About Vantage Deluxe World Travel
Vantage Deluxe World Travel provides European river cruises and travel adventures in more than 80 countries across all seven continents. The company offers solo and group trips that take travelers to a variety of worldwide destinations. It also handles meals, itineraries and airline and hotel bookings.
- Operates all over the world
- Solo and group adventures available
- Website offers ways to save money
- Can be expensive
- Reports of long waits for refunds
Vantage Deluxe World Travel Reviews
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- 4,590,668 reviews on ConsumerAffairs are verified.
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- We use intelligent software that helps us maintain the integrity of reviews.
- Our moderators read all reviews to verify quality and helpfulness.
Reviewed Feb. 26, 2021
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.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to Elsa’s concerns. We sincerely apologize to Elsa for the extreme delays our company continues to experience due to the unprecedented Covid-19 global pandemic.
We regret that callers are experiencing a much longer than normal hold times when calling our offices, however our team is here during our business hours answering incoming calls and responding to email correspondence.
Our records indicate that we most recently corresponded with Elsa as recently as this past Friday, February 26, 2021.
We confirm Elsa is due a refund for reservation 575702. Our Team is working diligently to resolve every request, including her refund.
Unfortunately, we are still unable to provide her with a definite time frame for receipt. We recognize that our time frames have been completely outside our normal scope of business operations. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by our severe delays. We thank Elsa and appreciate her continued patience as we work towards their resolution.
Reviewed Jan. 13, 2021
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.
In all the phone calls placed to Vantage, none of the reps ever mentioned anything about the possibility of not getting my refund back. They kept telling me that the "executive team would contact me soon". Eight VERY LONG HOLD phone calls later, when I called today, January 13th, the rep tells me that my "case has been reviewed and there was no refund due to the fact that I cancelled 27 days prior to departure and their 'terms and conditions' states 30 days". Now, why would the rep I spoke to when I called back to cancel inform me that I would not be refunded? Instead, leading me on saying the refund would take 30-60 days?
I asked the rep today to have them check the phone call recordings to which he replied that they already did. I asked to speak to a supervisor and he said they are backlogged and that he can put me on a list to call back but it would take 6-8 weeks! Another thing- I'm not able to go into their website to add a review. Not able to fore-warn other customers or potential customers how deceiving this company can be. The BBB classifies Vantage as an A+ company, but I urge they get reviewed once again.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to Maria’s review. We appreciate her comments and the time she spent to share them. Maria reserved 2 separate journeys through Vantage. We will address both reservations in this response.
Regarding her reservation for our Essential Holland & Belgium Culinary River Cruise with a departure date of April 6, 2020. Our records indicate Maria contacted Vantage on March 10, 2020 via telephone, speaking with our agent Mark. In that conversation, Maria advised Vantage she had chosen to cancel this reservation due to concerns of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Mark advised her in that call she was cancelling 27 days prior to her departure date and would be in 100% Trip Cost Penalty. He further reminded her that she did not have a Travel Protection Policy purchased through Vantage, hence there would be no reimbursements coming to her from Vantage for this cancellation. Mark further advised that our Cancellation/Yield Team would be reaching out to her within the next few days to finalize her cancellation. This same call was later reviewed by our Management Team and the above was re-confirmed. We regret that the Cancellation Team was unable to call her within that specified time frame.
However, Maria called us on March 14th, 2020 and spoke with Marlene who offered a goodwill gesture to Maria to transfer her funds paid plus an additional amount of $250.00 into a Future Travel Credit applicable towards any Vantage Cruise or Adventure Tour departing on or before the end of 2020. Keep in mind at that time, we had no way of knowing the pandemic would last as long as it has.
Maria then called us on April 13, 2020, speaking with Suzanne, and canceled her Future Travel Certificate, declining the offer previously made by Marlene. Maria then requested a refund of her funds, however she is not due any refunds as per our cancellation policy stated in our Terms and Conditions. It is important to note that Maria chose to cancel her reservation prior to Vantage making any determinations on her originally scheduled departure. What Vantage did after her decision to cancel is irrelevant. The offer of the Future Travel Certificate was a goodwill gesture on behalf of Vantage, which was accepted then later declined by Maria.
Maria also reserved our On Safari in Kenya & Tanzania Safari Package scheduled to depart January 14, 2021. Maria contacted us on June 17, 2020, 211 Days prior to the scheduled departure date, via our online chat portal advising she had chosen to cancel this reservation, also due to Covid-19 Pandemic concerns. Sabrina advised her in the chat that she paid a $500 deposit and by cancelling that day, she was subject to a $300.00 cancellation fee. Sabrina further advised she would receive a $200 reimbursement from this cancellation. Vantage processed the $200.00 refund back to Maria’s original Form of Payment on September 24, 2020.
In Conclusion, Maria is not due any refunds for Holland & Belgium River Cruise she chose to cancel. Vantage has already processed the refund that was due her from her decision to cancel her African Safari. Vantage now considers both matters closed.
Reviewed Dec. 31, 2020
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.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to Kathleen’s review. We sincerely apologize to Kathleen for the extreme delays our company continues to experience as the Covid-19 pandemic progresses. We confirm Kathleen is due a refund for Reservation 575791. Our team is working diligently to resolve each and every request, including Kathleen’s refund.
Unfortunately, we are still unable to provide her with a definite time frame for receipt. We recognize this is completely outside our normal scope of business operations. We thank Kathleen and appreciate their continued patience as we work towards her resolution.
Reviewed Dec. 22, 2020
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.
I immediately sent an email through their online Customer Concierge Staff email system requesting an update on our refund or voucher (supposed to be no more than a 48 hr. response time). Went online on 12/12 -- still no response; went online 12/16 -- no response. I started calling the President's Club "exclusive" number and finally hanging up after repeatedly waiting 30 minutes or longer with no one picking up. It has now been a month since I was promised a refund or voucher and I have yet to see any indication of a refund or voucher coming my way.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to Linda’s concerns. We share in her disappointment with our decision to modify and postpone our trips due to the unprecedented Covid-19 Pandemic. We further apologize for our continued delays and long hold times as we continue to navigate through these difficult times.
Please understand, Linda is not eligible to receive a refund as per our Terms and Conditions (Alterations & Modifications Section) which were agreed to by the customer upon making their initial reservation. These same terms are always sent to the customer after making a reservation with Vantage and are always available via our website www.vantagetravel.com at the bottom of the webpage “Terms and Conditions”.
As such, Linda was given the options to move the same trip to a 2021 departure of the same trip and be price protected, move to any of our other available trips with no penalty or receive trip cost credit plus an additional incentive credit amount to be applied towards any Vantage Cruise or Adventure Tour departing on or before the end of 2022.
In conclusion, Linda is not eligible to receive a refund as stated above. She currently has a Future Travel Credit on file (with Additional Credit Incentive) within her Customer Account at Vantage (**) valid towards any Vantage Cruise or Adventure Tour departing on or before the end of 2022. We ask Linda to please contact us directly if she has any questions regarding her Future Travel Credit, or the options available to her.
Reviewed Dec. 21, 2020
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.
We immediately called Vantage and requested a full cash refund for the cancelled trip. We were told we are not due a refund. We would like to know why some people are promised a refund and others not? We did not cancel this trip, Vantage canceled the trip and we should be entitled to a refund as requested. They alternately offered a voucher valid until end of 2022. We said we could not travel in 2022 and wanted to speak to a supervisor. We were told it would take 8-10 weeks to hear from a supervisor!!
Vantage refers to their terms and conditions. This is not a change in schedule, this is a canceled trip and they put us on the same trip 13 months later without contacting us to find out that we are not available to go 13 months later. We want our full refund, not a run around or a voucher. How can they treat customers this way? We did not cancel, Vantage did. Please have someone contact us about our refund.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to David’s concerns. We share in his disappointment with our decision to postpone his departure due to the continuing effects of the unprecedented Covid-19 Pandemic.
Please understand David is not due a refund as per our Terms and Conditions which were agreed to by the customer upon making their initial reservation. We refer to the Alterations and Modifications section of our Terms and Conditions, where it states:
“We reserve the right to modify tour itineraries and substitute hotels and accommodations in our discretion … Additionally, Vantage may, for any reason, without prior notice, cancel a cruise; deviate from the scheduled ports of call, route and timetable; call or omit to call at any port or place or cancel or modify any activity on or off the vessel; take any and all necessary action to comply with all governmental laws and orders given by governmental authorities; render assistance to preserve life and property; change the date or time of sailing or arrival, change the port of embarkation or disembarkation, shorten the cruise or substitute a vessel or other transportation or lodging. Vantage is not responsible for any losses you may incur as a result of such cancellations or deviations.”
These Terms are emailed to the customer after making their reservation and are always available via our website www.vantagetravel.com at the bottom of the webpage “Terms and Conditions”.
