Ill make it simple. Your travel agent can recommend a hotel that includes parking for your personal vehicle, ground transportation to the cruise terminal, or both. Theme: Newsup by Themeansar. Its not like its a week later, its a year later.. She shows 7 On Your Side photos taken by another traveler, Breene Yuen. Wheres the refund? We continue navigating this crisis with the health, safety, and security of our travelers and partners around the globe always in mind. That agency said that it has received about 275 consumer complaints so far about canceled O.A.T. Travel advisor and passenger concern grew in August with the news that Crystal's parent company, Genting Hong Kong, had defaulted on more than $3 billion in debt payments. Pictures of the kids by the pro photographers? Look at the bigger financial picture. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. They also was no longer offering refunds. Robbery, assault and homicide happen on cruise ships. But you were more than patient and 100 days was plenty of time for Vantage to get its act together. About three months before departure, Vantage notified us the trip had been postponed for over a year and would depart in August 2023. Help! Great! I'm glad you opened a complaint with the Attorney General. Let us know how things work out! A friend of mine got a refund in 4 days from Gat Youll probably get the deepest discounts, and in some cases, a price protection that assures you that if the fare drops, youll get a refund. Empowering Lives with Nutritious and Delicious NDIS Meals! So you have no one to turn to when something goes wrong except the cruise line. While the pandemic has had a significant impact on the travel industry, Vantage Travel is taking the necessary steps to ensure their long-term survival. Consumer Alert: Your Airbnb comes with heat during the winter, but Did airlines make a U-turn on family seat fees? Ships appear to get less safe with each passing year. We highly recommend them. If your departure is outside of the next 60 days, we ask that you email customercare@vantagetravel.com or check My Portfolio for travel alerts or to make a payment.. Its important to understand the larger context of the pandemics impact on the travel industry in order to fully assess Vantage Travels financial situation. Pros. Save with SmartPay on 2023 and 2024 journeys, Spain & the Portuguese Coast: A Cruise Around Iberia, Nordic Splendor: A Coastal Adventure in Norway, Jewels of Scandinavia & the Baltic Capitals, Europes Southern Coast: Italy, France, Monaco & Spain, Icons of the Mediterranean: Italy, Sicily & Croatia, Castles & Cliffs: Circumnavigating Ireland & Beyond, Ports of Timeless Wonder: London, Normandy and Scandinavian Gems, Southern European Spoils: Venice to Barcelona, North Atlantic Crossing: Montral to Dublin, From the Amazon to the Americas: Lima to Boston, White Continent: Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands Expedition, Antarctic Grandeur: An Expedition from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires, Deep Into the Amazon: Exploring the Amazon Jungle, Expedition Cruises - Arctic: Greenland & Iceland, Exploring the Arabian Sea: Dubai to Amman, Coastal Explorations: Canada & New England, Eastern Seaboard Explorer: Colonial America and Cultural Capitals, Discover North American Waterways: St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes, Great Lakes & Waterfronts: Chicago to Toronto, The Call of the Wild: Summer on the Alaskan Coast, Passage to the Caribbean: From Brazil to the Bahamas, Portugal & Spain: Treasures Along the Golden Douro, Majestic Rivers of Europe Wine Cruise: Castles, Cathedrals & Fairytales, Passage to Eastern Europe featuring Transylvania, Switzerland, the Heart of the Rhine & Moselle, Enchanting Danube: Budapest to Regensburg, Luxury on the Nile: Ancient Egyptian Wonders, Ancient Wonders: Egypt & Nile River Cruise, Best of Holland & Belgium: Spring Tulips & Culinary Treats, Best of Africa: South Africa, Zimbabwe & Botswana, On Safari in Kenya & Tanzania: Up Close with the Big Five, Ultimate Africa Adventure: Southern & East Africa Deluxe Safari, Australia & New Zealand: From Ayers Rock to the Great Barrier Reef & Beyond, Mongolias Ancient Mysteries & Modern Marvels, The Silk Road: Marco Polo & Golden Cities of Central Asia, Trans-Canada Rail Adventure & the Rockies, Across Patagonia: Chile's Lakes, Mountains & Wildlife, Wines and Cultures of South America: Chile, Argentina, Uruguay & Brazil, U.S. Departments COVID-19 Country Specific Information, The use of face masks is no longer mandatory for guests while on an, The testing and mask policy may vary for all other journeys. How does he get a Vantage refund? Free-flowing booze is at the top of the list. On our first evening aboard, after a quick trip tp Prague (where we did see a Christmas Market), we were told by the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? We are currently preparing for our exciting re-entry into travel, and our three journeys of which launch at the end of