Odyssey Lifetime Cruise Ship On The Rocks

In recent news we are hearing about the lives of over 200 people on the Odyssey Cruise Ship suddenly being on the rocks. Luckily the ship itself did not hit the rocks, or sink, but financially they did sink, and left multiple people stranded in Cambodia with their belongings and broken dreams.

The ship sold cabins, or more realistically leased cabins ranging from 130 square feet with virtual windows, to the 675 square foot luxury size balcony suites. The price range was between $120K – 900K for lifetime ownership.

It sounds like many people mistook a lifetime ownership to be for their own lifetimes, not the lifespan of a ship. But here is the kicker. The ship was already 30-31 years old, with a lifespan of 40 years. What were those people thinking? In fact as more reports are coming out, the ship was closer to 35 years old, and rotten to the core. 

Not only that, but almost all cruise ships were stranded during covid, so that should tell most people it is not a reliable long term living situation, as it is subject to the whims of nature, weather, viruses, wars, and fiscal mismanagement. Some are calling it brazen fraud. 

The monthly living costs ranged from $2500 – $9500. The ship has a 2500 square foot gym, three restaurants, and eight bars with a total of 485 cabins. They also claimed to cover basic medical costs.

But surely the people would have understood what that meant. It meant basic first aid. A cruise ship does not have any diagnostic equipment, or an operating room, or specialists, a trauma unit, a cardiac unit etc. They might have a portable X-Ray machine as long as they have a technician who knows how to operate it. They would not even be able to do basic blood work because that requires a lab, and lab techs. 

People in their seventies and eighties might need more than basic first aid if they have a medical problem. The most common emergencies in that age group are heart attacks, and strokes. Not exactly something with a band-aid solution. 

Any mediocre to serious medical condition would require a medical evacuation, which would likely be the financial responsibility of the individual or their insurance provider, and could be very expensive. I cannot even imagine the fine print on the insurance documents for the people on that ship, especially those with prior medical conditions. 

The medical expenses would depend on where they happened to be located, and how they were going to get the person off the ship. If the ship is moving they cannot land a helicopter, so apparently they hover, and winch the person up using a basket. One would think the evacuation factor alone would be a huge deterrent to seniors, retired people, or anyone with a medical condition. 

As far as the monthly expenses averaging $5K a month for a single person with claims it is all inclusive, covers meals, fitness, Internet etc. Food for a single person is a few hundred dollars a month. A fitness membership and Internet adds around $150. Heating a 150 square foot room does not cost much either.

Of course the higher costs are for service, staff, and most of all – fuel to get you places. Given the high cost of fuel, as well as the instability of the market, it would not make sense to embark on such a venture, unless you could afford to keep your home, and have enough wealth to lose the money you invested in the cabin.

But most wealthy people would not want to lose such a large sum on a sketchy adventure either. In fact, they would probably be the least likely to buy into it because they have the ability to do the math. Renting a tiny room on a ship that is in the final years of its lifespan, is not too attractive. At the end of that time frame, what is your investment worth? Nothing. A pile of rubble. Maybe parts for some other venture. 

It would appeal to people who have a romanticized dream of living on a cruise ship. But what gets me is 130 square foot cabin with virtual windows. You might as well stay home, get yourself a giant flatscreen TV, and travel the world in a virtual reality from your own couch.

That way, if you wanted to shut it off, or change the channel, get in your car, and go somewhere, you have that option. 

Imagine living on a small remote island? Yes it is probably very beautiful. But the practical aspects of building, maintenance, barging things in, higher cost of living, groceries, travel etc. has to be factored in. 

More importantly, you would be stuck with the same people day after day, year after year, whether you liked them or not. It would be pretty tough to stay in a 130 square foot cabin with no windows for long periods of time. So that means you would have to interact with people you may not like, or might have had conflict with. 

I knew of situations on Haida Gwaii where certain people chose to live on smaller outlying islands. In one case there were just two couples on the island. One of them ended up moving after the other shot their dog.

