Retired US couple say they paid $450,000 to the 'never-ending' cruise that dumped passengers in Cambodia after repeated fuel-money demands
The Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship, whose operator suspended its 'never-ending' world voyage after monthly fuel costs per cabin soared from around £1,350 to £6,000 following the outbreak of the Iran war.
Lynn Montoya, 64, of Wyoming and her retired husband Paul, 68, originally paid $179,000 for their cabin on the Villa Vie Odyssey before being hit with repeated demands for more cash to cover soaring fuel costs, ultimately paying $450,000. The Odyssey dumped its roughly 200 passengers in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, a port city now notorious for casinos, cybercrime and scam compounds, with just seven hours to pack.
Villa Vie founder Mikael Patterson has said he feels 'awful', is considering bankruptcy, and admits he is the 'villain' of the story.
Blogger Randy Cassingham and his wife Kit paid $1 million for their berth and say the company did 'absolutely nothing' to help passengers find accommodation after ordering them off.
Crew members on the 156-strong staff have also not been paid, with monthly per-cabin fuel costs having reportedly rocketed from $1,800 to as much as $8,000 amid the Strait of Hormuz closure.
