Wyoming Couple Stranded in Cambodia After $450,000 Cruise Ship Retirement Fails

Paul and Lynn Montoya sold their home in Laramie, Wyoming, and most of their belongings to fund a retirement at sea. That plan ended abruptly on Tuesday when the operator of their cruise ship, the Odyssey, suspended all operations and left 200 passengers stranded in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.

The couple had been living on the ship for 17 months. Villa Vie Residences, the company that manages the Odyssey, cited soaring fuel costs as the reason for the halt. Passengers were given seven hours to pack their personal items and pets before disembarking at a shipping port in Cambodia.

Lynn Montoya, 64, told the Daily Mail that the couple has spent $450,000 to secure their place on the vessel. Paul Montoya, 68, said the sudden stop is difficult because the ship contained all their belongings, including renovations they had made to their cabin.

"It's a little tough for us, because if we don't come back to the ship, you've seen from previous videos all the remodeling we've done here," Paul said in a video posted to the couple's blog. "It's been great, and we're going to miss that. So, we hope we can make it back."

The Montoyas purchased lifetime rights to their cabin for $179,000. Their ongoing cost was $6,000 per month, which covered housekeeping, laundry, three meals a day, and access to amenities such as a spa, pool, and gym. They originally planned a four-year voyage but considered extending it to 15 years.

The couple identified warning signs before the suspension. Paul noted that the company introduced programs that required large upfront payments in exchange for lifetime maintenance waivers. He observed that some residents were paying as little as $500 in monthly fees, which he believed made the business model unsustainable.

Fuel costs became the final strain. Paul said the company was paying $700 to $800 per metric ton for fuel. Due to a shortage, that price jumped to $2,000 per metric ton, and Lynn noted it reached $2,200 in Australia and New Zealand. This threefold increase forced the ship to change ports and reroute its itinerary.

In April, the company asked 22 residents for a collective loan of $2.2 million to be repaid with interest by April 2027. The Montoyas participated. Lynn said the company has since asked for an additional $1.5 million and another $360,000. No interest payments have been made on the initial loan.

The couple is now staying at the Independence Hotel in Sihanoukville. Paul estimated the cost at $60 per night. He said about half of the stranded passengers chose the hotel because it is on the beach and has two swimming pools. They are waiting to hear if the company can reorganize or buy enough fuel to move the ship to Bangkok.

The Montoyas have built a schedule through November 9. They will spend two more nights in Cambodia before flying to Kuala Lumpur for roughly 10 days. They hope to use that time to finalize medical appointments and determine if the Odyssey will resume sailing.