'Cruise for life' ship seized in Singapore

ByKelly Ng Reporting fromSingapore.

Key points

• Permanent residencies in its cabins ranged from $120, 000 (£89, 272) to $440, 000.
• The Odyssey was meant to go on a three-and-a-half-years voyage covering 150 countries.
• "For roughly the price of a car, you can own your home on a ship that travels the world, " its founder Mikael Petterson had earlier remarked.
• A round-the-world cruise that left passengers stranded in Cambodia after its US-based operator ran out of funds has been seized in Singapore.
• The crew onboard are documented to be well, Singapore's port authority stated.

In practice, a round-the-world cruise that left passengers stranded in Cambodia after its US-based operator ran out of funds has been seized in Singapore.

Meanwhile, the Odyssey, which set off from Belfast in October 2024 and was meant to take guests on a years-long voyage worldwide, is now anchored in Singapore port waters, local authorities say.

After its owner Villa Vie Residences abruptly suspended operations citing "extraordinary increases in fuel costs", around 200 guests were forced to leave the ship last month in the Cambodian port city of Sihanoukville.

For context, the crew onboard are documented to be well, Singapore's port authority stated.

"Arrangements for their welfare and wellbeing are being managed by the vessel's creditors, " the authority remarked, adding that the vessel had been "placed under arrest pursuant to a court order".

Singapore law firm Helmsman LLC has been named the "arresting solicitor", but it is not clear which party it represents.

For context, the Odyssey was meant to go on a three-and-a-half-years voyage covering 150 countries.

Passengers were given the options of buying their cabin outright. It allows them to stay onboard beyond its initial voyage, paying for a five-year residency, or renting a cabin for days-long tours.

Permanent residencies in its cabins ranged from $120, 000 (£89, 272) to $440, 000. Those cabins were additionally available for rent from $3, 500 a month, according to its website.

Nevertheless the cruise was beset with difficulties from the start, with its departure delayed for four months since of repairs and paperwork.

While in Vietnam, crew members reportedly purchased food from local grocery stores as the firm owed capital to a vendor who refused to deliver food, according to CBS News, the BBC's partner in the US.

According to CBS additionally, the operator cautioned passengers of its financial troubles in August, when it had sailed on a separate occasion into Singapore, and had to raise capital from guests to keep the cruise going. It had additionally mentioned the risk of being detained then.

Holly Hennessey, one of the ship's passengers, had earlier informed the BBC guests were asked to consider paying a fuel surcharge as costs soared, and that their itinerary had been "severely curtailed".

In practice, the vessel sailed again into Singapore earlier this month, weeks after the cruise came to a sudden end while in Cambodia.

As the Iran war sent fuel rates soaring earlier this year, monthly fuel cost per cabin in parts of Asia had risen to as much as $8, 000 from $1, 800, Villa Vie Residences stated in an official note on 27 October.

It continued that it had taken "significant steps to reduce fuel consumption" but those measures turned out to be insufficient to offset the "extraordinary increase in fuel costs".

For context, the firm additionally noted it was working with residents to "identify temporary living arrangements" while in Cambodia.

Taken together, the developments around ' Cruise for life' ship seized in Singapore point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.