As such, David’s reservation was automatically moved to the same ship route, however on our sister ship Odyssey and a similar date within the same season, but in 2022. If he does not wish to stay on that departure, he can also move to any of our other available departures with no penalty. David can also accept a Future Travel Certificate (with additional credit incentive) to be applied towards a future Vantage Cruise or Adventure Tour departing on or before the end of 2022.
In conclusion, David is not eligible for a refund for the reasons stated above. We ask David to contact us directly if he has any questions regarding the options available to him.
Reviewed Dec. 19, 2020
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.
Due to my age, 83 in February, and moving into senior facility, have no wish to make commitment for further trips, just want he $7000 refund. It was suggested I could give my credit to my children or grandchildren, none of whom would be interested. I asked what happens if I die without using credit and was told it would go to my heirs. What a Ponzi scheme this is. Will never recommend Vantage to anyone, quite the opposite.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to Ms. Judith’s concerns. We share in her disappointment with our decision to modify and postpone our trips due to the unprecedented Covid-19 Pandemic.
Please understand, Ms. Judith is not eligible to receive a refund as per our Terms and Conditions (Alterations & Modifications Section) which were agreed to by the customer upon making their initial reservation. These same terms are always sent to the customer after making a reservation with Vantage and are always available via our website www.vantagetravel.com at the bottom of the webpage “Terms and Conditions”.
As such, Ms. Judith was given the options to move to a 2021 departure of the same trip and be price protected, move to any of our other available trips with no penalty or receive trip cost credit plus an additional incentive credit amount to be applied towards any Vantage Cruise or Adventure Tour departing on or before the end of 2022.
In conclusion, Ms. Judith is not eligible to receive a refund as stated above. She currently has a Future Travel Credit on file (with additional Credit Incentive) valid towards any Vantage Cruise or Adventure Tour departing on or before the end of 2022. We ask Ms. Judith to please contact us directly if she has any questions regarding the options available to her.
Reviewed Dec. 9, 2020
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 May 16th, the day after my cancellation discussion, my Vantage online portfolio was totally scrubbed. All references to my trip and the copy of my fully pre-paid invoice were no longer available. Complaint: It has now been 7 months since my cancellation was initiated and I have not received my refund. I want my refund now.
• Scheduling a refund is a standard accounting system transaction.• My prepayment should be held in a customer escrow account to be used at the time of the trip.
• There is no valid reason a standard refund, in accordance with their cancellation policy, should be delayed for 7 months.
• I want my refund now.
• The only reason Vantage will not provide the refund must be due to liquidity issues or misuse of customer prepayments.
• Vantage is deceptively using the Covid-19 crisis an excuse to delay standard refunds.
• Vantage does acknowledge that I am due the refund but refuses to give any additional information as to when.
• I have written numerous emails to customer service and even sent a certified letter to their CEO.
• The CEO would not reply directly. All replies are the standard customer service script apologizing for the delay and thanking me for my patience.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to Linda’s review. We confirm that Linda was reserved on our Best of Africa Safari departing on August 20, 2020. We further confirm that Vantage did not make any decisions on this departure’s postponement or modifications due to the Covid-19 Pandemic until July 23rd, 2020.
Linda initiated the Cancellation Procedures with her email to us dated May 8th, 104 days prior to her scheduled departure date. She was then contacted by our Cancellation Team on May 15th when she spoke with Doug and finalized her request to cancel. As per our Cancellation policy, cancellations that occur within 120-91 days prior to their departure date are subject to a $500 per person cancellation penalty.
Our records further indicate these guests did not purchase Travel Protection offered by Vantage. If they purchased this elsewhere, we recommend they submit a claim on their Travel Protection Policy for reimbursement of the penalized amounts.
We confirm Linda and Jeanette are due a refund minus applicable penalties as stated above for reservation 576385. Our Team is working diligently to resolve every request, including their refund.
Unfortunately, we are still unable to provide them with a definite time frame for receipt. We recognize that our time frames have been completely outside our normal scope of business operations. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by our severe delays. We thank Linda and Jeanette and appreciate their continued patience as we work towards their resolution.
Reviewed Dec. 1, 2020
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.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to David’s review. We sincerely apologize for the extreme delays that Vantage continues to experience due to the ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic.
Our records indicate the guest chose to cancel their reservation upon their call to our office on April 6, 2020. This was then followed up by their written confirmation of their decision to cancel that was received later that same day. Unfortunately, we do not show any record of a March 29th email in our system. As per our cancellation policy, the guests cancelled within the 120-91 days prior to the departure date of their trip and are subject to loss of deposit, $500 per person. The guests would have been within this same range if cancelled on March 29th (115 days prior) or April 6th (107 days prior).
We confirm the guests are due their refund, minus the applicable penalties for canceled reservation #**. We understand that our standard policy with refund timeframes is to refund within 30 days, however due to the continuing effects of the ongoing pandemic, we are unable to meet that time frame. We further confirm their refund continues to be delayed with Vantage.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide them with a definite time frame for receipt. We recognize that our time frames have been completely outside our normal scope of business operations. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by our severe delays. We thank David for his continued patience as our team continues to work towards his resolution.
Reviewed Nov. 29, 2020
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.
Taking over a year to process a 5 minute refund is way beyond 'delayed'. There must be a time limit for the amount of time that a business can take to issue a refund especially since the service was never provided. They use Covid 19 as an excuse for everything. I think the real problem here is that they don't have the money to return. They have used it themselves. I was told it would take 5-7 business days for me to get the refund. So they did not fulfill this statement either since it was over 365 days and still has not been issued.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to Nancy’s review. We sincerely apologize for the extreme delays that we continue to experience due to the ongoing pandemic.
Our records indicate that Nancy voluntarily chose to cancel her reservation on April 3rd, 2020 when she contacted our office and sent a subsequent email to confirm her desire to cancel her reservation. Please understand whatever Vantage did after her decision to cancel is irrelevant as Vantage did not postpone this departure until July 23, 2020. As such, her reservation was assessed the Cancellation penalties as per the cancellation policy stated within our Terms and Conditions. She is due the remainder balance of monies paid (minus these applicable penalties). It is this refund that is currently delayed with Vantage due to the continued effects of the ongoing pandemic.
Please note: Nancy should claim any penalized amounts on their Travel Protection Policy for reimbursement.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide them with a definite time frame for receipt. We recognize that our time frames have been completely outside our normal scope of business operations. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by our severe delays. We thank Nancy for her continued patience as our team continues to work towards her resolution.
Reviewed Nov. 3, 2020
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.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to Marilyn’s concerns. We sincerely apologize to Marilyn and her four traveling companions for the extreme delays our company has been experiencing due to the ongoing Covid-19 global pandemic. We confirm Marilyn and her friends are due a refund for the following reservations: 569689, 569687, 569690, 570199 & 579655. Our Team is working diligently to resolve each and every request, including their refund.
Unfortunately, we are still unable to provide them with a definite time frame for receipt. We recognize that our time frames have been completely outside our normal scope of business operations. We further apologize for the inconveniences caused to them by our company’s delays. We thank Marilyn and appreciate their continued patience as we work towards their resolution.
Reviewed Oct. 21, 2020
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.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the James’ concerns. We sincerely apologize for the extreme delays our company continues to experience due to the ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic.
Our records indicate the customers chose to cancel their reservation via our online Chat Service on March 16, 2020. Ten days later, we contacted the customers and made an offer to place the funds into a Future Travel Credit including an additional credit incentive amount. The customer accepted this offer and the Future Travel Credit was then created within their customer account.
Important to note: The guests original departure date was May 1, 2020. Vantage did not extend our suspension of this trip until April 6, 2020. This is after the guest’s decision to cancel their reservation. As of March 16, 2020, Vantage was still planning to operate this departure as scheduled.
On June 23, 2020 the guests contacted our office and requested to cancel their Future Travel Credit on file and requested a refund. At that time, the guests were advised since the future travel credit was created as a result of the guest’s decision to cancel, their refund request will be treated based on the original date of cancellation of March 16, 2020. This means, the guests cancelled 46 days prior to their originally scheduled departure date. As per our 2019 Cancellation policy (Based on when the guests originally made this reservation) were subject to a 65% trip cost penalty. The guests purchased Travel Protection. After they complete the claim process with Trip Mate, will reimburse the penalized amounts. The cost of their travel protection policy is non-refundable. Vantage will be refunding the remainder 35% portion, which is delayed. When combined with the reimbursement via their Trip Mate claim will provide complete restitution from their decision to cancel their reservation.
We recognize these guests are due their refund of the 35% trip cost as per our 2019 cancellation policy. We apologize for any inconveniences these extreme delays have caused. Our team is working diligently to resolve a myriad of situations, including their refund. We appreciate their continued patience while we work towards their resolution.
Original Review: Oct. 13, 2020
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.
