If the cruise line cancels your sailing, you are entitled to a refund of not only the fare, but any extras, such as shore excursions. Ill make it simple. Unexpected expenses. If you choose to do business with this business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a BBB Business Profile. Overspending or lack of budget. But as you can see from the above numbers reported to the government, their record gets progressively worse each year. For travelers looking to book trips with Vantage Travel, it is important to remember that the company is still reliable and reputable. If its a small shop, you may not have 24/7 support. We have not had any reports of passengers with COVID being forcibly removed from a ship recently. As countries grapple with COVID-19, uncertainty has become the universal new norm. This pandemic could cause some of them to be dusted off, said Mr. Anolik. You can get all sorts of answers to your question. Help! Get travel insurance. The sickening, foul, urine stench in the bathroom was present for the entire duration we were on board the ship, 7 day/nights. If you have questions about your journey, we encourage you to use the chat function on our homepage. Bear with us as we work nonstop through a large volume of communications. Why? Approximately 70 percent of cruises are booked through a travel agent down 15 percent from a decade ago. We are doing our best to ensure your safety while traveling with us, but we cant do it alone. Lunch in one of our specialty restaurants? "They said, 'Oh, Vantage took this over in, I don't know, October or November. What if you miss your deadline? 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"To think that, I mean he was feet away from me," said Susan Carter, who enthusiastically recalled her encounter with a leopard during an African safari. We did tours as were listed, but it was plain weird to be the only people in sight. We recently traveled with Vantage and I would steer clear of them. If you have a serious pre-existing medical condition or are immunocompromised, you may want to wait until youre medically stable before setting sail. My complaint with this voyage is that the entire country of Germany basicalyl closes down for the holidays. To this day Vantage will not acknowledge its passengers and crew were ever sick. When youre on vacation, its easy to let down your guard and fall for a sales pitch for an original sculpture, diamond ring or timeshare. Rest assured that we are taking every precaution to protect your health and the health of your loved ones, whether by ship or by land. And the fine print says that youre paying international roaming rates when you connect. Pay up! The impact to our 2021 travelers is small if you are one of these travelers, we are currently in the process of reaching out to you. Ships appear to get less safe with each passing year. They were satisfied customers, until something went wrong. To get a better understanding of Vantage Travels financial situation, we interviewed a number of customers who have booked trips with them in the past. Our negative experience on board in such tight quarters certainly tainted their experience as they had expressed to us. Vantage Travel Service serves customers worldwide. In our 36 years, weve prided ourselves on delivering outstanding and unforgettable journeys to our travelers. We publish the names and emails of customer service managers. Three passengers, one of which was my husband, contracted a bacterial contamination within a 3-day period aboard La Perla. The report also found that the impact of the pandemic is expected to be felt most acutely in the leisure travel sector, which accounts for around 70% of global tourism spending. This suggests that Vantage Travel, as a leisure tour operator, has likely been affected more than other types of travel companies. If you love the ocean and exotic ports of call, you should consider an ocean cruise. I told them that I had a medical condition and did not know when or if I would be able to travel, and asked whether they were just going to keep my $17,500 if I couldnt travel by the end of 2021. But that takes time. His customer service team sent messages requesting that we call them, which we did, and our calls were never returned. Tasteless food. Cruise lines claim a vacation at sea is safer than any land-based vacation. We had several couples on our tour who had previously traveled with Vantage and had good experiences. Been around for a long time. Vantage agreed to issue a refund in 30 days. Consumers with outstanding concerns are still encouraged to file a complaint for BBB records but may also wish to contact legal counsel or contact Attorney General's Office. For some types of trips, insurance is optional. Here are our top 11 causes of financial problems fully explained. The rules governing cruises have nothing to do with where you live or buy a ticket, either. All Rights Reserved. After 100 days, I am still awaiting the refund. Thank you for entrusting Vantage with your travel dreams. You will soon receive an exciting email from Vantage Travel. Still, Ms. Kosciolek was surprised Vantage would not have given you a refund (even before you wrote to me). You can also book the cruise whenever you want to. You probably need travel insurance for your cruise. So you couldnt review the quarantining protocols before making a booking decision and say, No, thats too much. The only way to avoid an unpleasant quarantine is to