Cruise ship stuck in Cambodia now controlled by lender, affecting San Jose residents

CBS News Bay Area reported that the Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship, which remains stuck in Cambodia, is now under the control of its lender. This development affects residents from San Jose who are aboard the ship.

According to messages obtained by CBS News, the lender has taken over operational costs including crew pay, fuel, and safekeeping of the vessel. Residents were given only a weekend to remove their belongings before the ship became inaccessible.

The ship is expected to be moved from Cambodia to Singapore, where it could potentially be auctioned off. However, company leadership remains optimistic about regaining control if they find an operational partner, describing the process as taking 30 to 90 days.

An effort by a group of residents, including 169 who pledged additional funds, to buy the ship failed due to a lender denying them funding. Internal communications showed the ship had been in financial distress for at least three months before arriving in Cambodia.

The message to residents emphasized that no sale has been scheduled and that there is still time to bring forward a viable plan to keep the ship operational.