SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia: The Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship left Cambodia without passengers after more than 200 people who had paid tens of thousands of dollars to live on board for years were forced to disembark because of rising fuel costs linked to the Iran war.

The vessel departed early on November 4 from the port town of Sihanoukville, carrying around 50 crew members but no passengers, according to Taing Sochitkrishna, head of the Sihanoukville tourism department.

The ship's Florida-based owner, Villa Vie Residences, suspended operations last week, saying rising fuel prices had made it too expensive to keep the vessel running.

The passengers were asked to leave the ship after it arrived in Cambodia. Around 100 remained in the country, while most others flew to different destinations in the region, Taing said.

Passengers collected their remaining belongings on November 3, with many expressing doubts about returning to the vessel.

Shirine Thomas, from Wilmington, North Carolina, said she wished she could have taken more of her possessions when she left the ship.

"There are still many things on the ship that I wish I could take with me," she said after collecting some of her final belongings.

The Villa Vie Odyssey had spent at least 755 days traveling around the world. It was among a small number of cruise ships offering people the opportunity to rent or purchase long-term or permanent accommodation on board.

The vessel's final destination remained unclear after it departed Cambodia. Some passengers and maritime tracking websites indicated that it was heading towards Singapore.

Villa Vie Residences did not respond to emails or telephone calls seeking information about the ship's plans.

The sudden suspension of operations has left passengers uncertain about what will happen to their long-term residential arrangements and whether the cruise around the world will resume.

Mary Ann Demsar, a 67-year-old retired high school teacher from Ontario, Canada, said passengers had received no clear information from the company about the voyage's future.

"We don't get any clear indication from the owners of Villa Vie as to what is happening," she said.

She added that the company had remained largely silent, leaving passengers to rely on information from Cambodian government officials and local representatives.

The departure of the empty vessel marks a major setback for passengers who had paid substantial sums to make the ship their home while traveling around the world.