Cruise residents lose homes after fuel spike

For 203 people living aboard the Odyssey, their floating home in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, has become a temporary dock. The U.S. cruise ship, which has operated as a residential vessel for two years, stopped moving on October 23. Passengers have been instructed to disembark, leaving them to find new housing while the ship remains stationary in the port.

The halt stems from a sharp rise in energy expenses. Villa Vie Residences, the Florida-based operator, reported that monthly fuel costs per cabin previously averaged $1,800. During the recent war in Iran, those expenses in parts of Asia reached an estimated $6,000 to $8,000. The company stated it tried to lower consumption by slowing the itinerary and staying in port longer, but those measures failed to offset the price surge.

Villa Vie explained that continuing to absorb the operating losses was unsustainable. The operator noted that passing the full cost increase to residents was not realistic. The company is now focusing on restructuring while supporting residents, crew, and employees. Sihanoukville Autonomous Port confirmed the ship docked for a five-day visit last week. The vessel was scheduled to head to Vietnam but remained in the port as of Wednesday.

The Odyssey carried 156 crew members alongside its passengers, who represented 15 nationalities with a majority of Americans. The ship has a total capacity for 650 residents. While passengers have received departure instructions, the status of the crew remains unclear. The original itinerary included confirmed routes into November 2027.

The Odyssey launched two years ago on a three-year journey across seven continents. The concept combined long-term sea living with global travel. Villa Vie had planned to put a second residential cruise ship into service in early 2029. The statement regarding the suspension of the current voyage did not address the future of that second vessel.