Stranded Cruise Ship Leaves Cambodia With No Passengers
The MV Odyssey departed Cambodia late Tuesday with no passengers, Cambodian officials said. Owner Villa Vie Residences had ended its around-the-world voyage last week, citing fuel costs.
- 203 passengers were told Oct. 28 to leave within hours.
- Nearly 100 passengers remain in Sihanoukville; most passengers were Americans.
- $1,800 monthly fuel cost per cabin rose to $6,000-$8,000, the company said.
- 169 passengers backed a resident buyout bid that has now collapsed.
Why it matters: Residents paid large sums to live aboard for years, and the ship is now under its lender's control. A resident group said its review found substantially more debt than expected.
- Villa Vie blames fuel prices tied to the Iran war and Hormuz disruptions.
- Internal documents show financial distress for at least three months before Cambodia.
How 7 sources split on this story
Where they split: Coverage differs on emphasis: whether the collapse stems mainly from war-driven fuel costs or from the company's longer-running finances and debt.
Center coverage, 4 sources: The center presents the departure as a straight wire report on stranded passengers and fuel-cost pressures.
Left coverage, 2 sources: The left focuses on the company abruptly forcing passengers off and documents showing months of financial distress.
Right coverage, 1 sources: The right centers on residents' failed attempt to buy the ship and the unexpected debt it uncovered.
What’s next: Sources told CBS News the ship is headed to Singapore and could be auctioned.
- Founder Mike Petterson called it a 30- to 90-day process with time to restructure.
- Will residents recover any of the money they paid for cabins?
- Can Villa Vie find a funded partner to regain the ship before an auction?
