A 'never-ending' cruise has halted operations and told residents to disembark in Cambodia after fuel costs rose over 300%

Villa Vie Residences' Odyssey cruise ship set sail from Belfast in September 2024. PAUL FAITH/AFP via Getty Images

A cruise ship selling the promise of a permanent life at sea has come to an abrupt stop.

Villa Vie Residences, which operates the residential cruise ship Villa Vie Odyssey , announced on Tuesday that it had suspended operations in Cambodia amid steep increases in fuel costs.

The company said its monthly fuel expenses per cabin, which had previously averaged about $1,800, had risen as much as 344% in parts of Asia, to an estimated $6,000 to $8,000.

The US-Israeli war with Iran began in February, and Iran's subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz — a vital chokepoint for global oil shipments — sent energy prices soaring around the world.

"Since the conflict began in late February, we have taken significant steps to reduce fuel consumption, including slowing the…