All Things Vantage

[Hydrokitty]

I'm not sure a day goes by that I don't get a brochure, packet, envelope or something in the mail from Vantage. Many are duplications of trips we have already taken. When we started traveling with them it was really special with free gifts (books, umbrellas, hats, vests, blankets, bags---we have a collection of things with Vantage logos!!). Now they have gone "green and cheap" and don't even want to send luggage tags (with the excuse that the information is too personal.. what else do you put on your luggage tag but your name and address???)

 

The change to Program Managers was a big loss to their program and has made a difference with cruising with them.

 

We are traveling with them next October on our 13th trip. Sad to say it may be our last.

 

Vantage has had my email forever. I still get promos all the time from them.

 

This is my third Vantage trip, so I think we are in President's Club.

 

Vantage trip is Portugal and Douro River starting 15 May. We arrive one day early and stay three days after in Porto.

 

pbnkrockette: everybody knows where I stand on the loss of Program Managers, although I have to be honest on our last trip our TM and Concierge were both so good the loss wasn't noticeable...our first trip without Program Managers however was another story and not a good one.

 

4774Papa: it this is your third trip you should be President's Club. I wonder if the perks remained....we got discounted optional excursions, laundry on board and 10% off any purchase we made, including wine. (Of course this was before free wine with dinner so we would buy a bottle of red and a bottle of white). It's too bad they've made so many changes just to increase their profits. I imagine they're taking a real beating over the Haimark fiasco, but some of the changes they've made are really effecting their product.

[CPT Trips]

4774Papa . . . Thanks.

 

Junk mail is less annoying than unsolicited telemarketing.:rolleyes:

[Host Jazzbeau]

Jazz,

 

May I ask who you are using for your African Safari in 2017?

 

andBeyond -- they are one of the Top 10 tour providers in Fodor's guide to African Safaris.

[Mimosa09]

I think their IT folks are spending too much effort amending and updating invoices for paid in full cruises. Today I received my sixth invoice for a cruise in late October, booked in July. Invoices one and two were ofor deposit and then payment in full, OK I get that. But three through six? Each one increased the price and then showed a corresponding credit. Why? Do they increase the amount due for those that didn't pay in full?

 

Yes they do. If you pay early they give you a SmartPay Savings. The SmartPay Savings decreases as time goes on until there is no savings if you wait till later to pay the remaining amount.

 

-Rose

[Mimosa09]

Hi Rose:

 

I'd be happy to send you mine!!! Our paper recycling service is starting to complain about all the catalogs!!! And I get almost daily e-mails as well. You know what I can't figure out? They're trying to go green, which is commendable, plus they're fully computerized....and yet: I still get weekly flyers for trips I've already done!!! You would think there was some way they could put trips you've already taken into the system so you don't keep getting ads trips you did....and since I've done 9 trips with them, I'm getting waaaay to much paper in my mail box!!! :D

 

Well, here it is May 5th, and the last advertisement, catalog, flyer, "personal letter", etc we received was mid April (17th). Nothing since. And I agree about getting flyers for a trip you have already taken. Why keep sending those? :confused:

 

- Rose

[CPT Trips]

Yes they do. If you pay early they give you a SmartPay Savings. The SmartPay Savings decreases as time goes on until there is no savings if you wait till later to pay the remaining amount.

 

-Rose

 

That isn't what I wanted to know. If I only pay the deposit at booking and have six months to final payment do they lock in that fare. Or, if they raise the fare between when I make the deposit and final payment do I pay the higher fare?

[Hydrokitty]

That isn't what I wanted to know. If I only pay the deposit at booking and have six months to final payment do they lock in that fare. Or, if they raise the fare between when I make the deposit and final payment do I pay the higher fare?

 

Good question. I have never had that happen to me but my feeling would be that once we agreed on a price and they took my deposit and I had 6 months to make final payment, we would have a contract. If they then raised the price I would then have the option of cancelling and getting a full refund since they unilaterally changed the terms of our agreement. I do not pay in full until the very last day....the interest they make on my paying in full is free profit to them...and I'd rather have it be mine....plus I get OBC for paying in full 30 days ahead of trip any way.

[Mimosa09]

That isn't what I wanted to know. If I only pay the deposit at booking and have six months to final payment do they lock in that fare. Or, if they raise the fare between when I make the deposit and final payment do I pay the higher fare?