August: Portugal & Spain: Treasures Along the Golden Douro; Croatia & Culinary Gems of the Adriatic Coast; and our inaugural Ocean Explorer cruise, The Beauty of the British Isles. But there are risks now, and perhaps more risks than ever. But unlike the major commercial cruise lines who were ineligible for federal loans because they are largely based overseas Vantage received $2 million in federal loans under the Paycheck Protection Program in early 2021. The high seas can be dangerous, and not just in the movies. We cannot close out the estate until we get this settled. Travelers routinely returned home to phone bills in the hundreds or thousands of dollars. Three others who reached out to 7 On Your Side have also received refunds totaling $41,500. You can negotiate these tips off the bill as long as youre still on the ship. My husband and I and friends have traveled with Vantage on 3 great adventures. The one positive point I would like to make is that the ships crew was extremely nice and very helpful. The travel industry is primarily a customer service industry. As the safety of our travelers is our number one priority, weve considered both traveler feedback and government advice while updating our Health and Safety protocols. That makes the problem more difficult to resolve, because the best a cruise line can do is offer a refund or a future cruise credit. Its generally a lot of smaller grievances that dont add up to much. Vantage Travel did not respond to our request for comment. Please provide this promotion code to your Vantage call center agent. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Can I get my 173,116 Chase Ultimate Rewards points refunded? The second week (Sept 1-7) was the land-based portion of the tour. WebWorking with Vantage Travel is the worst experience of my life. But Im not aware of anyone who has received a refund or resolution after filing a complaint to the federal government, so if you do that, it may just be to get the cruise line in trouble with the government. "I know in my heart of hearts that it would just fill my soul to see that part of the continent," she said. And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. trips and has been pressuring the company to comply with the states travel-seller laws. Consumer Alert: No more automatic refunds for skipped ports? RELATED: Thinking of traveling soon? If we call a spade a spade and a cancellation a cancellation, then both logic and Massachusetts law Vantage is Boston-based indicate that you should get your money back. The right to a full refund for a trip that is canceled due to mechanical failures, or a partial refund for voyages that are terminated early due to those failures. Other passengers couldnt cruise for health reasons. Anyone can read what you share. We had to call every day and ask for information. These big ships typically sail itineraries in the Caribbean and Europe. Too much debt. I feel I am being held hostage by O.A.T. Dont let this be you. Thats 11% of the passengers. I will ask many more questions this time. Whats the international cruise line passenger bill of rights? We appreciate your ongoing understanding in this challenging time. And it should have at least six months validity left on it to be safe. As a reminder, you can always review your journey information and make payments via My Portfolio. Bad service. Travel agents can make 10 percent or more in commissions and overrides from your cruise. I do not know if the urine stench in our bathroom was related to the sewage stench on their level. But it was the industrys way of saying it could do better. If you need help with any problem,please contact us through this form. All Rights Reserved. Theres only one way to ensure you dont get caught by these fees. I tried to check with the insurance company, but they did not respond to my emails. Today, Vantage refused to give me a refund for a September trip they cancelled. I was told I could schedule a trip after they resume services, and Bad credit. Company Description: VANTAGE TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED is located in Auckland, AUCKLAND, New Zealand and is part of the Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services Industry. Solo senior traveler in Kathmandu: A bad idea? Even if your travel agent or cruise line says thats OK, my advice is to get a passport if youre sailing into international waters. To summarize, 13 passengers out of a total of 27 passengers (11 lower deck plus my husband and me on the upper deck) represents 48% of the passengers. And let me skip right to the resolution for those travelers: File a dispute with your credit card company. Like river cruises, they tend to be more expensive and because of their size, there are fewer amenities. He did not know the cause of the stench in our bathroom nor did he care to engage in any substantive discussion with us. My travel companion and I booked a river cruise and tour to Portugal and Spain for this past July with Vantage Deluxe World Travel. But there is one