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Wyoming Couple Who Sold Everything To Live On Cruise Ship Stranded In Cambodia
Cowboy State Daily • • business
Key Points:
- Paul and Lynn Montoya, a Laramie couple who sold their home to live on the cruise ship Odyssey during retirement, are stranded in Cambodia after the cruise operator Villa Vie Residences abruptly suspended operations due to soaring fuel prices.
- The company cited unsustainable expenses, with monthly costs around $3.2 million versus revenues of about $700,000, and asked residents for loans to keep the operation afloat, but has since failed to make promised interest payments.
- Passengers were given only seven hours to pack and disembark in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, leaving them with limited options and concerns about transporting pets and belongings.
- Despite the setback, the Montoyas remain optimistic and have arranged plans to spend time in Cambodia, Phnom Penh, and Kuala Lumpur while hoping the company can reorganize and resume the cruise.
- The couple initially invested $179,000 for lifetime cabin rights and pays $6,000 monthly for ship operations, viewing the cruise as a cost-effective way to see the world during retirement before the financial difficulties arose.
