Villa Vie suspends Odyssey operations in Cambodia

Villa Vie Residences has suspended operations of its Odyssey residential cruise ship in Cambodia, citing sharply increased fuel costs, and told residents to disembark while the company considers restructuring and financing options. The vessel is entering a temporary layup, with crew remaining aboard to maintain the ship and its essential systems, according to a message to residents shared by passenger Randy Cassingham. The company said it is working with residents to coordinate their departure and identify temporary living arrangements. It has not said how many residents are affected or detailed the arrangements made for them. Villa Vie said monthly fuel costs per cabin, which historically averaged about $1,800, had recently reached an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia. The company said the resulting shortfall had put its operating model under unsustainable financial pressure and that passing the full increase on to residents was not a realistic solution. The company said it had tried to reduce fuel consumption by slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port, but those steps did not offset the higher expenses. It attributed the increases to the conflict that...