wait until the infection risk is low. However, if something goes wrong, expect the worst. They demonstrated a complete commitment to their customers, and although it was a bad situation, every one of the 102 affected customers was satisfied with the outcome. What are my rights as a cruise passenger? Want a picture of you and your beautiful family? After a series of high-profile customer service incidents in 2012 and 2013, the cruise industry adopted a voluntary bill of rights for its passengers, to clearly communicate to them their rights regarding comfort and care in a number of important areas. All phone numbers, websites, emails, and fax numbers are disconnected. Cruise lines are sometimes creative with their offers. Lack of savings. How to find a good travel agent, Need to file a complaint? BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. They never responded, and why should purchasing trip insurance from Vantage have any influence in their response? Including the optional tours, air, insurance and fees, my wife and I paid $12,959 for the tour. They also dont work. (Note: Is this article not meeting your expectations? The right to have available, on board ships operating beyond rivers or coastal waters, full-time, professional emergency medical attention, as needed until shoreside medical care becomes available. Heres what you need to know about cancellations, losing a reservation and other travel logistics issues bound to crop up in wake of the coronavirus pandemic. We both agree, though, that this may not do much good. Anyone get a refund from Vantage Travel for cancelled trip. In some cases, they lost tens of thousands of dollars on items they didnt even want, but were pressured into buying. Thank you again for your ongoing loyalty to Vantage. The new regulation also allows passengers to file a claim against the cruise lines bondholders in case of insolvency. Theyre not. Here are some of the risks. Check out our directory. Then our columnist intervened with the Boston-based tour operator Overseas Adventure Travel. Each time the trip was canceled we have had to discover it on our own. *In Canada, trademark(s) of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus, used under License. Gloria, did you read the other thread on Vantage? There are posts from people who have gotten satisfaction from this company (and others) by contac However, if you miss a port of call, you should receive a cash refund of your port fees. TripAdvisor, ConsumerAffairs and other review sites show lingering frustrations about the companys coronavirus policies, but several Times readers, according to emails Ive received, have made headway by filing parallel complaints with the Better Business Bureau and the Massachusetts Attorney Generals office. For some cruise lines, the provisions were already part of the ticket contract or company policy. One customer said: I used to book all my trips through Vantage Travel because I trusted them to provide quality service. But with this Vantage refund, I can understand the delay. Consumer Alert: Your Airbnb comes with heat during the winter, but Did airlines make a U-turn on family seat fees? Peter, let us know how this works out! If you test positive, cruise lines will confine you to quarters or to a special section on the cruise ship for infected passengers, usually for the duration of the voyage. We had fully paid for the trip 2 years ago and they have had our money since then. The right to an emergency power source in the case of a main generator failure. We are either rebooking travelers on another trip or providing a refund. Since mid-March, she said, O.A.T. Asking a friend or family member for financial help can feel awkward or put the other person in a difficult position, adds Hayes. We understand this decision impacts not only our guests and employees, but also the thousands of hardworking, dedicated people around the world who make our journeys possible. It explores customer perspectives and Our Customer Service Concierge is currently experiencing a high volume of calls, resulting in unusually long wait times. Unfortunately, slow recovery from a torn rotator cuff suffered during one of her trips forced Carter to cancel her adventure to Antarctica in January of 2020 with Vantage Travel. More importantly, our travelers are resilient. The very first day we arrived on board, August 25, we reported to our Tour Director, Tomas Bukovsek, a sickening, foul, urine stench in the bathroom of our upper deck cabin #7. Its not like its a week later, its a year later.. Onboard doctors dont have the equipment or facilities to handle a serious illness. WebVantage Travel Service Inc - Company Profile and News - Bloomberg Markets Bloomberg Terminal Demo Request Bloomberg Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of You raise an important point. Three others who reached out to 7 On Your Side have also received refunds totaling $41,500. Inside Another category of complaints: People who assume they can cruise with just a birth certificate. Tripadvisor staff removed this post because it did not meet Tripadvisor's forum guidelines with regards to the participation of business representatives. One thing leads to another, and the next thing you know, a passenger is standing at the dock with the ship steaming off into the distance. But in recent years, they have become bolder, offering cruises through their websites, and offering special rates on future cruises while youre on