Passengers say abandoned 'never-ending' cruise was set up to fail

Passengers aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey say an “endless” round-the-world cruise was effectively set up to fail after the ship’s abrupt end in Cambodia last week. After roughly 750 days at sea, residents were told to abandon ship as the company pointed to soaring fuel prices amid mounting financial problems. The voyage had been marketed with more than 400 port calls over three-and-a-half years, covering South Asia, India, Africa, the Mediterranean and Europe, with a “live on board” pitch. The 195-metre ship was delayed from its original schedule after repairs in Belfast in 2024, and only about 200 of its capacity for 650 remained by the time of disembarkation. The article contrasts Villa Vie’s pricing promises with alternatives like The World and MV Narrative.