Fuel bill jumps from $1,800 to $8,000 per cabin, ending cruise voyage for 203 riders

A residential cruise voyage ended in Cambodia this week after fuel costs climbed sharply.

Villa Vie Residences, the Florida-based company behind the Odyssey, said monthly fuel expenses per cabin historically averaged $1,800 but recently reached an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia during the war in Iran. The company said it slowed the itinerary and spent more time in port to cut fuel use, but could not offset the surge.

"We have been unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses," the company said. "Passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution. Our focus now is on supporting residents, crew, and employees" while it works to restructure.

The Odyssey docked at Sihanoukville Autonomous Port on Oct. 23 for a five-day visit and had been scheduled to depart for Vietnam. The ship remained at the port Wednesday. It carried 203 passengers from 15 nationalities, mostly Americans, along with 156 crew members, against a capacity of 650 residents.

Passengers have been told to leave the ship, while the crew's status was unclear. The Odyssey set sail two years ago on a three-year voyage to the seven continents, and had a confirmed itinerary into November 2027.