Florida Operator Halts MV Odyssey Voyage, Stranding 203 Passengers in Cambodia

Villa Vie Odyssey, a Florida-based company, has suspended operations on its MV Odyssey cruise ship. The vessel is currently docked at the port of Sihanoukville in Cambodia. It carries 203 passengers, most of whom are American, along with 156 crew members. The ship has a maximum capacity for 650 people, but officials in Cambodia have not set a date for its departure.

The voyage began in Belfast in October 2024 as a continuous trip around the globe. The operator attributes the halt to a spike in fuel prices. A statement on the company’s website says that extraordinary increases in fuel costs have placed the current operating model under unsustainable financial pressure. The company is evaluating restructuring and recapitalization alternatives over the next 60 days. It is also coordinating with passengers to arrange temporary living arrangements.

Fuel prices have risen sharply since the United States war on Iran began earlier this year. The Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil, has been effectively closed since February 28. Oil prices rose above $117 a barrel this month. The operator reported that the monthly fuel cost per cabin in parts of Asia climbed to $8,000, up from $1,800.

Residents learned of the cancellation through a note posted on the ship’s message board on Monday morning. Randy Cassingham, a resident, wrote in a blog post that the news was not a surprise. He described a cascade of problems, citing the business model and management mistakes in addition to the fuel crisis. Pamela Reckamp, a 59-year-old resident, recalled a meeting last month where officials asked cabin owners to raise $1 million to continue operations from Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. She said an official warned that without the funds, the ship had only four days of operation left before lights and air conditioning would shut off.

Carol Larson, 69, from California, has lived on the ship for 18 months with her 72-year-old sister, Crystal Lavering. Larson bought her cabin for $120,000 in installments plus monthly maintenance fees. The program allows residents to live aboard for up to 15 years. Larson said living at sea improved her health and that she hopes the journey can still be saved.

Larson blamed Donald Trump for the ship’s troubles, stating that the war on Iran drove fuel costs up. She said she has no regrets about the investment, noting that the company is a startup. "I feel blessed to have been part of the experiment of residential cruising," she told the Associated Press.