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Villa Vie Residences launched its residential world cruise aboard the Odyssey in early October of 2024 from Belfast, offering passengers living quarters at sea for a monthly maintenance fee or upfront purchase price, amid delayed repairs, rudder installation issues, and a passenger lawsuit.
Repairs Cause Belfast Departure Delays and Major Itinerary Changes
- The ship’s departure from Belfast, Northern Ireland, suffered significant delays due to necessary repairs and certification problems, including a replacement rudder stock.
- The itinerary underwent major adjustments, removing planned stops in Alaska and skipping the Galápagos Islands entirely.
The Formation of Villa Vie Residences and Past Financial Records
Mikael Petterson attempted to launch a previous concept through Miray, which sued him for tortious interference and defamation before the lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed. Petterson then announced a new project named Villa Vie Residences alongside his romantic partner and colleague, Lucile Villalba, who joined as co-founder and chief executive officer. Public records revealed that both individuals had previously declared bankruptcy, with Petterson filing only a few years prior to the new venture.
The Odyssey was marketed as the first truly affordable residential world cruise. In March 2024, one couple secured a cabin for $179,000. The agreement included a $6,000 monthly maintenance fee guaranteed to hold steady in perpetuity, covering three daily meals, housekeeping, laundry services, basic medical attention, and wine or beer at every meal. Buyers who paid higher upfront costs owed no monthly fee. Petterson told Fox Business that there were no surprise costs going forward.
A former employee stated that Petterson was a skilled public speaker whose business plan appeared to be a guesstimate. The employee worried the founders were winging a multimillion-dollar project by relying entirely on fully sold-out cabins to sustain operations. Despite these internal concerns, the company acquired and retrofitted a 485-cabin vessel constructed in 1993.
Passengers Face Delays in Belfast as Workers Install Rudder Incorrectly
The Odyssey was scheduled to set sail in May 2024 from Belfast with a partially filled passenger roster. Claude Sadovsky, a retired emergency-medicine physician from Illinois, travelled to the area after receiving a refund on a previous deposit with Life at Sea and paying $100,000 for an interior cabin on the Odyssey. Residents quickly discovered that departure would be delayed for repairs and certification issues.
More than 200 passengers aboard Villa Vie Residences’ MV Odyssey were forced to leave their floating home in Cambodia after the company suspended operations amid soaring fuel costs linked to the war in Iran. The ship had been on a yearslong around-the-world voyage since October… pic.twitter.com/ErEVXHkz1A
The ship required a new rudder stock, a vertical metal shaft that assists with steering. When the part arrived, staff members attempted to install it horizontally until an outside expert corrected the procedure. Another incoming passenger, Jenny Phenix, voiced complaints regarding the setbacks within a WhatsApp group, prompting Villa Vie to cancel her cabin contract. Phenix subsequently filed a lawsuit against the company in U.S. district court.
Life Aboard the Retrofitted Vessel and Itinerary Changes
The Odyssey finally departed in early October 2024. Life on board differed from conventional cruises, featuring resident-led PowerPoint presentations, including lectures on nature versus nurture by a retired forensic psychologist and resuscitation by a retired coroner. The furnishings remained simple, and the swimming pool frequently closed for maintenance. The food featured a rotating, repeating menu rather than decadent dining options.
The itinerary shifted constantly, with Villa Vie eliminating about half of the planned stops in Alaska to spend ten days sailing back and forth along the coast. The Galápagos Islands were omitted because regulations prohibit ships carrying more than a hundred people from stopping there. Despite these alterations, Sadovsky enjoyed meeting fellow travelers and seeing the world. He eventually concluded that he would gladly pay twice his $2,500 monthly rate, though he remained concerned about how the company could guarantee that monthly fees would never rise.
Toni Trombecky and her husband retired from federal government jobs and moved to Las Vegas thirteen years prior. Finding long recovery times from flights difficult as they aged, they read about the Odyssey online, noting that the entire neighborhood travels with you without the need to pack bags. The couple purchased a 15-year contract for a porthole cabin for $150,000 and boarded the ship in Australia in January 2026. After eight weeks, they paid an additional $20,000 to upgrade to a large-window cabin. Although the room measured 140 square feet, Trombecky utilized the ship’s two restaurants as her dining room and the library as her living room, participating in onboard exercise classes and games while adding her own wallpaper, furniture, and tile to the space.
The MV Odyssey, a luxury "never-ending" residential cruise ship operated by Florida-based Villa Vie Residences, has officially departed Cambodia with only crew members on board, leaving approximately 200 passengers stranded behind. #News