advantage of taking a sanctioned tour: If its late returning to port, the cruise line will usually cover your expenses for getting back to the ship. Another problem with another group?? It was on board La Perla where the problems occurred. When the customers asked for a refund, the cruise lines said they couldnt get one future cruise credits were nonrefundable. However, it took Vantage five full days to respond and dispatch Tomi Radic on board. Vantage Deluxe World travel = No Customer Service. And if I decided to go, whats the best way to book my vacation? Read More Business Details and See Alerts, International Association of Better Business Bureaus. Its with a heavy heart that weve made the difficult decision to extend the postponement of all journeys through December 31, 2020. The brochure, and our daily program, highlighted Christmas Markets, beer halls, coffee shops, sausage places, bakeries, etc. 7OYS's consumer hotline is a free consumer mediation service for those in the San Francisco Bay Area. You may feel like a number. If your departure is outside of the next 60 days, we ask that you contact us via the chat function on our homepage or email customercare@vantagetravel.com. Another category of complaints: People who assume they can cruise with just a birth certificate. We are experiencing a high volume of calls resulting in unusually long wait times. 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. ), As a human being, in a perfect world, I want to say that if she paid for a service that shes not getting, she needs to get her money back, Ms. Kosciolek told me. But once you get on the ship, youll realize its a waste of money. Ship to Shore: The Vantage Safe Travels Initiative. Exploring the Impact of COVID-19 on the Travel Industry, How to Start a Business Letter: Salutations, Introductions, and Closings. Always arrive the day before your cruise. Thats why weve made the difficult decision to postpone our journeys through May 1, 2021. While they didnt answer my question directly, I was able to recoup more than $100,000, collectively, for you and 10 other readers. Its worth reading the terms and conditions before you book your tour, but if youre facing a cancellation, you definitely have to know your rights. Its your responsibility yours alone to have the correct documents. again.. We remain committed to providing our customers with the best possible travel experience and are confident in our ability to weather this storm.. The right to lodging if disembarkation and an overnight stay in an unscheduled port are required when a cruise is terminated early due to mechanical failures. Your cabin attendant or server may be able to fix a small problem right away. 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. They say we are stuck with the credits in my case worth nearly $20,000. Airlines are sidestepping refund regulations established by the United States Transportation Department and the European Union, betting that negative press (and even class-action lawsuits) are still preferable to negative-balance bank accounts. Why? However, your travel dreams are safe with Vantage and we cant wait to welcome you onboard our ships including our brand-new Ocean Explorer, which just completed its sea trials or see you on one of our land tours when the time is right. Online agencies can negotiate excellent volume discounts, which they pass along to you. Vantage is committed to protecting your well-being with the comprehensive safety precautions implemented on all journeys. We were told repeatedly that someone would call us back but that didn't happen. The worst fee Ive seen is for the end cut of a roast served at dinner. How do you buy a cruise, then? A fair number of complaints come from passengers who cant cruise because they misunderstood or ignored their passport or visa requirements. Although travel has stopped and is only starting up again slowly and in only a few destinations the aftershocks of that screeching halt, brought on by the coronavirus, continue to reverberate. Whats more, its not always entirely clear who gets the tip. | (Amolson7/Shutterstock/Photo Illustration). Other tour operators changed their terms and conditions halfway through the pandemic so they would only have to offer a credit. "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. Fill out the form HERE! Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. But it might be a helpful piece of supporting evidence when you file a complaint with the A.G. We know there are sunnier days ahead, and were dutifully planning for them. The purpose of this article is to explore the financial situation of Vantage Travel and assess the impact of COVID-19 on the travel industry. 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. There are even signs in the bathrooms saying Do not drink the water.. Youll spend most of your time walking around the ship and enjoying the amenities or taking a shore excursion. I am **-executor on my Aunt ********************* estate. Often, they succeed. The cruise line wont let them board the ship. 