Cruise passengers permanently living on a “continuous voyage around the world” have been forced to disembark because of “prohibitively expensive” fuel prices.

Hundreds of residents were ordered to pack their bags and get off the Villa Vie Odyssey when it docked in Cambodia after beginning their adventure 755 days ago.

The cruise owner, Villa Vie Residences, blamed the Iran war’s impact on monthly fuel costs, which had risen from about $US1800 per cabin to up to $US8,000.

Since the war began in late February, the company said it had tried to reduce fuel use by slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port.

But the measures were not enough to offset the “extraordinary” increase in fuel costs.

“The company cannot simply pass increases of that scale on to residents, and the resulting shortfall has placed ​its current operating model under unsustainable financial pressure,” said the company’s statement.

The rooms were not ‘luxury’ despite the marketing, said passenger Randy Cassingham. Photo: Villa Vie Residences

“The sudden order to disembark has left many retirees and remote workers homeless thousands of miles from their home countries,” said Deputy Governor of the Preah Sihanouk province, Cambodia, where the ship docked.

Villa Vie Residences said it was working to find passengers temporary accommodation.

The Villa Vie Odyssey had marketed itself to retirees who could buy or rent long-term or live permanently on board, with permanent villa prices starting at $US120,000, plus monthly fees.

Some had used up their nest eggs or sold their homes to spend their senior years seeing the world.

There were reportedly around 200 passengers and 165 crew aboard the luxury vessel, which can house 650 people.

It departed Belfast in October 2024 for a journey around the world. At that time passengers were “stranded” in Northern Ireland due to a four-month delay in departure.

Randy Cassingham said passengers had to find their own way. Photo: Randy Cassingham

Randy Cassingham, who lived on the Odyssey with his wife Kit, said passengers were notified at 7am that they had until 2pm to disembark.

Posting to his cruise journey website, he said the cruise company did “absolutely nothing to help”.

“We couldn’t even walk out of the port, so there were shuttle buses that dropped us in the middle of town, Sihanoukville, Cambodia — the end,” said Casssingham.

“They didn’t even give us a list of hotels, let alone help us get there or pay for them.”

Later, he said the company offered a charter flight to the United States for $US1,100 per person.

Cassingham said some passengers were “shell-shocked” after spending their nest eggs to join the cruise.

“Residents run the full spectrum of the darker moods, from anger to resentment to bewilderment to ‘What am I going to do?’.

“A few are shell-shocked because they spent the majority of their nest-eggs to be here, and don’t know how or where they’ll live.

“A few in that situation have chosen to stay in Thailand or Vietnam because of the lower cost of living.

“Cambodia is certainly not a bad place, but it’s not the first choice of anyone I’ve spoken to. All want to go somewhere else.”

But he said most people felt that the adventure seeing 65 countries in two years was “great while it lasted”.

“We made some great friends and have amazing memories, and saw things we never would have seen otherwise.”