SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia (AP) — A U.S. cruise ship on an around-the-world voyage has suspended its journey in Cambodia due to escalating fuel costs, leaving 203 passengers to disembark. The MV Odyssey, which set sail two years ago with the promise of being a "floating home" for its passengers, is currently docked in Sihanoukville.
The ship's operator, Florida-based Villa Vie Residences, stated that monthly fuel expenses, which historically averaged $1,800 per cabin, have surged to an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia. The company attributes this increase to the ongoing conflict in Iran, which has disrupted shipping lanes and driven up petroleum-based fuel prices. Villa Vie Residences indicated it had attempted to mitigate costs by slowing the itinerary and increasing time spent in port but could no longer sustain the operating losses.
"We have been unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses," the company said in a statement Tuesday. "Passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution. Our focus now is on supporting residents, crew, and employees" as the company seeks to restructure.
Passengers, however, reported receiving only seven hours' notice to disembark and claimed they received no support from the operator for alternative arrangements. Some passengers expressed disappointment and hope for a rescue of the venture.
Paul and Lynn Montoya, a retired couple from Wyoming who boarded the ship 17 months ago, said they had expected to sail for years. Paul Montoya praised the concept of residential cruising but criticized the shipowner's financial management. He noted that itinerary changes, unreliable internet, and declining food quality had already led many residents to leave the ship in recent months.
Lynn Montoya added that residents were repeatedly asked for additional funds for fuel and other expenses, and that crew members had not been paid. "We were tired of every two to four weeks being asked for money for fuel, money for everything," she said. "We had hopes but they just kept sinking further and further into the hole through mismanagement."
Despite the difficulties, some passengers found the experience worthwhile. Carol Larson, 69, and her sister Crystal Lavering, 72, who had lived on the ship for 18 months, described the suspension as heartbreaking but hoped the cruise could be revived. Larson, who purchased her cabin for $120,000 on an installment plan, also cited poor management and the impact of rising fuel costs due to the Iran war. "Because it was a startup company, I believe that it was a risk. From the very first day, I said to myself that if it lasts a year, I can walk away and feel like I got my money’s worth … I still feel that way. I feel blessed to have been part of the experiment of residential cruising," she said.
The MV Odyssey, built in 1993, began its current 3 1/2-year voyage in October 2024 from Belfast, Northern Ireland, where it had undergone refitting. The ship has a capacity of 650 passengers, with 156 crew members also on board. It arrived in Sihanoukville last Friday and was initially scheduled to depart Wednesday. Cambodian officials stated it was expected to refuel and depart Saturday, though the operator has not confirmed a date.
This is not the first time Sihanoukville has hosted a cruise ship in distress. In February 2020, the MS Westerdam was allowed to dock for humanitarian reasons after being denied entry to multiple other ports due to COVID-19 fears.