Vantage Deluxe World Travel Reviews

I scheduled a group trip to South America scheduled to depart April 2, 2020. I prepaid the trip using my checking account in the amount of $8233. The trip was cancelled by the travel agency. I was informed by my booking agent that I would receive a full refund within 60-working days. We are approaching the year mark and I have not received my monies. I have called numerous times to customer service and sent e-mails but I receive the same response that it is being processed in Accounting. The friends that paid by credit card received a refund. Those that paid by electronic check are being given the run around. Most recently, any calls to customer service you get music. Shortly after the cancellation, the company removed any information regarding the trip from my portfolio.

February 2019 the world was beginning to hear about COVID19. I had already paid my Tulip Cruise with Vantage at the beginning of February, according to their "rules". I called to take a rain check just to give me time to see what would happen with this virus. The rep told me I would have a hear to use the voucher. A few days later, after hearing in the news that Americans should not travel to Europe and will not be allowed to re-enter if they did, I called Vantage back and asked to have the trip Cancelled. The rep at that time told me it would take 30-60 days to get my refund.

If I could I would select zero stars. Myself and 3 other persons planned and paid for a trip to Greece to leave May 4th 2020. The trip was cancelled by Vantage because of the Covid pandemic and health safety issues. I was sent a letter regarding the cancellation and if I chose I would get a full refund for my trip. I chose the full refund. I was told I would get the refund. Everyone else in my party has gotten their refund returned. I have not received my full refund or any money at all. I paid the lump sum via e-check to take advantage of the discount in Sept.2019. The deposits were thru 2 different credit cards. Every one else paid via credit card and have gotten their money back. Vantage even sent my brother a check for his refund. After many calls Vantage admits owing me a full refund. I'm being told I will get a refund but no timeline as to when. Enough is enough.

My husband and I scheduled & paid for a trip to Kenya and Tanzania departing in February 2021. On Nov. 21st I logged into My Portfolio and discovered to my dismay that our Feb. trip was cancelled and rebooked for June 2021. No one from Vantage called me or emailed me about the cancellation or about the rebooking. I finally got through their phone system & spoke with Kathy. I told her that we had a conflict with the rebooked departure date and asked her to process a refund for our 30K trip. She said she would start the refund process. On 12/5 I again logged in to My Portfolio and found that all evidence of our Kenya/Tanzania trip was GONE and no indication of a refund or voucher was made.

In Dec. 2019, we made deposit for a March, 2021, trip to India/Dubai. Final payment by e-check was made in April, 2020, and totalling almost $19,000.00, including insurance! On Dec. 3, 2020, we went online to our account and saw our names were put on a trip in 2022, 13 months later than scheduled, without receiving any word of the cancelled 2021 trip.

Friend and I booked trip in June 2019 for April 2020 Tulips in Holland. Vantage cancelled in March and offered credit for same trip year later. Did not want to commit to that so instead of taking refund we were persuaded by Vantage rep to look for substitute trip in 2020. Ultimately booked trip to Patagonia in October 2020. This was canceled by Vantage in July. When we asked for refund, were told for first time that it was not refundable and only recourse would be to book same trip following year or get credit for later date.

Background: In September of 2019 I booked a 21 day trip to Africa with Vantage Deluxe World Travel departing August 20, 2020. I prepaid the full amount of $28,124 for the trip. On March 11, 2020, Vantage issued their first Travel Health Advisory. Many additional advisories were issued since that time in which I closely monitored. On May 8th, out of increased concerns regarding the escalating worldwide serious health risks and overall travel impacts, I sent an email to Vantage initiating the cancellation process. On May 15th, I spoke with the Vantage cancellation specialist and my cancellation was finalized. Since the cancellation was greater than 90 days prior to departure. I was informed that Vantage’s standard cancellation policy fee would apply and I would be charged a $500 per person fee. Vantage would NOT waive the fee in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Per Vantage standard cancellation policy, I am due a refund of $27,124

On March 29 my husband wrote to Vantage asking how to proceed to cancel our reservation number **, Majestic Rivers of Europe Wine Cruise, departing July 23, 2020, due to the COVID-19 situation. Vantage answered on April 6, telling us that they received our cancellation request, and were going to contact us within 5 to 7 business days to go over the full cancellation procedure, and to discuss the refund, voucher or re booking options. Since nobody contacted us, we wrote again, on April 19, and 2 more times after that date. Finally, we spoke with someone of the cancellation team on July 9, and he said that we were going to receive our money back in about one month. But it’s been 6 months and we haven’t get any refund. We are very frustrated and disappointed of Vantage Deluxe World Travel, because we thought that it was a reliable company.

I purchased a tour from this company (Majestic Rivers of Europe) that was canceled because of Covid 19 - Nobody can fly to or visit other countries. I am 75 years of age and at high risk for Covid 19. Even my doctor advised me not to travel. I have been waiting for over a year for a refund. I have called several times and they just tell me they are behind. They don't have a supervisor you can talk to. They also want to impose a $300 penalty for canceling a tour which cannot take place due to Covid 19 and they cancelled it themselves. It only takes a few minutes to issue a refund. They certainly didn't have any problems taking the money from me and processing.

Four friends and I purchased The Best of Africa for 5/21/20-6/11/20 and paid in full ($11,740) by 10/29/19. Vantage cancelled the trip on April 9, offering us the opportunity to receive a full refund or use the money for a future trip in '20 or '21. We chose the refund and were told (by phone and in writing) it may take up to 3 months to issue a refund. It has been almost 7 months and we have received nothing. When we call, they either don't answer or tell us that we are on a waiting list for refunds. Emails yield the same responses, if any. Letters sent certified mail have gone unanswered.

Vantage cancelled our trip to France in March 2020. After we decided not to travel in this coming year we requested a refund on July 3rd. We were told that we should get it about 2 weeks. After repeated calls and requests we cannot talk to a supervisor to find out why the money has not been returned. In their own literature they state “If the tour is cancelled by Vantage for any reason, Vantage shall have no liability beyond the prompt refund of all tour participants’ payments received by it.” We are totally frustrated by their customer service. Maybe it is time to start a class action suit. Not just for our money but also for compensation for stress of dealing with Vantage.

We have been loyal and satisfied customers of Vantage Deluxe World Travel for almost 25 years (since 1996). We were scheduled to take our 26th trip with Vantage on April 24, 2020 on a Holland riverboat cruise. On 3/25/20 we were informed that our trip was cancelled and that a full refund of $8917 would be processed back to our bank account. Vantage confirmed by email on 4/14/20 that we would receive this refund. After several phone calls to Vantage customer care representatives and not having received our refund we emailed David ** of the Vantage management team on 8/24/20. Receipt of this email was confirmed but we again got no response from management at Vantage.

I was booked on Vantage for an African Safari leaving September 2020. I canceled my trip in March 2020 and am still waiting for my almost $10k. I have called just about every month been told the same thing time after time and still have not received my refund. In the beginning I was told I should see it in 30 days, then it was 45 days which then turned into 90 days and finally they had no idea when I would receive my money. I called in July and asked to speak to a supervisor and was told it would be 6 - 8 weeks before a return phone call. I should have received one by end of September and was told again that they are behind in calls. I am a single mother supporting my son and saved for this trip over a period of years. I can really use the money. Does anyone have any suggestions for me on how to get this money back?

We have traveled with Vantage almost 20 times in the last 15 years. I can only think of 2 little quibbles over all these trips. After many successful cruises and tours, we even took the coach trip through the National Parks. Only because our past experiences with Vantage would we have signed on for a bus trip with 40 strangers. It turned out to be one of our most memorable trips. Special attention goes into the training and skill of the program manager and the advanced planning (like 3 or 4 years in advance) that had us staying in all the original hotels at every park. Looking forward to future trips, already have 3 booked!! And now that I recently widowed, I love their solo travel opportunities.

As many of you, I am still waiting for my refund of over $40k from Vantage. I was told on April 29, it would be “forthcoming in weeks”. After many emails and calls, it’s been downgraded to “forthcoming in months”. I have been in touch with other Vantage customers who did get a refund, their travels having been cancelled later than mine. It seems there is no rhyme or reason to the process. Has anyone started a class action lawsuit?? I’ve appealed to the Mass AGO, BBB, and now Consumer Affairs. Beware if you are planning to travel with Vantage. I can’t see how they’re ever getting out of this mess. BTW, I also cancelled a trip with Viking, $ refunded the next day!

WARNING TO ANYONE INQUIRING ABOUT VANTAGE TRAVEL: Today, Vantage informed us they are keeping our $23,691, after they canceled two trips we had planned with them. They cancelled the Iberian Peninsula trip we had planned for May. Then they canceled their river cruise "Switzerland, the Heart of the Rhine & Moselle" we had planned for this summer.

