Cruise Ship Suspends Voyage as Fuel Costs Surge, Leaving Passengers Stranded

The Odyssey is a residential cruise ship designed so that passengers can long-term lease or purchase cabins to live on board.

Its operator, Villa Vie Residences, attracted customers with slogans like "Your permanent home on the sea" and "A lifelong sanctuary."

Having set sail on a round-the-world voyage in October 2024, The Odyssey suspended operations in October, about two years later.

At the time, the cruise was carrying 203 passengers and 156 crew members.

Passengers who had pooled their entire life savings to begin their dream life at sea suddenly found themselves homeless and forced off the ship overnight.

Behind the glamorous exterior of the cruise industry lie unexpected and massive costs and risks.

What happened aboard The Odyssey, once touted as a lifelong home?

We break down the full story of the incident.

(Produced by Lee Mi-sun | Edited by Park Seo-yeon | Designed by Cho Seung-hyun | Narration by Chang Hoon-kyung | Produced by SBS Digital News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.