Update: Villa Vie Residences to File Chapter 11 After Odyssey Residents Left in Cambodia

October 29, 2026 — Update: Villa Vie Residences plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, its CEO said, days after the company suspended operations of the residential ship Villa Vie Odyssey and put more than 200 residents ashore in Cambodia.

What changed since our October 28 report: the Chapter 11 plan, the CEO’s fuel-cost explanation and residents’ dispute over hotel costs are new.

What’s new

CEO Mikael Petterson told CBS News that the Florida-based company will file for Chapter 11, according to Cruise Industry News. When and in which court it will file has not been announced (TBA).

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Petterson blamed fuel. He said the price climbed from about $700 per ton before the war with Iran began in late February to between $2,000 and $3,000 per ton since then. The company did not pass the higher cost on to residents. Instead it slowed the itinerary to five or six days in each port, hoping the conflict would end, and ran out of money while looking for a financial partner. “We need capitalization,” he said.

Recap and what residents are saying

• Where: More than 200 residents, most of them Americans, were taken off the ship in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, earlier this week. Operations were halted on Tuesday.
• Lodging dispute: Resident Randy Cassingham disputed the company’s statement that it was covering hotels, and said residents got no list of hotels.
• Move without notice: Cassingham said the ship sailed from Thailand to Cambodia without warning, after residents had been told it would stay in Thailand.
• Occupancy: He said the ship, with room for about 650, peaked at around 350 residents and had about 200 active at the end. About 85% of cabins were sold, but many sat empty, so monthly fees never started.
• Crew: He said crew pay had fallen behind but was brought current through September, and residents pooled cash to give $100 to each crew member at or below one stripe.
• Background: The Odyssey started its continuous world voyage in October 2024. Cabins sold for several hundred thousand dollars.
• Refunds: No refund information has been published (TBA).

What it means for travelers

• Getting residents home. Anyone helping a relative or friend get home from Sihanoukville should first check whether there is a direct route to a major hub, or whether it is easier to travel to a larger city in the region and connect there. Long-haul flights out of Southeast Asia can fill up, so book the first leg early.
• Keep the paperwork. With a Chapter 11 filing coming, anyone owed money will want receipts for cabin purchases, fees and the extra hotel and flight costs from this week. These may matter in a claim once the filing is made.
• Before you buy into a long-stay ship. This is a reminder that “cruise living” products are very different from booking a normal cruise with a major line. Check who holds your money and what happens if the company fails.

Sources

• Cruise Industry News — “Villa Vie Set to File Chapter 11 After Odyssey Residents Left in Cambodia” — cruiseindustrynews.com