Vantage Travel Reviews

When the Easter Island fires canceled travel to the island, Vantage canceled the pre-trip extension for which we had paid and called us to announce the cancellation. To date, they have not refunded this portion of our trip expenses and have not communicated in any way to report a plan for reimbursement. This has destroyed our confidence in the company, one we had enjoyed for many years. The trip, the guide, the hotels, the excursions, the Chilean hospitality were excellent. It is so disappointing to see Vantage resort to underhanded, deceptive financial dealings.

My husband and I had to cancel a trip which was covered by insurance through Allianz. We filed the claim in June 2022. Allianz approved it on August 25, 2022, and said the refund would come from Vantage. However, to this date, March 4, 2023, we have not received our refund. I don't understand because they charged our account immediately when the reservation was made. I can get no response to them about this claim other than a few from Customers Service saying they were behind because of COVID. They have quite responding to my inquiries. I suggest that you do not do business with a company who considers themselves deluxe but will not pay what they owe. I'm very upset. It may take me hiring an attorney to get my refund.

Unfortunately we gave our full payment to them for a Douro River cruise in May 2023. They can’t provide the service/ product to us due to their company’s vaccine policy which they did not advise us of, nor was there any mention of it in their terms and conditions agreement.

We had traveled in December 2022 down the Rhine on a Christmas Market Cruise with no vaccine requirements, as most of the cruise lines had lifted their requirements. Their vaccine requirements were only available to view under the “BEFORE YOU GO”link which was well hidden! The Link should have been labeled BEFORE YOU BOOK as a clear warning of their discriminatory policy.

This company is unscrupulous and I would never recommend them! They don’t answer their emails and the sales reps can’t tell you anything. Their advertising keeps rolling into my inbox however. They messed up our original payment and now they tell us they are withholding 40% of our full payment. I only finally got this information after calling many times over weeks.They have not answered any of my emails.

This has been such a frustrating and disappointing experience and their failure to refund our money thwarts our ability to book with a cruise company with a less discriminatory policy. Buyer beware with this unscrupulous company. They are nothing like the company they once were!

My husband and I traveled with Vantage for 15 years and were delighted. In the last year, Vantage Travel has become an unqualified nightmare. We booked a Canadian Rockies tour in early July, 2022, specifically for May 2024 due to other 2023 travel and personal commitments. In September, 2022, we received an email from the Vantage’s travel insurance partner informing us that our travel insurance for the Canadian Rockies tour had been shifted to tour dates in July of 2023!

We immediately phoned Vantage, and after 30 plus minutes on hold, we were informed that our May 2024 trip was no longer being offered so we were now booked on a July 2023 trip. We stated that we had other firm plans for that date and we could NOT take the trip in 2023. We regarded this “schedule modification” of 10 months by Vantage as their CANCELLATION of the trip we booked. and we requested a refund on that basis.

We were advised that we had a credit and could use it to book another trip in 2023 provided we did so by 12/31/22. After MANY phone calls, emails to Customer “Service,” and (unanswered) snail mail letters to the company, we were told that we had”flex credit” for the entire amount we had paid for the Canadian Rockies trip, including the amount of the trip insurance premium, that we could apply to the travel portion of a trip booked in 2022, but taken by the end of of 2024.

We booked a 2024 trip in early November and we’re told we’d get an invoice shortly, Today, SIX WEEKS LATER, we finally received an invoice with travel insurance through Vantage, although we SPECIFICALLY DECLINED travel insurance when we booked, When we called Vantage, we were told that we have travel insurance because we had it on the “original” booking (which was essentially cancelled by Vantage) so it was “automatically” applied to this new booking by edict of Vantage accounting.

When we asked to talk to someone in “accounting” we were told that wasn’t possible. We were told it was NOT possible to escalate the conversation to anyone, and, besides, the answer would be the same always — even though we’re were told entirely different when we made the new Basque region reservation (only done to save our paid deposit).

Bottom line: DO NOT TRUST ANYTHING ANYONE SAYS TO YOU AT VANTAGE. This is NOT the same company it was even a year ago. I would give Vantage Travel zero stars if possible,

We booked a cruise pre-Covid and understood when it had to be postponed. That said, rather than being rebooked on the next available cruise once travel re-opened we were rebooked, without being asked, for a 2022 departure. Then, a week before the scheduled departure date, we discovered our flight reservations had been cancelled. When we called customer support they said we should have gotten an email explaining that we had been rescheduled once again. I investigated and discovered that the ship we were supposed to be on had not even been delivered from the shipbuilder.

Vantage refuses to issue a refund and now has us scheduled for a departure in 2024. Customer service has been so poor and communication from Vantage is so deceptive that we will never use them again.

We were signed up for Easter island, Iguassu falls and the

Arctic cruise February 2022 On our way to the airport I saw a credit for $6000. Turns out Easter island was still closed from Covid. When we arrived in São Paulo airport we found our flights to Iguassu we’re cancelled.

