Cruise ship suspends world voyage in Cambodia due to fuel cost surge

A cruise ship carrying about 200 residents has stopped its voyage and sent passengers ashore in Cambodia. The Villa Vie Odyssey docked in Sihanoukville on October 27, roughly 750 days into a planned 3.5-year trip around the world. The company said it could not continue because fuel costs had risen more than 300 percent since February. Monthly fuel costs per cabin went from around $1,800 to as much as $8,000 in Asian waters. The company tried sailing more slowly and staying longer in ports, but this was not enough. Passengers had paid between $120,000 and $440,000 to live on the ship permanently. The 203 passengers came from 15 different countries, and 156 crew members were also on board.