As of 10/13/20 we have yet to receive our refund or any information as to when it will be processed. It is now over six months since our trip was cancelled. We understand that these are difficult and unprecedented times, but it seems that Vantage should have taken care of our promised refund by now. We would normally not complain but this situation has become very disappointing and unacceptable.
Thank you for the opportunity respond to this review. We sincerely apologize to our faithful and steadfast customers for the extreme delays our company has been experiencing due to the ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic.
We value our customer’s loyalty, having traveled with us 25 times and counting. We immediately contacted them directly and worked diligently towards their resolution. We are confident that after the guest verifies our actions, will confirm and agree the matter has been resolved. We thank them for their patience and look forward to welcoming them onto a future Vantage Cruise or Adventure Tour once we can all travel safely again.
Reviewed Oct. 6, 2020
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?
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to Ms. Deborah’s concerns. We sincerely apologize to Ms. Deborah for the extreme delays our company has been experiencing due to the unprecedented Covid-19 global pandemic. We confirm Ms. Deborah is due her refund and are working diligently to resolve each and every request, including Ms. Deborah’s refund.
Unfortunately, we are still unable to provide her with a definite time frame. We recognize that our time frames have been completely outside our normal scope of business operations. We further acknowledge and regret the perception our customers have received by our failure to provide definite time frames regarding refund receipts as well as call backs. We thank Ms. Deborah and appreciate their continued patience as we work towards her resolution.
Reviewed Oct. 2, 2020
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.
Ann – Thank you for taking the time to share this great feedback! We are thrilled you have enjoyed your trips with us as much as we have enjoyed showing you the world. The National Parks are truly a sight to behold and we are happy our tour is one of your most memorable journeys! Vantage truly is an industry leader when it comes to our Solo Traveler Options. We can’t wait to see you next year as you embark on your solo adventures with Vantage aboard our Brand-New Ocean Explorer!
Reviewed Sept. 21, 2020
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!
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to Mrs. Sandra’s concerns. We sincerely apologize to Mrs. Sandra for the extreme delays our company has been experiencing due to the unprecedented Covid-19 global pandemic. We confirm Mrs. Sandra is due her refund and are working diligently to resolve each and every request, including Mrs. Sandra’s refund.
Unfortunately, we are still unable to provide her with a definite time frame. We recognize that our time frames have been completely outside our normal scope of business operations. We further acknowledge and regret the perception our customers have received by our failure to provide definite time frames regarding refund receipts as well as call backs. We thank Mrs. Sandra and appreciate their continued patience as we work towards her resolution.
Reviewed Sept. 16, 2020
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.
They informed us today that they refuse to refund our money. They say that their Terms and Conditions allow them to make ANY changes to a trip, including cancelling it, and they are permitted to keep the money. BEWARE! I suspect they may be going out of business. I don't know that, but certainly, that's the behavior of a disreputable company that is on the verge of going out of business.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this review. We sincerely regret their displeasure with our decision to postpone our 2020 departures due to the severe global travel restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. We make our guests aware of the possibility to alter, modify or postpone any journey within the Terms and Conditions each guest agrees to by reserving a trip with Vantage. These Terms and Conditions can be found on our website, www.vantagetravel.com, at the bottom of our webpage and are sent to each customer who reserves a trip with Vantage.
These guests had 2 options available to them as follows: Option #1: Move to a future departure of the same trip and be price protected. Or Option #2: Receive trip cost credit plus an additional incentive credit to be applied towards any available Vantage Cruise or Adventure Tour departing on or before the end of 2022. Our records indicate the customer has a credit on file, including the additional credit incentive, within their customer account at Vantage. We further welcome the opportunity to work with our guests to ensure they understand these options available to them. Please contact our Customer Service Department directly if you have any questions or concerns regarding your credit on file.
Reviewed Sept. 3, 2020
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?
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this review. We sincerely regret their displeasure with our decision to postpone their 2020 journey due to the severe global travel restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Please understand these guests are not eligible for a refund.
We make our guests aware of the possibility to alter, modify or postpone any journey within the Terms and Conditions each guest agrees to by reserving a trip with Vantage. These Terms and Conditions can be found on our website, www.vantagetravel.com, at the bottom of our webpage and are sent to each customer who reserves a trip with Vantage.
These guests have 2 options available to them as follows:
Option #1: Move to a future departure of the same trip and be price protected.
Or
Option #2: Receive trip cost credit plus an additional incentive credit to be applied towards any available Vantage Cruise or Adventure Tour departing on or before the end of 2022.
Our records indicate the customer currently has a credit on file, including the additional credit incentive, within their customer account at Vantage.
We further welcome the opportunity to work with our guests to ensure they understand these options available to them. We are staffed and answering phones during our hours of operation. We do apologize to our guests for the longer than usual hold times experienced and other delays in our services that has been impacted by the global Covid-19 pandemic. Please contact our Customer Service Department directly if you have any questions or concerns regarding these options or your credit on file.
Reviewed Sept. 1, 2020
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.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to Christine’s review. We sincerely apologize to her for the extreme delays our company has been experiencing due to the unprecedented Covid-19 global pandemic. We confirm Christine is due reimbursements of the non-penalized amount by Vantage.
Earlier this month, we received notification from Trip Mate that their claim was approved, and that reimbursement is also due to be processed. Please understand our team is working diligently to resolve each and every request in the order it was received, including Christine’s refund.
Unfortunately, we are still unable to provide a definite time frame for receipt of these refunds. We apologize and recognize that our time frames have been completely outside our normal scope of business operations. We further acknowledge and regret the perception our customers have received by our failure to provide definite time frames regarding refund receipts. We have flagged Christine’s reservation to email her once the refunds have been processed. We thank Christine and appreciate her continued patience as we work towards her resolution.
Reviewed Sept. 1, 2020
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.
In February of 2020, before we knew anything about Covid-19. Our family physician advised us not to travel due to our ages 81 and 88. We called Vantage. They noted this and we never received anything further. We spoke with a representative name Patrick. On April 4th we called and cancelled our trip and were told that they would be withholding $300.00 for both my husband and I for a total of $600.00 plus the insurance of $999.00 each for each of us for a total of $1998.00. In addition they said we should submit a claim to Trip Mate who we purchased the insurance from and they would return the $600.00 as a covered claim.
I call Vantage on a routine schedule to find out when and where is our refund. Now obviously the trip was cancelled due to Covid. Delta Airlines could not fly us over to Europe because of Covid. The plan we featured was the most expensive plan that included A Cancel for Any Reason Waiver benefit which would mean that we could only get back vouchers that expire in 2022 for another trip. They are nonrefundable and cannot be given to our children to use. When we originated the claim we were told that money would go into our checking account where we issued the payments. Never happened.
This trip was to be our final trip to Europe and our dream trip to view the Passion Play. Today I received a letter from the insurance company, which I understand is owned by Vantage, that reads as follows: "We are in receipt of your claim submission and supporting documentation in regards to the above indicated claim. After careful consideration, we have determined the reason provided for your trip cancellation is not a Covered Reason covered under the T Cancellation benefit. Please note, however, the plan provisions for place #F427V, offered by Vantage Deluxe World Travel includes a Cancel for Any Reason Waiver benefit, provided by Vantage Deluxe World Travel and travel certificates have been issued under senate cover and should arrive arrive shortly. The Travel Certificates will be sent to you via US Postal Service.
As a third party claims administrator, we must review and adjudicate all claims based on the documentation presented and the plan provisions. You can view the plan provisions at www.tripmate.com after you review your plan provisions and if you feel this information is incorrect, please submit any additional documental that may have a bearing on the claim decision to appeals @tripmate.com. Please include your claim ID and name in the subject line." I would advise anyone planning a trip not to use Vantage.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this most detailed review. We sincerely apologize that their experience with Vantage has not met their expectations. Our records indicate that they cancelled their reservation on April 3rd, 2020. As per our standard Cancellation Policy located in our Terms and Conditions, you were assessed $300 per person Penalty by Vantage. This amount was claimed on the Travel Protection Policy for reimbursement.
Please understand Vantage does not own nor operate Trip Mate. They are their own company independent of Vantage. We have worked with Trip Mate for decades, but we do not own them. Vantage offers only 1 type of Travel Protection policy. This is a cancel for any reason policy. As long as you are cancelling for a covered reason, they will reimburse with a check. However, if your claim outcome was that you cancelled for a non-covered reason, then they reimburse in the form of a travel voucher. If you believe Trip Mate’s decision is incorrect, we recommend you contact trip mate and ask them to re-evaluate your claim.
The remainder portion is being refunded by Vantage, however the refund has not been processed and is extremely delayed. We sincerely apologize to you for this extreme delay as our offices have been inundated with requests and we are working these in the order received as quickly as we are able. We further regret any inconveniences these delays are causing you. Unfortunately, we are still unable to provide any definite timeline regarding the refund. In the interim, we have flagged your reservation to email you once your refund has been processed.