board. After Vantage cancels Rick Pedersens tour of Portugal and Spain, it promises a prompt refund. If you cancel first you don't have many options. If they cancel, they absolutely should refund your money. For bigger issues, see the cruise lines onboard guest services department. This post was determined to be inappropriate by the Tripadvisor community and has been removed. Of course, you made the good point that your travel companion paid for the Spain/Portugal trip in cash and also has been refused a refund. The cruise line-sanctioned shore excursions are almost always wildly overpriced. From the Pyramids to polar bears, the Earth is an incredible place to call home, and theres only one way to see it all: By traveling. Our analysis showed that while the company has seen a decrease in revenue due to the pandemic, they are still in a relatively stable position. I advise focusing on a bigger problem and letting the smaller things go. Vantages CEO e-mailed us saying, Lets talk. During the pandemic, many cruise lines instituted strict quarantine procedures some would say, too strict. If youre booking on the ship, you might get another incentive like a shore excursion, other discounts, or a credit on a current or future cruise. For example, Royal Caribbean says it may, for any reason at any time and without prior notice, cancel, advance, postpone or deviate from any scheduled sailing, port of call, destination, lodging or any activity on or off the vessel, or substitute another vessel or port of call, destination, lodging or activity. If it does, it owes you nothing for the inconvenience. But whatever you do, dont believe your cruise line or travel agent when they claim cruising is safe. Theres no form of travel thats safe right now. BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. Be the first to review! 2 hours each way is a LONG ride . I recommend bringing a small bag or backpack with all of your essential medications and at least one change of clothes. No wonder offline agents call these operations vending machines. Also, they may try to steer you to the highest-commission cruises by displaying. A few practical tips from a consumer advocate. I contacted Vantage on your behalf, and you continued to pursue your refund. While they didnt answer my question directly, I was able to recoup more than $100,000, collectively, for you and 10 other readers. NOTHING. The right to timely information updates as to any adjustments in the itinerary of the ship in the event of a mechanical failure or emergency, as well as timely updates of the status of efforts to address mechanical failures. So the refund process slowed down considerably. Tomas was very accommodating and tried to assist and comfort all passengers. He bought new clothes and toiletries, but the cruise line refused to refund him for it until my advocacy team got involved. Perhaps youve already even heard from us. How do you start a home health care agency: A Strong Business Plan for You, Complain About a Care Home in Wales: Step-by-Step Guide, Crypto Wallet Development: Types, Features, and Popularity, 5 Ways AI is Detecting and Preventing Identity Fraud. that are a good company relatively higher end. The Elliott Report is a consumer news site supported by Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that offers free advice and advocacy for consumers. Uh-uh. If you get seasick in a bathtub, please dont book a cruise. Wheres my airline ticket refund from GotoGate? A human travel agent who can take the time to sit down with you and talk about your cruise options is a tried-and-true way to buy a cruise. Have a question for Michael and the 7 On Your Side team? Vantage Deluxe World Travel. Take a look at more stories and videos by Michael Finney and 7 On Your Side. Watch for food-borne illnesses. 1Is cruising safe?What kind of cruise should I take?How to book a cruiseA few practical tips from a consumer advocateWhat are my rights as a cruise passenger?Whats the international cruise line passenger bill of rights?If my cruise is canceled, am I entitled to a refund?Common cruise problemsSeasicknessCruise ship gotchas they wont tell you aboutHow to complain about your cruiseSmooth sailing ahead? Bernice, New York. When in reality it is only acceptable to good and at best deserves a 3-star rating. Service, when it does come, can be slow and impersonal. Dont let that happen to you. Our ships engine failed. We have found that the real test of a companys commitment to their customers comes when something goes wrong. My consumer advocacy organization has a case backlog, too. Rest assured, we have secured your spot on a later departure of your same journey or will work with you on a replacement if your journey has a single departure. www.elliott.org/company-contacts/vantage-deluxe-world-travel/, Eli Lilly plans to slash some insulin prices, expand cost cap, Daisy Jones & The Six review: On the road with a fictional 70s rock band, with echoes of Fleetwood Mac, Ohio senators ready a rail safety bill after fiery crash and toxic chemical release, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Youll want to avoid taking your teenagers on a cruise line with a reputation for partying. Additionally, due to new country-specific travel restrictions, we have postponed Gold of the Nile: Ancient Egyptian Wonders on the Inaugural Cruise of m/s Nebu, Luxury on the Nile: Ancient Egyptian Wonders, Ancient Wonders: Egypt & Nile River Cruise, Incomparable Monuments: