Residential Cruise Odyssey Suspends Voyage: Fuel Costs Triple

Villa Vie Residences suspended the world voyage of the Odyssey, a U.S. residential cruise ship, in Cambodia after fuel costs tripled, forcing 203 residents to leave their cabins. The ship has remained docked at Sihanoukville Autonomous Port since Oct. 23, halting a journey that had been planned to continue into November 2027.

The Florida-based operator stated that monthly fuel expenses per cabin, which historically averaged $1,800, recently reached an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia. The company attributed the spike to the war in Iran and said it attempted to mitigate the impact by slowing the itinerary and increasing time spent in port. These measures were insufficient to offset the surge in operating costs.

“We have been unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses,” the company said in a statement. “Passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution. Our focus now is on supporting residents, crew, and employees” as it works to restructure the business.

The Odyssey departed two years ago on a three-year tour of the seven continents. The vessel carried 203 passengers from 15 nationalities, most of whom were American, along with 156 crew members. Although the ship had a capacity for 650 residents, it operated with fewer than one-third of its maximum occupancy at the time of suspension.

Port officials confirmed the ship arrived for a scheduled five-day visit on Oct. 23. The itinerary called for the vessel to travel to Vietnam, but it remained in the harbor as of Wednesday. Passengers have been instructed to leave the ship, while the status of the crew members remains unclear.

The Odyssey had a confirmed schedule through November 2027. Villa Vie Residences had previously planned for a second residential cruise ship to enter service in early 2029. The recent announcement regarding the suspension of the current voyage did not specify the status of that future vessel.