Both in our 80's, we scheduled what we knew would be the last trip abroad of which we were physically capable. We selected and paid in full for the August 16, 2020 departure for "Switzerland: the Heart of the Rhine and Moselle." We asked that our fare be refunded, but Vantage has refused, offering instead a voucher for travel next year. We do not want to risk traveling abroad next year and want our money refunded. Now the invoice portion of our portfolio has been taken off the web; Customer Service no longer responds to email; phone calls take me to a recorded message line and the call is never returned. Scores, perhaps hundreds, of customers are being cheated in this way. Who has found an answer?

I had to cancel a trip to France this spring because of an illness requiring a very involved daily treatment plan. I'd purchased travel insurance through Vantage Travel with Trip Mate. The company requested my medical records twice, and in general did everything possible to stall. Now the representatives have been telling me for over a month that my claim is in "accounting" and will be paid in "due time." I can see that everyone else has had similar experiences, so I have two questions. 1) Has anyone begun a class action lawsuit? 2) If Trip Mate is domiciled in Missouri, as seems the case, has anyone contacted the state insurance commissioner? Insurance companies are required to maintain a certain amount of re-insurance in order to do business in most states.

We purchased a trip from Vantage in 2018. We paid them for the insurance, $1998.00 which was non-refundable plus the down payment of $2798.00 for a total of $4796.00. In October of 2018 we paid the balance of $18,686.00. All in all we paid $23,682.00. The $21,123.00 included Airfare, Upgrade on the airplane, Pre-trip to Bruges, Belgium, Riverboat trip from Amsterdam to Switzerland. Transportation Oberammergau, 2 nights Munich, and the Passion Play tickets in Oberammergau.

Beware of the cruise company named, Vantage Deluxe World Travel, out of Boston, MA. We booked a 15 day river cruise in Europe back in September 2019 for July 2020 and paid for it in full at that time. We had the intention of going but, the cruise was cancelled due to covid-19. As it were, this was the only time we would be able to go. Back in June, my wife spoke to a representative from Vantage that assured us we would be getting a full refund. After waiting around for a month and a half, she got in contact with them to find out when we would receive the refund.

I purchased a European river cruise for two which was to depart August 29, 2020. Total cost of the trip was a little over $11,000. The trip has now been cancelled due to COVID-19. Without asking, Vantage rescheduled my trip for August 29, 2021. I requested a refund since the new travel dates will not work (trip was to celebrate an 80th birthday in 2020) but have been told that this is impossible, that instead they will offer a "future travel credit" which will expire at the end of 2022. I'm not sure what happens with my money at the end of 2022 if not used, but given my experience thus far I am not optimistic I will ever see it without hiring an attorney.

I booked a trip for a June departure, but with the corona virus, became concerned about safety. I called the Vantage Office in April and the agent discussed 2 options, reschedule the trip with a bonus amount given to apply to additional trip items or a cash refund, sou from Vantage, the remainder from their Insurance carrier Trip-Mate. I choose the cash option based on what I heard from the Vantage Agent. It proved to be false. I request a number of time to be given the recorded transcript of my calls. They have thus far not provided the transcript. I request the full refund as stated by the Vantage Agent.

Updated on 09/26/2020: Out of our family of 7 travelers we did finally get 2 refunds. We assume the remainder of our family is next in the queue. We did want fellow Vantage travelers to know that our trip that was cancelled on 4/1 of this year a partial refund has been received. We hope we can travel with Vantage again when travel is safe. We will keep this group posted when final payments have been received.

We paid our final payment to our CC February 2020. April 2020 Vantage canceled our trip to Iceland. It has been 4 months. There is no word when our refund will arrive. We were loyal repeat customers. Never again.

Updated on 01/13/2021: In June of 2020 I canceled an African Safari to depart in September. It was within the 90 days of their contract and all I was to lose was $500. I have in writing TWICE that my money will be refunded, once in June and then again in October 2020. Now mid January 2021 and NO sign of the $19 996. I am owed. Lots of unreturned emails and phone calls. I filed with the Massachusetts Attorney General in August but they have no update. This company caters to Seniors. Is this now Elder Abuse? I traveled with them to India previously and this trip to Africa a wish of a lifetime. But terrible customer service and their promises have produced nothing.

My cruise to Eastern Europe was cancelled by Vantage in May, 2020. When I called for a cash refund, I was told I would get an E-Mail with information on the refund. When that E-Mail didn't come I called at least 5 times to get the progress on my refund. Each time I was told I would get a call from a Manager about the refund. One representative stated that the call is just a "rubber stamp" and the Manager would only discuss the amount of the refund. On a call on 7/24/2020, I was finally told my request for a refund was denied with no process to appeal. Instead, I would get a trip credit. At no point did any representative tell me a cash refund was not an option. In fact, the reviews I just read tells me that many other clients were told they are getting a refund.

We are owed a large refund and Vantage will not communicate with us. If you are trying to get information and details on your refund they do not respond. We have been waiting for our refund on our cancelled China trip since February 4th. Vantage cancelled the trip and offered a full refund or to re-book another trip. We chose the full refund. We were told the refund would take 30 days, we followed up after 30 days and were told it would take another 60-90 days. When we followed up again (90 days later), we were told refunds are processed in 30 days...even though at that point it had been over 120 days. WE ARE NOW AT 175 DAYS FROM THE CANCELLATION! with NO communication in regards to the status of the refunds.

In January 2020 my mother who is in her 80s booked a once in a lifetime trip with Vantage travel for the two of us. We purchased travel insurance and the entire purchase was approximately $10,000. Vantage requires payment in full via ACH debit which means you cannot later dispute the charges with your bank. In April 2020 vantage cancelled our trip. We were told it would take 30 days to receive our refund and no future dates for this trip were offered. We were told they were dropping the trip and that it would not be repeated.

I have been extremely frustrated dealing with Vantage Travel about a trip that was fully paid for 10 months ago, scheduled to depart in May but canceled in April. At that time they really tried to get me to book another trip (a little high pressure) but I felt that was not a good idea, given the uncertainty about safety in traveling. They said refunds were running at 60-90 days. Although my discussions with them began in April, they didn't start the clock until May and today I learned that they will contact me in 6-8 weeks about the next steps!!!! I think that is outrageous and unethical behavior. Friends who have booked with other vendors received their refunds in what were reasonable time-frames. I think Vantage is stalling...using my money and perhaps others to finance their operations., eg "stealing from Paul to pay Peter". Myrna

We paid Vantage in full almost 20,000 a year in advance for a FrenchRiver Tour. They ultimately cancelled and they won't refund our money insisting instead we apply the money to another trip. In essence they are withholding our refund to force us to take another trip.

In November 2019, we and our travel friends booked a river cruise to Holland in April, 2020, for the tulips with an extension to Brussels. We paid in FULL in November 2019 in addition to paying for insurance. In March, 2020, Vantage canceled our trip and we were told we would be receiving a full refund including insurance within 30-60 days, which unfortunately never happened.

After more than six months of bugging and begging, we finally received two-thirds of our refund from Vantage for a canceled trip to Russia. Even though we paid for the trip with one checking account, they have yet to refund my daughter's trip because she had a different reservation number. Hopefully, it will arrive sooner than six months. So all of you still waiting for Vantage to live up to its promise, keep the faith.

Unfortunately in December of 2019 I was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic squamous cell carcinoma and would begin immediate immunotherapy. We elected at this point to cancel the trip. Tripmate was the insurer and reimbursed our $300 (each) trip cancellation fees on January 6, 2020.

On Dec. 10, 2019 we booked a trip to Eastern Europe with Vantage Deluxe World Travel to begin on May 14, 2020. On April 5, 2020 we received a call that due to covid 19 our trip was cancelled & we could expect our refund in 30-60 days. Since that time, we have called & emailed and can get no answer as to when we will get this refund. We understand that these have been difficult times for the travel industry, but it has been almost 12 weeks of excuses & lies. We have all of this documented. We know for a fact that other cruise lines have reimbursed customers. We have taken 4 river cruises with Vantage & up to now have been very satisfied. No more. This is our money & it is needed. We paid you in a timely manner & we expect reimbursement the same way. We are retirees on a fixed income and $14,240 to us is a lot of money. No more excuses, Vantage. Show me the money that is ours!!

My husband and I, along with two other couples, had booked a river cruise expected to depart May 28. We watched their website for updated information regarding the impact of COVID-19. Originally trips departing in March and April had been canceled so we watched diligently. Finally at the end of April (27) we received an email letting us know that due to the virus our trip was rescheduled to September. We did not ask for a rebooking. We were not available to travel in September and contacted customer service asking for a refund. I’ll also add that we had purchased trip insurance. We were told that yes, we would get refunded for our trip.

We planned a substantial trip for May of 2020 with three other couples, all of us prepaid in full. Vantage cancelled the trip due to Covid-19. All four couples have been promised refunds several times. None of us have seen one penny of our money refunded yet. Each phone call is met with promises, but no refund and no plans have yet been issued.

