On Friday, the chief executive of the company behind the doomed Odyssey cruise ship apologized to residents, many of whom are now stranded in Cambodia. Within hours, the apology was gone.
Kathy Villalba, CEO and founding partner of Villa Vie Residences, sent a message to residents of the Odyssey on Circle, the ship’s internal messaging platform, saying she was sorry for the “pain, loss and uncertainty” they faced after sailings came to an abrupt halt this week.
Villa Vie promises residents on its 509-cabin ships the opportunity to live permanently at sea and sail around the world every three and a half years. On Tuesday morning, residents received only a few hours’ advance notice of the disembarkation.
Business Insider reviewed a screenshot of the memo, which was deleted hours after it was posted. Three Villa Vie residents with access to the Circle confirmed the contents of the memo, which is no longer visible.
In her letter, Villalba said the media attention had been “overwhelming” and advised her to make no further public comments.
Villalba and Villa Vie did not respond to requests for comment on the memo or why it was removed.
Read more of our coverage of Villa Vie Odyssey
In his apology letter, Villalba said the company was still in talks with potential investors and expressed hope that a resident-led initiative to buy the vessel would be successful.
You can read the full article here:
Dear residents, I owe you all a word and I’m sorry if it took me so long to find the right one. I guess part of me has been in denial that this could actually happen. Even now, we continue to talk to potential investors and grab any remaining hope because I simply cannot imagine giving up on this dream. The media attention has become so overwhelming that reporters are now contacting our family members, including those not affiliated with the company. On the advice of attorneys, I have been asked not to make further public comments, especially since even conversations within Circle are no longer private. But I cannot remain silent and not tell you how deeply sorry I am for the pain, loss, and uncertainty that so many of you are facing. I know many of you are hurting, scared, and angry, and what I wish most is that I can take away that pain. This has been more than just a business to me for the past two years. This is my whole life. I poured my heart, my soul, my everything into it. This boat is my treasure, but it is also your home, and in so many ways, you all have become my family. I care about this community as much as I care about my own children, through the good days and the bad. My team used to call me “the resident Wikipedia” because I knew all of your names and stories. This means a lot to me because getting to know each of you is the best part of it all. The thought of losing it left a hole in my heart that I can’t describe. Thank you for believing in two ordinary people with extraordinary dreams. Together we created something truly special. We traveled the world, formed friendships, shared laughter and tears, and experienced a way of life that few people understand. I still don’t want this to be the end. I sincerely hope the residents initiative is successful and we stand ready to help in any way we can to help preserve the lifestyle you have grown to love. Please know that we love and care about each of you. Through good times and bad, through disagreements and disappointments, that never changes. Most importantly, I hope everyone is safe, supported, and looking out for each other during this extremely difficult time. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a part of this dream. with love, kathy