# Fourteen years on the road, then the ship shut down

> A couple who lived in an RV for 14 years boarded the Villa Vie Odyssey for residential cruising. When the ship halted operations after eight months, they kept traveling anyway.
- Title: Fourteen years on the road, then the ship shut down | Shortify
- Summary: A couple who lived in an RV for 14 years boarded the Villa Vie Odyssey for residential cruising.
- Keywords: villa vie odyssey, residential cruising, jim guld, chris guld, rv living, ship shutdown, cartagena colombia, chiang mai thailand, southeast asia travel, Business Insider
- Source: Business Insider — https://businessinsider.com/villa-vie-odyssey-residences-couple-passengers-rv-life-travel-2026-11
- Author: Amanda Goh
- Published: 2026-11-11T05:03:01.232+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: villa vie odyssey, residential cruising, jim guld, chris guld, rv living, ship shutdown, cartagena colombia, chiang mai thailand, southeast asia travel, business, technology
## Fourteen years on the road
In 2003, Jim and Chris Guld bought a used RV, sold their home, and took to the road. They started a business teaching travelers how to use technology while traveling.
## Seven years in Fort Lauderdale
After 14 years of full-time RV travel around the US, they settled into Chris's mother's townhouse in Fort Lauderdale for seven years when she moved into assisted living.
## The Odyssey called to them
Jim wanted another adventurous chapter. He heard about the Villa Vie Odyssey from Randy Cassingham, a newsletter writer. Jim read about issues the ship faced in Belfast but still wanted to try it.
## A week convinced them
Jim and Chris did a weeklong try before you buy experience in December 2024. By the end, they knew they were ready to make the move and boarded in Cartagena, Colombia, in April 2025.
## Life on the ship was wonderful
Their initial plan was to stay for seven years, which would have meant two trips around the world. The crew and residents built camaraderie through musicals, choirs, and community activities.

> There is no other cruise ship where residents put on a musical, sing in a choir, and build that kind of camaraderie.
## Doubts grew about sustainability
In the first year, internet was excellent for livestreaming their shows. But when internet was curtailed and cash calls came, Jim and Chris began questioning whether the ship could keep operating.
## The ship halted in one morning
In late October, at six a.m., they got an announcement the ship was halting operations and they had to disembark by two p.m. that afternoon. They left behind personal items and scuba gear.

> One day, in late October, at 6 a.m., we got the announcement that the ship was halting operations and that we needed to get off by 2 p.m. that afternoon.
## They kept traveling anyway
They had already planned to visit an old friend in Chiang Mai, Thailand, for most of November.
## They would do it again
Jim and Chris say they would do residential cruising again in a heartbeat. Though they did not get their money's worth on the Odyssey, what they experienced was wonderful and they remain disappointed.

> We would do it again in a heartbeat.
## Key takeaway

Jim and Chris Guld, who spent 14 years living in an RV, boarded the Villa Vie Odyssey in April 2025 but were forced to disembark in late October when the ship halted operations. They have continued traveling in Southeast Asia rather than return to the United States.