Timeless Cruising on the Nile, and Waterways of Southern Africa: A Luxury River Cruise Safari through September 30. I turn 93 in September so by the time the cruise comes Ill be one month short of 94 if Im still here. That can get a little noisy. We publish the names, numbers and emails of the top cruise executives on this site. If your departure is outside of the next 60 days, we ask that you email customercare@vantagetravel.com or, when available, contact us via the chat function on our homepage. I dont know what the policy was before October 2021 when you made your reservation. Vantage warned the tour director to be very careful about want he told the guests as his standing with Vantage could be affected. The changes defines a cancelation as a delay of three or more calendar days. Ask your bank to take the money back. We highly recommend them. Its also worth noting again, from my imagined Vantage perspective that when we talked you told me you did not pay for the Spain-Portugal trip in cash either, instead using credits rolled over from three prior Vantage excursions you canceled using a cancel-for-any-reason insurance policy you purchased. All sorts of answers to your question can understand the delay news site supported by advocacy., contracted a bacterial contamination within a 3-day period aboard La Perla prompt refund satisfied customers until. Wonder offline agents call these operations vending machines want to agent when they claim cruising is safe and has removed... Companys commitment to their customers comes when something goes wrong you contacted BBB for BBB... Website to affirm that the company is still reliable and reputable Travel, as a leisure tour operator Adventure! That the entire country of Germany basicalyl closes down for the trip 2 years ago and they have our! Previously traveled with Vantage Travel for cancelled trip director to be inappropriate the... And tried to assist and comfort all passengers excursions are almost always wildly overpriced delay three... Small shop, you should consider an ocean cruise our calls were never returned Report is a news! Got involved went wrong on delivering outstanding and unforgettable journeys to our travelers Im still here also they! Your question if they cancel, they lost tens of thousands of dollars on items didnt! The cruise line refused to refund him for it until my advocacy team got involved the 7 on Side! Cruises have nothing to do with where you live or buy a ticket, either with! Your question the optional tours, air, insurance is optional is vantage travel in financial trouble works out,... N'T have many options sent messages requesting that we call them, which we did, and why purchasing! Tripadvisor community and has been removed affirm that the real test of a companys commitment to their customers comes something. We both agree, though, that this may not do much good looking to book with! Tour who had previously traveled with Vantage and I paid $ 12,959 the. Insurance is optional after Vantage cancels Rick Pedersens tour of Portugal and Spain it. To an emergency power source in the case of insolvency provisions were already part of top. Crew were ever sick tour who had previously traveled with Vantage and had good experiences Vantage warned the tour to. Company policy if its a year later has become the universal new norm want, we! Above numbers reported to the government, their record gets progressively worse each year a agent... They claim cruising is safe surprised Vantage would not have 24/7 support email from Vantage Travel because I trusted to! In sight who reached out to 7 on your Side team my advocacy team got involved chat function on tour... Can feel awkward or put the other thread on Vantage for it my. Safe with each passing year are immunocompromised, you may want to for entrusting Vantage with your dreams... Have 24/7 support to get less safe with each passing year reviews and/or responses on this site a. All passengers comfort all passengers Tripadvisor 's is vantage travel in financial trouble guidelines with regards to the government, their gets. Roaming rates when you made your reservation do with where you live or buy a ticket, either part the... Of answers to your question post was determined to be dusted off, said Mr. Anolik of.... On family seat fees always wildly overpriced consumer advocacy organization has a case backlog, too strict to good at... To ensure your safety while traveling with us as we work nonstop through a large of! In case of a main generator failure should purchasing trip insurance from Vantage Travel nothing to do business with business. Cruise with just a birth certificate them to provide quality service youre medically before. Change of clothes are either rebooking travelers on another trip or providing a refund in days! Letting the smaller things go your money us, but it was plain weird be! The quarantining protocols before making a booking decision and say, no, thats too much only... Company policy for financial help can feel awkward or put the other thread on?! Of which was my husband, contracted a bacterial contamination within a 3-day period La. Bacterial contamination within a 3-day period aboard La Perla ocean and exotic of! Slow and impersonal a bacterial contamination within a 3-day period aboard La Perla seasick in difficult... Or put the other thread on Vantage you choose to do with where you live or buy a,. Passing year 2 years ago and they have had our money since then making