Reviewed Aug. 17, 2020
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.
Then, they informed her that the managers decided to deny the refund and force us to take a cruise voucher that must be used before December 2022. Given the way things are going in this country, is there anyone here that knows what the state of the world will be at that time? I sure don't. We really don't know what recourse we have. If we hire an attorney, expect some 30% of the refund will go to them. That is, even if that firm charges their fees in that manner or takes the case. In any case, we wouldn't be left with much.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this review. We sincerely regret their displeasure with our decision to postpone his 2020 journey due to the severe global travel restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. We make our guests aware of the possibility to alter, modify or postpone any journey within the Terms and Conditions each guest agrees to by reserving a trip with Vantage. These Terms and Conditions can be found on our website, www.vantagetravel.com, at the bottom of our webpage and are sent to each customer who reserves a trip with Vantage. They had the option to move to a future date of the same trip and be price protected or receive future credit to be applied towards any of our other available cruises or tours. The new cruise or tour must depart on or before the end of 2022. Our records indicate the customer chose the latter. We further welcome the opportunity to work with our guests to ensure he understands the options available to him. Please contact our Customer Service Department directly if you have any questions or concerns regarding your credit on file.
Reviewed Aug. 5, 2020
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.
Unless you enjoy providing corporations with extremely large interest free loans, do not give Vantage your money. I understand that COVID-19 is impacting the travel industry, but there are other companies that are managing to offer refunds for cancelled trips. This is my first experience giving money to company for a service not rendered and being refused a refund. I only hope my complaint will help others from being taken advantage of.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this review. We sincerely regret their displeasure with our decision to postpone his 2020 journey due to the severe global travel restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. We make our guests aware of the possibility to alter, modify or postpone any journey within the Terms and Conditions each guest agrees to by reserving a trip with Vantage. These Terms and Conditions can be found on our website, www.vantagetravel.com, at the bottom of our webpage and are sent to each customer who reserves a trip with Vantage. They had the option to move to a future date of the same trip and be price protected or receive future credit to be applied towards any of our other available cruises or tours. The new cruise or tour must depart on or before the end of 2022. Our records indicate the customer chose the latter. We further welcome the opportunity to work with our guests to ensure they understands all options available to him. If he thinks he may need more time to use the credit, please contact our Customer Service Department to make that request.
Reviewed Aug. 5, 2020
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.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this review. Our records indicate the customer contacted us via our online chat portal and requested to cancel his reservation on April 9, 2020. This was also when he declined our offer to postpone the trip or receive a credit with additional credit incentive. Later that day we also received his written cancellation letter via email. On April 28th, the guest spoke with our Cancellation/Yield Manager and was advised that Vantage would penalize him 65% of his total trip cost as per our Terms and Conditions for his decision to cancel his reservation. This meant Vantage will be refunding 35% of his total trip cost and he would need to claim the remaining 65% that Vantage penalized on his Travel Protection Policy. When combined, will provide the guest full restitution for his total trip cost. The cost of the Travel Protection Policy is non-refundable. On July 14th, 2020 the guest’s Travel Protection Claim through Trip Mate was completed, and Trip Mate issued the guest a Travel Voucher for the penalized amount for reimbursement as per the policy.
Currently, due to the ongoing Pandemic, Vantage continues to experience extreme delays with processing refunds as well as managerial call back requests. We do have his requests for call transcripts noted and our team is working to resolve that request. We sincerely apologize to this customer for these extreme delays and regret the inconveniences they have caused. Furthermore, we thank these guests for their continued patience.
Original Review: Aug. 3, 2020
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.
Original Review: Paid in full for 4 cabins and 7 family members on a May 6, 2020 river cruise in Germany. We paid by check in April 2019 in full. This cruise was canceled on 4/1/2020. We immediately asked for a refund as in early April 2020 I could not commit to a future cruise due to a medical procedure needed. We would like to travel with Vantage again as we have had great success in the past on both land and river cruises. It has now been over 120 days and no refund received. We have called and emailed and get the same answer, "You are in the refund queue." We continually ask when it will arrive so we can plan our future. They cannot even give us this answer. I have since had the procedure with great success and want to travel with Vantage but cannot now until 2022 schedule.
We apologize for any inconvenience to Jerry and his traveling companions. The Coronavirus world health event has caused severe disruptions in the travel industry, and Vantage is no exception. Our journeys had to be postponed leaving us with thousands of requests to be processed with limited staff. While our team is devoted to providing excellent service, this process is causing major delays. We will get to Jerry’s request, but it will take longer than usual. If the passengers prefer to travel in 2022, they may contact us so we can explore their options for journeys then. We thank Jerry and his traveling companions for their patience and understanding during this unprecedented time.
Reviewed July 30, 2020
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.
We sincerely apologize for any frustration to Judith and Victor. The Coronavirus world health event has caused severe disruptions in the travel industry, and Vantage too has been affected. Our journeys had to be postponed which left us processing thousands of requests with limited staff. While our team is dedicated to delivering excellent customer service, this process is causing major delays. We are working diligently and will get to every request – it will just take longer than usual.
Reviewed July 29, 2020
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.
Original Review: We booked a Kenya and Tanzania trip for September 2020. Vantage policy for refunds at the time we canceled was a loss of $500 per person with the balance to be refunded. After numerous calls and emails and many weeks of being given the run around they are now saying we may get a voucher for future travel. No, that is not what their own written policy was when I canceled and I want my $19,000 back the way it was promised in writing. I have filed complaints with the Massachusetts Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau. There are many other complaints online regarding this issue.
We regret any inconvenience to passengers Jneil and Christian. One of our team members should have reviewed with them their options regarding the postponed journey due to the Coronavirus world health event. If they have any further questions, we are happy to assist them at 1-888-982-6824.
Reviewed July 27, 2020
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.
In addition, the Tour Participation Agreement states that if a tour is cancelled a refund would be made to the participant. One could argue if all the tours are cancelled then the cruise is in fact cancelled and the client is due a refund. In spite of being told there is no appeal process, I wrote an E-Mail to Upper Management in Customer Service hoping they would be reconsider and provide a refund instead of forcing me to accept the trip credit. To date, I have heard nothing but hope that they will agree to a refund and forward subsequent funds expeditiously.
Thank you for bringing Clyde’s and Sandra’s concerns to our attention. Firstly, we apologize for the delay in processing the passengers’ request. We review each case very carefully and make every effort to provide our guests with all available options to them in the event of disrupted travel plans. Our options are determined by various factors including but not limited to the reason for disruption, proximity to travel, vendor restrictions, and other considerations. If the passengers have further questions on the options presented to them, our team will be happy to assist them through our customer service line.
Reviewed July 25, 2020
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.
We have received many marketing emails from Vantage trying to get us to re-book the trip and when we received their 130% of our trip value offer, we responded to Customer Service that we declined the offer and NEED our refund. We had NO RESPONSE. We then chose to call and talk with a supervisor. We did not connect after several attempts, so she scheduled a call time. We called at the scheduled time with no answer (and tried calling several times in the window scheduled and also left messages). We received no return call or email communication...so I sent an email to the supervisor. This email was one of many email since February requesting our refund.
In July we made two urgent requests, the first to Customer Service and then to the Supervisor. We demanded the refund with a deadline. The deadline passed and we have NOT received the refund or any communications from the Supervisor, Customer Service, Management, Accounting...NO ONE! Vantage has had our money since February 2018...yes 2018 and now they won't return it.
The NON-responsiveness is beyond disappointing. The company has one of the best communication methods we have experienced when it comes to selling and closing deals. The fact that you cannot carry this philosophy over to the refund and accounting services speaks volumes! It does not take 5+ months to process an electronic refund. Vantage has ignored our URGENT requests for the receipt of our refund without communication or action. Vantage, please do not responding with your boilerplate "unprecedented times and we thank you for your patience". The patience is LONG GONE and we are having tough times as well.
Karl & Judith’s frustration is understandable. We are doing our best to process all requests, but currently experiencing delays. The Coronavirus world health event has dealt a severe blow to the travel industry also affecting Vantage. Our journeys have had to be postponed, and we are processing thousands of requests with limited staff. Our team is devoted to providing excellent customer service, and we will get to every request – it will just take longer than usual. We thank the passengers sincerely for their patience and understanding.
Reviewed July 19, 2020
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.
After 30 days we again inquired about our refund. We were then told it would be 60 days, then 90 days. It has now been more than 90 days with no refund. It is very difficult to get anyone on the telephone at vantage and when you do they know nothing and always provide the same generic response that they have had to refund thousands of trips and only have two employees who perform this task hence the wait. Meanwhile, we are being bombarded with ads and requests to book a new trip which is alarming and disconcerting.
