be taken to Singapore and may be auctioned in the future. Peterson, founder of the operating company Villa V Residence (hereinafter referred to as Villa V), said there are still 30 to 90 days to recovery.
After retirement, some people want to travel around the world. Some people spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase long-term stay cabins. Some people travel about 200 days a year, which is like living in a “nursing home” for some time. These cases illustrate the appeal of life at sea, but also raise practical questions: Are cruises really cheaper than retirement homes or nursing homes? How do passengers manage risks when operations and medical care change?
Residential cruise ship Odyssey will set out on a three-and-a-half-year global voyage from October 2024. Passengers can buy or rent cabins and stay onboard for long periods of time. After the Iran War began in late February 2026, rising fuel costs gradually became operational pressures. Villa V said that previously, the average monthly fuel cost per cabin was about US$1,800, which has recently increased to US$6,000 to US$8,000 in some parts of Asia; The company’s monthly operating costs have increased by nearly 50%, reaching 3 million yuan. The New York Times reported that the company tried to impose a monthly fuel surcharge of US$1,500, but about 70% of households refused to pay; Bloomberg said the company has proposed charging an additional US$500 per month.
By the end of October, Villa V announced it would suspend operations. The Odyssey was anchored off Sihanoukville, Cambodia. 203 residents had to disembark and return home or stay locally within 7 hours. The aircraft originally had 156 crew members. People familiar with the matter said 169 guests promised to invest additional money to buy back the cruise ship, but the lender refused to provide financing and the acquisition plan fell through. According to internal documents obtained by CBS, the cruise ship was in financial difficulties for at least three months before arriving in Cambodia.
👉Fuel increased by 344%, American cruise ship Odyssey suddenly stopped traveling to Cambodia, 200 passengers stranded
👉Odyssey, stranded in Cambodia, has been taken over by creditors and will be auctioned in Singapore.
In June 2025, Sharon Lane, a retired woman from Southern California, took her family on a cruise ship. At age 77, he sold most of his belongings and spent more than $200,000 to purchase an extended-stay cabin on the Odyssey. He originally planned to remain on the ship for 15 years or until the end of the ship’s life.