In another case on an island with about twenty people, one of the guys drove a skiff back and forth to the the main island at all hours of the night with no lights, making it dangerous for anyone traveling by boat at night.

Even on the main island, there were many conflicts. Not long ago, in Skidegate a man was intentionally hit and killed by a vehicle. The driver was charged with homicide. The community was outraged and the relatives of the driver were forced off island. Following that, they bull dozed their houses.

As stories are leaking about this cruise ship, prior to the final eviction, anyone who was raising concerns was forced off the ship. People were afraid to even discuss the issues among themselves. That is no way to live, or manage your life when you are trapped in a confined space with a series of red flags on a daily basis.

After the experience of living on a remote island, I would never choose to do it again, especially as a senior. However, I did really enjoy the time spent there, and am grateful for all the outdoor adventure experiences.

It was a pleasure to go salmon fishing in such a wild and beautiful wilderness area. I was fortunate enough to go sailing, quadding on North Beach to pick scallops, hiked Sleeping Beauty mountain a few times, and many other incredible outdoor adventures. I am very thankful to the people who facilitated those outdoor adventures while I was living there. 

I would do two loops a day around Spirit Lake Trail, and cherished the beauty and isolation of those walks. It was an amazing lake with deadfall trees looming, and dripping moss. Swans arrived in the winter, and black bears would run across the trail right in front of me. The forest alongside the lake was a contrast between light and dark, with the mossy greens on one side, and azure blue on the other. Every single time you went around the lake, the scenery and lighting was different. I loved that trail. 

There was no real fear, because there has never been a serious black bear attack on Haida Gwaii. The only one I heard of, was of someone getting swatted on the thigh by a bear who was on the person’s property, and was taken by surprise.

In another case there was a man who was habituating, and feeding bears right in town. When the conservation officers ordered him to stop, the bear lover shot the bears. On Haida Gwaii, there are no grizzly bears, no cougars, and no snakes.

Compare that to Bella Coola where people live in fear of grizzly bears that are becoming increasingly and abnormally aggressive, attacking and killing people each year. Even for those who carry a weapon, a grizzly attack can be so sudden and unexpected, they may not get a chance to defend themselves. If it charges from the woods behind you, you would only have a few seconds to react. It is the stuff of nightmares. 

Haida Gwaii has a different species of black bear, the largest in the world. You still have to use caution, but overall they are not too much or a problem. If the food source becomes a problem, I suppose the risks would increase. 

Even though there is a hospital there, the services are limited. Anyone who is seriously ill, or injured has to be sent by air ambulance to the city. It often took hours to initiate the transfer depending on time of day, weather, and other priorities in the queue. In the late fall and winter there are hurricane level winds at times.

In a city, you can go for a walk, go shopping, choose between not three but fifty restaurants, or take out, or cook your own food. I find it hard to imagine not being able to shop for, and cook the food I want to eat. Restaurants are a nice treat, but on a daily basis, those menus would begin to wear on you. 

From my own perspective, I would not go on a cruise period, let alone one that was a semi-permanent residence. I like privacy and anonymity, especially as I get older. The thought of being stuck on a ship would seem like a prison to me. Although I like routine, and get up early, I would not like to have everything scheduled to the minute.

Meals are at a certain time. The boat docks at a certain time, and you have a certain amount of time to be out and about, and then return. You see the same people morning, noon and night. If you get sick, you better hope you do not need to be evacuated, or worse yet, part of a contagious stomach or flu bug. On cruise ships those bugs rapidly spread throughout the entire ship, forcing a quarantine for who knows how long? 

Now the speculation is about whether or not the people will get their money back. Not likely. Hopefully they can recover from the financial losses. We all make mistakes. Of course all the pitfalls are easy to see after it goes under, not while there are clear skies, and dreams of world tours. 

Always remember, if it floats, it can spring a leak, get into rough seas, and go under. Or like the famous Titanic, it can hit an iceberg, and then go under. At least this group did not lose their lives in the process.