Authorities in Singapore have seized a cruise ship operated by US-based Villa Vie Residences after financial difficulties forced it to abruptly terminate its round-the-world voyage, leaving about 200 passengers stranded in Cambodia.
The vessel, Odyssey, is currently anchored in Singapore port waters following a court order, according to the country’s port authority.
The seizure comes weeks after passengers were compelled to disembark at Sihanoukville, Cambodia, when the operator suspended its services over rising fuel expenses.
The Singapore port authority said the crew members aboard the ship were safe, adding that “Arrangements for their welfare and wellbeing are being managed by the vessel’s creditors.”
It also confirmed that the vessel had been “placed under arrest pursuant to a court order”.
A Singapore-based law firm, Helmsman LLC, has been identified as the solicitor responsible for the arrest, although the party it represents remains unclear.
Odyssey departed Belfast in October 2024 for a planned three-and-a-half-year journey covering 150 countries.
The cruise offered passengers different accommodation arrangements, including outright cabin purchases, five-year residency packages and short-term rentals.
Cabin ownership prices ranged between $120,000 and $440,000, while monthly rentals started at $3,500.
The company’s founder, Mikael Petterson, had previously promoted the arrangement, saying, “For roughly the price of a car, you can own your home on a ship that travels the world”.
However, the voyage encountered several setbacks, including a four-month delay before departure due to repairs and documentation issues.
The company also reportedly struggled to meet its financial obligations to suppliers.
During a stop in Vietnam, crew members were said to have purchased food from local grocery shops after a vendor refused to supply provisions over unpaid debts, according to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.
The operator had also reportedly alerted passengers to its financial challenges in August, when the ship made a separate visit to Singapore.
According to CBS News, passengers were asked to contribute funds to sustain the voyage, while the possibility of the vessel being detained was also raised.
One passenger, Holly Hennessey, had earlier told the BBC that guests were asked to consider paying an additional fuel surcharge as costs increased, while the ship’s itinerary had been “severely curtailed”.
The vessel returned to Singapore earlier this month following the abrupt suspension of the cruise in Cambodia.
Villa Vie Residences attributed its financial difficulties to the surge in fuel prices triggered by the Iran war, saying monthly fuel expenses per cabin in some parts of Asia had climbed to as much as $8,000 from $1,800.
In a statement issued on October 27, the company said it had taken “significant steps to reduce fuel consumption” but that the measures were insufficient to counter the “extraordinary increase in fuel costs”.
The operator also said it was working with residents to “identify temporary living arrangements” while they remained in Cambodia.
