Cruise ship whose fuel costs increased more than 4 times has suspended its voyages
The cruise ship "Villa Vie Odyssey," which set off from Belfast, has ceased operations due to a sharp rise in fuel costs; the passengers of the 650-person ship remain stranded in Cambodia.
Villa Vie Odyssey, the cruise ship that set out from Belfast (Northern Ireland) on a world voyage, has announced that it is ceasing operations, citing a sharp rise in fuel costs. After the suspension of the voyages, the passengers on board were left stranded in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.
The ship's US-based operator, Villa Vie Residences, stated that it is currently working on plans to disembark the passengers, which has a capacity of 650, and is arranging temporary accommodation for them. According to the company's statement, fuel costs in some parts of Asia have risen from $1,800 to as much as $8,000 per cabin per month.
The operator explained that it reduced the ship's speed and extended the time spent in ports in order to cut fuel consumption, but that these measures did not offset the increase in costs. The company stated that it does not consider passing the costs on to passengers to be a realistic solution, and noted that it will devote the coming 60 days to restructuring and recapitalization efforts. At the same time, it is emphasized that the outcome of this process is not guaranteed.
The voyage had been planned to last 3.5 years and cover approximately 150 countries. However, due to delays in the ship's repairs, the voyage could not begin on time; passengers were stuck in Belfast for months, and the company suffered losses of millions of pounds sterling. Last year the company had introduced a lifetime residency program allowing people to spend their retirement years at sea; cabin prices range from $120,000 to $440,000.