The luxury residential cruise ship Odyssey had to stop its world trip in Cambodia. Understanding why this happened shows how fuel price changes can affect even expensive travel plans.

The 642‑foot Odyssey left Belfast, Northern Ireland, in October 2024 for a continuous world‑wide residential voyage. It can hold up to 650 residents, but on the day it stopped it had 203 passengers from 15 countries, mostly Americans, and 156 crew members.

The ship offers residential cabins that cost between $130,000 and $440,000, with monthly fees from $2,000 to $10,000. These prices let people live on the ship for long periods.

Villa Vie Residences said fuel costs rose more than 300% since the U.S.–Israel war on Iran began in February. The company said this rise made its business model hard to keep.

Because of the fuel price surge, the company ordered passengers to leave the ship. All passengers were told to be off the vessel by 2 p.m. local time in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.