MV Odyssey Cruise Suspended Due to Fuel Cost Surge

The MV Odyssey, operated by Villa Vie Residences, has suspended its voyage in Cambodia after fuel costs became financially unsustainable. The ship is currently docked at Sihanoukville port on the Gulf of Thailand.

Villa Vie Residences stated that monthly fuel expenses per cabin, which historically averaged $1,800, had risen to an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia. The company attributed the increase to the war in Iran, which has disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and tightened supplies of petroleum-based fuels, particularly in Southeast Asia.

The suspension has forced hundreds of passengers to leave the vessel, with some residents expressing disappointment over the sudden disruption to their long-term living arrangements. Cambodian officials reported that the ship was carrying 203 passengers, mostly Americans, and 156 crew members.

Some residents received only seven hours' notice to disembark on Tuesday and had to arrange their own accommodation and onward travel. Lynn Montoya alleged that residents had been asked to contribute additional money towards fuel and other expenses, with claims that crew members had not been paid.

Despite the uncertainty, some passengers hope a new operator or an arrangement involving residents buying the ship could allow the venture to continue. Carol Larson, who lived aboard the Odyssey for 18 months, expressed hope that residents could purchase the ship to sustain the residential cruise concept.

The current voyage, which began in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in October 2024, was originally planned to last three and a half years. A second cruise had tentatively been scheduled to end in August 2030. Long Dimanche, deputy governor of Preah Sihanouk province, said the ship had arrived on Friday and was initially scheduled to depart on Wednesday, though the operator has not publicly confirmed a departure date.