Residential Cruise Odyssey Stalls in Singapore as Fuel Funds Run Low
Passengers on the Villa Vie Residences vessel faced a million-dollar funding gap and halted internet access during an unexpected stopover this year.
By Jasmine Carter ·
Residents of the Odyssey, a residential cruise ship operated by Villa Vie Residences, halted their voyage in Singapore this summer when the company asked them for emergency funding.
On August 1, 2026, the ship sat in port while co-founder Kathy Villalba contacted passengers via video call from Florida. She requested more than $1 million to purchase fuel, a sum that translated to thousands of dollars per person.
Passengers on the ship reacted with boos. The vessel's internet service was shut down during the dispute, and the status of crew salaries remained unclear to those on board.
Starr Davis, a Florida retiree who lives aboard the Odyssey, told reporters the ship was sailing by the time of our recent phone call. She described her experience as a retirement hack that allows for inexpensive medical care in East Asia. However, she noted she was temporarily leaving the vessel for land tours.
An anonymous source, who claimed to have been harassed by a co-founder on social media, warned that positive media coverage might mislead readers about the company's financial stability. This person stated that a small group of enthusiastic residents often dominates media narratives, creating a skewed public perception.
Villa Vie Residences, led by co-founders Mikael Petterson and Kathy Villalba, launched the Odyssey in early October 2024. The ship offers 485 cabins and was marketed as the first affordable residential world cruise. Initial interior cabins cost $90,000, while suites approached $1 million. Most residents pay a monthly maintenance fee of $6,000 for meals, housekeeping, and basic medical care.
The project originated from a failed venture called Life at Sea, which Petterson developed with Turkish company Miray Cruises in 2022. That deal collapsed before departure after a dispute over where customer deposits would be held. Petterson and Villalba subsequently formed Villa Vie to launch the new ship.
Passengers on the Odyssey have faced delays since the ship's launch. The vessel originally planned to depart Belfast in May 2024 but was delayed by certification issues and a faulty rudder stock installation. An expert later questioned the crew's attempt to fit the rudder horizontally rather than vertically.
Claude Sadovsky, a retired emergency medicine physician from Illinois, paid $100,000 for an interior cabin. He reported that the itinerary changed frequently, with half of the planned Alaska stops canceled. He said the rotating menu often repeated and the pool was frequently closed for maintenance, yet he valued the social aspect of the trip.
Toni Trombecky, a resident who left the ship after the Singapore incident, said she signed a nondisclosure agreement, or NDA, like many other passengers. She noted that only a few residents who did not sign the agreement were willing to speak publicly about the company's operations.
Wade Rand, another former resident, said his inquiries caused a stir on board. He stated that residents were told anyone talking to journalists would incur severe wrath. He added that visiting the ship may now require going undercover because passengers know who the reporters are.
The company faces ongoing legal and financial scrutiny. Jenny Phenix, who had her cabin contract cancelled, is currently suing Villa Vie in U.S. district court. Public records indicate both Petterson and Villalba declared bankruptcy in the past, with Petterson's filing occurring just a few years before the Odyssey launched.
