U.S. residential cruise ship Odyssey suspends world voyage in Cambodia over fuel costs; 203 passengers told to leave the ship
A U.S. cruise ship on a residential voyage around the world has suspended operations in Cambodia because of soaring fuel costs, forcing its 203 passengers to leave the ship that has been their home. According to the Associated Press on October 27, operator Villa Vie Residences said monthly fuel expenses per cabin, which historically averaged about $1,800, have recently reached an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia during the war in Iran, and that the company can no longer carry the resulting operating losses while it tries to restructure.
The ship, Odyssey, set sail two years ago on a voyage of about three and a half years to the seven continents, marketed as combining long-term living at sea with global travel; residents rent, own, or rent-to-own their cabins. Florida-based Villa Vie Residences said it had sought to reduce fuel consumption by slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port, but was unable to offset the surge. "Passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution. Our focus now is on supporting residents, crew, and employees," the company said. Bloomberg reported the company will spend the next 60 days exploring restructuring and recapitalization options.
The Sihanoukville Autonomous Port said in a statement last week that the ship docked on October 23 for a five-day visit and was to head to Vietnam, but remained in port on Wednesday. The ship carried 203 passengers of 15 nationalities, mostly Americans, and 156 crew members, against a capacity of 650 residents, the AP reported. Passengers have been told to leave the ship; the status of the crew was unclear.
Founder Mikael Petterson told Bloomberg the company is working with residents to coordinate disembarkation and identify temporary living arrangements, covering lodging and local transportation, but has not provided funding for passengers to depart Cambodia. The Odyssey had a confirmed itinerary into November 2027. The company planned for a second residential cruise ship to enter service in early 2029, but the suspension statement did not address the second ship.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 住宅邮轮 MS Villa Vie Odyssey 本体（资料图）。JerickVillaruel 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / The residential cruise ship MS Villa Vie Odyssey (file photo). Photo by JerickVillaruel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
