Odyssey cruise ship halts round-the-world voyage in Cambodia over fuel costs

Ship halts voyage in Sihanoukville

Villa Vie Residences has suspended the Odyssey's operations in Cambodia, ending a round-the-world voyage that began in Belfast in October 2024. The voyage was planned to span 3.5 years and cover nearly 150 countries, according to the operator's website. The ship had docked at Sihanoukville on 23 October for a planned five-day visit and was due to sail on to Vietnam. On Monday, 26 October, residents were told to leave the vessel by 2pm, and only the crew stayed aboard to maintain it. The company confirmed the suspension in a statement on 27 October, and it was unclear whether the cruise would continue.

Fuel costs behind the decision

The company said monthly fuel expenses per cabin historically averaged about $1,800, but have since been estimated at $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia during the war in Iran. It had tried to cut consumption by slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port, and those steps could not offset the rise. Villa Vie Residences said it had to halt operations because it could not keep absorbing the losses.

“We have been unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses.”

The operator said it would spend the next 60 days on restructuring and recapitalisation, but added that no outcome was assured. Its statement also said the increase in costs was too large to pass on to residents.

Historical average1,800

Parts of Asia, low estimate6,000

Parts of Asia, high estimate8,000

Historical average

1800 USD

Parts of Asia, low estimate

6000 USD

Parts of Asia, high estimate

8000 USD

Data from the article text

Residents left behind

The ship carried 203 passengers from 15 nationalities, mostly Americans, and 156 crew members, against a capacity of 650 residents. The operator's founder told Bloomberg there were around 200 passengers on board, while the BBC reported that it was unclear how many were aboard.

Passengers on board203

Crew on board156

Ship capacity650

Passengers on board

203 people

Crew on board

156 people

Ship capacity

650 people

Data from the article text

Randy Cassingham, an Odyssey resident who posted the disembarkation notice on his Residential Cruising blog, wrote on Facebook that the fuel price was only one part of the problem. He pointed to the business model, management errors and the wider cost and availability of fuel as a cluster of problems that reinforced each other. He and his wife had sold their home in Colorado to live aboard in 2024, and they checked into a hotel in Cambodia before planning to travel to Thailand. The notice said shuttles would remain available until 6:00 PM on 27 October for residents who had not collected their belongings.

What happens next

The company has set a 60-day window for restructuring and recapitalisation, and it said no outcome is assured. The Odyssey had been expected to sail through August 2030, and the operator had planned a second residential ship to enter service in early 2029. The 27 October statement did not address that second ship. Earlier, the departure from Belfast had been delayed for months by repairs, leaving passengers stranded there and costing the company millions of pounds. It remains unclear what help residents have received with accommodation, whether the cruise will continue, and whether refunds will be paid.