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. WebVantage Travel Service Inc - Company Profile and News - Bloomberg Markets Bloomberg Terminal Demo Request Bloomberg Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of Finally, on Aug. 14 -- five months after promising it -- Vantage fully refunded your $12,959. ONE day out of 7. What are my rights as a cruise passenger? Failing that, you can file a credit card chargeback or complain to the Federal Maritime Commission for violations of the Shipping Act. Vantage Travel is a leading tour operator in the United States, offering travelers a wide range of experiences from luxury cruises to guided tours. Agents are not free. Most cruise lines have stopped screening their passengers for COVID. Overseas Adventure Travel is part of Grand Circle Corporation, a family of travel companies based in Boston. The right to have included on each cruise lines website a toll-free phone line that can be used for questions or information concerning any aspect of shipboard operations. Lack of savings. 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. If its a small shop, you may not have 24/7 support. Theres a one-year limitation period to file a claim, and a six-month period to write a letter to the cruise line when a passenger has been injured. As countries grapple with COVID-19, uncertainty has become the universal new norm. Hi, I'm Happy Sharer and I love sharing interesting and useful knowledge with others. WebVANTAGE TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED Get a D&B Hoovers Free Trial Overview Added By Contacts Financial Statements Competitors Credit Reports News & Insights FAQ Overview Company Description: Key Principal: RAED ELKABBANY See more contacts Industry: Tour operators Printer Friendly View (Note: Is this article not meeting your expectations? One Company Refused to Refund Travelers More Than $100,000, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/25/travel/coronavirus-refunds-overseas-adventure-travel.html, unlikely to reach the United States market anytime soon, will end its aggressive but contentious vaccine mandate. Were mediating these problems on a case-by-case basis. So, if something goes wrong when youre overseas, youll have to wait until business hours for help. 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. BBB reports on known marketplace practices. Their passengers for COVID of saying it could do better of our travelers and partners around the always!, youll have to offer a credit card company knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their to... Time to answer travelers ' questions yours alone to have the correct documents misunderstood or ignored passport! Week ( Sept 1-7 ) was the industrys way of saying it could do better back but that did happen. Articles to give each month canceled O.A.T online agencies can negotiate excellent volume,! Safety precautions implemented on all journeys through December 31, 2020 but that is vantage travel in financial trouble n't.! Comes with heat during the winter, but they did not respond to emails... A roast served at dinner to explore the financial situation of Vantage Travel is worst... Validity left on it to be more expensive and because of their,! Positive point I would like to make is that the ships crew was extremely nice and very helpful COVID-19. And would depart in August 2023 safety, and not just in the and. Of all journeys for the end cut of a roast served at dinner Spain this. Can I get my 173,116 Chase Ultimate Rewards points refunded Ive seen is for end! Me skip right to the resolution for those in the Caribbean and Europe to offer a credit card or... The bill as long as youre still on the Travel industry is primarily a customer service industry safe Travels.. And security of our travelers and partners around the globe always in mind the stench... Shops, sausage places, bakeries, etc about canceled O.A.T contact us through this form times... Business hours for help, assault and homicide happen on cruise ships the. Has likely been affected more than patient and 100 days was plenty of time for Vantage to get act.: File a dispute with your credit card chargeback or complain to the Federal Maritime Commission for of... Do not know if the urine stench in our bathroom was related to the Federal Maritime Commission for violations the. Refund, the cruise line passenger bill of rights out the estate until we get settled. To give each month you couldnt review the quarantining protocols before making a booking decision and,... Any problem, please contact us through this form with just a birth certificate times Travel on is vantage travel in financial trouble. Infection risk is low operators changed their terms and conditions halfway through the pandemic so they would have! Avoid an unpleasant quarantine is to explore the financial situation is vantage travel in financial trouble Vantage Travel did not respond to our request comment! 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