A passenger from the Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship has praised Cambodian hospitality and rejected portrayals of Sihanoukville as a “scam town”, saying he and his wife have felt safe and well cared for despite the vessel’s sudden suspension of operations.
Randy Cassingham, who had been living aboard the residential cruise ship with his wife, Kit, shared his account on his website, Residential Cruising, on November 2, following concerns raised by readers about their safety after disembarking in Cambodia.
His remarks came amid international media coverage of the ship’s unexpected arrival in Sihanoukville in late October, including a Financial Times report highlighting the coastal city’s reputation as a regional centre for online scams. Khaosod English subsequently shared the report on Facebook, featuring a photograph of the couple alongside Cassingham’s remark that they had expected to travel the world but had instead found themselves “stuck in scam central”.
Responding to the concerns, Cassingham said he and his wife were neither stranded nor afraid, explaining that their situation had been more complicated than media headlines suggested.
“No. That’s a term that was used often for our time in Belfast, before we sailed. We didn’t feel that way at all back then,” he wrote, adding that they were free to leave whenever they wished.
He explained that his medical condition had made travelling difficult, leaving him feeling somewhat restricted, but stressed that the couple were staying at a hotel where they were receiving good care and had access to transportation.
Asked whether he feared for their safety in Cambodia, Cassingham responded emphatically: “Absolutely not.”
“The only thing we’ve seen from the Cambodians is hospitality, politeness, care, and concern — just like in Thailand and every other country we have visited in Southeast Asia,” he wrote.
He also commended the assistance provided by Cambodian authorities, saying the Minister of Tourism had personally intervened to help passengers arrange transportation, store their luggage and organise the shipment of their belongings to Thailand or other destinations.
Cassingham further recalled a dinner hosted by the provincial governor for approximately 60 remaining passengers at a hotel near Sihanoukville’s waterfront, describing it as another demonstration of the hospitality extended to them during the disruption.
“We are fine. Exhausted, but fine,” he wrote, adding that he and his wife appreciated the treatment they had received in Cambodia.
In a separate statement accompanying the Khaosod English Facebook post, Cassingham also criticised what he described as a misleading narrative surrounding the incident, saying some Cambodian social media users had attacked him over coverage that he had not initiated.
He clarified that the Financial Times had introduced the “scam city” reference in its reporting and that he had not heard the description before a reporter raised it with him.
“For the record: ALL of the Khmer people I have met have been gracious, hospitable, kind, and helpful to us all,” he wrote.
The Villa Vie Odyssey suspended its operations after its operator cited soaring fuel costs and mounting financial pressures, forcing more than 200 residents to disembark in Sihanoukville in late October. The disruption left passengers facing uncertainty over their accommodation, travel arrangements and belongings, with some having paid substantial sums to live aboard the vessel.
