Luxury cruise operator suspends world voyage, leaves passengers in Cambodia
The Villa Vie Odyssey has halted its multi-year circumnavigation due to sharply higher fuel costs, prompting the company to arrange disembarkation and temporary housing for about 200 stranded guests.
The US-based cruise line operating the Villa Vie Odyssey announced on Tuesday that it is suspending its continuous around-the-world voyage after more than two years at sea. The decision follows a surge in fuel prices that the company says has pushed monthly fuel costs per cabin in parts of Asia from $1,800 to as much as $8,000.
The operator indicated that it is working with the roughly 200 passengers on board to organise disembarkation in Cambodia and to provide "temporary living arrangements" while it evaluates its next steps.
"Passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution," the company said in a statement.
The vessel, which left Belfast in October 2024 and can accommodate up to 650 guests, had already taken measures such as slowing its itinerary and extending port stays to cut fuel consumption, but those actions were insufficient to offset the cost rise. The company plans a 60-day period of restructuring and recapitalisation, though it cautioned that no outcome is guaranteed.
The cruise was marketed as a 3.5-year journey covering nearly 150 countries, with permanent residence options priced between $120,000 and $440,000 and rental rates starting at $3,500 a month. Earlier in 2024, the operator launched a four-year "Skip Forward" package, which its CEO described to Fox Business as a product for people considering relocation if certain political outcomes occurred.