The trip was planned to last three-and-a-half years and cover nearly 150 countries.However, its departure was delayed by repair work, leaving passengers stuck in Belfast for months and costing the company millions of pounds, according to BBC.The ship had been more than 750 days into its world voyage when it announced on Tuesday that the journey was being suspended, leaving passengers stranded in Cambodia.The ship was marketed as a way to combine long-term living at sea with global travel. Its operator offered passengers the chance to “make the Odyssey your permanent home”, with lifetime suites starting at around $230,000.Captain Emanuele Giudice of the Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship and Cambodia's Minister of Tourism Huot Hak disembark the vessel, which is docked at Sihanoukville Autonomous Port after permanent residents living aboard the vessel were forced to disembark in Cambodia. (REUTERS)‘We were heartbroken,’ say passengers aboard the shipThose on the ship had hoped to sail for years to come.Passengers Lanette Canen and Johan Bodin told the BBC they were informed by Villa Vie Residences' chief executive at 6am on Tuesday that they had to leave the ship by 2pm.The couple said passengers had been aware of the company's financial troubles for some time.

A potential investor had visited the ship to conduct due diligence, but the deal ultimately fell through.“Even then, we were still hoping a miracle investor would come through,” they said. “Although there were signs that this would happen, we still felt disbelief when it became real. We were heartbroken.

It felt like our dream had been crushed.”“There have been a lot of hugs and tears as residents support one another and process what has happened,” they added.A passenger, center, from a U.S. cruise ship, the MV Odyssey, docked at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, returns aboard the ship in Sihanoukville, southern Cambodia, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)Another passenger, Holly Hennessey, said passengers had earlier been asked to consider paying an additional fuel surcharge as global prices rose.

She added that the ship's itinerary had also been “severely curtailed”, according to BBC.Some passengers were forced to leave cabins they had purchased for long-term living. Carol Larson, 69, had lived on the ship for 18 months with her sister, Crystal Lavering, 72, she told the Associated Press.

Larson, who is from California, said she hoped the journey could still be salvaged, as living at sea had improved her health.Larson told the outlet that she had bought her cabin for $120,000, paying in installments, along with additional monthly maintenance fees. The programme offered her the option of living aboard the ship for up to 15 years, according to The Guardian.Larson blamed Donald Trump for the war on Iran, which had driven up fuel costs and contributed to the suspension.

Despite the problems, she said she did not regret her investment.Cambodia's Minister of Tourism Huot Hak (R) presents a scarf to a passenger of the Villa Vie Residences' cruise ship Odyssey at a hotel in Sihanoukville, Preah Sihanouk province on October 29, 2026. (AFP)“Because it was a startup company, I believe that it was a risk,” she said. “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 … I still feel that way. I feel blessed to have been part of the experiment of residential cruising.”In 2024, days after Donald Trump won a second term as US president, Villa Vie Residences announced a four-year “Skip Forward” package.The company’s CEO told Fox Business at the time that it was the “perfect product for those who said they’d leave the country if ‘XYZ’ wins the election”.(With inputs from BBC, AP, Guardian)Karishma Ayaldasani is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, based in New Delhi, where she works with the digital team on fast-moving breaking stories from India and around the world.

She enjoys covering national and global news, focusing on delivering updates quickly and clearly so readers can make sense of what’s happening as it unfolds. Comfortable in high-pressure newsroom settings, she regularly contributes to live blogs, explainers and real-time coverage.

Before joining Hindustan Times, she was part of the digital team at The Indian Express, worked with the social media team at Firstpost, and spent time as a creative strategist at Clematis Advertising. Outside of work, she likes exploring different art forms and unwinds with music.

With over three years of experience in fast-paced newsrooms, she brings curiosity, clarity and consistency to her work.Read MoreCruise ShipGet the latest World News, breaking headlines and global updates from the US, UK, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia and other countries. Follow major international events on Hindustan Times.