Residents on the doomed Villa Vie Odyssey cruise describe the first 24 hours after being kicked off in Cambodia
After the Villa Vie Odyssey halted operations, residents say they were left scrambling to find hotels and retrieve their belongings in Cambodia.
Passengers aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship were abruptly asked to disembark on Tuesday, given only eight hours to leave the vessel. Villa Vie Residences, the operator of the residential cruise ship, cited surging fuel costs as the reason for halting operations. The company stated that monthly fuel expenses per cabin had increased by up to 344% in parts of Asia, reaching $6,000 to $8,000.
Despite taking steps to reduce fuel consumption, Villa Vie Residences could not sustain the financial burden and needed $650 metric tons of fuel to continue. The CEO, Kathy Villalba, sent an urgent operational update to residents, requesting those who had not previously contributed to fuel costs to do so immediately. Residents scrambled to leave their cabins, with some sharing their emotional experiences on social media.
Barbara Fiegel, who has lived on the ship since December 2024, described the atmosphere as a "ghost town." Joel Greiff, who moved aboard the ship at the start of the month, plans to return to assist other residents with their belongings.
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