We previously traveled with Vantage and really enjoyed the cruise. All of the Vantage personnel were professional and very friendly as are their telephone representatives. We were looking forward to a Norwegian cruise this year. In order to qualify for a discount, we prepaid for the entire trip. With our age and the covid-19 virus, we decided that it was prudent to cancel our trip and pay the cancellation fee.

After a 13 week delay, Vantage Travel did provide us with a full refund as promised.

Vantage canceled our trip because there were insufficient people signed up. We had booked a year in advance and also had to pay for the trip well in advance. Vantage informed us that according to their policies, a refund would be issued within 30 days. We have contacted them several times beyond the 30 day time period and have not received any good reasons why our funds are not being returned other than accounting has not yet processed it.

Recently I tried to book a 13-day Nile river cruise. While I was just booking for my spouse and me, I told the sales rep that 4 other people would also join us for the cruise. He said there were some operational issues, so he couldn't confirm the trip immediately (although another salesperson was willing to confirm the day before), I should pay $1000 refundable deposit by ACH (which I did) and they would confirm everything in 2-3 days. I did that. I then called a couple of days later to book the space for the other 4 people and was told that although cabins were available, they needed another 2 weeks to confirm. I found that fishy and decided to cancel my booking and was told that I would get a refund back in 3-4 weeks. I wasn't happy with the delay but went along.

My friend and I have travelled with Vantage several times. We have always had great experiences. This time, however, was different. In Jan 2018, we booked a trip that took us to Chile (including Easter Island) and then on 18-day cruise to Antarctica. The trip was for Jan 2019. In May 2018, we got a call that the ship for our cruise would not be done in time so, as compensation, they offered us any of several similar trips AT NO EXTRA COST. We selected on that departed in Oct. 2019 and added several days in Peru.

Earlier this year (May 28 - June 8) my wife and I did an Amazon River Cruise. We visited Lima, Iquitos and took a 7 day cruise on the Amazon and several of its tributaries. Prior to the trip, I called Vantage with several questions, none of which the agent was able to directly answer - most of her answers were predicated with the phrase, "well, I believe it's this way..." which didn't leave me with any confidence in what she told me as her statements appeared to be guesses rather than factual answers.

Was just looking over our itinerary and realized I had paid for our trip months ago and assumed that they had booked our airline part of the trip. Well, the info for the flights I have but they never ticketed it. I will call them today and good luck, they never answer the phone. Don't think I will ever book a trip again with Vantage.

I booked travel with Vantage over a year ago. Great Northern discovery. Our trip was scheduled for September 2-15. Our return flight was scheduled for September 16 instead of on the 15. I caught the mistake the Friday before the end of the trot rip. We had bought premium economy and got Economy seats, very uncomfortable for the long flight back home. I have contacted Vantage via written letter, phone call and email with no response. I do think we should be reimbursed for the cost difference and also while waiting at the airport for tickets we had to contact Vantage several times! Poor customer service!

I have a trip booked with Vantage in October. I have had the WORST experience with Vantage. They DO NOT return phone calls and will state that they have including the Vice President of Vantage Air Department. I was home at the time of all the calls. The phone never rang nor did they ever leave a message. They booked me on Egypt Air which according to the reviews is one of the WORST airlines operating. I paid extra for business class and I understand it is horrible. Vantage DO NOT respond.

Thanks to excellent itinerary provided by Vantage, the outstanding leadership provided by Djukan **, our cruise director, and the service from crew of La Perla we just had the greatest vacation ever! This was our 9th trip with Vantage and we could never find a better company to experience the culture of the destination: the food, the home experience, the history, the government over the years, multiple locations and experiences, the music and dance, and the beauty of the entire country. Djukan was an outstanding program director and all local guides were very good. We definitely recommend this trip!

I have had nothing but problems with Vantage. The guides and others were great, but trying to deal with customer and travel dept. were the worse experience. After the cruise I was told by customer service that I could only contact by e-mail. His name is Steve. I paid for 5 people to travel on business class and went to Madeira island. When returning we had to pay for luggage as 4 were on economy. I tried to talk to someone about this problem but got nowhere. They owe me for the luggage charge. We were business class all the way. How can you get rid of bags on returning.

This Tour was Outstanding. Starting in Jo'Berg with Soweto Tour and then going to Chobe, Hwange, and Kruger with Victoria Falls in between. Chobe was wonderful with all the river Safaris and getting up close to the animals and tracking a pride of lions down to the water hole. A special treat was the morning going out on the boats equipped with the telephoto lens camera and getting amazing shots of game and elephants crossing the river.

We along with nine other friends were booked on the Majestic Rivers of Europe Wine Cruise: Castles, Cathedrals & Fairytales that was schedule for June 20, 2019 through July 10, 2019. This relaxing river cruise turned into a bus tour from hell. We were told the ship could not continue due to the apparent damage to a lock on the canal, which stranded our boat. I believe the ship became stranded on or about June 28, 2019.

The tours were all well organized and the guides were knowledgeable and friendly. We enjoyed the laid back feel of the river cruise through the Douro Valley. Service on the boat was exceptional. Staff was friendly and helpful. The food was excellent. Our cruise director Carmen was always available when needed and made every effort to make sure people were enjoying themselves

On May 18 flight home, no Premium economy. My husband has called to ask for retribution but no reply. Also, excursion in Stressa didn't go, need refund for that too. I feel this should have been done without having to ask. Anne **. Have friends am recommending this trip to.

Excellent itinerary; even better Cruise Director. Overall a very good experience. Dining Room staff need better training. Good mix of optional excursions and vessel-sponsored tours. Cabin stewards were very good, bar and lounge staff were good, shipboard amenities were good.

The cruise was exemplary. The antiquities we got to see were breathtaking. Our tour guide, Ramy, was a consummate professional; always going above and beyond to provide the best possible traveling experience. The accommodations ashore were the finest, as expected based on our previous Vantage vacations (6). The river vessel, the MS Mojito, was not up to the standard we had previously enjoyed with Vantage. If this had been our first Vantage excursion, we probably would have been our last. With that said, we did not let this distraction distract from the majesty of the trip and we are currently planning our next Vantage trip.

After two trips on Vantage I definitely recommend this cruise line. They are friendly and helpful and were quick to respond with a perfect alternative when river conditions slowed us down. We didn't miss any part of the itinerary. Great food and service. Nice stateroom with generous bathroom area.

On all trips we have had fantastic Vantage guides taking excellent care of us. For our local tours the local guides were good. Food has always been delicious. We have always enjoyed cultural and UNESCO tours. We prefer River Cruise ships which hold about 175 people to the large ships. We are signed up to take our 6th trip in September.

Absolutely amazing trip up and down the Norwegian west coast on the excellent Hurtigruten ship, the Finnmarken. We traveled 2500 nautical miles of spectacular coastal scenery past numerous islands, 100 fjords, and 1000 mountains, many covered with snow. We appreciated the opportunity to debark each day and explore some lovely towns and cities. And our helpful and personable Vantage tour guides added such interesting details of Norway and our ports of call. I heartily recommend this trip to everyone I encounter - a trip of a lifetime, in my opinion!

Paris to Normandy and Back - Overall a very nice trip. Pre-trip was excellent in all aspects. Boat and suite accommodations were above average as were the tours, however the food quality and selection at dinner could use some improvement. Seafood served on two evenings appeared to be less than fresh and was sent back and replaced with another meal.

Why did we wait so long before experiencing Greece? That was the question we repeatedly asked ourselves as the wonders and charms of our Greek experience kept unfolding. From the beauty of Napflion, the sites of Ancient Corinth, historic Olympia and the Peloponnese made lasting impression of a society steeped in history. Our cruise through the Cyclades was breathtaking. The pristine waters, the exquisite beauty and the charming quaintness made each island a true treasure. The island experience of sharing a meal with a host family only heightened the true nature of the Greek experience. The Acropolis, the museums, and the changing of the guard at the Hellenic Parliament rounded out aan adventure that will remain a highlight for years to come..

The only problem that I have encountered with Vantage is the change of dates, however, I have booked my trips so far in advance that dates I had picked either had not filled or there were not enough people to take the extension that I also wanted to take.

My husband and I have traveled with Vantage on 3 previous land tours--all wonderful experiences. Tulips in Holland was our first river cruise. Again terrific time! The boat exceeded our expectations -- cabin and common areas clean and lovely; food good; staff both Vantage and boat's superior; day trips off boat memorable. We look forward to other exciting adventures with Vantage Travel.

One of the best adventures ever. Our guide, Leon, was so well versed in everything from his beautiful country of S.Africa, from the history, culture and every animal, bird, flower and bush. Our stay in Iganyana tent camp was one of the highlights. The planning was spot on, from the game drives to the gorgeous hotel at Victoria Falls. The extension to Cape Town was well worth the time and money. I will be going back to Africa again.