While seeking assistance online I discovered that there are countless complaints on various websites against vantage for the same issue and many pre-date the Covid virus. Additionally, it seems the travel insurance that we were sold and promised that we could get our money back if we cancel for any reason is nothing more than a voucher for a future trip which is worthless to us and not what we were told. It should not take more than 90 days to make a refund but apparently vantage deluxe travel has a clear history of holding on to people's funds and apparently targets seniors.
A friend of ours who recommended Vantage Deluxe Travel and was also booked on our trip has the same problem. We wonder how vantage thinks that anyone would book a trip with them again after such bad treatment. I would not recommend vantage deluxe travel to anyone especially because they have a history of canceling trips and keeping refunds. I am not sure what we will do next but it is beyond belief that a company with these horrible business practices exists and gets away with it.
Thank you for bringing Hal's concerns to our attention. To clarify, Vantage accepts both credit card, and ACH payments with opportunities for savings with the latter payment method.
Due to the Coronavirus world health event, several departures had to be postponed. We do have programs in North America for 2021, and regret those postponed dates did not work out for the passengers. Our team is processing thousands of requests with limited staff causing major delays.
Our records indicate their refund was processed by Vantage on September 17, 2020 back to their respective account on file. If the guest has any questions or concerns regarding the refund, we ask him to please contact us directly.
Again, we sincerely apologize to Hal for these extreme delays we experienced and we do hope to see him on a future Vantage Cruise or Adventure Tour once we can all travel safely again!
Reviewed July 9, 2020
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 apologize for any frustration Myrna has experienced. The Coronavirus world health event has caused severe disruptions in the travel industry, and Vantage has also been adversely affected. Several departure dates had to be cancelled due to government restrictions. Consequently, our team is processing thousands of requests with limited staff causing major delays. Hence, we ask for our passengers’ patience. While this is not a pleasant situation for us either, we are working diligently, and understand the impact it is having on our guests as well. We will get to every request, but it will take longer than usual. We thank Myrna for her continued patience.
Reviewed July 9, 2020
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.
Thank you for bringing Bruce’s concerns to our attention. We apologize for any inconvenience to the passengers. Due to the Coronavirus world health event, several departures had to be cancelled. Our team has been processing thousands of requests with reduced staff, causing major delays.
Our records indicate Vantage has processed the customer's refund on July 17, 2020 back to their checking account on file. If guests have any questions regarding the refund, please contact our Customer Service Department directly.
Again, we apologize for the delay with processing your refund and hope to see you on a future Vantage Cruise or Adventure once we can all travel safely again!
Reviewed July 7, 2020
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.
We have called numerous times only to be told we would receive our full refund but could not tell us when. Their excuse was that the “Accounting Department is very busy”. I called one time on a Saturday, was told the standard line, and I asked to be transferred to the Accounting Department. I was told the Accounting Department does not work on Saturdays. Now if a company had as many backlogged refunds as we were led to believe, working on a Saturday to process this backload of refunds should be required.
We are not new to river cruising and have previously been highly satisfied with Vantage. This fiasco has caused us to definitely reconsider ever using Vantage in the future. Vantage has had our money since November, 2019. The question is when will we receive the full refund for the canceled trip. Hopefully, before Vantage declares bankruptcy.
Vantage is sorry for the inconvenience to Lois and Salvatore. We certainly do not mean to cause them any frustration. As the passengers may be aware, the Coronavirus world health event has caused severe disruptions throughout the travel industry, and Vantage is not exception. Several departure dates had to be cancelled leaving us with thousands of requests to be processed with reduced staff. Consequently, we are experiencing major delays. We are doing everything we can to process these requests and sincerely appreciate the passengers’ patience and understanding.
Updated review: Oct. 22, 2020
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.
Original Review: July 3, 2020
Updated on 08/04/2020: Our May trip to Russia, like everyone's, was canceled in March, as I have previously documented. Here it is, after many promises, Aug. 4, and still no refund. And now, you absolutely cannot reach anyone. After listening to more than an hour's worth of Beatles, Elton John, The Carpenters, Arlo Guthrie, Tom Jones, I heard the clicks and got disconnected. So I followed the recording's suggestion and tried the Chat function. But it was not available. Folks, I think we're screwed.
Original Review: Add us to the long list of frustrated Vantage clients who have been waiting and waiting on refunds for our trip to Russia/Finland that was canceled in March. We were told on April 6, we would receive our refund of $25,000 - plus in 60 days, which was June 9. It's now July 2, and we're still getting the run-around. But the e-mails offering future trips keep coming.
I understand refunding money to hundreds of people is a difficult process, but they will take money from your checking account for another trip in a heartbeat, but they sure can't repay what they owe. Because we enjoyed our Best of Africa trip so much last August, we originally booked, in September, a May trip to China, and included our daughter, but it understandably was canceled in February. Instead of asking for a refund, we booked the May trip to Russia. (Who knew?) Never again with Vantage. Does anyone know of any Vantage customer who has received a refund? Anyone know if Odyssey clients are having this trouble? We will book our next trip with them.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to Mr. Randy’s concerns. We confirm Mr. Randy is due a refund for reservation 576618. Vantage has processed his requested refund back to his respective accounts. We trust that once Mr. Randy verifies receipt, the matter will be resolved.
We sincerely apologize for our extreme delays and for the inconvenience caused. We thank and appreciate Mr. Randy's patience while we worked towards his resolution. We do hope that he will re-consider us for future travels once the world can travel safely again.
Reviewed July 1, 2020
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.
Vantage owes us over $16,000. They originally said in January that the refund would be remitted in 30 days. In March they indicated that due to COVID-19 it would be 90-120 days. In May this became 180 days. As of July 1st they still won't indicate the status of our refund. I guess they spent the money we paid for the trip before well before we were to take the trip. This is questionable business practice. I would caution anyone to NOT use Vantage's SMART PAY. I might even suggest that anyone should seriously consider NOT doing business with Vantage. Since
Steven’s and Mary's concerns are understandable. We sincerely apologize to them for our delays and any inconvenience this has caused. Our records indicate their refunds were processed by Vantage to their respective accounts on file on July 13, 2020. If they have any questions or concerns regarding these refunds, please contact our Customer Service Department directly.
Reviewed June 24, 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!!
Thank you for bringing Mr. & Mrs. Mariani’s concerns to our attention. As the travelers are aware, the Coronavirus world health event has caused severe disruptions throughout the travel industry, and Vantage is no exception. Several departures had to be cancelled due to government restrictions. As a result, we are processing thousands of requests with limited staff which is causing major delays. Vantage is committed to providing excellent service, and we’re working hard for all of our passengers.
Our records indicate Vantage processed their refund on July 1, 2020 back to their respective account on file. If there are any questions or concerns regarding the refund, please contact our offices directly.
Again, we sincerely apologize for the extreme delays we had in processing their refund. We do hope to see you on a future Vantage Cruise or Adventure Tour once we can all travel safely!
Reviewed June 24, 2020
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.
On the phone customer service people were very pleasant and assured us that our refund was in process. We were told we would get a call back. That never happened until May 8 when we received a voicemail with a name and number asking us to call him back. We did that repeatedly and never actually spoke to the person. In the meanwhile other calls went unanswered. We were told our refund is in “review”. I would think that it should not take 3 months to review a situation where Vantage canceled the trip and we additionally had trip insurance. I am unhappy and frustrated at this point and am tired of calling and not getting any useful information.
Thank you for bringing the passengers’ concerns to our attention. The Coronavirus world health event has caused severe disruptions in the travel industry. There were a number of departures that needed to be cancelled due to government restrictions, and as a result, we are processing thousands of requests. Vantage is devoted to delivering exceptional customer service and working very hard for all its passengers.
This is an extraordinary situation for everyone in the travel industry, and we understand the impact this is having on our guests as well. We are working diligently to get to every request – it will just take longer than usual. We thank Mr. Bernstein & Mrs. Huston for their patience.
Reviewed June 24, 2020
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.
Reviewed June 20, 2020
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.
On April 14th we canceled our trip and received an email from Vantage that we would receive our refund and that refunds were normally processed in 30 business days. We had previously been advised that, due to the virus, it may take 45 business days. It is now June 20th and Vantage has informed us that they don’t know when we will receive our refund. The Vantage finance group managed to withdraw the funds from our account within two days but has been unable to return our money in over two months. This episode has made us rethink our opinion of Vantage travel.
We regret to hear of Mr. & Mrs. Wallis’ disappointment. Due to the Coronavirus world health event, we are processing thousands of requests with limited staff. Consequently, we are experiencing severe delays which is not the norm. We do apologize that you weren’t given the proper expectations which has been addressed with our team. Vantage stays committed to delivering excellent customer service, and we are working hard for our passengers. We will get to every request, but it will take longer than usual.
