Fuel costs force US cruise ship to suspend multi-year voyage in Cambodia

A United States cruise ship has suspended its around-the-world voyage in Cambodia, leaving hundreds of passengers to disembark with no confirmed departure date.

The MV Odyssey, operated by Florida-based Villa Vie Residences, arrived at the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville last Friday. The company said monthly fuel expenses per cabin, which historically averaged $1,800, had climbed to an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia.

The company said it tried to reduce consumption by slowing the ship and spending more time in port, but could not offset the rising costs.

“We have been unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses,” Villa Vie Residences said in a statement on Tuesday, adding that passing the full increase on to residents was not a realistic solution.

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been curtailed since the war in Iran began, squeezing supplies of petroleum-based fuels and pushing up prices, particularly in Southeast Asia.

The ship was carrying 203 passengers, mostly Americans, and 156 crew members, Cambodian officials said. Some passengers said they received only seven hours’ notice to disembark and had to arrange their own accommodation.

Paul and Lynn Montoya, a retired couple from Wyoming who boarded the ship 17 months ago, said they had expected to live at sea for years. They said the company had already struggled with itinerary changes, unreliable internet and declining food quality.

“We were tired of every two to four weeks being asked for money for fuel, money for everything,” Lynn Montoya said, alleging mismanagement and unpaid crew members.

Other passengers said they hoped a new company or a resident-led effort could save the venture.

Carol Larson, 69, who bought her cabin for $120,000 in instalments, said she did not regret taking the risk despite the suspension.

“I feel blessed to have been part of the experiment of residential cruising,” she said.

The ship set sail from Belfast, Northern Ireland, in October 2024 on a voyage originally planned to last three and a half years. Built in 1993, the ship was purchased by Villa Vie Residences in 2023 and offered cabins for long-term living, with lifetime-vessel suites initially priced from about $230,000.

Cambodian officials said the ship was expected to refuel and leave on Saturday, although the operator had not publicly confirmed a departure date.