Cruise billed as floating home suspends global voyage over fuel costs, stranding passengers
The MV Odyssey is currently docked in Cambodia
A U.S. cruise ship on an around-the-world voyage that touted its cabins as floating homes suspended its three-year voyage in Cambodia due to fuel costs, forcing hundreds of passengers to disembark.
asserted
that → bill → passengers
The MV Odyssey set sail two years ago on a voyage to the seven continents marketed as combining long-term living at sea with global travel.
asserted
Odyssey → set → travel
Its operator had offered to "make the Odyssey your permanent home," with the purchase price of a suite for the lifetime of the vessel starting around $230,000 US, or about $323,000 Cdn.
asserted
price → offer → US
For now, it is docked at the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville on the Gulf of Thailand, with no certain departure date.
asserted
it → dock → date
The ship has been carrying 203 passengers, mostly Americans, along with 156 crew members, according to Cambodian officials.
uncertain
ship → carry → officials
It has a 650-passenger capacity.
asserted
It → have → capacity
Its Florida-based operator, Villa Vie Residences, said monthly fuel expenses per cabin that historically averaged $2,527 Cdn have reached an estimated $8,425 to $11,234 in parts of Asia due to the war in Iran.
asserted
that → base → Iran
The company said it sought to reduce fuel consumption by slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port, but was unable to offset the surging costs.
asserted
it → say → costs
The Odyssey, an around-the-world voyage that touted its cabins as floating homes, seen here in Japan in a press kit photo, has suspended its three-year voyage.
asserted
that → tout → voyage
Traffic has been curtailed in the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran war began, squeezing supplies of all kinds of petroleum-based fuels, especially in Southeast Asia, and sharply increasing prices.
"We have been unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses," Villa Vie Residences said in a statement issued Tuesday.
asserted
Residences → curtail → statement
Oil trading in triple digits, but Canadian crude selling at steeper discount
asserted
crude → sell → discount
The price of diesel is skyrocketing.
asserted
price → skyrocket → diesel
Here's why Canadians may soon feel it at the grocery store
"
uncertain
Canadians → feel → store
Passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution.
asserted
Passing → pass → residents
Our focus now is on supporting residents, crew, and employees," the company said, while it tries to restructure.
asserted
it → support → residents
"The company is working with residents to co-ordinate disembarkation and identify temporary living arrangements," it said.
asserted
it → work → arrangements
Those on the ship had hoped to sail for years to come
Passengers, however, said they received no support and had to make their own arrangements after being given seven hours notice on Tuesday to disembark.
asserted
they → hop → Tuesday
Some were devastated and expressed hope a new company could rescue the venture so life at sea can continue.
uncertain
life → devastate → sea
Paul and Lynn Montoya, a retired couple from Wyoming, said they bought a window cabin and had expected to sail for years.
asserted
they → say → years
They boarded the ship 17 months ago in Panama.
asserted
They → board → Panama
Passengers from the MV Odyssey, Paul Montoya, left, and his wife, Lynn Motoya, stand for an interview at the Independence Hotel in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, on Wednesday.
asserted
Passengers → stand → Wednesday
Paul praised the concept of residential cruising but said the shipowner lacked the expertise to make the business financially sustainable.
asserted
business → praise → expertise
While rising fuel costs had been cited publicly as the reason for the suspension, he said the company had already been struggling.
asserted
company → rise → suspension
Changes to itinerary, unreliable internet access and declining food quality had pushed many residents to leave the ship in recent months, he said.
asserted
he → decline → months
Lynn said residents were repeatedly asked to contribute additional money for fuel and other expenses, including a fresh call to raise funds for fuel to get out of Cambodia.
asserted
residents → say → Cambodia
She said the crew members were also not paid.
asserted
members → say → ?
"We were tired of every two to four weeks being asked for money for fuel, money for everything," she said.
asserted
she → ask → everything
"We had hopes but they just kept sinking further and further into the hole through mismanagement."
asserted
they → have → mismanagement
The company could not immediately be contacted for comment.
uncertain
company → contact → comment
For some, the venture was a worth risk taking
Yet for some, even the financial and logistical turmoil couldn't outweigh the extraordinary experience of travelling the world and living at sea.
Carol Larson, 69, and her sister Crystal Lavering, 72, occupied separate cabins aboard the ship for 18 months.
asserted
Larson → outweigh → months
The siblings, from California, described the suspension as heartbreaking, and hoped the cruise would be resuscitated.
asserted
cruise → describe → suspension
"I hope there is a movement for the residents to buy the ship and I am hoping that goes through because it's a dream to live on the ship and I don’t want it to end," Larson said.
asserted
Larson → hope → ship
Lavering said her health improved during her time on the ship, and that she didn’t need to use a cane to walk anymore.
asserted
she → say → cane
"You come to this ship to live … it's just sad that it’s all over."
asserted
it → come → ship
Larson bought her cabin for $168,000 Cdn, paid in installments, in addition to monthly maintenance fees, under a plan that had promised the possibility of living aboard for up to 15 years.
asserted
that → buy → years
She said she blamed U.S. President Donald Trump for the ship's woes as fuel costs spiked due to the Iran war, in addition to poor management.
asserted
costs → say → management
But she said she didn't regret her investment.
asserted
she → say → investment
"Because it was a startup company, I believe that it was a risk.
asserted
it → believe → ?
From the very first day, I said to myself that if it lasts a year, I can walk away and feel like I got my money's worth," she said.
asserted
she → say → worth
"I still feel that way.
asserted
I → feel → ?
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
