Fuel costs triple to $8,000 per cabin, stranding MV Odyssey in Cambodia

The MV Odyssey has stopped its three-year, around-the-world itinerary, leaving 203 passengers stranded in the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville as fuel prices outpaced the vessel's operating budget.

The ship, which launched in October 2024 from Belfast, Northern Ireland, was marketed as a permanent residence for its owners. Villa Vie Residences, the Florida-based operator, sold suites starting at approximately $230,000, promising a lifestyle that blended long-term living at sea with global travel. The original plan called for the vessel to sail until August 2030.

Fuel costs have become the primary driver of the halt. The company stated that monthly fuel expenses per cabin, which historically averaged $1,800, have surged to an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia. This spike coincides with curtailed traffic in the Strait of Hormuz following the war in Iran, which squeezed petroleum supplies and sharply increased prices in Southeast Asia.

AAA data shows the average price for a gallon of diesel fuel was $3.76 on February 27, 2026, the day before the conflict began. By late last month, that price had risen to $6.52, an increase of $2.76 per gallon.

Villa Vie Residences said it attempted to mitigate the costs by slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port. However, the company said these measures were insufficient to offset the surging expenses. In a statement issued Tuesday, the operator noted that it had been unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses. The company stated that passing the full increase on to residents was not a realistic solution and that its focus is now on supporting residents, crew, and employees while it tries to restructure.

The ship arrived in Sihanoukville last Friday and was originally scheduled to depart Wednesday. Long Dimanche, the deputy governor of Preah Sihanouk province, said the vessel is now expected to refuel and depart on Saturday. The ship's operator has not yet publicly confirmed that date.

Disembarkation efforts have been met with criticism from passengers. Randy Cassingham, a blogger on board, reported that the company provided limited assistance. He wrote that passengers could not walk out of the port and were dropped in the middle of town by shuttle buses. Cassingham said on his website that the company did not provide a list of hotels, nor did it help passengers get to lodging or pay for it.

The Odyssey was built in 1993 and operated under different names before being sidelined in 2020. Villa Vie Residences purchased the vessel in 2023. Cambodian officials confirmed the ship was carrying 156 crew members in addition to the 203 passengers, most of whom are Americans. The vessel has a total capacity of 650 passengers.

Sihanoukville has previously hosted a cruise ship in crisis. In February 2020, the MS Westerdam was allowed to dock after being turned away by five other ports due to fears of the emerging COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen permitted the ship to dock for humanitarian reasons, allowing its 1,455 passengers to disembark and fly home.