Post by Michael Kohne

LA Times: California sisters among hundreds stranded in Asia after cruise ship halts operations over high fuel costs

"...Carol Larson and her sister, Crystal Lavering, both from California, were among those forced off the ship this week. Larson told the Associated Press she had paid $120,000 in installments for her cabin, in addition to monthly maintenance fees. Her sister purchased her own cabin. Larson said she was promised the possibility of living aboard for up to 15 years. ..."

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-10-30/california-sisters-among-stranded-in-cambodia-after-cruise-halts-operations

#cruise #nightmare

@ai6yr Count me as skeptical that the fuel costs were the only factor here. It seems like a convenient explanation for the ship company to cover for deeper mismanagement and infrastructure problems.

Certainly fuel costs have increased dramatically, but that's an expected variable in that industry. It's like being surprised that there are tides.

@mattblaze @ai6yr I suspect the fuel is what tripped them over the line from 'continuing to not tell anybody we are fucked' to 'everybody off the boat'. My guess is that the Cambodians were not willing to extend any kind of credit and thus, <kaboom> to the whole enterprise.

@mhkohne @ai6yr Yeah, it seems like if you're not already right on the edge, if fuel costs become prohibitive you could find some reasonably affordable place to dock the ship and ride things out there.

@mattblaze

Very mysterious. And I wonder how much fuel you use just sitting there keeping things powered? I mean you should be able to revert to "apartment building" based on "houseboating" rules.

@mhkohne @ai6yr