Villa Vie Odyssey: Seagoing expats’ never-ending journey comes to an abrupt end

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During the 14 months I spent sailing around the world aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey, I documented much of the journey in this space. Although I was renting a cabin for a limited time, most of my shipmates had purchased their cabins and planned to be onboard for the rest of their lives. That dream came to an end in late October when Villa Vie announced the never-ending cruise was being suspended due to financial concerns and, with only a few hours’ notice, ordered more than 200 residents off the ship in Cambodia.

I can’t say the news came as a complete shock. The company was a startup, and the ship was more than 30 years old. But, while there were always caveats, I still believed the residential cruise concept was doable, and I continued to tout its viability as an alternative for aspiring expats. The idea of making a new home outside of one’s own country, and experiencing the entire world as a bonus, seemed like a no-brainer. And, as Villa Vie pitched relentlessly early on, purchasing a cabin was an affordable option, at only a fraction of the U.S. cost of living.

So, why did it fail?

A good idea poorly executed?

The company cited war-related exorbitant fuel costs as the reason the venture is no longer sustainable. But, according to some of my former shipmates, the writing’s been on the wall for a while. Even before I left the ship one year ago, there were ongoing issues. Since then, the red flags only increased, with various shipboard cutbacks and compromises, and even corporate pleas for residents to pitch in and help with finances.

Some have opined that the concept is indeed viable, but in this case it simply lacked competent leadership. And personally, I still think of it as a great expat option, with the right decisionmakers and financial planners in place, perhaps under more experienced leadership.

Financial planning is the reason I didn’t purchase a cabin in the first place. Knowing Villa Vie was a startup and the whole residential cruise idea (for everyday people, not millionaires) had never before been pulled off, it just seemed too risky to throw in my lot without even a test drive. So, I rented a cabin for 18 months.

While stranded in Belfast during four months of delays before the inaugural launch, I knew I’d made the right decision. (And, after setting sail, I didn’t particularly care for the lifestyle. But the travel itself made it all worth it.)

Retirees stranded with no place to go

Unfortunately, many who did go all in right from the beginning are finding themselves in a terrible predicament today. The great majority of Odyssey residents were retired seniors. Many had sold their homes in order to purchase their cabins. And many who started off the bizarre journey stranded in Belfast, are now stranded in Cambodia with nowhere to go, and few options.

Moreover, the possibility of recouping their financial losses seems pretty remote.

So, will it ever happen? Is the notion of becoming an expat at sea and sailing the world for the rest of your life realistic or just a pipe dream? It looks like we’re already headed there. Since the Odyssey set sail, many cruise lines have expanded their world cruise offerings, some now lasting several months or longer. Eventually, a lifetime at sea will happen, and hopefully this debacle will serve as a learning experience for the future.

As I mentioned in some Odyssey reflections on my blog, my heart breaks for former fellow residents and friends who find themselves in such an awful predicament today. But I am also thankful for the wiser angels that whispered in my ear and convinced me not to take too big a leap early on.

My time aboard the Odyssey was magical, and I don’t regret a moment of it. But it certainly looks like I dodged a bullet. (Or, as my son said, “No, Mom, you dodged a missile.”)

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Read more from Carla here.