More than 200 passengers were left stranded in Cambodia after a luxury cruise ship on a years-long world voyage suspended operations on Tuesday due to soaring fuel costs.
The ship had been more than 750 days into its world voyage when it announced on Tuesday that the journey was being suspended, leaving passengers stranded in Cambodia. Larson told the outlet that she had bought her cabin for $120,000, paying in installments, along with additional monthly maintenance fees. The programme offered her the option of living aboard the ship for up to 15 years, according to The Guardian.
Its Florida-based operator, Villa Vie Residences, said monthly fuel expenses per cabin that historically averaged $1,800 have reached an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia due to the war in Iran.
The company said it sought to reduce fuel consumption by slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port, but was unable to offset the surging costs, according to AP. In 2024, days after Donald Trump won a second term as US president, Villa Vie Residences announced a four-year “Skip Forward” package.
“We are working with residents to coordinate disembarkation and temporary living arrangements, and are supporting residents, crew, and employees as we evaluate restructuring and recapitalization alternatives over the next 60 days.
“Extraordinary increases in fuel costs have placed our current operating model under unsustainable financial pressure,” the company said in a statement on its website, The Guardian reported. The ship remains docked at the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville, a once-sleepy beach town that has gained global notoriety in recent years as a hub for Chinese casinos and scam centres, according to the BBC. However, its departure was delayed by repair work, leaving passengers stuck in Belfast for months and costing the company millions of pounds, according to BBC.