Great trip starting in Madrid, then river cruise down the Douro River. Good food, great excursions. Well taken care of. Would do it again. Only sailed during the day so got to see gorgeous scenery and interesting locks, one 130 feet high.

Great trip through Italy via train. Great guide, Sasha and very knowledgeable. We saw almost all of Italy’s Large cities from Stresa, to Venice, to Florence, to Rome, Naples, to Sorrento, to Positano and Amalfi. All hotels were 4 or 5 stars with friendly staff. Trains were wonderful and easy to use. Good guided tours and stops at each place. Loved that they have free time at every place too. Very pleased with this trip as it was better than anticipated and lived up to what was stated in printed info on this tour. Would certainly recommend this trip via Vantage. Their agents were great to work with when booking trip and were able to answer any questions we had.

We loved this river cruise. Our tour director, George, was fantastic... always around, very helpful, funny, and very knowledgeable! Food was great, tour guides at each port were excellent too. Also, some very good evening entertainment. I would highly recommend this cruise or any others that Vantage offers. Our favorite was Budapest to Amsterdam.

My husband and I felt that a particular local guide made two insensitive remarks toward the Asian community when we were at the beautiful “tulips garden.” He made the remark that if you see a group of tourists stepping on a garden plot of tulips, the group is obviously Chinese. Another comment was the Japanese just take pictures and then leave; they just want a picture and don’t care about beauty of the flowers. My husband is Japanese American and I am Chinese American. These comments are very insensitive to the Chinese and Japanese groups.

After a disastrous river cruise with Viking just 6 months ago, we were a little nervous about what we could expect on our long-planned Douro River cruise with Vantage in April. Thank goodness, Vantage again proved that river cruising can be the most enjoyable way to travel. We started out in Lisbon and spent 3 nights there at the luxurious Pestana Palace Hotel. Lisbon was a delight. We were able to spend enough time to get a sense of the city--enough to know we want to come back!

Tulips and Windmill River Cruise. Wonderful trip, excellent accommodations, food and tours! We have traveled 9 or 10 times with Vantage and we are very satisfied with all their services. We could not ask for better, ships are in tip top shape and the tour guides and staff on the boat were the very beat! Plan on going again as many times as we can afford.

Iceland tour, May, 2019 - We had a wonderful time, and even the weather cooperated with lots of sun and very little rain. Jorn is a well organized, very knowledgeable and thoughtful group leader. We saw and learned a lot with many stops at beautiful and interesting places and met some very good people, both locals and fellow travelers. And the food on the ship was top-notch.

Vantage is an excellent company to deal with. They work hard to ensure every trip exceeds your expectations. Singles traveling alone can rest assure every detail is taken care of and tries to please everyone individually when necessity calls for it. Will be taking my 9th trip next Spring and 10th in 2021.

This is the second Vantage cruise we have taken. We were very pleased with every aspect of the cruise, We put down an open deposit for another cruise for 2020 or 2021 for Amsterdam to Basil. We await the lowering of airfare as it gets closer to next year's cruises.

We have traveled with Vantage Travel the last 4 years and have received AAA plus service from customer service, ease of use of website, they regularly update information pertaining your particular journey. The journeys have gone smoothly and if there have been any unforeseen problems they have been corrected with no disruption to any fellow travelers. All the Tour Directors have been very friendly and knowledgeable as are the local guides. Accommodation has been superb. Overall we have had a wonderful experience traveling with Vantage.

Excursions, food and service were excellent. My only negative comment is the transportation service that returned us to the airport in Amsterdam dropped all passengers at the first terminal. We were flying from terminal number 3 and we had to manage all of our baggage checked and carry on through the entire airport which was quite a distance for 4 senior citizens. The bus could easily have driven the 6 of us on to the other terminal after the other passengers got out.

I have traveled several times with Vantage and like the tours. I have told others about Vantage. The only disappointment I have is that when I was sent home after one day and told that I would get a substantial refund that refund was very small.

Summer of 2018 we traveled to Africa for an absolutely wonderful tour of South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. I had done a lot of research and compared three different companies itineraries. My son had been on safari years ago and expressed that he had gotten bored with just day after day of game drives. This trip was so perfect! We did a diverse number of things, so just as I was getting tired of being in the truck every day, we would do something totally different. We had a very good sampling of that part of Africa. We saw the Big Five, as well as the Ugly Five. Our tour guide, Keith, was absolutely wonderful and extremely personable. The accommodations were very nice, our only disappointment being we did not get to stay at a tented camp due to a flood the year before. Chobe and Victoria Falls were my favorites. We have now booked two more trips with Vantage because of the fantastic time we had on the Africa trip.

This cruise/land tour was absolutely wonderful! Vantage had every detail perfectly timed and the staff was 'right on'. We would recommend it highly. This was our 4th river cruise with Vantage and every trip has fulfilled all of our expectations.

This is not a complaint against any employee or Vantage!! We requested a walk in shower and were given what was claimed as a handicap hotel room with walk in shower. There was no shower door or shower curtain with a very slick shiny tile floor!! When I questioned the hotel as why we could not have a shower curtain I was told a previous guest had broken the door and a shower door was on order. Another Vantage guest couple had the same problem!! This is a very dangerous situation for senior citizens over 75 years old!! I would suggest you inspect this hotel for future use by your senior citizen customers!!

My late husband and I took two memorable and thoroughly enjoyable river cruises with Vantage about 10 years ago. Shortly after our first cruise we began to be bombarded with the marketing materials. We took it in stride and often poured over the catalogs excitedly planning our next adventure. With my husband’s untimely passing in 2015 I made several attempts to get Vantage to stop sending the marketing materials (which were always addressed to my deceased husband). Their response was to begin sending them in my name.

Ancient Wonders: Egypt & Nile Cruise - This was an awesome trip of a lifetime! Our Adventure Leaders were so knowledgeable & helpful! From the Giza Plateau & Cairo's Old City & New Cairo to the Temples of Luxor & Karnak, Valley of Kings in Luxor, then the Aswan Dam & a Nubian village this was an amazing excursion.

We had a great trip and we appreciate the information and guidance that Junit and Filippo provided. The scenery was spectacular and we saw the Northern Lights twice. The Nordkamp crew were helpful and gave some interesting lectures. The cruise was a little rocky at times but not a big problem.

We have been on the MS River Splendor before and the experience was amazing. Only two things I can mention and those being. When we came back from a morning excursion I would go to the bar to get beer to have with lunch. There was never a bartender there and I would have to go to the office to get help. The other thing was I used the beautiful white robe in my room. The last night I took my shower and looked for the robe and they had already taken it to clean for the next cruise coming the next day. That’s all out of ten marvelous days.

Trip was wonderful. Accommodations were special. We were shown a truly beautiful country. A special treat was the "Holi celebration, as well as the two nights stay at the Maharaja's former estate in the of Lake Pichola. The trip through the Kerala backwaters was truly inspiring, with a chance to see how the villagers of that region live and farm.

Treat yourself to a gift of a lifetime by visiting Antarctica and South America with Vantage. For many of us it was the 7th and THE BEST continent to visit. Dazzling, Adventurous and Educational. Vantage took care of all our needs and was our wonderful partner.

South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe - This truly is a trip of a lifetime. You can see museums, art galleries, mountains etc.etc. anywhere in the world. But you will never, ever, see this environment anywhere else in the world. Vantage and our tour guide Johanna did a world class job! I would recommend this trip to anyone. UNBELIEVABLE!

Paris to Normandy Culinary Cruise - Excellent food, service, facilities, tours, and staff. This is our 6th river cruise and 2nd on Vantage. We recommend Vantage slightly over our 4 previous cruises on UNIWORLD, due to slightly lower costs. and somewhat friendler staff. We will use them again.

We enjoyed the trip and we will definitely come back to Vantage. The only problem was with the local on the trip to Waterloo. He had a great knowledge of history but wasn’t clear on directions. We had the same person on the tour of Brussels and he was very nonspecific in his directions. Some elderly person became lost. Two of these persons had mobility issues. I feel Vantage owes a partial refund to each person in the Waterloo excursion.

Awesome experience - Vantage personnel were very professional, polite and eager to make all aspects of the trip top notch. Cabin was well appointed with a very efficient use of space. Meals were excellent, equal to any in the leading restaurants.

Finding out about Vantage was one of the best things that ever happened to me. They offer an incredible variety of trips to the most wonderful and exotic locations. Their tour guides are excellent, the best in the business. Vantage provides you with unique experiences that you will never find anywhere else. I would highly recommend them to anyone.

A 7 day river tour with live Jazz performers onboard each evening and a resident Jazz pianist. A very enjoyable mix of Jazz performances, Jazz history and multiple Jazz styles. In addition there were city tours every day, plus several canal tours. Food was excellent with superb service.