We’re glad to hear that the passengers did enjoy their past journey with Vantage, including the customer service from Boston and our overseas team. Their continued patience is greatly appreciated.
Updated review: May 30, 2020
After a 13 week delay, Vantage Travel did provide us with a full refund as promised.
Original Review: May 21, 2020
In February of 2020 Vantage called us to let us know that they were canceling our 2020 Iceland cruise. Micah assured us that, since Vantage was canceling the cruise due to insufficient interest, we would get a 100% refund, including the $3,000 we had paid for travel insurance. We even received a letter from the founder confirming that. They did warn us it might take up to six weeks for us to get our refund. That was over 12 weeks ago. They appear to be stealing our money right before our very eyes. Numerous attempts to get information about our refund keep running into a stonewall. And yet they continue to take deposits from unsuspecting customers who will probably never see their money again. Unacceptable and probably unethical. Perhaps their will have to be a class action suit.
We apologize for any inconvenience Mr. & Mrs. Keany have experienced. Due to the severe disruptions in the travel industry caused by the Coronavirus world event, our staff is processing thousands of requests. Our team is dedicated to delivering exceptional customer service; however, we are experiencing delays. This is an extraordinary situation for everyone in the travel industry, and we understand the impact this is having on our guests as well.
Our records indicate Vantage has processed their refund back to their account on file on January 13, 2020. Again, we apologize for our delays and hope to see you on a future Vantage Cruise or Adventure Tour once we can all travel safely again!
Reviewed Jan. 10, 2020
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.
We apologize sincerely for any frustration felt by Mr. Krasnow and Mrs. Nalven. Our accounting team was experiencing some delays; however, the refund has now been processed for the passengers. We apologize for the delay again, and regret that another departure date did not work for the passengers when the original departure date for this journey had to be cancelled due to lack of participation. We hope to welcome them on another journey soon.
Reviewed Jan. 4, 2020
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.
A few days later, their website showed that all Nile cruises for 2020 were sold out (actually canceled). Since then I've tried to get my refund and have talked to many agents but the refund hasn't come through. Today I was told that it may take 5 weeks or more because of the holidays. The accounting department is never available but the sales people keep promising to call back and update me (which they never do) when I'll get the refund. I'm sure I'll get it back someday but the whole experience is very frustrating. I wish I had paid by CC. Then I could get the refund from them. I suggest don't pay them by ACH withdrawal from your bank!! For me, I'm done with Vantage forever!!
We regret to hear of any confusion or frustration regarding our booking procedures. If a journey is not operationally ready to book, a passenger can make what is a called a 'Pending Reservation' which is fully refundable. Upon making a decision on their preferred trip, a passenger can change that pending reservation into a live one at which point our regular schedule of cancellation fees would be applicable. Ravi cancelled his pending reservation which makes the deposit on this reservation fully refundable. We do apologize for the delays.
Our records indicate their refund was processed by Vantage back to the customer's payment account on file. We thank the passengers for their patience and hope to see them on a future Vantage Cruise or Adventure Tour once we can all travel safely again!
Reviewed Dec. 14, 2019
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.
Exactly 4 days before we were to leave, we were notified that the Peru part of the trip had been cancelled. We would not be leaving for another 12 days. We had a choice of cancelling the entire trip for a full refund, or taking $3500 (to be refunded) and continuing with the rest of our trip. We chose to take the refund of $3500 and take the trip. Part way into our trip, we were notified that the refund would not be $3500, but rather $786. We have been going back and forth with Vantage for over a month and now they won't even e-mail or call us anymore. And nothing has been refunded to us. We already have another trip scheduled with Vantage but, if we decide to go on that trip, it will probably be our last.
We wanted to update this response as it does not accurately reflect the guest’s outcome. We sincerely apologize to Ms. Hamburg for our miscommunication regarding the per diem amount of the missed Peru portion of their trip.
Our records indicate that we processed a refund for $875 to the guest on January 7, 2020. Due to the confusion, as a gesture of goodwill, we further provided Ms. Hamburg with a Future Travel Certificate in the amount of $1000, which she has already applied to 1 of her 3 open reservations with us for 2021! We look forward to welcoming her to South America and the Galapagos Islands in 2021 once we can all travel safely again!
Reviewed Nov. 23, 2019
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.
Our biggest complaint however came after the trip was over. Our two adventure leaders had been taking many photographs throughout the course of the trip and promised to make them available to all of us (at no charge) following the journey. After we got home, my wife and I waited patiently for these photos to be made available. After waiting for months, I contacted both guides directly via email and heard nothing. I contacted them again, similarly, there was no response. I went on the Vantage website and attempted to engage the "chat service" available there. It kept kicking me out.
Given the expectation that had been set re., getting some pictures from the adventure leaders, there were a few times, I deliberately refrained from taking a number of pictures while on the trip - thinking their camera equipment was really good and seeing the number of pictures they were taking. There were a couple of specific pictures they took of my wife and I that would have been nice to have. I have followed up with a number of the other guests on this trip and they report the same experience with lack of follow-up and absolutely no reply to repeated email contacts. Vantage should do better.
Thank you for bringing the concerns of Michael and Patricia to our attention. We are sorry that their inquiries on their journey were not addressed to their satisfaction. Our customer service team does their best to answer any inquiries on our trips around the world. Training is reinforced regularly to keep our team up to date and informed on our journeys. If there is an inquiry on which we do not readily have the answer, we are happy to seek the answers from our regional experts and get back to the passenger accordingly.
Furthermore, we apologize for any delay in the photos from the tour director which were supposed to be sent to the passenger via email. A link with the pictures has since been sent to the passenger.
We appreciate the passengers’ feedback which is important to us in our ongoing efforts to improve our quality and service levels. Despite these issues, we are happy to hear they did enjoy their overall journey through the Amazon and hope to welcome them back on another Memorable Journey.
Reviewed Oct. 21, 2019
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.
Thank you for bringing to our attention the concerns of Katherine. Vantage books a passenger's flights but does not typically ticket until approximately 45 days prior to departure. We want to ensure flexibility in case there is a program change or the passenger wants to make a change in their travel plans. However, we will gladly ticket the flights if a passenger makes this request. We hope this clarification is helpful and look forward to welcoming Katherine and Richard on this journey.
Reviewed Oct. 17, 2019
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!
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to address Susan’s concerns. Susan and Keith paid for premium economy but when their tickets were rebooked, the upgrade was not available on the return. A refund for that segment will be processed for Susan and Keith. We certainly apologize for the delay in resolving this issue. An email has also been sent to the passengers addressing the matter.
Reviewed Aug. 29, 2019
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.
Thank you for bringing Susan’s concerns to our attention. Our flights team does their best to reach out to passengers to advise of routing and carriers prior to issuing tickets. A member of our flights team has spoken to Susan to resolve this matter.
Reviewed Aug. 13, 2019
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!
Reviewed Aug. 12, 2019
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.
I had other problems. Wanted to tell Vantage how bad I had been treated, but It is evident they don’t care. I paid them over 50,000 for this family trip. I have traveled with Vantage three other times but I will never recommend them. I have a place in the Villages and will post on all publications of my ordeal. What a disappointment for what I thought would be a great Christmas Present for my family.
We wanted to come back and update our response in this matter to reflect the outcome of this complaint. We sincerely apologize to Marie for the frustrations she experienced on her family’s holiday with Vantage. Vantage guarantees flight upgrades on the Long-Haul International flight segments only. Flight upgrades into Premium Economy and Business Class are not guaranteed on short haul, or domestic flight segments.
While Vantage is not responsible for any Baggage fees incurred, as a gesture of goodwill, we did process a refund for the baggage fees incurred for these guests. We are happy we were able to resolve these items that Marie shared with us. We hope to see her on a future Vantage Cruise or Adventure Tour once we can all travel safely again.
Reviewed July 28, 2019
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.
Our guide, Steve **, made this trip enjoyable and is a real asset to Vantage. He was with us for 20 days and kept his sense of humor and got across border crossings with a minimum of hassle-and was always there. The Victoria Hotel Falls besides being a place of history from the the old days of the British Empire was most enjoyable. I cannot imagine visiting Victoria Falls and not staying there. With a full 5 days on the extension to Cape Town (as we had a red-eye out of CPT) was a most satisfying way to end the trip-a day outing to the wine country, another day to Boulder, the penguins, and the Cape of Good Hope, Table Mountain, and then two days we we arranged trips out to Robben Island and to Kirstenbosch Gardens on our own.
This Best of Africa Tour along with the Cape Town extension is the best value, as I see it, for a tour that combines the safaris with cultural and natural wonders in this part of Africa. And I could go on and on about the Hwange tented camp which was a special venue. With this experience we are taking another tour with Vantage to South America. I am upset with them that I took the time to write a similar review for their website and it never appeared? Even after contacting them. Would seem to be in their best interest to have some updated reviews! Vantage are you reading this?
