Villa Vie Residences Pauses Odyssey Voyage in Cambodia Over Fuel Costs

Monthly fuel costs for the Odyssey have surged to an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 per cabin, a sharp increase from the historical average of $1,800.

Villa Vie Residences, a Florida-based operator, announced the suspension of operations for its residential cruise ship while it is docked in Cambodia. The vessel departed on a three-year journey to all seven continents two years ago. The company attributes the expense spike to the war in Iran. It stated that slowing the itinerary and increasing port time failed to offset the rising costs. The firm said it could no longer carry the resulting operating losses and that passing the full increase to residents was not a realistic solution.

Sihanoukville Autonomous Port confirmed the ship arrived on October 23 for a planned five-day visit. The vessel was scheduled to proceed to Vietnam but remained in the port as of Wednesday. The Odyssey carries 203 passengers from 15 nationalities, with most being Americans. It also has 156 crew members on board. The ship has a total capacity for 650 residents.

Passengers have been instructed to leave the vessel, while the company has not clarified the status of the crew. Villa Vie Residences said it is currently focused on supporting residents, crew, and employees while it attempts to restructure. The Odyssey had a confirmed itinerary extending into November 2027. The company also planned to launch a second residential cruise ship in early 2029, though its recent statement did not address the future of that second vessel.