As of 4/1/2022, BBB has exhausted all forms of contact to the business. 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 Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. Cruise ship gotchas they wont tell you about. Hertz billed her for eight extra days on her car. Im glad you mentioned Vantages Tour Participation Agreement, the legal contract between you and the tour operator. 7OYS's consumer hotline is a free consumer mediation service for those in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you have a problem on your cruise, youll want to say something immediately. 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. Do you have knowledge or insights to share? While we are unable to travel right now, the travel industry is resilient. 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. Here are my strategies for advocating your case. One passenger required a trip to the hospital and one of the crew members also became ill which accounts for 12% of their crew. Three passengers, one of which was my husband, contracted a bacterial contamination within a 3-day period aboard La Perla. Note to everyone: Never take the We publish the names and emails of customer service managers. Vantage Deluxe World Travel. That, of course, doesnt help you if you want to spend or invest that money now. WebLack of income/job loss. Why? In reality, many of these statutes are seldom enforced. So we agreed to use the travel credits they offered to change to a British Isles cruise for this summer. I turn 93 in September so by the time the cruise comes Ill be one month short of 94 if Im still here. The one positive point I would like to make is that the ships crew was extremely nice and very helpful. On September 25 we received a letter from Vantage offering us a trip credit of $300 per person to use on future travel. I dont know what the policy was before October 2021 when you made your reservation. 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 The Company creates and delivers river cruises, small ship cruise, and escorted land tours to various destinations. And most passengers accepted the credit. Anyone have experiences with Vantage, good or bad? Pay up! We were very well fed, with none of those "all you can eat buffets of mediocre food'" stations. That agency said that it has received about 275 consumer complaints so far about canceled O.A.T. 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. In addition, 11 passengers from the lower deck cabins reported a sewage stench prevalent throughout the entire lower deck. Answer: Yes. Ask your bank to take the money back. Bloomberg Surveillance, covering the latest news in finance, economics and investments. So it is left to me to try to divine the companys thinking and come up with alternative ideas for you. Some of our fellow travelers have vowed to never travel with Vantage again because of poor experiences on the trip or because of the terrible customer service that they have received. A porter will deliver it to your room. Robbery, assault and homicide happen on cruise ships. Because the porters dont always deliver the luggage to your room. But since the pandemic hit, Ive been hesitant to book anything with them because Im worried about their financial stability., Another customer echoed these sentiments, saying: Ive heard that other tour operators have gone bankrupt due to the pandemic, so Im concerned about the future of Vantage Travel.. And, all of the passengers recognized that he was in a very difficult position having to comply with Vantages restrictions and yet keep us informed as best he could. Then they applied the rules retroactively. How does he get a Vantage refund? ?was that problem worse than ours? I cannot imagine that it is a 5 star, but a very nice boat nonetheless. Rick Pedersen, Fulshear, Texas. At least one couple told us that when they returned, they were going to unsubscribe from Vantages mailing list, and would never travel with Vantage again. 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. Travel agents can make 10 percent or more in commissions and overrides from your cruise. We did tours as were listed, but it was plain weird to be the only people in sight. Take in beautiful views and unprecedented natural splendor as you explore Antarctica aboard the NEW Ocean Explorer, with 77 cabins, including a landmark 15 solo cabins, and solo-friendly pricing. 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. Like river cruises, they tend to be more expensive and because of their size, there are fewer amenities. Check out our directory. The worst fee Ive seen is for the end cut of a roast served at dinner. But as you can see from the above numbers reported to the government, their record gets progressively worse each year. But in travel-crazy 2022, Vantages claim that pushing off your It protects you from situations just like this one and should your travel company declare bankruptcy. Most medical care on cruise ships is adequate. Agents are not free. Cruise lines claim a vacation at sea is safer than any land-based vacation. Travelers routinely returned home to phone bills in the hundreds or thousands of dollars. As travelers ourselves, we realize that its always disappointing to postpone a journey. Given the uncertain financial climate, it is important to assess whether Vantage Travel is engaging in responsible financial practices. Translation: When they cancel your trip, they are legally required to offer you the money back. ), 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. Youll also connect with other readers who want to make the world a better place. Virtually zero. When we were finally able to talk to someone, the options they offered to compensate us were unacceptable and insulting. 