Around 200 passengers have been left stranded in Cambodia after a cruise ship offering residents the chance to live at sea for years suspended operations because of soaring fuel costs.
The 200-metre MV Odyssey departed Belfast in October 2024 on a continuous voyage around the world. Passengers could buy or rent cabins, with some selling their possessions to fund life at sea and paying up to $120,000 for a cabin.
Its US-based operator, Villa Vie Residences, said rising fuel costs had placed its business model under unsustainable financial pressure.
The company said it was working with passengers to arrange temporary accommodation while exploring options to secure its financial future. The ship is docked in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, with no confirmed departure date.
According to the operator, monthly fuel costs per cabin in parts of Asia have risen to as much as $8,000, up from $1,800. The company attributed the pressure to extraordinary increases in fuel costs following the war involving Iran.