Fuel bill hits $8,000 per cabin, ending Odyssey voyage in Cambodia

The Odyssey, a residential cruise ship, suspended its world voyage in Cambodia after fuel prices surged.

The vessel departed Florida two years ago on a three-year itinerary covering seven continents. Villa Vie Residences, the Florida-based operator, stated that monthly fuel costs per cabin, which historically averaged $1,800, recently reached an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia during the war in Iran. The company attempted to lower expenses by slowing its schedule and increasing time in port, but those measures failed to offset the price spike. Villa Vie said it could not continue carrying the resulting operating losses and noted that passing the full increase to residents was not a realistic solution. The operator said its focus is now on supporting residents, crew, and employees while it restructures.

Sihanoukville Autonomous Port confirmed in a statement last week that the ship docked on Oct. 23 for a five-day visit. Although the Odyssey was scheduled to head to Vietnam, it remained in the port on Wednesday. The ship carried 203 passengers from 15 nationalities, mostly Americans, along with 156 crew members. The vessel had a total capacity for 650 residents.

Passengers have been instructed to leave the ship, while the status of the crew remains unclear. The Odyssey had a confirmed itinerary that extended into November 2027.

The company had planned for a second residential cruise ship to enter service in early 2029. The statement regarding the suspension of the Odyssey’s voyage did not address the fate of that second vessel.