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. Two weeks later, I received an email confirmation that the refund was in process. I have made numerous calls and three written requests since then. trips and has been pressuring the company to comply with the states travel-seller laws. Please note that our Customer Service Concierge continues to experience a high volume of calls, resulting in unusually long wait times. Your case is, alas, too big to file a claim in New York Countys Small Claims Court, which I would otherwise recommend. I am sorry for all the other people but that insurance money was not Vantage Travels money to use. But then the cruise lines canceled their rebooked cruises. Thank you for your ongoing understanding during this difficult time. Youll need to consider all of these dangers before you plan your cruise. They also dont work. In the end, there may be no correct answer for everyone. Pictures of the kids by the pro photographers? Roz. Lunch in one of our specialty restaurants? 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 consumer advocacy organization has a case backlog, too. 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. Been around for a long time. We have not had any reports of passengers with COVID being forcibly removed from a ship recently. I advise focusing on a bigger problem and letting the smaller things go. We are currently notifying impacted travelers. In the last 2 years we have had 3 trips canceled at the We have found that the real test of a companys commitment to their customers comes when something goes wrong. 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. We highly recommend them. Thats not entirely true. How slow? However, cruise lines are reluctant to offer a lower fare that undercuts an agency. Vantage sent an e-mail this morning canceling the Middle East tour. You can't get anyone on the phone there. E-mails to the Customer Care people ar Your email address will not be published. But I was really happy when that happened," she exclaimed. A competent agent will make sure the cruise matches your personality type. 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? We look forward to traveling with you in 2021 and beyond. Wherever you long to explore, Vantage Deluxe World Travel can help you experience it in ultimate luxury. Thank you for entrusting Vantage with your travel dreams. If you leave the country, you must have a passport. For some types of trips, insurance is optional. Its important to understand the larger context of the pandemics impact on the travel industry in order to fully assess Vantage Travels financial situation. Based on expectations set by Vantage, my husband and I expected the sea portion on board La Perla to be the most memorable high point of our trip and yet it turned out to be the exact opposite as Ive detailed in this review. After 100 days, I am still awaiting the refund. That is exactly what we are doing. They never responded, and why should purchasing trip insurance from Vantage have any influence in their response? A Comprehensive Review. Yes, I am jchpgma. The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act requires cruise lines to report criminal activity to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Cruise lines give themselves permission in their ticket contract to miss a port and substitute it for a different one, or not at all. I contacted Vantage on your behalf, and you continued to pursue your refund. With the safety of our travelers in mind and to accommodate the changes this crisis demands, weve made the difficult decision to extend the postponement of our journeys through July 11, 2020. Too much debt. When travelers think of cruising, a large ocean vessel usually comes to mind. Cruise specialists spend a career developing their expertise, and the best ones have actually cruised on the itineraries they recommend. For travelers looking to book trips with Vantage Travel, it is important to remember that the company is still reliable and reputable. Founder & Chairman All of their tour managers are very knowledgeable and go out of their way to make your trip memorable. Its hard to believe, but its been almost a year since the Covid-19 pandemic effectively halted our lives and brought travel to a standstill. And cruise lines dont like to do that. Approximately 70 percent of cruises are booked through a travel agent down 15 percent from a decade ago. Please provide this promotion code to your Vantage call center agent. The Elliott Report is a consumer news site supported by Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that offers free advice and advocacy for consumers. Better late than never. ONE day out of 7. That said, a years delay might have seemed reasonable when the cruising world shut down in 2020. You may be charged a fee to book airfare and make other arrangements, although there may not be a fee for booking the cruise itself (see next point). Washington requires But Im not even sure a doctors note right now would get you out of traveling in a year unless you had a condition that had no chance of improving. Theories on how to build a space elevator have been around for decades. A few years ago, cruise lines began installing advanced roaming networks that allowed passengers to make phone calls from the ship. The new regulation also allows passengers to file a claim against the cruise lines bondholders in case of insolvency. 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. The trip started on the 24th and yet we are informed that very day. Special access to agent-only discounts. 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. Is it just your server? So should you take a cruise this year? I will ask many more questions this time. Our columnist tries to get her the cash. 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. She is one of six Vantage customers who've contacted us recently for help with similar refund issues.

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