This as-told-to essay is based on several conversations with Joel Greiff, 57, a Villa Vie Odyssey passenger from Florida. It has been edited for length and clarity. Villa Vie Residences and its founders, Mikael Petterson and Kathy Villalba, did not immediately respond to a request from Business Insider.
I planned to live on the Odyssey for 10, 20, or even more years. I don’t think that will be happening now.
Still, unlike others, I am celebrating the time I was able to enjoy on the Odyssey, which was 26 days before Villa Vie suspended operations on Tuesday and we had to disembark in Cambodia.
I thought I had found my new home
In April 2024, I read an article about the Odyssey. I called a sales agent at the company and asked a bunch of questions.
The following May, I stayed on the Odyssey for four days. Within five minutes of boarding, I concluded that this was my new home, these were my new neighbors, and this would be my future.
What drew me in was that it would be a place where I could come, live, and be part of a community. I was following residents on Facebook and reached out to a couple of them individually. I asked whether they were happy with their decisions, and they said yes.
In August this year, I left my home in Florida. I spent a couple of months driving around the US, visiting friends and family, and saying my goodbyes. Then, in September, I flew to Bangkok and moved onto the ship on October 1.
Courtesy of Joel Greiff
I introduced ‘Fantastic Joel’ — that’s what I go by — to many people on a ship. Most enjoyed meeting me. I’m sure a few didn’t. There was always something going on, and people were really nice to each other. There were arts-and-crafts, plays, karaoke, and Seder dinners for Jewish residents.
I tried to put myself out there, meet a lot of different people, and say hi. There was always a good community having a good time. I absolutely fell in love with the crew. They deserve all the accolades and respect.
It was clear that things had changed
Compared with my visit in May 2025, it was clear to me that services and amenities had deteriorated by the time I moved aboard in October. Laundry was being done less frequently. Before going to Angkor Wat, I had to do my own laundry. The itinerary kept changing, and we sometimes sat at sea for days. Personally, I was fine with it.
Circle, Villa Vie’s communication platform, was how the CEO and residents communicated. It’s also how we got internal notices about the itinerary changes, visa applications, and other ship business.
Read more of our reporting on Villa Vie’s Odyssey
On Sunday, we were told on Circle that if the company didn’t receive money by Tuesday, the ship would not continue sailing. On Monday, we were told again that without money, the voyage would stop.
On Tuesday morning, I was at the bus station, coming back from a trip to Angkor Wat, charging my phone and waiting to get the shuttle back to the ship. The message came through on Circle telling us to disembark. It was about 7 a.m., and we had to be out by 2 p.m.
Before I arrived in Asia, I had fit everything I owned into four checked suitcases and two carry-on bags. I was able to repack within an hour. For people who had lived on the Odyssey for two years and had a home’s worth of belongings, it was much harder.
I went somewhere quiet, then returned to help
After we disembarked, I went to Kampot, a small town in Cambodia, because I wanted to be somewhere peaceful. People had said it was relaxing.
Sihanoukville, where the ship was, felt like the opposite: a big, noisy place full of casinos and high-rises. I saw staff still working and residents who were discombobulated. I thought, ‘I’ve got to get out of this craziness.’
Courtesy of Joel Greiff
For now, I’ve rented an affordable two-bedroom apartment for a month, about three hours away from Sihanoukville, where the ship is. I’ve been going back to the ship to help my fellow residents with their luggage, finding places to stay, and getting their belongings off the ship.
The residents are all coming together and helping each other out. Somebody says, “Do you have a suitcase?” and somebody says, “Yes, I have one spare.”
I may never get my money back
I paid a lot for a 26-day stay on the Odyssey. Most likely I will never see it again. To me, if I lose the money, I don’t need it. I don’t care.
After all, the most important things in life are great friends and family, traveling the world, creating adventures, learning new things and, most importantly, helping others.
If the ship somehow finds a way to become a viable business, I would get back on it. If not, I’ll explore living in Chiang Mai, Thailand. That was already my Plan B when I left Florida.
Have you spent any time on the Villa Vie Odyssey as a cabin owner, renter, or staff member? If you have a story to share, get in touch with this reporter: jzitser@businessinsider.com.
