Villa Vie Odyssey seized in Singapore after world cruise ends in Cambodia
The ship was placed under arrest by court order after its operator suspended the voyage, forcing around 200 passengers to disembark in Cambodia.
By Marina Weber ·
Singapore authorities have seized the Villa Vie Odyssey, a residential cruise ship whose round-the-world journey ended abruptly in Cambodia after its US-based operator ran out of money. The vessel is anchored in Singapore port waters, having arrived earlier in November following the suspension of its voyage.
Around 200 passengers had to leave the ship in Sihanoukville last month when its owner, Villa Vie Residences, halted operations. The company attributed the decision to sharply higher fuel costs. Singapore's port authority said the ship had been arrested under a court order and that crew members remaining aboard were reported to be well. Creditors were overseeing arrangements for their welfare.
Helmsman LLC, a Singapore law firm, has been identified as the solicitor handling the arrest, although it remains unclear which party the firm represents. The seizure follows financial difficulties that had already disrupted the journey and prompted the operator to seek additional money from passengers.
The Odyssey departed Belfast in October 2024 with plans to visit 150 countries over three and a half years. Customers could purchase a cabin and continue living aboard after the initial voyage, pay for five years of residency or rent accommodation for shorter trips lasting days. According to the company's website, permanent cabin residencies cost between $120,000 and $440,000, while monthly rentals started at $3,500.
Problems began before the ship left Belfast, where repairs and paperwork delayed departure by four months. Later, while the vessel was in Vietnam, crew members reportedly sourced food from local grocery stores after a supplier refused deliveries because of unpaid bills, according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.
CBS also reported that passengers were warned about the company's financial difficulties during an earlier Singapore stop in August. The operator raised money from guests to continue sailing and acknowledged the possibility of detention. Passenger Holly Hennessey previously told the BBC that guests had been asked to consider a fuel surcharge as prices climbed, while the planned itinerary had been substantially reduced.
In an October 27 statement, Villa Vie Residences said monthly fuel costs per cabin in some parts of Asia had increased from $1,800 to as much as $8,000 as the Iran war drove up fuel prices earlier in the year. The company said efforts to cut fuel consumption had failed to compensate for the increase. It also said it was helping residents find temporary accommodation in Cambodia.