 

I think the fare is locked in. I believe Hydrokitty is right. When you pay the deposit, the fare is locked in on what you owe for final payment.

-Rose

[CPT Trips]

Thanks for the fare info. It's what I thought. Given that, the periodic invoices make no sense at all . . . particularly given their "my portfolio" glitches. Oh well.

 

We are used to the extra attention from GCT's multiple PDs. It will be interesting to see how the CD and concierge work out.

[Hydrokitty]

Thanks for the fare info. It's what I thought. Given that, the periodic invoices make no sense at all . . . particularly given their "my portfolio" glitches. Oh well.

 

We are used to the extra attention from GCT's multiple PDs. It will be interesting to see how the CD and concierge work out.

 

I hope it's as good as ours on Moselle/Switzerland....Jessica was TD and if I could have adopted her, I would have! She knew everybody's name by 3rd day and she was wonderfully intuitive to other people's needs and feelings.

[deec]

andBeyond -- they are one of the Top 10 tour providers in Fodor's guide to African Safaris.

 

we also used andBeyond....they were just that....it was terrific!!! They did an excellent job of arranging and we never had to worry about a thing. There were 10 of us (all sailing friends from home) and we had 2 vehicles and guides/drivers.

 

 

and back to the subject of VANTAGE: I dont really need another luggage tag but in many instances porters(arranged by Vantage) retrieved our luggage in the airport and our tags certainly helped them ID luggage without everyone crowding and pointing our their suitcase! Not sure how that will work when I use the Viking luggage tag :)! I also really liked getting the package in the mail with everything nicely organized in a folder.

 

Yes, I can do this myself but it does say "cheap" not "green" to me! The costs of the trips have not been reduced!

[Hydrokitty]

we also used andBeyond....they were just that....it was terrific!!! They did an excellent job of arranging and we never had to worry about a thing. There were 10 of us (all sailing friends from home) and we had 2 vehicles and guides/drivers.

 

 

and back to the subject of VANTAGE: I dont really need another luggage tag but in many instances porters(arranged by Vantage) retrieved our luggage in the airport and our tags certainly helped them ID luggage without everyone crowding and pointing our their suitcase! Not sure how that will work when I use the Viking luggage tag :)! I also really liked getting the package in the mail with everything nicely organized in a folder.

 

Yes, I can do this myself but it does say "cheap" not "green" to me! The costs of the trips have not been reduced!

 

I agree with you 100%...the excitement when the documents arrived always gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling...and as for the luggage tags....I use my Cruise Critic luggage tags now and if I had Viking luggage tags, I would most definitely use them....nothing makes a point better than some free advertisement for the competition!!! :D:D

[CPT Trips]

I agree with you 100%...the excitement when the documents arrived always gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling...and as for the luggage tags....I use my Cruise Critic luggage tags now and if I had Viking luggage tags, I would most definitely use them....nothing makes a point better than some free advertisement for the competition!!! :D:D

 

By the time we head to France, my bags will have GCT tags and CIE luggage straps . . . :cool: Will anyone care?

Edited May 7, 2016 by CPT Trips

[H2Otstr]

I agree with you 100%...the excitement when the documents arrived always gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling...and as for the luggage tags....I use my Cruise Critic luggage tags now and if I had Viking luggage tags, I would most definitely use them....nothing makes a point better than some free advertisement for the competition!!! :D:D

 

LOL, Viking has very nice red leather luggage tags. I forgot to remove my Viking luggage tag for one of my Grand Circle trips and the Viking reps tried to pick me up at the airport for their cruise :D.

 

Luggage tags certainly make it easy to identify clients as they come off the

flights at the airport.

[Host Jazzbeau]

I agree with you 100%...the excitement when the documents arrived always gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling...and as for the luggage tags....I use my Cruise Critic luggage tags now and if I had Viking luggage tags, I would most definitely use them....nothing makes a point better than some free advertisement for the competition!!! :D:D

 

I think the possibility of confusion is greater than the chance that this will be registered with anyone who will be able to "make a point." I like to use our AMA luggage tags because they are sturdy and distinctive in their light blue fabric -- but I wouldn't use them on a competing river cruise.

[pbnjrockette]

Vantage always used hard plastic bright yellow LARGE luggage tags. (before they switched to the flimsy lighter colored ones). We have several sets of the older ones and will continue to use them when we travel with Vantage. Why they think ''no luggage tag is better" makes no sense except for their cost-cutting measures.

