Vantage (again) - "No timeline for refunds" Guidance please?

[bornfreenowexpensive]

I paid by CC. Chase Sapphire Reserve. So far I have not tried to start a dispute claim because of the above issues. And maybe it’s too late for a claim. Although I do have their letter stating I a due a refund. 

[Rorygirl4528]

Well, lesson learned. I didn’t have any problem with Delta refunding my money on my CC. Guess I’ll wait another month or so and claim it on my trip,ins and file a complaint. Luckily I’m only out about $3500.

[bebtwice]

It can all come down to the vendor and who initiated the cancellation.. Even with the airlines, there are countless complaints about not getting refunds from the likes of Lufthansa, Ryanair, Easyjet, Virgin Atlantic, etc. The US airlines seemed to do a bit better with refunds or a future flight credit( FFC), even for non-refundable tickets.

 

Many people cancelled trips because of Covid-19 before the airlines, tour company, or cruise line did. In that case, the normal cancellation penalties kick in. If you had a non-refundable plane ticket, then you aren't entitled to a refund. You would have to try to claim on your trip insurance, but many do not purchase travel insurance or have found that their insurance does cover pandemics. If the airline cancels a flight, then you should get a refund. With cruises and tours the normal penalties for cancellation would be determined by what is in their T&C's. If the cruise line cancelled, technically you should be entitled to a refund, but they are difficult to get and take ages.

 

For the 3 cruises we have had cancelled, we still wish to take them all , so we are gambling that is still a possibility in 2021 or 2022.

[cruiser3525]

Vantage is the worst!!! They have promised to refund my money for a Machu Pichu cruise over 6 months ago and keep giving me the brush off! Do not pay in advance if you use this cruise line... in fact just do not use this cruise line. They lie about refunds. We have used Vantage for 4 trips in the past, but will never use them after this!

[bornfreenowexpensive]

I just received most of my refund for my Iceland trip that Vantage cancelled in April. It came to my CC. I am still waiting for the deposit money to be refunded. 
I filed a claim with the BBB and the Mass. Attorney Generals office. I did have an email from them stating I was due a refund. I got a lot of BS from them every time I called. Yes refund. No refund. Your lucky, very few refunds. 
I was ready to lodge a dispute with the CC but I didn’t know if I had waited too long or whether the CC would ok the claim for a while and then ask for money back when the vendor didn’t reimburse. But that and calling the local TV stations were my next steps.  

[bebtwice]

"but will never use them after this! "

 

cruiser3525 - people are saying the same thing about Princess, MSC, and Crystal, to name just a few. Refunds are taking forever with most travel-related companies (airlines, tours, cruises, and even hotels). With little to no money coming in, all of these businesses are finding it extremely difficult to refund all of the monies that are due. Many aren't even being offered a refund. We weren't for one cruise, being promised a FCC of 150%  in 6-8 weeks. When 9 weeks went by without getting the voucher, I bugged the director of guest services and the cruise line's booking agent (we booked direct). Coincidental that it arrived in my email on the next business day? I was lucky because I had the contact info for the agent's boss (the director of guest services), which isn't easy to get. Had I only been dealing with the agent, I might still be waiting.

 

For the remaining two cruises - one with Vantage - we simply re-booked it for the same time next year.  With Vantage it's  a seasonal Holland and Belgium cruise that we still wanted to do. The other is with Road Scholar. For us it was simply easier to re-book rather than go thru the hassle of trying to get a refund or another FCC. However, not everyone can afford to let the costs of these cruises (both which were paid in full) just sit, hoping they will go in 2021. If not, well 2022 will be another option - hopefully.

 

Best of luck to those who continue to try to get some semblance of reimbursement from whatever cruise line you are trying to deal with. This virus is taking its toll in so many ways, and not just on those unfortunate enough to get the virus. Try to hang in there, doing whatever you think you need to do to get a resolution.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

I just got all my Vantage monies back to my CC after intervention from the Massachusetts  Attorney General's office.

 

Never again on Vantage.  

[deec]

I guess if I can book LAST minute and had the correct Visas I might consider them again but this is horrid customer service!!!  I wonder how they are financing their new expedition ship...it looks beautiful but I sure don't want to trust my money with Vantage right now.

 

[bebtwice]

While I do know some people who have booked two cruises with NCL for the Fall of 2021 because of the deals that are being offered, I think they are the exception. Few people are willing to put their money on a cruise right now, no matter what the cruise line.  Even with vouchers,people are being reluctant. There's too many unknowns as to when cruising will start, what the health and safety protocols will be, and what kind of restrictions there will be, particularly with being forced to use only excursions organized by the cruise line, which tend to be more expensive than ones you can book privately.

 

Customer service has gone down the drain with most travel-related companies, as most have been forced to layoff personnel to cut costs, but yet the demand for customer service is higher than ever. IMO, I don't see things getting a whole lot better any time soon, especially if cruise lines continue to cancel cruises.  As a result , there a re a lot of people sayng "never again" with many different cruises lines, not just Vantage.

[Rorygirl4528]

Well I’m still waiting for my refund from Vantage. Had a Tulip cruise scheduled for April 2020.they cancelled it in March 2020. It’s now February 2021. Called AGAIN today. Yes, I’m scheduled for a refund but they are delayed. Asked to speak to an accounting supervisor. Told that it would be 6-8 weeks before they would return my call.

Not happy with them.in reading the Boston BBB web  site complaints, seems like they are not getting anywhere with Vantage either. 

Anyone have names of people higher up at Vantage that my attorney could address when I get him involved? 

[sharkster77]

52 minutes ago, Rorygirl4528 said:

Well I’m still waiting for my refund from Vantage. Had a Tulip cruise scheduled for April 2020.they cancelled it in March 2020. It’s now February 2021. Called AGAIN today. Yes, I’m scheduled for a refund but they are delayed. Asked to speak to an accounting supervisor. Told that it would be 6-8 weeks before they would return my call.

Not happy with them.in reading the Boston BBB web  site complaints, seems like they are not getting anywhere with Vantage either. 

Anyone have names of people higher up at Vantage that my attorney could address when I get him involved? 

Have you tried the Massachusetts attorney general's office or the Consumer Protection office?  I believe some have had success going that route.

 

BBB is a private company and doesn't have the teeth that state government can use.

Edited February 1, 2021 by sharkster77

[MildredK]

Update!   As of last week 4/25/21 our money has been 100% refunded!    It took over a year, granted an extremely difficult year for the travel industry, but the important part is that we have all of our money returned.  We were skeptical about getting any refund and were calling it the "the most expensive vacation we never took"

 

Thanks for all of your insights and advice

 

[ural guy]

Mildred- Glad it worked out for you.  We were also supposed to be on Tulip Cruise, the first sailing of 2020.  Decided to roll the dice and rebooked as a 2022 Holiday Cruise.  Part of the reason was we had a bunch of credits we used for the Tulip Cruise, and those would have become useless it we asked for a $ refund.  So our 9 night tulip cruise w/ airfare has transformed into an 8 night Holiday cruise w/ airfare and 3 nights precruise in Prague, only $200 more and it's not due until June 2022.  I know the precruise packages are overpriced, but I didn't want to leave any money as credits, and the dates worked with wife's schedule.

 

So we'll either be feeling real smart or dumb in 550 some days... agree that the front office is hard to deal with, but they haven't had the best of situations to deal with.  Never expected this to last as long as it has.