PHNOM PENH, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- An around-the-world cruise ship, the MV Odyssey, has ground to a halt in Southwestern Cambodia after the operator ran out of funds for fuel, forcing over 200 passengers to disembark, a Cambodian senior official said on Wednesday.
The cruise arrived in the coastal city of Sihanoukville late on Oct. 23 from Thailand, carrying 203 passengers and 156 crew members, Preah Sihanouk Province Deputy Governor Long Dimanche said, adding that it was originally scheduled to continue onward to Vietnam.
He added that the vessel's operator, Villa Vie Residences, is actively working to resolve the financial shortfall.
"Some passengers who can afford it have decided to depart by air, while others continue to wait in the city," he told Xinhua. "According to the information received, the vessel is scheduled to refuel and depart from Cambodia on October 31, 2026."
The cruise set off in October 2024 on a planned three-and-a-half-year global voyage from Belfast, Northern Ireland, where the ship had undergone repairs.
In a statement released Tuesday, Villa Vie Residences announced it has suspended Cambodian operations to evaluate restructuring and recapitalization alternatives.
The company disclosed that monthly fuel expenses, which historically averaged around 1,800 U.S. dollars per cabin, recently surged to an unsustainable 6,000 to 8,000 dollars in parts of Asia. The company traced the root of the crisis back to early 2026.
Villa Vie Residences said that passing these massive cost increases onto the residents was not a realistic solution. The shortfall has placed its current operating model under unsustainable financial pressure.
According to the statement, the company is coordinating disembarkation and securing temporary housing for those on board. Acknowledging that this is a "difficult and disruptive period" for residents, crew, and staff, the operator said its focus is on supporting everyone affected while pursuing restructuring alternatives over the next 60 days. ■