The Odyssey, a US‑based cruise ship that began a 3 ½‑year global residential voyage in 2021, halted operations at Sihanoukville port in Cambodia on Oct 25, 2023 after fuel costs per cabin spiked to $8,000.
Villa Vie Residences, the Florida‑based operator, said the monthly fuel expense per cabin had jumped from an average of $1,800 to between $6,000 and $8,000 amid the Iran‑Asia conflict, a rise that shattered the ship’s projected budget.
The 203 passengers—15 nationalities, mostly American—were told to disembark, including a family from Texas who had planned to live aboard for three years, while 156 crew members awaited clarification on their status.
The company’s statement emphasized that it could no longer absorb the operating losses and that it would pursue a restructuring plan, though it did not confirm whether the second residential cruise ship slated for early 2029 would proceed.
Passengers were ordered to leave the ship, and the company has announced a restructuring plan that will be presented to regulators in the coming weeks.