Cruise ship residents face eviction after fuel bill triples in Cambodia

Two hundred and three people living on the Odyssey, a residential cruise ship, were told to pack their belongings and leave the vessel. The ship sits in Sihanoukville Autonomous Port in Cambodia. It arrived there on October 23 for a planned five-day stop but stayed longer when the company suspended its global voyage.

The vessel set sail two years ago for a three-year trip covering seven continents. The Florida-based operator, Villa Vie Residences, marketed the experience as permanent sea travel. Now, that plan is on hold. The company cited a sharp rise in fuel expenses as the reason for the stop.

Monthly fuel costs per cabin used to average $1,800. In parts of Asia, during the war in Iran, that bill jumped to between $6,000 and $8,000. Villa Vie tried to cut spending by slowing down the itinerary and spending more time in port. Those efforts did not cover the extra fuel bills.

The company stated that it could no longer keep absorbing the operating losses. It also said it could not simply pass the full cost increase to the residents. The operator is now focusing on supporting the residents, crew, and employees while it restructures the business.

The ship carried 203 passengers from 15 different countries. Most were Americans. Another 156 crew members are on board. The vessel has room for 650 residents in total. Passengers have been instructed to leave the ship. It is not yet clear what will happen to the crew.

The Odyssey had a confirmed schedule that ran through November 2027. The company also planned to launch a second residential cruise ship in early 2029. The recent announcement about the suspension did not mention that second vessel.