'Cruise for life' ship is seized in Singapore in latest blow to doomed voyage after passengers kicked off

Published: 06:14 EST, 10 November 2026 | Updated: 06:14 EST, 10 November 2026 The Villa Vie Odyssey ship, which promised passengers a 'never-ending' cruise around the world, has been seized in Singapore after its 200 passengers were kicked off in Cambodia last month.The passengers had paid tens of thousands of dollars to live aboard the ship for years, but owners abruptly halted the voyage in the port city of Sihanoukville, blaming soaring fuel prices linked to the Iran war.The Odyssey left Cambodia last week and is now anchored in Singapore, where it has been 'placed under arrest pursuant to a court order', the country's port authority said.Singapore law firm Helmsman LLC has been named as the 'arresting solicitor', although it is not known who the firm represents. Villa Vie Odyssey called off its 'never ending' cruise last month in Cambodia The vessel has now been arrested in Singapore by port authoritiesConcerns were previously raised about the crew and workers previously alleged they were being held 'hostage' on the ship when it was docked in Cambodia. But authorities in Singapore have reportedly assured they are well and, 'Arrangements for their welfare and wellbeing are being managed by the vessel's creditors.'Villa Vie Odyssey had spent 750 days at sea before the company terminated the voyage.After making the ship their home, some passengers have struggled with packing up all of their belongings for good.'There are still many things on the ship that I wish I could take with me,' said Shirine Thomas, from North Carolina, shortly after collecting some final items. It comes after a resident-led initiative called Sagar Capital that was attempting to buy the Odyssey has failed, according to a letter posted online. The statement, addressed to 'our fellow Odyssey residents', explained how 'Sagar Capital has ended its effort to lead residents in purchasing and operating the Odyssey.'It outlined the group had tried to negotiate 'with the ship's lender for two months and could not reach terms'. The 'arresting solicitor' has been named as Singapore law firm Helmsman LLC 'We understand the lender, with Columbia Ship Management, has now taken control of the ship and intends to sell it at auction,' the letter continues. It also reveals how there was 'more debt than we expected' and a 'review found substantially more debt than we had anticipated'. The letter goes on to highlight other issues such as 'legal exposure', 'the cost of bankruptcy' and 'the risk to your savings'.According to the statement, 169 passengers had pledged to help the cause, but it still wasn't enough to cover the costs. Control of Villa Vie Odyssey had been passed to its lender, according to a message recently sent to residents and reported by CBS News. 'This is a 30- to 90-day process, and, during that process, we have time to get a restructure done,' Mike Petterson, the company's founder and executive chairman, told the publication at the time. 'They have now the responsibility to pay the crew, fuel and the operations of the vessel and safekeeping of the vessel. 'They would be willing to work with a funded plan – they're not out of negotiations – it's not like you get your car repossessed and you can't get it back.' The Daily Mail has approached Villa Vie for comment.