[Hydrokitty]

Vantage always used hard plastic bright yellow LARGE luggage tags. (before they switched to the flimsy lighter colored ones). We have several sets of the older ones and will continue to use them when we travel with Vantage. Why they think ''no luggage tag is better" makes no sense except for their cost-cutting measures.

 

Interesting...my Vantage tags are large, hard plastic, white with blue Vantage logo on them and gold President's Club bar on front. They must be really old!!! I use them everywhere because if they get lost there are two options for returning them....me and Vantage. Of course, I've never been on another company's river cruise, but I use them on Celebrity and never had a problem. But you're right of course, it makes no sense to go with no luggage tag....it makes it easy for their people to identify our luggage and it's advertisement they don't have to pay for.

Edited May 8, 2016 by Hydrokitty

[pbnjrockette]

Hydrokitty... our hard yellow plastic ones are from 2000, 2002... before we were President's club. Then we have the multi-colored President's club ones. Much sturdier than the flimsy "gold" ones of our last trip with them! I prefer the bright yellow... can spot them across a room!!

[TravelerThom]

We just received an email from our Vantage Cruise Director Manuela Cunha, for our Portugal/Douro River tour.

 

She provided her email address and phone, which doubles as an emergency phone number. Also, she provided the names of her two associates.

 

Also, we were informed by Vantage that 17 Euro per day would be added to our bill, paid by our credit card for tips for the Cruise Director, and staff on riverboat. This is different than what Tom reported from the same trip a month earlier.

We got no pre-trip email, unlike our Vantage trip to Southern Africa in Nov 2015, so you are ahead on that.

 

We did get a list of Vantage contractor people associated with our Douro trip. The person listed as First City (pre-trip extension) host was one of our 3 on-board guides. The person listed as Concierge was another of the 3 guides. The Second City (post-trip extension) host was the third guide. The person listed as our Cruise Director NEVER was sen, but Boston was still trying to get us to rate that individual on the post-trip survey.

 

There were passengers on our trip who were quite vocal about not being told that they could not charge tips. I suspect they beat up Boston on this, and Vantage may be allowing or requiring that tips be paid by charge. I'm guessing that this charge will be run through Vantage someplace other than Portugal, rather than through DouroAzul in Portugal to aoid the 23% VAT. After the trip let us know what happened.

 

Have a GREAT trip

Thom

[CPT Trips]

Thom

I'm really confused. I read reports here that Vantage uses one tour director and a concierge on board and local guides at port stops. You talk about three on board guides. Can you help me understand how Vantage operates their cruises?

[TravelerThom]

Thom

I'm really confused. I read reports here that Vantage uses one tour director and a concierge on board and local guides at port stops. You talk about three on board guides. Can you help me understand how Vantage operates their cruises?

You are absolutely correct that for the last few years that on Vantage owned boats they use Vantage contracted (free lancers who work independently for more than one company, but have generally have worked a number of weeks a year for Vantage over a multi-year span) Cruise Director and Concierge, and then have local guides at each stop.

 

Despite Vantage emailing us the name of our Douro Spirit Cruise Director and Concierge, that did not match our reality (indeed the listed CD was never seen). On our cruise we operated on the "old system" with 3 Program Directors, and were assigned to a specific PD's group for the duration of the trip. We had some discussion with our PD about this mismatch, and he said that IHO the assigned PDs worked much better in Portugal than the other system due to a number of specifics he mentioned (and that I don't remember), and he couldn't see it changing in Portugal. I'm having difficulty understanding what is driving the show in Portugal, BUT if I were you I'd go with the flow expecting a good trip no matter which system they use. Don't worry; be happy:p

 

Thom

[CPT Trips]

Got it, thanks.

Since we are doing France, looks like a CD and concierge for us. We, as news to Vantage want to go in with realistic expectations.

[4774Papa]

It has been a while since we were on a river cruise with Vantage. I know we get free wine with dinner.

 

What do after dinner drinks cost? We are on Douro River cruise.

[FuelScience]

Here's a link to a photo of last year's bar price list.

 

FuelScience

 

https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipOfuC-0zZYxmAz-APbEls8odUOfSSTXoU8UDz1C

[FuelScience]

Here it is displayed directly:

 

FuelScience