CA, US & World
Residential Cruise Ship Suspends Operations, Leaving More Than 200 Passengers Scrambling for Housing
More than 200 residents of a luxury residential cruise ship are scrambling to find accommodations after the company suspended operations and ordered passengers to disembark in Cambodia.
Florida-based Villa Vie Residences announced that residents aboard its Odyssey ship had to leave by 2 p.m., citing extraordinary increases in fuel costs.
Some passengers had considered the ship their permanent home. Sherrie Cornett, from Phoenix, had been living aboard since the vessel launched two years ago in Ireland.
Cornett said passengers had to carry their belongings off the ship and find hotels on their own.
Other former passengers said signs of trouble had been building for months. Pamela Rehkamp and her husband returned to the United States earlier this month after spending six weeks aboard the ship. She said amenities and services were gradually disappearing, including fitness classes, dining options, laundry service and internet access.
The company acknowledged slowing the ship’s itinerary and spending more time in port to manage rising fuel expenses. The monthly average fuel costs reportedly more than tripled, with the company saying passing the entire increase on to residents was not a realistic solution.
Travel expert Katy Nastro said rising fuel prices have affected transportation broadly, including the cruise industry.
The suspension has left residents facing immediate questions about where to stay and how to move forward after the unexpected end of their voyage.
By: NBC Palm Springs
October 29, 2026
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