Villa Vie: Odyssey Voyage Halted in Cambodia Over Fuel Spikes

Villa Vie Residences paused the Odyssey’s three-year world voyage in Cambodia after fuel prices in Asia tripled. The Florida-based operator stopped the ship’s operations in Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, effectively ending the residential tour for its current passengers.

Monthly fuel costs per cabin have jumped from a historical average of $1,800 to an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia. The company attributed the surge to the ongoing war in Iran. Villa Vie attempted to lower expenses by slowing its itinerary and increasing port stays, but those measures could not offset the higher fuel bills.

The Odyssey docked on Oct. 23 for a planned five-day visit before it was scheduled to head to Vietnam. The ship remained in port on Wednesday. It carried 203 passengers from 15 nationalities, primarily Americans, along with 156 crew members. The vessel has a maximum capacity of 650 residents.

Villa Vie stated it could not continue absorbing the operating losses and viewed passing the full cost increase to residents as unrealistic. The company is now restructuring to support residents, crew, and employees. Passengers have been instructed to leave the ship, though the status of the crew remains unclear. The Odyssey originally set sail two years ago with a confirmed itinerary extending into November 2027.

The operator had previously planned to launch a second residential cruise ship in early 2029. The announcement regarding the Odyssey’s suspension did not specify whether that second vessel would still enter service.