By Chantha Lach
SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia, Nov 4 – The Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship left Cambodia early Wednesday after unloading over 200 passengers who had spent large sums of money to live on board for years.
Last week, the ship's owner, Villa Vie Residences from Florida, stopped operations and forced passengers to leave the ship in Sihanoukville. They explained that rising fuel prices due to the Iran war had made it too expensive to continue.
The ship departed without passengers and with about 50 crew members, according to Taing Sochitkrishna, who heads the tourism department in Sihanoukville. Around 100 former passengers still remain in Cambodia, while many others have flown to various destinations in the region.
On Tuesday, passengers took their last belongings from the ship, and many expressed doubts about returning in the future.
“There are still many things on the ship that I wish I could take with me,” said Shirine Thomas from Wilmington, North Carolina, after retrieving some final items.
The Villa Vie Odyssey had been sailing around the world for at least 755 days, offering a unique opportunity for passengers to rent or buy long-term or even permanent residences on board.
It is unclear where the ship is heading next. Some passengers and maritime tracking websites suggest that it may be going to Singapore, but Villa Vie Residences has not responded to inquiries for further information.
Mary Ann Demsar, a 67-year-old retired high school teacher from Ontario, Canada, mentioned that the ship's owners have not provided any updates about future plans.
“We don’t get any clear indication from the owners of Villa Vie as to what is happening,” she said. “They’ve been so quiet; the only information we receive comes from the local government and representatives here in Cambodia.”