Odyssey cruise ship halts in Cambodia as fuel bills triple

Villa Vie Residences halted operations for the Odyssey, a U.S. cruise ship currently docked in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. The Florida-based company paused the vessel's three-year residential voyage because fuel prices in Asia have surged during the war in Iran. The ship had departed two years ago on a route covering seven continents.

Monthly fuel expenses per cabin historically averaged $1,800. In parts of Asia, those costs recently reached an estimated $6,000 to $8,000. Villa Vie stated that slowing the itinerary and increasing port time did not offset the price jump. The company said it could not continue absorbing the operating losses and found passing the full increase to residents unrealistic.

Sihanoukville Autonomous Port confirmed the vessel arrived on Oct. 23 for a five-day visit. The ship was scheduled to travel to Vietnam but remained in the port on Wednesday. The Odyssey carried 203 passengers from 15 nationalities, primarily Americans, alongside 156 crew members. The vessel has a total capacity of 650 residents.

Passengers have been instructed to leave the ship. The company noted that the status of the crew remains unclear while it attempts to restructure its business. The Odyssey had a confirmed itinerary extending into November 2027. Villa Vie previously planned a second residential cruise ship for early 2029, but the suspension announcement did not address the status of that project.