Cruise Ship Residents Stranded in Cambodia

Approximately 200 passengers were left without a home on a cruise ship in a Cambodian port on October 23. The vessel, operated by Villa Vie Residences, had run out of funds to continue its continuous voyage. Passengers had paid to live aboard the ship, which departed Northern Ireland in October 2024.

The ship arrived in Sihanoukville from Thailand on October 23. It was originally scheduled to proceed to Vietnam. The deputy governor of Preah Sihanouk stated that the operator gave guests only a few hours to pack their belongings and disembark during the scheduled stop.

A total of 203 guests and 156 crew members were aboard the Bahamas-flagged vessel. The deputy governor noted that the sudden order to leave has left many retirees and remote workers homeless thousands of miles from their home countries. Some passengers have already flown out of the city, while others remain in Sihanoukville. The ship is due to refuel and depart on October 31.

Villa Vie Residences announced that it suspended operations in Cambodia while it addresses extraordinary increases in fuel costs following the Iran war. The company reported that pre-cabin month fuel expenses had risen from an average of $1,800 to an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia. The operator stated it could not pass increases of that scale on to residents, creating an unsustainable financial pressure.

Cassingham, a passenger who runs a cruise blog, described the vessel as affordable rather than luxury. He claimed the company began begging for money and did absolutely nothing to help stranded passengers. Cassingham posted a message titled Abandon Ship to document the situation.

Villa Vie insisted that it is working with residents to coordinate disembarkation and identify temporary living arrangements. The company said it recognizes the disruption for residents, crew members, and employees. It added that it is working to support those affected as plans develop.