Residential cruise ship Villa Vie Odyssey has decided to suspend operations in Cambodia. In response to soaring fuel costs, it is proceeding with arrangements for some residents to disembark.
Villa Vie Odyssey, a luxury ship that had been continuing its world voyage, announced plans to suspend operations in Cambodia and secure temporary accommodation for its residents. The company explained that soaring fuel prices resulting from the Iran war had made it difficult to continue operating the ship.
Villa Vie Residences, the company behind the ship, said that it had implemented measures to curb fuel consumption since the conflict began in late February, but these measures were insufficient to offset the extraordinary surge in fuel costs, leaving it unable to continue carrying losses. Many residents own their cabins and had planned to live on board long term.
Monthly fuel costs per cabin are said to range from approximately $1,800 to as much as $8,000 in some regions. The company said passing the additional burden on to residents was not a realistic solution, and indicated that it would spend the next two months restructuring the business and reviewing its capital structure.
Holly Hennessy, who had lived on Odyssey for a long time, said she received notice to disembark less than a day in advance and recalled that the rising fuel burden after the war began had been an indication of what was to come. She also said that life on board was “priceless.”