David and Paula – it's great to hear you have thoroughly enjoyed one of our most popular and loved land journeys to southern Africa: The Best of Africa. Thank you for your commendations on the overall itinerary and accommodations as well as the service from your adventure leader, Steve. A great way to maximize your experience is to take advantage of our pre or post trip extensions, and we are glad you have ended the journey with some time in lovely Cape Town. We look forward to welcoming you back on many more adventures.
Reviewed July 21, 2019
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.
On the evening of July 1, 2019, we were summoned to a meeting where we were informed that it did not appear the lock would be repaired in a timely manner. We were further advised that we would now be bused to the rest of our destinations, and we would miss some of the excursions. During the meeting the Hotel Manager, Enio, advised that once we got home, we would be contacted by representatives of Vantage to arrange for a reimbursement for our shortened river cruise. To date we have not been contacted.
On July 2, 2019, we all loaded on the buses and headed down the road. We did not get very far before the bus we were assigned to experienced a blown out tire, which further delayed our trip. Furthermore the luggage from the boat was loaded into a cargo truck with the plan it would be delivered to our hotel. As with the rest of this trip, that did not work out either, as the truck apparently got lost causing a delay in the delivery of our luggage until after bedtime. To further add to this failed adventure, while standing in line outside the hotel we were taken to, my wife’s cell phone was stolen by a team of pickpockets. We have filed a claim to our travel insurance for this, so hopefully we will get some help with this.
I called Vantage to see about the refund mentioned before we left the ship and they stated this was the first they had heard of a problem? They finally gave me an email address to write to, but again I have not heard anything. I would be weary of booking a river cruise since there are only single locks along the canal so if one breaks, you are stuck and apparently Vantage doesn't care if your pricey river cruise get ruined.
We wanted to come back and update our response to reflect the outcome of this guests’ review. It was most unfortunate Vantage had to make some last-minute adjustments to your River Cruise due to damaged canal locks preventing our ships through passage. We sincerely regret the inconveniences these last-minute changes to your trip have caused.
Due to the inconveniences the guests experienced, we offered a Future Travel Certificate in the amount of $935.00, which represents a per diem amount based on the number of days affected by the broken canal locks. In addition, we have invited these guests on our Customer Appreciation River Cruise, which was originally scheduled for 2020, has since been postponed to 2021 due to the ongoing pandemic. We look forward to seeing them on the Danube River next year once we can all travel safely again.
Reviewed June 25, 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
Kristi & Richard – Thank you for taking the time to give us this great feedback on your last journey, Portugal and Spain: Treasures Along the Golden Douro. We’re happy to know that you were pleased with your first Vantage journey including the cuisine, excursions, tour guides, service from the staff and crew. We hope to welcome you back on many more journeys with Vantage.
Reviewed June 16, 2019
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.
We wanted to come back and update our response to reflect the outcome of the guest’s review. We are thrilled they enjoyed their Italian Train Adventure with Vantage! We regret the end of their trip was inconvenienced by being unexpectedly downgraded on their return flight from Premium Economy to Coach. We sincerely apologize to Anne and Stephen for this unexpected downgrade.
In response, Vantage has refunded the guests a total of $1200 for the cost of the upgrade for their return flight segment upgrade.
We appreciate Anne & Stephen being loyal customers of Vantage being their 8th trip with us! We sincerely look forward to seeing them on a future Vantage Cruise or Adventure Tour once we can all travel safely again.
Reviewed June 11, 2019
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.
Gary
Susan & Gary – thank you for the positive review on your last journey to Portugal and Spain. Based on your suggestions, we will be working together with Douro Azul to improve training in the dinning room. Its great to hear that you otherwise enjoyed the itinerary, the services from the cruise director, crew, and the amenities onboard. Your continued patronage is important to us, and we hope to welcome you on your fifth journey with Vantage.
Reviewed June 11, 2019
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.
With seven trips completed and two booked, your loyalty means a lot to us, Tommy & Vickie. We appreciate the candid feedback on your adventure in Egypt. While the ms Mojito is one of the best vessels available on the Nile; within the coming year, Vantage will be using our very own, brand new, luxurious cruise ship – the ms Nebu. Thank you for your appreciation of the itinerary, the guidance of your adventure leader, and the accommodations ashore. We look forward to welcoming you back soon.
Reviewed June 6, 2019
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.
Lynne – thank you for taking your time to give us this positive feedback. We are happy to hear you enjoy the customer service, accommodations, and cuisine on our journeys. Thank you also for appreciating our efforts to make alternate plans when the river was not navigable, so the itinerary remained intact. We’re looking forward to welcoming you on your third Vantage cruise as a President’s Club member.
Reviewed June 6, 2019
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.
Marilyn & Charles - We appreciate the time you’ve taken to give us your positive review on your 5 trips with Vantage. Thank you for your commendations on our tour directors and adventure leaders, the cuisine on the trips, the cultural connections, and excursions to UNESCO sites. Your loyalty means a lot, and we look forward to welcoming you on another Vantage journey soon.
Reviewed June 5, 2019
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!
We appreciate the time you’ve taken to give us this great feedback on your journey to Norway. Vantage is proud to be one of the only tour operators to offer this exclusive itinerary on Norway’s Coast as a comprehensive northbound and southbound cruise. We are glad to hear you were pleased with the excursions and the service from the tour director. Susan and Marvin – we are looking forward to welcoming you on another Vantage adventure soon.
Reviewed June 4, 2019
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.
Thank you for your positive review - Nora and Philip. We appreciate your suggestions on improving the quality and variety of meals at dinner. Your input has been shared with our regional team to make improvements. We are glad to hear you have otherwise enjoyed your journey including the accommodations on the ship and your pre-trip to extension to Versailles. We look forward to welcoming you as President’s Club members on your next journey with Vantage.
Reviewed June 4, 2019
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..
Vantage is proud to have been the one to help you discover Greece - a country of endless beauty, history, and culture. Thank you for your excellent review, Catherine and James. We welcome you as president’s club members and look forward to arranging your travel plans to many other treasured destinations.
Reviewed June 4, 2019
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.
Sandee - we thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback. Booking early is most beneficial in order to secure your preferred travel dates, cabin categories, and best air itineraries, not to mention the high savings with our Smart Pay discount feature. Occasionally, if a certain tour does not reach a minimal level of participation, we may have to combine it with another departure date. Our team appreciates the inconvenience this may create, and does their very best to provide passengers with options in such a case. We look forward to welcoming you on your next Vantage journey to Italy.
Reviewed June 4, 2019
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.
We are pleased that you enjoyed your fourth trip with Vantage. Thank you for your positive feedback on the ship, staff and crew, tour director, and cuisine onboard as well as the excursions. Brian and Maxine, we look forward to welcoming you on many more Vantage journeys.
Reviewed June 4, 2019
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.
Patricia – we thank you sincerely for this outstanding review on your seventh Vantage journey, “Best of Africa: South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana.” Delivering an excellent vacation from the itinerary, to accommodations, to adventure leaders, and great excursions is what we aim for. Topping this journey off with a Cape Town extension is the way to do it. Your patronage is important to us, and we look forward to welcoming you back soon.
Reviewed June 3, 2019
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.
Thank you for your positive review on your first Vantage cruise along the Portugal’s river of gold. We are glad you enjoyed your overall experience and felt fully cared for whilst enjoying the wonderful scenery. Sandra & James – we look forward to welcoming you back soon.
Reviewed June 3, 2019
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.
Mary and Gene – thank you for your review. We are happy to hear you have thoroughly enjoyed your Vantage journey, ‘Italian Train Adventure’ including the pacing, itinerary, service from the tour director, and excursions. We hope to welcome you soon on another Vantage journey that will exceed your expectations.
Reviewed June 3, 2019
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.
Thank you for taking your time to give us this excellent feedback. We are glad to hear you have been pleased with the service from the tour director, the cuisine onboard, and the guidance from the local guides. David & Joy-Gay, we appreciate your loyalty and look forward to welcoming you on your 5th Vantage journey soon.
Reviewed June 3, 2019
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.
About the quality of the food especially at dinner started out very average but did show improvement toward the end of the cruise. For instance, my steak was tough and too well done when I ordered it. My trip was the tulips trip from April 10-20, 2019. I would certainly appreciate a response by email and/or phone to my comments. If there is no follow up by Vantage to my comments, I certainly will not schedule another trip or recommend Vantage to any other people.
Reviewed June 3, 2019
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!
After a coach ride to Porto (with a couple of stops along the way) we arrived at our ship, the Douro Serenity. Such a pleasure! The boat is very comfortable and the decor is both pleasing and purposeful. The crew was, as usual, excellent and could not do enough for us while we slowly cruised through some of the most beautiful scenery we've ever experienced. We like to do things on our own and this trip gave us ample opportunity to spend time in the towns where we docked, including giving us several chances to eat locally, which we love.
