A luxury cruise ship that had embarked on a years-long voyage around the world was forced to suspend its operations and leave passengers stranded in Cambodia because of high fuel prices.

The ship, known as the MV Odyssey, had been carrying 203 passengers, mostly Americans, along with 156 crew members, Cambodian officials told the Associated Press . The ship has a 650-passenger capacity.

The Florida-based operator of Villa Vie Odyssey, the company that operates the cruise line, said it was working with passengers on organizing “temporary living arrangements”. The cruise ship had begun its journey in Belfast in October 2024 for what was described as a “continuous voyage around the world”.

“Extraordinary increases in fuel costs have placed our current operating model under unsustainable financial pressure,” a statement on the company’s website said.…