Vantage cancelled the post trip so of course they cancel the pre trip. we tried to call the emergency phone line BUT I don’t speak Portuguese so no luck. A wonderful woman from American Airlines helped us.

Only call the emergency line during EST business hours. Problem this was the dirtiest air port ever. 1 week later my husband tested positive for Covid. We were quarantined on the ship. Eating off paper plates on a luxury cruise. The crew had Covid from the start. The ship did not get to the Faulklin islands or S Georgia because of Covid. The food was mediocre at best no sound system to your room to hear lectures.

The crew was wonderful. I tried to post a 2 star review on vantage website amazing I could never find it. ps the original cost was $54000. We are still “ negotiating “ with the insurance company.

Vantage has refused to issue me a $15,717 refund that I am due, after cancelling a cruise 13 months prior to departure. Their "Tour Participation Agreement" says "you will receive a refund...." subject to a $500 cancellation fee, for cancelling up to 121 days before departure.

I am livid. They will not allow me to speak to a supervisor, and have been very shifty and evasive in their communications since I cancelled back in early June.

It has taken over 4 months to finally be told no refund is available and I only have a voucher! I'm a retired business lawyer, I needed these funds, and this is a violation of their contract. I feel helpless and enraged.

When paying money, all is fine. When plight arrives and cancellation is necessary...PROBLEMS.

First, I became aware that the Trip Cancellation, I was charged $750, cost only $165 for Vantage. It was 'passed off' as a service of convenience, "We can handle this for you so you won't have to be bothered."

IT'S A RIP OFF.

Unwanted ongoing sales brochures fill up your mailbox. I inquired into services and once was enough to turn on this ongoing ridiculous amount of mail!

I tried calling and that didn't stop anything.

BEWARE of lack of service... UN-able to contact "Flight Choice Services" by Option #3; after hours of waiting on hold several times... always connected to customer services where reps are UN-able to Help with required flight changes? -- HOW do you get required assistance? Vantage reps online, by phone, by Facebook, etc are UN-able to Help or explain WHY is Vantage phone lines connections NOT working properly & connecting us to "Flight Choice Services" ? Hopefully Vantage will review & Advise back... Please advise HOW we get to "Flight" department for fully paid & booked trip with IN-correct flights scheduled?

What happened to Vantage??

Pre covid I booked & traveled on 2 river journeys & I had no complaints. As a matter of fact all was pretty darned good!!

NOW??? Try to get someone to talk with!! Waited 45 minutes. They kept suggesting using "CHAT". So I tried that, wait 15 minutes for a "chatter" who is not able to give prices. So what's their purpose?

So how did I get to this point? I tried to get to their bonus pay site & landed here. This organization is very screwed up & I am sorry to be attempting to book travel with them BUT they have a trip I would like to go on if I were ever able to get it booked!!!

Booked a Vantage trip "Canadian Awakening" scheduled to leave on April 26, 2022. Due to a sudden illness and doctor's advise, we called Vantage and cancelled on April 25, 2022.

Since we had paid for travel insurance and made claim to Allianz Global (purchased through Vantage), we were advised they had approved the claim on June 17. An employee with Vantage acknowledged the approval and stated it had been approved for payment by Vantage Travel on June 26, 2022, and we should receive payment with 60 days. Needless to say as of September 14, 2022, no reimbursement has been received.

Numerous phone calls have been met with answering machines suggesting we leave a message and they will get back to us. When I go on their chat line, I am told they have no info on payments and give us another web site to go to which is useless.

I see from many postings on this site, there are many people dealing with this same issue as I am. Have traveled extensively through the years and have never been meet with such an unprofessional company. Just a warning.......do not give your money to Vantage.......they are not to be trusted.

Returned from vantage Douro cruise.

The total cruise was fine with 3 major problems. The Serenity is a daily new ship, but the staterooms are small and the beds are not twins. Found out they were called cot beds. If you move when you sleep you can fall off.

They have only one communal rest room that only accommodates 1 person.

If you need the rest room while in the dining room or lounge you may have a problem. If an emergency you may be out of luck. May have to hurry to your cabin.

The accommodations in Madrid were at the Melia hotel. A nice hotel with one major problem.

The bathroom door is opaque glass, and no night light. If need the bathroom in middle of night you will have a problem seeing your way unless you kept lights on. If keep bathroom lights on the room is too bright.

Positive: the crew and vantage personnel were very nice and accommodating.

Our 20/20 Vantage cruise to the Baltics has been modified and postponed several times by Vantage. Now scheduled for 2023, my health has deteriorated, and I can no longer safely navigate crowds, stairs and uneven surfaces. Like others, we are getting nowhere in our pursuit of a refund. Has anyone had any experience with the Arbitration process?

Working with Vantage Travel is the worst experience of my life. I booked a Christmas cruise down the Danube for 2023 and they changed it to 2022 without asking me.

