Passengers on board a $120,000 (£90,000) 'endless cruise' have reportedly been told to pack their things and disembark due to a fuel shortage.
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Passengers → tell → shortage
Guests on residential ship Villa Vie Odyssey off the coast of Cambodia have been informed they must leave the ship, as it has suspended operations.
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it → inform → operations
Early in the morning, chief executive Kathy Villalba wrote to guests on the ship's internal messaging system to explain they had hours to pack up their things.
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they → write → things
An announcement on the internal messaging board yesterday, according to Residential Cruising, said: 'Unfortunately, we were unable to secure the fuel necessary to continue operations.
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we → accord → operations
As a result, the Odyssey will enter a temporary layup this afternoon, with crew remaining onboard to maintain the vessel and its essential systems.
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crew → enter → vessel
All residents must disembark by 2pm today.
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residents → disembark → 2
For those who are unable to collect all their belongings before disembarking, please coordinate with Guest Services to arrange an orderly return using the shuttles.
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who → collect → shuttles
Fuel costs have risen sharply in the regions where the company has been operating due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
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company → rise → conflict
On an equivalent per-cabin basis, monthly fuel expenses that historically averaged approximately $1,800 (£1,350) recently reached an estimated $6,000 (£4,500) to $8,000 (£6,000) in parts of Asia.
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that → average → Asia
Villa Vie Odyssey is a residential cruise with full-time passengers
The company cannot pass increases of that scale on to residents, and the resulting shortfall has placed its current operating model under unsustainable financial pressure.
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shortfall → pass → pressure
The cruise line is working with residents to coordinate disembarkation and identify temporary living arrangements.
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line → work → arrangements
A statement from Villa Vie Residences says: 'Since the conflict began in late February, we have taken significant steps to reduce fuel consumption, including slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port.
'
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we → say → port
Those measures have not been enough to offset the extraordinary increase in fuel costs, and we have been unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses.
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we → offset → losses
Passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution.
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Passing → pass → residents
'Our focus now is on supporting residents, crew, and employees while we work toward restructuring and recapitalisation over the next 60 days.
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we → support → days
That work is ongoing, and no outcome is assured.
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outcome → assure → ?
Randy Cassingham, a full-time Odyssey resident, wrote on his blog Residential Cruising: 'We have heard that command, delivered by the Captain, over the loudspeakers countless times.
'
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We → write → loudspeakers
We heard it many times as a part of the weekly crew drills.
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We → hear → drills
It follows a chaotic launch for the Villa Vie Residences Odyssey in 2024, which was scheduled for a May departure - but ended up being delayed for months.
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which → follow → months
It eventually left almost five months later than planned, following numerous delays and last-minute repairs.
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It → leave → delays
The ship, built in 1993, has sailed for several different cruise lines, including Cunard (as Crown Dynasty) and, most recently, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines as Braemar.
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ship → build → Braemar
Guests paid between $99,999 and $899,000 for the multi-year cruise.
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Guests → pay → cruise
Critics have jumped in, with one writing on CruiseCritic: 'As someone who has followed Odyssey with great interest since Belfast, and enjoyed the regular YouTube videos from some of the residents, I feel terribly sad about it all and wish those who are affected the very best.'
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who → jump → best
They added: 'If that is correct, I can’t even begin to imagine the trauma for those who ‘sold up’ on land and put everything that they had into this venture.
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they → add → venture
'Could they lose absolutely everything?
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they → lose → everything
I sincerely hope not, but fear that they might.
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they → hope → ?
Many are elderly and have been offloaded in Cambodia with total uncertainty.
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Many → offload → uncertainty
The cruise line announced this summer that it would be launching a second residential cruise ship.
Villa Vie Residences will launch Legacy in 2029.
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Residences → announce → 2029
It is expected to have larger living quarters than the existing ship.
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It → expect → ship
Plus, it will boast dining venues, larger public spaces, enhanced wellness facilities and luxury amenities, according to The Independent.
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it → boast → Independent
The Aporia