Excellent trip and guides were excellent. River cruise was a great break in all the walking for everyone. Especially some of them that had disabilities. I would have liked an extra two days in Japan so we could venture out of Tokyo on the high speed train and see the country side.

We have been on numerous cruises and land tours with Vantage and have usually had a great experience. Itineraries were very good and tour directors have been excellent. The weak area with Vantage is customer service. We have frequently had to follow up with air arrangements, usually because of connection times. The biggest disappointment is no response to email and letter inquiries. We have an ongoing issue with a free trip for referrals (have not received it yet). Although the phone rep says it is coming, it has not and our emails and letters remain unanswered. Vantage has been our primary travel company for many years, but we are finding that other companies are more responsive and focused on customer service.

Absolutely fabulous. What a memorable time for all 8 of us. So many beautiful stops at French towns along the river. Amazing scenery right from our room. Unending photographic moments. World War II History at Normandy was very moving. Paris is always special. We were pleased to have ship moored very near the Eiffel Tower on arrival day, plus, two nights at the end of trip. Gave us more time in Paris without having to transfer to a hotel. Wonderful staff, food and other on board activities such as cooking classes.

Vantage Majestic Rivers of Europe: Castles, Cathedrals & Fairytale. It was our first River Boat Cruise. From the start they provided 5 star service. The staff was extremely attentive, the food was delicious, and the tours everyday were fantastic. Our cabin had plenty of room for all of our personal items. Going through the locks was impressive. Cruising down the Rhine River was very picturesque and relaxing. We liked the cruise so much that we have booked our second cruise with Vantage.

We are planning a Danube River Cruise for 2020 for 12 people. There was some stressful times due to lack of communication regarding actual VANTAGE plans for Blue Danube 2020. We booked Feb 2019. Now through the efforts of Dennis ** our plans for 2020 feel secure. If all follows through as arranged for 2020, I’m sure it will be another great trip with VANTAGE.

The only trip I have be on with Vantage is The Riverboat Cruise from Paris to Normandy and back. Everything about it was wonderful. The food and wine were excellent which I expected in France. The guides were very knowledgeable and pleasant. All the staff on the boat were wonderful. There was always plenty of hot water for showers. The shows were good. We were well prepared for Omaha Beach. There was a good variety of food for the buffet breakfast. The waiter at dinner remembered we wanted coffee after our meal. As a result of liking last year's trip so much a friend and I are going on another Vantage Cruise this May.

Jazz River Cruise. The trip was everything that we anticipated! It was wonderful and we are now looking forward to our next trip with Vantage. The food was excellent and the day trips were great. We were lucky to have the team of Martin (cruise director) and Steve (concierge) to ensure a fantastic trip! Thank you Vantage!

Very impressed with the services at all sites... Visiting Soweto was educational and informative. Chobe was outstanding with an abundance of wildlife. Victoria Falls is just beautiful. Iganyana tented camp and guides brought you face to face with lions and other animals of Africa. Also the visit to the local primary school and seeing the children interact with us was touching. The staff at Lions Rock Rapids was 5 star and the food was fantastic. Kruger Park was amazing. I would like to mention that our adventure guide Johanna went well beyond expectations and her intention to detail was impressive.

This trip was first class from start to finish. Chobe Safari Lodge was our favorite. Lodge was beautiful. River safari's and photographic safari were outstanding. Our team leader, staff, and guides at all destinations were excellent. The river and rapids at Lions Rapid River Lodge were beautiful. Food was excellent.

This is my second Vantage tour (Egypt) and I would recommend them to anyone looking for a full experience vacation. Their guides are some of the best in the industry and contribute more to your overall cultural experience. I have always felt that I received more than what I paid for.

My wife and I wanted to see Italy and wanted to use Vantage Travel if possible -- we were very pleased with our earlier experiences with Vantage. Rivers don't quite run the "right" way in Italy for Vantage Travel's river ships, but, fortunately, Vantage developed an itinerary that takes advantage of Italy's high-speed trains. We flew to Milan where Vantage took over, taking us to Lake Maggiore, Venice, Florence, Pisa, Vinci, Rome, Pompei, Naples, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast and other great spots. It was a spectacular trip, made even more fantastic by the wonderful Vantage Adventure Leader Filippo **. We are totally happy with Vantage!

I traveled last Sept 20-Oct 5 2018 with my niece on the Amsterdam to Basel trip. This was our first experience with Vantage and didn't know what to expect. We cannot begin to tell you about how wonderful our trip was. Everything from the ship to the staff to the food and the day trips, etc. etc. were way beyond our expectations. Our room was immaculate. Monica was our housekeeper and we saw her on her hands and knees cleaning our bathroom floor. Spotless!! And as sweet as can be. The chef and waiters were fantastic. Working breakfast, lunch and dinner and always happy to serve you. Lots of variety and good food. Our tour director was the best. Made sure that everything went smoothly. Local tour guides were very informative and interesting.

Our tour director, Mohammed, was excellent. I would give him a 9.5 out of 10. The itinerary was also really good. The Eqyptian Antiquities Museum was very informative. The trip to Giza to see the pyramids was outstanding. The 7? Night river cruise on the Nile was very good. The staff on the Mojito river boat did a very good job. The Mojito river boat itself was only OK.

I've taken 6-8 trips with Vantage. I've been impressed with the expertise of the guides, the sights seen, and the quality of the accommodations. Never have I been disappointed. I'm interested in a trip to southern India, Goa and Kerala. Also possibly a trip to Ethiopia.

All my trips with Vantage have been wonderful, whether river boats or land tours and I constantly recommend them to my friends. My only objection is that they charge way too much for a single and only offer 1 or 2 free single supplements per trip, if they even offer them. I do not mind a small single supplement but on certain river boats they are almost charging for two people. Certainly their costs are less for food, laundry, & admissions.

My wife and I have been extremely happy with Vantage Travel over the past three years and the four cruises we have enjoyed. The food is always exceptional as are the ships accommodations. The biggest bonus of small ship cruising is the programs that Vantage offers its passengers. Stopping everyday and exploring the culture of whatever country we are in is the most exciting part of traveling with them. For the most part, we have had great local guides that always provide a personal touch to the location we happen to be visiting. When the guides haven't measured up to the Vantage standard, we have told the Concierge and steps have been taken to correct the issue.

From my first phone conversation inquiring about a possible trip, I was impressed by the knowledge and intuition of the sales staff as well as the customer service team. Never got a run-around, just the facts. My first trip with Vantage, a river cruise, was excellent in every way... Due to low river levels on my trip guests were moved overland by luxury bus to the next destination with first-class accommodation in Hilton Hotels no less. I enjoyed the hospitality so much I have booked another trip!

All 7 Continents. Imperial China & Tibet & Yangtze River, Best Of Africa &Victoria Fall, Exotic India & Sacred Ganges, Iceland &Greenland, Antarctica & Chilean Fjords, Alaska National Parks, Grand Scandinavian, Peru, Ecuador, & Gala pages Islands, Trans Canada Rail, America Magnificent National Parks, Elegant Elbe, The Douro, Croatia Adriatic Coast. They will be memories forever. Thanks to Vantage and their superior people. They work hard at their job to do the Best for their Customers. Thanks Again Vantage.

Pleasant trip with a superior guide who exceeded most expectations under adverse conditions. Clean, friendly personnel on a superior quality ship. Presentations, choice of excursions were all terrific. Vantage picks as usual and well received.The prices were great and we were very pleased. Highly recommend to anyone!!

Dear Sir or Madam:

We have always experienced great customer service with Vantage whether it be on the phone with the corporate headquarters making a reservation, modifying a reservation or changing flight reservations. The onboard experience has always be outstanding in every respect; the crew always anticipates your needs and is ready to meet them. The variety of shore tours and the pre and post extensions are superb and the guides are most informative. It has been our most positive experience to use Vantage Deluxe World Travel for our cruises/tours.

Rhine Jazz Discovery River Cruise - I was recently on the above river cruise, on board the Voyager. There wasn't anything to distract from a 5-star rating for this river cruise. The ship, Voyager, is a beautiful ship and the entire staff were fantastic. The Cruise Manager, Renata, and Concierge, Steve, were the best that I have ever encountered. They were sincere and always helping each of the passengers to have the best possible trip. The on-shore local guides were extremely knowledgeable and took excellent care of the group when off the ship. With open seating during meal times, I was able to meet many other passengers and made new friends, which is a benefit of river cruising. This is my 4th cruise with Vantage and would not ever think of doing a river cruise with anyone other than Vantage. Thank you Vantage for another lovely trip. Rosemary **, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee.

My Trip was well organized and this company really treats their travelers well. The food was delicious and was presented beautifully. We had ample “free” time to explore cities on our own and do things which interested us as individuals.

