Source : Perth Now news
A luxury cruise has been suspended following a sharp spike in fuel costs.
Villa Vie Odyssey, a US-based operator, has announced that it has suspended a years-long cruise amid rising fuel costs, meaning passengers are currently stranded in Cambodia.
The company explained that the rising costs were linked to the ongoing trouble in the Middle East, where fuel has struggled to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in recent months.
In a statement, Villa Vie Odyssey said: “Since the conflict began in late February, we have taken significant steps to reduce fuel consumption, including slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port. Those measures have not been enough to offset the extraordinary increase in fuel costs, and we have been unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses. Passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution.”
The company – which markets itself as a “new model of global living at sea” – continues to evaluate potential paths forward, but at the moment, no financing or transaction has been finalised.
The Villa Vie Odyssey’s voyage was supposed to span 3.5 years and cover nearly 150 countries. However, it faced serious delays in 2024, when repair work caused the voyage to be halted for months.
At the time, Dr David Austin, from Georgia in the United States, revealed that he had stopped counting down the days until the cruise liner left the port in Belfast.
He told the BBC: “The payoff of seeing the world in this fashion is too great to feel too disappointed with each delay announcement.
“I was committed, having sold my house right before my arrival, and I’ve stayed committed to this adventure with every delay.”
Meanwhile, the company’s CEO, Mike Petterson, tried to play down the delay, describing it as a “hiccup”.
Mike said: “When you’re the first at doing something, you will run into hiccups, but we’re definitely getting there, and although we are late, we will launch.”
