SIHANOUKVILLE: Around 200 passengers who paid to live on a cruise ship while travelling the world were abruptly left in a Cambodian port after the company ran out of money, an official said on Wednesday.
US-based operator Villa Vie Residences announced on Tuesday it had "suspended operations in Cambodia" as it worked to address "extraordinary increases" in fuel costs following the Iran war.
The 200-metre Odyssey left Northern Ireland in October 2024 for a continuous voyage for which residents could buy or rent rooms for a holiday or for life – some passengers selling everything they had to pay for it.
However, passengers were given just seven hours to pack their bags and leave during a scheduled stop in the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville, according to Long Dimanche, deputy governor of Preah Sihanouk province.