Office staff have always answered all my questions and if they didn't know the answer they found someone who did. On trips/tours any request I had was taken care of to my satisfaction. I am looking forward to my next trip.

We have taken 6 or 7 trips with Vantage Travel, and each has been delightful in every way. From the booking process to the flights, to every detail on the trip itself, from drop off to the final airport, we have always felt that we were in good hands with Vantage.

I am not sure of the number, but with a trip to Mongolia coming up soon my wife & I will have eight or nine Vantage trips in the books. Obviously, our level of satisfaction must be quite high since we just keep coming back. We have also traveled with other companies both before and during our time with Vantage, but none can match the level of planning and attention to detail routinely demonstrated by our favorite. We have particularly enjoyed the small group tours, namely the Adriatic on the Perla, Iceland, and Portugal/Spain all of which we have made with friends. In several cases they came on our heartfelt recommendations.

Norway Cruise - Guides were quite knowledgeable but there just wasn't that much to see. Never saw the Northern lights. Ship was small but adequate. Food was mediocre. Enjoyed the snow hotel and dog sledding ride. Amsterdam is a huge airport so you need to allow at least 2 to 2 1/2 hours between connecting flights.

Our trip was varied, informative and beautiful. Guides and facilities were excellent. If we took as good care of the rest of the planet as we do of Antarctica we'd all be better off. Thank you for seamless arrangements when conditions changed.

After an amazing trip to China from Vantage Tours, I promptly book a trip with Vantage to Egypt. On the trip to China the tour itinerary was outstanding, our guide the best in the business, food and accommodations top notch. I checked walking on the Great Wall off my bucket list now onto the Pyramids!!!

Portugal & Spain - On this refreshing river cruise, I spent going alone and not feeling alone----because of the wonderful people I met. The staff and ship was just what I needed at the time. I plan on going back to see more of that part of the world.

We have taken 17 trips with Vantage Travel and every trip is better than the last. Egypt was the most recent and was over the top and the program manager, Mohamad ** was fabulous. The program managers always work to make the trip the very best possible. We have taken many friends with us and continue to book trips with friends.

I have traveled with Vantage 5 times. I have done both land and riverboat. All have been excellent. I like that Vantage rewards you for traveling with them. Last riverboat we were upgraded to a suite as a thank you. Guides have all been great and trips are well organized.

Culinary Cruise in France - I found this cruise very relaxing. The food was great and the cabin was well kept. I only took one cruise with Vantage, but I have signed up for another cruise in 2020 because I enjoyed it so much. I had been to France before but I never felt rushed on this trip.

Vantage cancelled our Russian river cruise for June-July 2019. This was a great disappointment to us, especially after we planned our summer around the dates of this tour. And we had already sent off our Russian visa applications, which took a lot of time and effort. Vantage only reimbursed us for the application fee, not the photos or mailing costs. We have previously had excellent experiences with Vantage, but now we will think twice about booking with them.

I love Vantage, the river cruises were so wonderful. You are not in a hurry, just meandering down or up the river. The food is great. So many choices to accommodate even the pickiest person. Plenty of time at the many stops to enjoy the local color, shop, eat, go for a bike ride or just stay on the boat if that’s your cup of tea. Plenty of local entertainment provided at the close of the day. The whole thing about Vantage you’re on vacation a step out of your normal routine so that someone else can do all the work. So do that. Just relax and enjoy.

The overall trip was amazing, our tour guide, Diedre, was outstanding - she could not have been any better. My only negative comments are some of the accommodations the Hwange Safari Park was just tacky, we were suppose to stay in a luxury tent hotel - this was anything but luxurious. The bathroom door would not close, the windows did not completely shut, the curtains had burns on them (the power would go out and they supplied us with candles - which we used for +/- an hour). However, at this sight we saw amazing wildlife - including all the big 5, and everything else. I guess that is just Africa.

Cruise was sponsored through Vantage Travel, our 4th such trip. We knew they would have the best features and services, and Hurtigruten Cruise Line certainly came through splendidly. Extraordinary value for the money; unsurpassed onshore treks, informative lectures, excellent dining and very welcoming staff. Ship was spacious, comfortable and rode through the Drake Passage with aplomb. Staff were always receptive to questions and needs for assistance; they all seemed to like their jobs, from wait staff to ship's crew to expedition staffers.

As is always the case when talking with Vantage staff, I received friendly, fast service concerning my upcoming trip flight status. Vantage staff have always been a pleasure to work with. We have always been pleased with all phases of planning and going on Vantage trips.

We have taken 4 trips and we've been very pleased with all of them. The accommodations were excellent, the itinerary was wonderful. The food was very good, the service was excellent. We really liked our tour guides and had a wonderful time on all of our trips. I do recommend Vantage to all of our friends.

My husband and I really enjoyed our tour to Spain and Portugal. Our tour director was nice and the local guides were excellent. The different sites we visited gave us a good feel for the two countries. The riverboat accommodations and dining experience were excellent.

I really had a very good time and really enjoyed seeing Normandy, that was on my bucket list. The cemetery was very impressive but also very sad. It was also interesting to see the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe. I will say one statement that is not very complimentary and that is the meal at the restaurant that Julia Child so enjoyed. I did not enjoy the meal at all.

Booked a 2 week trip in August 2018 for travel June 2019. Have traveled with Vantage previously twice and been very happy. This time trying to get answers to questions or even some kind of response that my message was received has been impossible. Very disappointed with this and now worried about satisfaction on upcoming trip in June.

Vantage River Cruises and the tour director were excellent. They responded to unforeseen water level issues to the point that we had very little inconvenience and we missed nothing. Other than a couple bus rides that were slightly longer than scheduled, everything ran like clockwork. Food and service was above average.

Although the G-20 activities in Buenos Aires forced Vantage to re-route us for the trip, it was still a marvelous experience. Santiago is fascinating and one only wishes that we had had more time there. Ushaia, the southernmost city in the world, is quaint and beautiful. Crossing the Drake Passage was an adventure. The return trip through Buenos Aires gave us enough time to see the city, enjoy the Tango and more. It was, though, the Antarctica experience that defined the trip. Icebergs, majestic snow covered mountains rising from the seas, penguins, whales, seals, research stations, expert commentary from the Vantage/Midnatsol crew and more. The meals were good and the cabin comfortable. The attention of the crew to the personal safety of passengers was first rate and with nearly daily landings or trips in our Zodiacs that safety was critical to our enjoyment and a successful trip. Highly recommend this trip to my 6th and 7th continents!

There was no aspect of this land and boat trip that was not exceptional. Our expectations were exceeded. Travel arrangements, accommodations, meals, tours, and tour leadership were without peer. We have traveled with Vantage several times having developed a preference for their planning and execution. We have traveled with other agents but our experience with Vantage has been the best!

This escorted tour was one of our favorites. We loved the quality of the hotels, the professional guide, and especially loved the week on the yacht. Everything went above and beyond our expectations. Also liked the small group size which made for getting to know fellow travelers.

Enjoyed the land portion of the tour a lot, which was half of the tour. And the ship was nice, however; the food was not very good and the food service was awful....sometimes it took an hour between courses! Not acceptable!

We paid for steak. Vantage served hamburger. While it was not Vantage's fault that low water on the Rhine cased the first week of our two week cruise to turn into a bus tour, it was Vantage's fault in how they incompetently coped with the crisis. Vantage staff lied in telling me there was no problem when I called them 3 days before departure and asked if there was a low water problem. When, less than 24 hours before departure, Vantage called & told me that half the cruise would be turned into a bus trip, I said I wanted to utilize Vantage's (expensive) trip cancellation insurance and rescheduled the same trip for next year, Vantage said they would transfer the $7,000+ paid for this year to next year's trip and then I would have to pay an additional $6,000+ to make the change. But the biggest mess Vantage made was the way they adjusted to conversion from ship to bus travel.

Called Nov 29 to Vantage to make reservation for the special that expired on Nov 30 with free air. Their website was on "maintenance" during work week. Paid deposit, was told that in May the price will be the same and they will call me. I called them the next day 3 times and every time they promised to "call me in 20 minutes" and never did. Finally I called to Mira at 6 pm, prices are not there, supervisors are not available. This company is a total waste of time.

This week I put a deposit down on a trip and was told that I had 24 hours to cancel and my deposit would be returned. During that time I tried to call Vantage to ask some questions and was put on hold for half an hour. I couldn't wait any longer so I tried later. Same problem. At that point I decided to cancel my trip because of poor customer service. It isn't enough to tell them you want to cancel on the phone. They tell you you must follow up with e-mail which I did and then I received an e-mail back saying I had to send the e-mail to a different address than one than I was told. Then I received an e-mail saying I had to talk to a specialist before my request could be processed. The specialist hasn't returned my 2 phone calls. At the time I asked for the refund I was told it would take 30 days. I will never choose them for travel.

