PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — A US cruise ship on a residential voyage around the world has suspended operations in Cambodia due to fuel costs, forcing hundreds of passengers to abandon their floating homes.
The Odyssey set sail two years ago on a three-year journey across all seven continents, billed as combining long-term life at sea and global travel.
The Florida-based company said monthly fuel expenses per cabin, which averaged $1,800, recently reached between $6,000 and $8,000 in parts of Asia during the Iran war. Villa Vie Residences said it sought to reduce fuel consumption by slowing down the route and spending more time in port, but was unable to offset rising fuel costs.
“We have not been able to continue to sustain the resulting operating losses,” he said. “Passing the entire increase onto residents is not a realistic solution. Our focus now is on supporting residents, crew and employees” while the company attempts to restructure.
The autonomous port of Sihanoukville said in a statement last week that the ship docked on October 23 for a five-day visit. It was supposed to head to Vietnam but remained in port on Wednesday.
The ship carried 203 passengers of 15 nationalities, most of them American, and 156 crew members. It had a capacity of 650 inhabitants.
Passengers were asked to leave the ship, but the status of the crew was unclear.
The Odyssey had a confirmed itinerary through November 2027. The company planned to commission a second residential cruise ship in early 2029, but the statement about suspending the Odyssey’s voyage did not relate to the second ship.
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This version corrected the date the journey was expected to end from 2030 to 2027.
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