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U.S. Cruise Ship Passengers Booted Off Early Thanks to Trump

President Donald Trump’s war in the Middle East has sent fuel prices soaring.

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Hundreds of Americans aboard a luxury cruise ship were abruptly stranded halfway across the globe after skyrocketing fuel costs forced the liner to stop operating. The MV Odyssey, operated by Florida-based Villa Vie Residences, was originally marketed as a permanent floating home for global travelers willing to spend over $230,000 for a lifetime suite. However, operating losses spiked as monthly per-cabin fuel expenses, tied to the escalating Middle East conflict, surged from an average of $1,800 up to $8,000. The ship anchored in Cambodia, where 203 passengers—mostly Americans—and 156 crew members were told the journey was over. “We have been unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses,” Villa Vie Residences said in a statement on Tuesday. “Passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution. Our focus now is on supporting residents, crew, and employees.” Despite corporate assurances of assistance, passengers stranded at the Southeast Asian port painted a starkly different picture of the aftermath. “The company has done 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,” blogger and passenger Randy Cassingham posted online. Local authorities reported the ship is expected to refuel before departing Saturday.