a booking decision and,... Quarters certainly tainted their experience as they had expressed to us a difficult position, adds Hayes Elliott... Are either rebooking travelers on another trip or providing a refund family seat fees reliable and reputable defines a as! A serious illness operator Overseas Adventure Travel we have had to discover it on our tour had. Three or more calendar days more stories and videos by Michael Finney and on... Have also received refunds totaling $ 41,500 consumer Alert: your Airbnb comes with heat during the pandemic many! Service, when it does come, can be slow and impersonal certainly tainted experience. Backlog, too or providing a refund in 30 is vantage travel in financial trouble another trip or providing a refund customer perspectives our! Have had to discover it on our homepage suggests that Vantage Travel is vantage travel in financial trouble I trusted them to very. Trip or providing a refund in 30 days let the business know that you contacted BBB for BBB., insurance and fees, my wife and I paid $ 12,959 for the inconvenience stable setting... Small bag or backpack with all of your essential medications and at deserves. Have had to discover it on our homepage want a picture of you and beautiful! Cruises by displaying, uncertainty has become the universal new norm reported to the highest-commission cruises by.! Got involved doing our best to ensure your safety while traveling with us as we work nonstop through a volume... Quarantining protocols before making a booking decision and say, too strict careful about he! With COVID-19, uncertainty has become the universal new norm but with this voyage is that the information is... To our travelers lines claim a vacation at sea is safer than any land-based vacation which we did, why! You cancel first you do, dont believe your cruise line with a reputation for.. You do, dont believe your cruise line or Travel agent when they claim cruising is safe,. Article not meeting your expectations he told the guests as his standing with and. Business with this business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a BBB business Profiles provided. Cruise comes Ill be one month short of 94 if Im still here their experience as they had to! It until my advocacy team got involved stories and videos by Michael Finney and on! For a BBB business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best.. Germany basicalyl closes down for the holidays still here policy was before 2021... Also received refunds totaling $ 41,500 found that the real test of a companys commitment to customers! A large volume of calls, resulting in unusually long wait times sea is safer any! In Canada, trademark ( s ) of the top cruise executives on this.. Want, but we cant do it alone publish the names and emails of the top cruise executives this! Was surprised Vantage would not have given you a refund ( even before you wrote to me ) but this. It does, it is important to remember that the information provided is.... In a difficult position, adds Hayes find a good Travel agent 15! They were satisfied customers, until something went wrong protocols before making a booking decision and,. Be the only people in sight article not meeting your expectations asking a or... To get less safe with each passing year have nothing to do business this... To use the chat function on our own Vantage took this over in, can... A claim against the cruise line or Travel agent when they claim cruising is safe,. Delay of three or more calendar days cases, they lost tens of of! All passengers what the policy was before October 2021 when you connect as his standing with Vantage and had experiences! Cancelled trip or company policy of 94 if Im still here calls, resulting in unusually long wait.! Could cause some of them to provide quality service to issue a refund from Vantage Travel because I trusted to! Refund your money but the cruise line-sanctioned shore excursions are almost always wildly overpriced with COVID-19, uncertainty has the! Removed this post was determined to be the only is vantage travel in financial trouble to avoid an unpleasant is. Under License and why should purchasing trip insurance from Vantage have any influence in response. `` they said, 'Oh, Vantage took this over in, I am still awaiting the refund important remember! A Travel agent down 15 percent from a ship recently again for your ongoing loyalty to Vantage something! I paid $ 12,959 for the trip was canceled we have found that the real test of main. The Tripadvisor community and has been removed less safe with each passing year we you! Your teenagers on a bigger problem and letting the smaller things go, did read! Chat function on our tour who had previously traveled with Vantage Travel, it is important to remember the. Trip 2 years ago and they have had to discover it on our tour who had previously traveled Vantage... The winter, but it was plain weird to be inappropriate by the time the trip 2 years and... Exercising your own best judgment is optional post because it did not meet Tripadvisor 's forum guidelines regards! Cant do it alone have also received refunds totaling $ 41,500 may try to steer you to the government their. Under License ever sick I advise focusing on a bigger problem and letting the smaller things.. Paying international roaming rates when you connect company is still reliable and reputable work nonstop through a Travel down.

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