Synopsis: After an abrupt end to life aboard the ‘Villa Vie Odyssey’, an American passenger is extending her stay in Cambodia after receiving an unexpectedly warm welcome and assistance at a time of crisis.

After spending more than two years living aboard the Villa Vie Odyssey, 71-year-old American retiree Sherrie Cornett found her voyage abruptly ended in Cambodia last week.

Within hours of being told to leave the ship, Cornett joined fellow passengers in Sihanoukville, uncertain about what lay ahead.

But instead of more uncertainty and anxiety, she found unexpected refuge in an unfamiliar nation.

“I don’t think there’s any other place on the earth, on this planet, that would have welcomed us in the way that the Khmer people and the Cambodian government have,” she said on Wednesday.

“I can’t imagine getting this sort of assistance and care – I can’t imagine getting it anywhere else in the world, including back home in the United States.

‘Odyssey’ passengers land in Sihanoukville after the cruise ship runs out of fuel on October 23. Sihanoukville Autonomous Port

“So for that, I am truly grateful. I am honoured to be received in such a way. It was a blessing to be here.”

That welcome persuaded Cornett and two friends to extend their stay, explore Cambodia and support local businesses as a gesture of gratitude.

The Villa Vie Odyssey, operated by Florida-based Villa Vie Residences, arrived at Sihanoukville Autonomous Port on October 23 carrying 203 passengers and 156 crew members.

Unlike conventional cruises, the vessel offered residential voyages, allowing travellers to make it their home while visiting destinations around the world.

Cornett, who retired from Nestlé in 2021, joined the ship in Belfast in September 2024. She committed $162,000 to a three-and-a-half-year journey.

Trouble had already begun to disrupt the itinerary. Cornett recalled cancelled port calls and the ship slowing to conserve fuel.

On October 27, Villa Vie Residences announced it was suspending operations, citing financial pressure and rising fuel costs. The company said monthly fuel expenses per cabin increased from about $1,800 to as much as $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia.

Cornett said passengers had to disembark by 2pm, leaving little time to arrange accommodation, transport or storage for belongings.

“If you can imagine 203 people being shuttled into the city of Sihanoukville and dropped literally at the Independence Monument Square, and from there we were on our own,” she said.

Some elderly passengers had given up homes to live aboard. The sudden disruption left them wondering where they would go next.

Yet Cornett said the anxiety of those first hours eased when local people offered help.

“From the moment we arrived at the hotels, it was very clear that the people were opening their hearts to us and doing everything they could to make it easy,” she said.

As passengers settled into hotels, Cambodian authorities began coordinating support. Tourism Minister Huot Hak visited the vessel on October 29, while officials worked with provincial authorities, immigration officials and businesses on accommodation, transport and sightseeing arrangements.

Cornett said the minister personally greeted passengers and encouraged the community to assist them.

“He was there, and he was spending hours, and he was personally greeting people, personally getting the word out to the community about our situation and to please offer assistance and to help guide us,” she said.

Some moments she remembered came from hotel employees. Staff approached passengers to ask what they needed. The hotel’s operations manager assured them help was available.

Within a week, Cornett said, those interactions grew into friendships, with guests and employees greeting one another with hugs.

Another gesture came on October 31, when a solidarity dinner at New Beach in Sihanoukville reunited passengers scattered across different hotels. They had spent years sharing meals, journeys and friendships aboard the Odyssey.

Cornett estimated that at least 80 passengers attended. Recalling the evening, she became emotional.

“To give us the opportunity to reconnect one more time was so special,” she said.

For passengers trying to decide what their lives would look like without the ship, the reunion offered comfort.

“They have made it so easy for us to have the space and the time to figure out: what are we going to do next?” Cornett said.

“And that’s what we needed. We needed a place to land.”

Prime Minister Hun Manet defended Cambodia’s decision to welcome the passengers yesterday.

Speaking during a ceremony distributing assistance to flood-affected families in Pursat province, Mr Hun Manet urged critics to consider the elderly people whose plans had collapsed.

“These are someone’s mothers and fathers,” he said, describing passengers who had sold homes and invested substantial sums to pursue travel dreams.

He asked what would have happened if Cambodia refused to let more than 200 people come ashore.

“Economic matters and other problems are separate issues, but 200 people are facing hardship,” he said.

Cambodia had the sovereign right to refuse entry, he said, but chose to help instead.

“We chose humanity and responsibility. We are all human beings.”

Mr Hun Manet connected the decision to Cambodia’s history of war and displacement, recalling how Cambodian refugees once found shelter in countries including the United States, Canada and Australia.

He questioned why Cambodia should turn away people in difficulty when its citizens had previously depended on the kindness of others.

“We are not a wealthy country, but when people face hardship, we help them. We find solutions,” he said.

For Cornett, the assistance offered without expecting anything in return inspired a response: she wanted to give something back.

Rather than leave immediately, Cornett and two friends extended their stay by a week to recover from shock and consider next steps.

“We were made to feel so welcome, and we felt so safe, and the people were so caring,” she said.