I have been on 2 Vantage trips over the past few years to France. I love Vantage, and wouldn't hesitate to book them again! The ships were beautiful and the staff was exceptional. The itineraries were wonderful, I loved all the cities we visited. The meals on board were always so good. I couldn't say one bad thing about Vantage - You will definitely be seeing me again!

No agent outside of baggage claim to greet us upon arrival as promised. Spent almost an hour trying to find agent that was busy dealing with another issue for a departure instead of being available for us arrivals. Agent confirmed that we did go to the right location and they should have been present. Horrible sewage smell in our room and bathroom from day one for the entire trip. Addressed issue for multiple days and every time had to check in instead of being told anything. Was never given an answer of what is wrong or a resolution. Had to cover up the all drains in the bathroom with a wet towel and spray deodorizer every time we went in the bathroom to help cover up the smell for our entire trip. Talking with fellow passengers they also had this problem.

On March 11, we booked a river cruise with Vantage. My husband upgraded us to Premium economy class telling the agent I had a bone disease and needed to be on the aisle to allow me to get up often to stretch. However going over and back I was not on the aisle and people slept while on the aisle. When I complained to Lufthansa, I was told Vantage got at least two reminders to pay the airfare. When they did not, my seat was cancelled. Two days later, Vantage rebooked and because the time was late, I did not get an aisle seat. We paid $1,300 EACH for the upgrade. After getting details from the airline, I contacted Vantage only to be told they cannot guarantee any requests. Then when I gave them dates and time frames that were missed, I was told I had no idea what their contract with the airline states.

My husband and I recently returned from one of the best trips we have ever taken. After reading all the negative reviews and some issues I had with the travel department, I was a little apprehensive. My issues with the travel department were worked out to my satisfaction. Every aspect of our trip, from being met at the airport upon arrival to delivering us back to the airport on the final day, was handled professionally.

My husband and I were supposed to take Vantage's "Croatia and Pearls of the Adriatic Coast" trip in April 2018. When we arrived at the BWI airport we were told our flight was delayed and we would miss our connection from Toronto to Munich. I immediately called the number Vantage provided in case you miss your flight. I was told that they couldn't do anything to expedite alternate flight arrangements; once the flights are booked, it's the responsibility of the airline. After continued flight delays and cancellations the best the airline could do was to get us on an evening flight the next day to get us to Zagreb via Frankfurt after a 10 hour layover in that city. That meant we would miss 2 days of trip arriving totally exhausted.

I had booked a trip to Cuba. When the State Dept. said that Americans should not travel to Cuba, I canceled. I had the Vantage sold Trip Mate cancel for any reason insurance, which I bought over the phone. Big mistake. Vantage said I'd have to deal with Trip Mate on my own, and they were next to impossible to contact by phone. After many email and calls to both companies, I received a partial refund from Vantage, and a travel voucher from Trip Mate. My cancel for any reason did not accept my reason. I was told that the cancel for any reason only gave refunds if the REASON was on the list. My problem is that I didn't have the leaflet from Trip Mate when I bought their policy from Vantage.

I've taken more than 12 trips with Vantage and I am altogether happy with the experiences. I've cruised all the major rivers of Europe, plus the Norwegian Coastal Cruise. Later this year, I'm cruising the Baltic Sea. The Vantage employees - ship's officers and crews, Tour Directors, City Guides, etc. - have been universally excellent.

I booked the "Best of Africa", which is supposed to be an Africa Safari trip, and have pre-paid $5,699 for the trip already. Even before I take the trip, which is scheduled for March 22nd- April 6th, 2018, I already know I have been scammed by Vantage Travel!!! I, like most fellow Americans, want to go to Africa for the Safari experience. From that perspective, no one in his right mind, would spend $6,800 to buy a business class ticket, to go to Africa to visit local schools. But THAT IS PRECISELY WHAT VANTAGE TRAVEL PUT IN THEIR ITINERARY!!! WHAT A SCAM!!!

This Vantage trip was advertised as Deluxe cruising on a Yacht. We began with an overnight stay in Edinburgh at the Leonardo Royal Hotel. It was not suited to our large group - minimal lobby space, crowded dining area that we shared with other groups for our first dinner & non-existent bellhops. The ship we then boarded was the Variety Voyager which looked like a yacht but was very basic inside. Overall the ship looked weary & many things did not function properly. Very few of the crew spoke English & each morning the maître d' & omelet chef argued loudly (in Greek) across the entrance to the dining room. The food was basic Greek diner fare & not gourmet in any way except the descriptions on the menu. Outside the decks were often strewn with ropes & gear that was not stowed properly. We sometimes exited the ship on rubber rafts (Zodiacs). The ship's crew had little understanding of the safety measures for such an operation.

However, our stay at 2 locations (6 nights of the 14 nights lodging) was a nightmare!

A few friends and I have traveled on the River Voyager and have loved it. The staff is excellent and very caring. The boat is beautiful. The itineraries are great, and the food is wonderful. I'm sorry some people have had bad experiences, but my friends and I can't say enough good things about Vantage. Our most recent trip was the Rhine and Moselle from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland in May of 2017. The one from 2016 was Castles, Cathedrals, and Fairy Tales from Budapest to Germany. Just the sights you see from the boat are beautiful, but then going out to visit so many different towns is wonderful. We love Vantage and look forward to more exciting cruises with them in the future. The optional tours are worth purchasing too.

The service these people give is barely there. They seem to specialize on Seniors pushing eighty, which makes it far worse in my eyes. They lie, lie, lie, tell you that you have a certain cabin on a ship, when you arrive they don't even know where to put you. If you are stupid enough to take multiple trips with them, then you are "upgraded" which means you get a little better than horrible treatment. Do not bother to try to call them on the phone with a problem because their answer is to curtly tell you to go online under your trip number and tell the computer. Going Vantage is asking for the worst vacation or trip of a lifetime.

Stay away from Vantage Travel. It's their own fault and lack of customer service. Our Cuba cruise cancelled for the second time - just three days before our flight. Not even a phone call, just an email to "call us" - and now we're told our refund may come back in "up to 30 days" at their discretion. There was no Vantage "Deluxe" treatment in this cancellation process, just lies and disappointment.

Yes, it is resolved. Faith of Vantage Travel called and explained the situation.

In January of 2017 I paid $1300 as a deposit to Vantage for a May 15 trip to Iran. The total cost of the trip was upwards of $7000. In early February a friend who was going to Iran in April with Road Scholar was told by them that their April and May trips had been cancelled due to President Trump's ban on Iran causing Iran to refuse to issue the necessary visas to get into the country. Also, the turnaround time to receive a visa was 90 days according to Road Scholar even in the best of conditions. I started calling Vantage to see what they were doing about my May 15 trip and the other April and May trips they had listed on their website. The information I received from all, was that "we are going" so please pay the remaining $5500 you owe which I did.

This was to be the trip of a lifetime. My friend and I booked a 5 week cruise through SE Asia (Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) eleven months in advance. We were in constant contact with the cruise line as to cabin choices (we booked a suite but had to change to an A1 cabin so we could have twin beds) and in March received our confirmed cabin assignments on both river boats.

My experience: I booked and paid in full (via auto debit from my checking account over the phone- funds received by Vantage in about 2 days) for a Travelzoo special on a Danube cruise for April 2017. I was notified a month later, at the end of October, that my cruise had been cancelled because the ship will be in for repair. I was then told that I had the choice of either taking the same cruise a YEAR later in April 2018 or receive $250 pp toward a different cruise. At first, I thought maybe I could wait a whole 18 months to take my vacation. Later, I realized that waiting for vacation that long is just not acceptable. I decided to see if Vantage could get me on a different cruise for about the same price for the same YEAR as the cancelled cruise. I was assured by the representative that I should be able to find another special that would be comparable in price to my original booking and that I should check on their website.

We signed up for the "Great Lakes Tour" for June 2017. The tour was supposed to start in Montreal, a place I wanted to explore and was new to me. We get a message to call Dennis at Vantage. "Oh so sorry, we are starting the tour in Toronto instead. TORONTO is not Montreal! Apparently, it is not their fault since they do not own the cruise ship. (I am from Niagara Falls so I have spent a lot of time in Toronto.) No upgrade of cabin--absolutely nothing offered for this change. Isn't this a bait and switch?

In July of 2016 I booked a trip to India to join a group of friends who had already booked on the same trip earlier. I spent around $14k in this trip including airfare and a travel protection plan. After booking I called to inquire about visa requirements but their customer service rep had no knowledge of visa and referred me to their partner for that matter GenVisa who were not very helpful either in providing information about the requirements, options, etc. They limited their information to what THEY required for the processing of visa which included sending them my passport which they will return with the visa and that I needed to pay their fee for it plus an additional fee for expediting it. Because I did not feel comfortable sending out my passport I searched the internet for other options and found that you can get a e-tourist visa via email and for a very reasonable price - less than half of what GenVisa was charging and so I got it.

