A US cruise ship offering a residential voyage around the world has suspended operations in Cambodia due to soaring fuel costs, leaving more than 200 passengers without their floating homes.

The Odyssey began its three-year journey two years ago, offering residents the opportunity to live at sea while travelling across all seven continents.

Florida-based operator Villa Vie Residences said monthly fuel costs per cabin, which historically averaged $1,800, had recently surged to an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia amid the war in Iran.

The company said it had attempted to control expenses by reducing the ship's speed and extending its stays in ports, but these measures failed to offset the sharp increase in fuel prices.

“We have been unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses,” the company said in a statement, adding that transferring the full increase in costs to residents was not a practical option.

It said its immediate priority was to support residents, crew members and employees while working to restructure its operations.

According to a statement issued last week by Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, the ship arrived on Oct. 23 for a five-day stay. Although it was scheduled to travel to Vietnam, it remained at the Cambodian port on Wednesday.

The ship was carrying 203 passengers from 15 nationalities, most of them Americans, along with 156 crew members. It had accommodation for up to 650 residents.

Passengers have been instructed to leave the vessel, while the status of the crew remained unclear.

The Odyssey had a confirmed travel schedule extending through November 2027. Villa Vie Residences had also planned to launch a second residential cruise ship in early 2029, but its statement announcing the suspension did not clarify whether the plans for the second vessel would be affected.