They also informed me I would have to have a cover jab which will never happen. I asked for a refund and have cancellation insurance.

After at least 10 calls to their customer service a gal sent me an email and told me there would be penalties to cancel and I said why? These are your changes not mine!! I said refund my money. No response for a month. The next call James answered the call and told me "you are not eligible for a refund and you need to get a covid jab for the "greater good."

He cancelled my cruise instead of giving a refund. A month later I spoke with a nice young lady who stated unfortunately because they had not refunded my money as requested and as James had cancelled my trip, my money would stay in an account until such time that I could reschedule. I am so sick of this company and of being treated so badly.

Paul C August 08, 2022

In August 2022, My wife and I arrive at the SFO airport to check-in our bags and find out our flight to Bucharest was cancelled. We were confused why out flight is cancelled.

Airline was not to helpful and told us call your travel agent.. So, I call Vantage to find out why our trip was cancelled. It seems Vantage will cancel your trip without informing you ASAP.

I emailed a message to their customer service later to get their reason for canceling the trip, it was due to low water level at the Danube river. I have booked this trip since 2019 and now I have to wait another year and hopefully nothing will happen in 2023.

Booked and paid Beauty of British Isle on Ocean Odyssey for July 2022. Company did not notify of cancellation . Found out cancel same day air was canceled by them. Took near a month to receive any notice of cancellation ( they call it postponed) This is their way in not having to provide a refund. They do not have the Odyssey available and the Ocean Odyssey it still sitting in China. Customer service rude, hang up on me. Ask for room assignment, just say keep checking your portfolio information. Are there any class actions in progress? We are seniors and $24,000 + loss is not acceptable.

Can we count on them to follow through and provide the cruise? What is my new cabin #, will you have the Ocean Odyssey in 2023. They angrily say " How do you get these questions" and then hang up phone after waiting hours at a time. Agree with other reviewers, they do not earn even 1 star. How can they treat clients this way?

We have been postponed to 2023. Please Vantage, treat customer properly!!!!

Having traveled with Vantage all I can say is well done every trip was fantastic.

With that said I am rather amazed that Vantage continues to sell trips on their new ship Ocean Odyssey that is sitting in the yards in Nantong China.

Not a word is said that they have had to cancel trips because the ship is not seaworthy yet. Vantage you can do better than this. At 73 years of age, I feel that I am on a short timeline until I meet my maker. I cannot keep pushing trips back year after year.

Due to COVID, our original trip was cancelled in 2020. When we re-book a new trip using the "credit" their sales rep. told us the "British Isles" cruise is " a "trip of your lifetime". It's an expensive one but we booked it for our 20-year anniversary on the sailing date of July 10th, 2022.

0n 1st of June, 2022 I chat online for a question and was told our trip has been "postponed". Shockingly, there's no email or any kind of communication until we furious complained and threatened all the way to their headquarter.

Then in 6/14/2022, less then 30 days of the departure date, we finally received an email plus the news that they were NOT going to refund our money (regardless we bought the trip insurance with them) because the trip was NOT "cancelled" but "postponed" to August 2023, one whole year and one month later!!!

No clear explanation of why the trip was "postponed" more than a whole year. Wondering what kind of answers or arrangements of other over 170 passengers of that ship had been got.

Worst, when we asked the cost of booking a different trip using the "credit", they refused to give us a figure claiming they wouldn't know, and we had to wait until we booked the new trip and transferred the "credit" to find out.

Their customer services are terrible and IF you could get a real person on the phone, (after 45minutes or longer waiting), that person was never warm or friendly. They all sounded annoying and inpatient.

They hold our money, and we are their hostages now. We are very disappointed with Vantage and totally dissatisfied with their services.

Vantage Deluxe Travel located in Boston. I have asked for a full refund for two trips my husband and I were scheduled to take, but because of his health issues he is unable to travel, per doctors' recommendations.

No matter what I have done to convince this company to refund me for the trips, Vantage refuses, offering travel vouchers, credits, gifting of one trip, and postponements of the trips, instead of returning the $30,226.

My request for the refund dates back several months. In the meanwhile, I have filed a complaint with the Mass. Atty. General's Office, the BBB, Elliot Advocacy, and have contacted various media outlets. The AGO is still working on the complaint.

Vantage responded to the BBB complaint, still refusing to refund me for the trips, and it sent an email to Elliot Advocacy with a response that is unsettling to me as Vantage, without consulting me (as is its habit) decided, again, not to offer even a choice of a refund.

In the course of working assiduously to convince Vantage to acquiesce and refund me, I have also informed the above institutions about Vantage's questionable business policies and practices, which have been complained of by numerous former Vantage customers, each having similar experiences as mine.

I have listed below just five of many links to websites that attest to these complaints and concerns. Vantage has quite the history of poor customer relations and business practices and policies.