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Cruise ship
Cruise ships are responsible for transporting tens of millions of people across waters around the globe on an annual basis. That includes one that offers a circumnavigation that takes more than three years to complete, but people who shelled out a six-figure sum to book a cabin found themselves stranded in Cambodia after being unexpectedly booted from the ship.
There was once a time when ocean liners were the most reliable and efficient way to travel long distances, but the vast majority of the approximately 35 million people who book a trip on a cruise ship each year are simply seeking some rest and relaxation while going into tourist mode during their journey.
There are plenty of options when it comes to the length of your getaway, as many cruise lines offer trips that only last for a few days in addition to some options that can take weeks (and even months) to complete.
There’s also one that unfolds over the course of multiple years in the form of the one run by Villa Vie Residencies, which operates the Odyssey, a ship that set out from Belfast in 2024 for a three-and-a-half-year around the world involving 147 countries and 425 unique ports.
People who booked a room on that vessel paid a very pretty penny for the privilege of experiencing that trip, but they’ve encountered an unexpected problem a little over two years into the excursion.
A company that sold “lifetime” cabins on a cruise ship kicked every passenger off in Cambodia over prohibitive fuel costs
The Odyssey set out from Northern Ireland on October 3rd, 2024, and the journey was obviously designed for people who have no problem spending an extended period of time at sea.
According to the prices listed on its website, a three-year journey on the 642-foot ship would have set you back $99,999, but the company also courted travelers looking to make it their permanent residence. That option featured cabins that started at $119,999, but the priciest suite was listed at $439,999.
Now, you might think the people aboard the ship when may be largely immune to rising fuel costs when you consider they don’t need a car. However, according to CNBC, they fell victim to what Villa Vie described as “extraordinary increases” in a press release that was issued shortly after an unfortunate development unfolded in Asia.
On Tuesday, the Odyssey docked in Sihanoukville, Cambodia before the 203 passengers aboard were ordered to disembark after the company was forced to suspend operations over the cost of fuel, saying the $1,800-per-cabin cost it had initially forecasted had ballooned to upwards of $8,000 in Asia.
Villa Vie said it was working on arranging “temporary living arrangements” for the passengers (and 156 crew members) impacted by the decision, but it’s unclear how long they’ll be forced to remain there or if they’ll have the opportunity to complete the trip they already paid for.