Passengers aboard a luxury world cruise have been left stranded in Cambodia after soaring fuel costs forced the vessel’s operator to suspend its voyage.
The US-based company behind the Villa Vie Odyssey said it was working with passengers to arrange disembarkation and temporary accommodation. The suspension came after rising fuel expenses made it difficult to sustain the ship’s long journey around the world.
The nearly 200-metre vessel can accommodate up to 650 passengers. It departed Belfast in October 2024 on a planned continuous voyage spanning several years.
Reports indicated that around 200 passengers were aboard when the ship’s journey was suspended, with passengers ordered to disembark in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.
Rising Fuel Costs Force Luxury Cruise Suspension
The operator said fuel expenses had climbed sharply in parts of Asia, reaching as much as $8,000 per cabin monthly, compared with about $1,800 previously.
The company said it had already introduced measures to reduce consumption. These included slowing the ship’s itinerary and spending more time in port.
However, the steps failed to offset the extraordinary increase in operating costs.
The operator also said passing the entire additional expense on to passengers was not a realistic option.
It announced plans to spend the next 60 days on restructuring and recapitalisation. However, the company cautioned that the process did not guarantee a successful outcome.
The suspension has left passengers uncertain about when, or whether, the Villa Vie Odyssey will resume its voyage.
Passengers Await Answers in Cambodia
The cruise was designed as a 3.5-year journey covering nearly 150 countries. Before its latest disruption, the ship had spent more than 750 days circumnavigating the globe.
Passenger Holly Hennessey, who is travelling with her cat, Captain, told the BBC that she had not expected to spend an extended period in Cambodia.
She said passengers were staying in different hotels while waiting for further developments.
Hennessey and other residents now face uncertainty over their travel plans as the operator works on its financial restructuring.
Some passengers had previously left the ship to continue their travels on land, she said. Others had considered the possibility of paying additional fuel charges after the company raised concerns about rising costs.
The ship’s itinerary had also been significantly reduced, according to Hennessey.
Despite the disruption, she remains hopeful that the voyage could continue.
She said she was unwilling to abandon the lifestyle unless the company confirmed that the journey had definitively ended.
Luxury Cruise Offered Long-Term Life at Sea
The Villa Vie Odyssey offers a residential cruise experience rather than a conventional holiday voyage.
According to the company’s website, the vessel features bars, restaurants, a swimming pool deck and a pickleball court.
Cabins offered for permanent residence reportedly cost between $120,000 and $440,000. The company also offered rental options starting at $3,500 per month.
Last year, the operator introduced a lifetime residence programme aimed at people who wanted to spend their retirement years travelling at sea.
The company had also promoted a four-year package called “Skip Forward” in 2024, shortly after Donald Trump won the US presidential election. Its chief executive described the offer at the time as an option for people considering leaving the country following the election.
The latest suspension has placed the company’s ambitious plans under pressure.
For passengers currently in Cambodia, the immediate priority is securing accommodation and finding out whether the ship will return to service.
The operator’s planned 60-day restructuring period may provide more clarity, but the company has warned that no outcome is guaranteed.