Villa Vie Odyssey stranded in Cambodia as cruise expert disputes fuel-cost explanation

The Villa Vie Odyssey is stranded in Cambodia after its operator suspended the residential cruise's round-the-world voyage. BBC One named the operator as Villa Vie Residences, a US-based company. The company blamed extraordinarily high fuel costs. The ship was more than 750 days into a planned three and a half year journey to nearly 150 countries. BBC One reported that the voyage was suspended on Tuesday.

The ship first made headlines two years ago when repairs delayed its departure and left passengers stranded in Belfast for months. About 200 residents were on board. BBC One reported that passengers Lennet and Johan sold a business to buy a $100,000 cabin and had expected to live on board for 15 years. They told the BBC they do not expect to get any money back. BBC One also reported that some passengers were given less than eight hours to gather their things and leave the ship.

BBC One's Sarah Girvin reported that Holly, a passenger who first met the BBC in Belfast during those delays, has been living on board with her cat, Captain. Holly had known since spring that things were difficult, Girvin said, citing the start-up company's thin margins and the war's effect on fuel prices and availability. She is staying in Cambodia, hoping that more money or a new owner may let the Odyssey sail again. 'I'm not delusional, but I am hopeful,' she said.

BBC One reported that Villa Vie Residences said monthly fuel costs per cabin had risen from $1,800 to around $6,000. The company said it had slowed the itinerary and spent more time in port to cut fuel use, but those measures were insufficient.

BBC News reported a different emphasis from Stewart Chiron, a cruise industry expert known as The Cruise Guy. He said he did not think fuel costs were the cause. In his view, the ship was supposed to carry 650 passengers but had only about 200 on board, leaving too few people to share the cost of operating it. He said the vessel had been expected to be 85% full at that point, which would have meant 550 passengers. He compared it with The World, a residential ship sailing since 2002 that he described as purpose-built, properly capitalised and properly led.

BBC News reported that Stewart Chiron described the operator as a new company, an offshoot of Life at Sea, with no track record. It also reported that the company had said in July it planned a second ship. Some passengers are staying in Cambodia while they work out their next moves, BBC One reported.