The cruise ended at the border between Spain and Portugal and we left our lovely boat to go to Madrid for 3 nights. Again, our accomodations were great and the hotel was located in an area where we could easily walk to the river, restaurants, shops, and cafes. Our tour of Madrid was great and we loved the charm and architectural features of the city. This was our sixth Vantage cruise and we've never been disappointed. A great company ensuring a great experience. We will sail with them again!
Diane & Peter – this is your 5th trip with us, and we are happy to know that we have delivered a vacation exceeding your expectations. Its great to hear you enjoyed the accommodations at the hotels and aboard the ms Douro Serenity, as well as the itinerary, pacing and service from the crew. Cruising along the golden Douro is truly a treat. We thank you for your loyalty and look forward to welcoming you on another Vantage journey soon.
Reviewed June 3, 2019
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.
Barbara and Michael – your undying loyalty means a lot to us. Thank you for your excellent feedback on the overall journey, 'Essential Holland: Tulips in Spring'. We are happy to hear you enjoyed the accommodations aboard the ship, tour guides, staff and crew on the ship. We look forward to welcoming you to many more Vantage journeys.
Reviewed June 3, 2019
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.
Earl & Sue – thank you for your praise on your Iceland tour with Vantage. We are glad to hear Jorn’s guidance through the breathtaking landscape of Iceland was wonderful as was the cuisine and interaction with your fellow travelers and residents. We look forward to welcoming you on another Vantage adventure soon.
Reviewed June 3, 2019
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.
As a passenger with eight trips under your belt, your comments are very important to us. We are delighted to know you have been pleased with the overall Vantage experience including when you travel alone. Your ongoing loyalty is sincerely appreciated, Geraldine. Looking forward to welcoming you to Croatia.
Reviewed June 3, 2019
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.
Thank you for your comments Howard & Ellen. Its great to know you have enjoyed your last two journeys and have been convinced to book a third one. We look forward to welcoming you on your third Vantage journey as President’s Club members.
Reviewed June 3, 2019
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.
We are delighted to hear that you have been pleased with your overall Vantage experience from the customer service prior to your trip, to the service from the tour directors. Thank you also for the praise on our website’s ease of navigation and the logistics on our journeys. Stanley and Gail - we look forward to welcoming you on your 5th journey with Vantage.
Reviewed June 3, 2019
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.
Reviewed June 3, 2019
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.
Reviewed June 3, 2019
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.
Janet - we appreciate the time you’ve taken to praise your 2018 Best of Africa journey. It is indeed a balanced itinerary including exciting cultural connections with the people of the region, the magnificent Victoria Falls, and important historical locations in South Africa. We are also happy to hear you were pleased with the guidance from Adventure Leader, Keith. Weather can occasionally affect a structure such as a tented camp, but Vantage plans accordingly keeping your safety and comfort in mind in such a case. We look forward to welcoming you on your next Vantage Adventures.
Reviewed June 3, 2019
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.
Dominick & Kathleen – thank you for your commendations on your last journey Portugal and Spain: Treasures Along the Douro. We are delighted to hear the journey met your expectations, and that you were pleased with the logistics and the service from the personnel. Your patronage is important to us, and we look forward to welcoming you on your next Vantage journey soon.
Reviewed June 3, 2019
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!!
Thank you for providing this crucial feedback regarding the Hotel we chose to use in London. We sincerely apologize that our response to this review was tardy, but more so that your experience at the Grange City Hotel in London fell below your expectations and raised safety concerns. We further apologize that you were given a room that should have been blocked for repairs and not assigned for a guest's stay. Thanks to your feedback, Vantage is no longer using the Grange City Hotel. We have actually changed the Pre and Post Trip Extensions on our Holland: Tulips in Springtime River Cruise, which now go to either Amsterdam, Brussels or Paris depending on the departure. For our other tours requiring accommodations in London (Specifically 'The Beauty of the British Isles'), we now use Kimpton Fitzroy London Hotel, which is a 5 star property.
We also want to apologize that your review was not responded to timely by Vantage. We appreciate your loyalty to Vantage, having been with us 8 times over the years. We certainly have enjoyed showing you the world and cannot wait until the day we can all travel safely again to see you both on a future Vantage Cruise or Adventure tour!
Reviewed May 22, 2019
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.
I sent a letter to the company in 2016 again requesting that they cease sending materials as they were a sad reminder of adventures/dreams that my husband and I would no longer be able to enjoy together. I called customer service. Their response was to change my address to my new home. Three years later and they now send materials to a second home I bought in another state to begin a new life. Each mailing is a painful reminder of the life I enjoyed at one time. My sadness has become anger over the relentless pursuit of revenue at the expense of someone’s feelings. Enough is enough. Must I take legal recourse to stop this invasion of my privacy? Despite a wonderful cruise experience I would NEVER refer a friend or family member to cruise with Vantage.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this review. We sincerely apologize for our tardy response to LA’s review. We extend our sincere condolences to LA regarding the passing of her husband. We regret that our mailers added further difficulties in her time of grief.
We believe this has been resolved as we are unable to locate a customer account using the customer information provided via consumeraffairs.com.
If this is not the case, please contact our offices immediately and from your mailers received please provide the customer number printed in the area where your name and address are printed. If you are still receiving multiple pieces of mail from Vantage, please verify the customer number on each piece. If the number is different, this could indicate multiple accounts within our system.
We do look forward to assisting you and hope to see you on a future Vantage Cruise or Adventure Tour once we can all travel safely again!
Reviewed April 20, 2019
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.
Thank you for this excellent feedback on your tour to Egypt. We are delighted to hear you were pleased with the itinerary, excursions, and the guidance of the tour directors. Nancy and Genady - we look forward to welcoming you on another Vantage Adventure soon.
Reviewed April 17, 2019
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.
Barbara – thank you for your positive feedback on your journey, the Nordic Splendor: a comprehensive northbound and southbound cruise in Norway. We are glad to hear you were pleased with the overall experience including the amazing landscape, the marvel of the Northern Lights, and the service from the ship’s crew as well as our tour directors. We look forward to welcoming you back on another Vantage Memorable Journey.
Reviewed April 17, 2019
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.
Henry & Patricia – thank you for your feedback. The hours of the bar are being reviewed to ensure service is available at certain times of the day. Passengers are also able to order beer with lunch in the dining room.
I am sorry that the bathrobe was not available to you on the last day of your journey. While the robe is not technically an amenity of the cabin category you selected, your point is certainly well taken. The robes are usually collected at that time in order to be laundered and ready for the next group.
We are glad to hear you have otherwise enjoyed your experience aboard the ms River Splendor. Your continued patronage is important to us, and we look forward to welcoming you back soon.
Reviewed April 16, 2019
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.
Having traveled 13 times with Vantage, we cannot thank you enough for your loyalty as well as this excellent review. India is truly a unique cultural gem, and you are lucky to have been part of the colorful Holi festivities. We are happy to hear you were pleased with the itinerary, excursions, and accommodations. Louis & Silence - we look forward to welcoming you on your next adventure with Vantage.
Reviewed April 16, 2019
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.
We are grateful for your continued loyalty to Vantage and hope you have great memories of seeing the world with us. Thank you for this excellent feedback on your adventure in Antarctica – truly a natural wonder. We look forward to welcoming you on another Vantage Adventure – John & Charlette.
Reviewed April 14, 2019
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!
Katherine – we appreciate the time you’ve taken to give us this excellent feedback on the journey, ‘The Best of Africa: South Africa, Zimbabwe, & Botswana’. Indeed, a trip of a lifetime combining the remarkable safari experience, natural wonders such as the Victoria Falls, and historic venues in Johannesburg. Thank you also for the commendations on the service from adventure leader, Johanna. We look forward to welcoming you on another Vantage journey soon.
Reviewed April 13, 2019
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.
Frederick & Rebecca – thank you for your positive feedback on the Seine river cruise aboard the ms River Venture. We are happy to hear you enjoyed the ship, cuisine, service from the personnel, and excursions. Vantage is proud to be your choice for river cruising. We look forward to welcoming you on your third Vantage journey.
Reviewed April 10, 2019
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.
Joseph & Patricia – thank you for your great feedback and your loyalty to Vantage. We are happy to hear you enjoyed your overall journey to Holland and Belgium. We do our best to secure the best available local guides from our ground vendors. Your feedback has been relayed to our regional team to ensure proper directions are given to passengers during optional tours. Your continued patronage is important to us, and we look forward to welcoming you on your seventh trip with Vantage.
Reviewed April 9, 2019
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.
We appreciate the wonderful feedback, Ed. It's great to hear you enjoyed your cabin aboard the ms River Voyager, the cuisine, as well as the service from the personnel. We look forward to welcoming you on another Vantage Memorable Journey soon.
Reviewed April 9, 2019
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.