More than pleasantly surprised with Vantage. We had been on Viking for 2 wks in May 2016 and I honestly liked Vantage better. One of the biggest differences was Vantage had on board entertainment nightly and if not entertainers, then group games that were fun. The staff was just the friendliest bunch and our tour guide Ava was top notch. It was one of my most relaxing enjoyable trips and it helped that the weather was outstanding. I would highly recommend trying them.

Worst company... booked to leave today lax to china, had a flight delay. Faith **, customer service manager, did nothing to accommodate us. This is my moms 8th trip and the last with this company!! We will not miss our first day of our tour... 12k spent, not worth it.

River cruise Bonn to Budapest. First off I'd like to say that the crew and ship were magnificent. The company is the pits. Two weeks before a trip we paid for over a year ahead, we were informed that our cabin was downgraded due to overbooking. We found that to be not the whole story. They had a group sign up and demanded 10 cabins next to each other. Their gratuity process is a sham. They pre-charge your account 17e per day per person with the promise that all of it is evenly divided with the 47 members of the crew. That means each gets about a $1000 tip for 15 days. Not true. I asked one how much he gets. $500, about the same as his salary. I cannot get an answer to "Where does the rest go to"? I think the rest pays their salaries. It's another way to give the company more money.

The engine failed on the fourth day of the cruise, and the cruise became a series of busing from the docked ship to destinations 3-7 hours per day in an attempt by Vantage to satisfy the scheduled itinerary creating mass confusion on a daily basis. Instead of leisurely daily tours visiting towns for 8 hours, the bus trip left 1-2 hours of touring. Many of the elderly passengers could not make the bus trips. Vantage management during this period was conspicuously silent except for a few insulting memos. Since our return their efforts to compensate have been unacceptable. I would definitely not recommend Vantage. They had no emergency plan to effectively handle situation and to compensate for the disaster. As a result there are 174 furious passengers.

What should happen when things don't go right on a cruise? We recently booked a river cruise with Vantage on their latest and newest vessel. The River Voyager launched on April 26, 2016, its first themed ship highlighting jazz music. Why then would this ship, well past shakedown, fail with the bow thruster going out of service into the 6th of a 15-day cruise on July 13, 2016? Was it human error or some other cause? And how should Vantage have performed in light of this development?

I just got back from a river cruise on the Danube. My experience with Vantage had been a delight: the Cruise Director and the rest of the crew to the ship captain. This trip was a total disaster; the ship engine had to be replaced and Vantage did not inform us until we were on board. I was not given any compensation. The only thing I got was insulting letter stating that continue on buses for the rest of the trip. I was given a choice of accepting $250 and go on the bus or go home without any reimbursement. I would not recommend this company to anyone.

On May 30, 2011 my father paid Vantage Deluxe World Travel $11,446. for a trip to begin August 31, 2011 for my mother and him. On July 21, 2011 he orally canceled this trip and then confirmed the cancellation in writing on July 26, because of a bad turn of health. He had purchased a Travel Protection Plan. He was supposed to contact Trip Mate regarding his cancellation. My father filled out or had his doctor fill out all of the required forms as to why he medically was unable to take the trip. Trip Mate asked for additional information and on August 18, 2011 denied his claim.

We went on the "Best of Burgundy, Beaujolais & Provence" cruise March 14-25, 2016. This was our second cruise with Vantage. It was a decent cruise with one major caveat, we had no hot water (except sporadically like 3:00 AM). We had to settle for sponge baths because was the water wasn't just cold it was ice cold. I complained to the cruise director numerous times and was told they were working on it and it wouldn't be long. Well it went for the entire 11 day cruise and to my understanding several days into the following one.

As an avid traveler, I have taken at least three tours or cruises with Vantage Deluxe World Travel, without ever canceling a trip including a fourth coming up soon, but I will book no more trips in future because of their stingy cancellation policy. After spending about $35,000 with Vantage trips in the past four/five years, I recently tried to cancel a booking, made only a week earlier, for my daughter on an upcoming trip and requested to have the $500 deposit returned to my CC, only to find out how tight-fisted Vantage is when trying to get a small, simple refund.

Returned from Douro Valley trip on 4 May 2016. Due to high water conditions (known to Vantage for their previous two trips but info was not conveyed to any of us travelers until day we were to board ship) we were docked in a remote location and unable to cruise most of Douro River. We never saw Porto and visited only one winery. There was almost no entertainment on boat. Our previous two trips with Vantage were very good and so we recommended this company to our friends. It was an embarrassment for a company to be so uncaring, ill-prepared (remember we were not the first group to experience this) and inept.

I love Vantage. I just got back from the Amazon Machu Picchu trip in Peru and it was awesome. Everything really went well. The one thing that they were working on was that the boat for the Amazon could use some improvement, and they were going to do that, so that made me happy. Our tour guide on that trip was a local, born and raised in Peru, so he was knowledgeable and spoke five languages. He was very intelligent and good. In fact, during the trip, one lady got sick and the tour guide took excellent care of her. He was able to get her home, air flight and everything. For my next trip with Vantage, I'm going to Holland tulips, and I've already booked my next trip with them on April 1st.

I've excellent experiences with Vantage and had only one experience that wasn't. It was very good, but not great. It was a last trip of the season, and we could just tell the guides were anxious to get home. We just went to Vietnam and the tour guide was just outstanding. They were really excellent guides. When we had free time, if there was something we wanted to do and it wasn't on the itinerary or part of the tour but he thought we'd really like, he arranged the transportation and trips for us as groups. For instance, we took a balloon ride that wasn't part of the tour but he really went out of his way to make sure that we had a wonderful experience, that was his goal - that we not miss anything in his country. I've been looking at Vantage's India trip and maybe I'd like to go back to Asia again.

Our first experience with Vantage Deluxe World Travel was when a couple asked us if we would go with them on a Christmas market cruise. And then we went on Normandy cruise last year and we got back before Thanksgiving. It was great. Everything was very good. However, in our last cruise, we didn’t have any entertainment during our first and second night. There was a piano there so we thought there should be a piano guy playing and we could dance. But the entertainment was very good on another night when there was a man talking about Normandy. He was excellent. They also had a movie night with popcorn either before or after we actually landed in Normandy.

Our travel experience with Vantage was excellent. They had the best itinerary and we have known other people that have traveled with Vantage that were quite satisfied. Their customer service teams were more than happy to answer any questions or let us know of different options. It was really a fantastic trip - everything was well organized and done first class. Our tour guide was also wonderful and all the locals were good too. We’ll probably use them again in the future.

So far, our experience with Vantage has been good. Their customer service was easy to reach and very responsive. Moreover, the tour directors were good. The only negative comment I have is that these trips are very expensive. But it’s a first-class trip which I appreciate. I’m sure with the fees they charge, they'd pay their people very well. Also, what I did not appreciate was the ongoing suggestion or almost coercion for tips. Part of their brochures indicate that tips are included. But then throughout the tour, there’s this, “Well, we recommend $10 a day tip. We recommend you give this guy $20. We recommend –.” And that somewhat put me off. But overall, it's very good. We will consider using them again on our future trips.

A friend of ours traveled with Vantage, liked their tour and recommended it. Our trip was to South Africa, and the trip itself was excellent. The experiences before it were not so nice. We found it very difficult dealing with Vantage. Two weeks before we left, we were notified all of a sudden by an email that they've cancelled our reservation at our request. We never made such a request. We're appalled. When I tried to straighten it out, they said "Somebody sent you the wrong email." I guess it's the Boston office, but it's not a healthy experience.

Vantage was fantastic. We had a super-good hostess throughout the trip and the staff and wait staff were great. This happened during the Paris bombings but I felt very safe and we had a wonderful time. I certainly would recommend Vantage.

We’re leaving Thursday and it took Vantage Deluxe three days before we left to give me a cabin assignment. It was four times I’d called and they kept saying it’ll be next week, next week, next week. So here I am, a month later. I finally got it yesterday. It always seems like if they give you your cabin number, it’s the best well-kept secret. This will be our third cruise with them and that’s the only problem I’ve encountered. The tour guides and directors have been excellent. We were with them the day of the Paris bombing, and I cannot say enough for Vantage Cruise at that moment. They were professional and wonderful. It’s very easy to say with any tour operator, “they’re a great tour company,” until something really goes terribly wrong, and that’s when they really shine.

Every trip with Vantage Deluxe World Travel has been interesting and we’ve done about 15 trips with them. The tour directors and the tour guides all worked out very well and we never a problem. We still have three more fully paid trips scheduled. We’re flying from here to Frankfurt and from Frankfurt to Basel, and we’re getting on a boat there then go west and on through Amsterdam. The other one is a trip to Iceland and we do also have one tour of Cuba. Then we also have a train trip to Canada that’s on the books. So clearly we’ve been happy.