Why were Villa Vie Odyssey cruise passengers put ashore in Cambodia?

The BBC's Claire Graham reported that Villa Vie Residences halted the Villa Vie Odyssey in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, because soaring fuel prices made its business unsustainable. The company said fuel per cabin had risen from about US$1,800 to US$6,000 to US$8,000 in parts of Asia, too much to pass on to residents. It is weighing restructuring and recapitalisation, and the roughly 200 passengers were moved into hotels.

• The ship left Belfast in 2024 on a voyage of more than three years after four unplanned months in dock for rudder and gearbox repairs.
• Many residents, mostly from the US, had sold their homes to live aboard permanently.

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on Global News Podcast (2026-10-28). Read the whole episode summary →

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