Vantage Q&A

[ural guy]

:confused:

 

That was underwhelming, a 3 day Q&A where you don't start answering question until almost the day, and then you respond to NO follow up questions?

 

Here is part of the response to 2-1 pricing:

"While 2016 prices may look the same, our retail (or original prices) increased over 2015 due to increased supplier costs and we were able to lower or maintain our price to you due to the strength of the US dollar and our buying power."

 

No, it doesn't look the same, you raised the price on the Gateway to Eastern Europe by $500 person, and dropped a night, so now it is 9 nights on the boat instead of 10. More money, less product. Please add time in Bucharest or elsewhere, as you implied you might review that change.

 

Dropping the program directors from 4 to 1 PD and 1 Concierge?

Sorry, no way you can spin that and make it sound better.

 

Somebody asked about a bad review posted on a certain ship, on this site.

You replied that you had no knowledge of this, what review?, can you send a link?

There are only about 25 Vantage reviews on here, even fewer for that ship; you really couldn't use a search engine, or weren't aware of it the writeup?

 

I mention in my question to you how important this forum is to your company. You don't use travel agents and for whatever reason on-line reviewers and magazine people don't give you any coverage. I had never heard of Vantage until I saw some trip reports here.

 

You had a chance to really get your message out. Not a great response on your end.

[Hydrokitty]

:confused:

 

That was underwhelming, a 3 day Q&A where you don't start answering question until almost the day, and then you respond to NO follow up questions?

 

Here is part of the response to 2-1 pricing:

"While 2016 prices may look the same, our retail (or original prices) increased over 2015 due to increased supplier costs and we were able to lower or maintain our price to you due to the strength of the US dollar and our buying power."

 

No, it doesn't look the same, you raised the price on the Gateway to Eastern Europe by $500 person, and dropped a night, so now it is 9 nights on the boat instead of 10. More money, less product. Please add time in Bucharest or elsewhere, as you implied you might review that change.

 

Dropping the program directors from 4 to 1 PD and 1 Concierge?

Sorry, no way you can spin that and make it sound better.

 

Somebody asked about a bad review posted on a certain ship, on this site.

You replied that you had no knowledge of this, what review?, can you send a link?

There are only about 25 Vantage reviews on here, even fewer for that ship; you really couldn't use a search engine, or weren't aware of it the writeup?

 

I mention in my question to you how important this forum is to your company. You don't use travel agents and for whatever reason on-line reviewers and magazine people don't give you any coverage. I had never heard of Vantage until I saw some trip reports here.

 

You had a chance to really get your message out. Not a great response on your end.

 

Like. :)

[CPT Trips]

OP is on target. Vantage is not well served by this Q&A. They didn't seem to take it seriously.

 

Cruisers didn't like the several Program Directors? Really? Heck that was one of their best word of mouth selling points!

[zogrand]

I just wrote a complaint about the Vantage Q & A on their FB page. We'll see how long it stays there. On our last Vantage trip the wife and daughter of Henry Lewis were traveling with us. They made a big effort to say they want to improve customer service. This Q & A wasn't very encouraging.

[Di Princess]

Same deal with the Pearl Seas company Q & A. :rolleyes:

 

Where in the world do these cruise lines find these "Social Media" specialists ? :eek:

 

Any kid on Facebook could do a better job.

 

I guess their limitation is that They Just Don't Have Any Answers. :confused:

[JVilleGal]

:confused:

 

 

 

That was underwhelming, a 3 day Q&A where you don't start answering question until almost the day, and then you respond to NO follow up questions?

 

 

 

Here is part of the response to 2-1 pricing:

 

"While 2016 prices may look the same, our retail (or original prices) increased over 2015 due to increased supplier costs and we were able to lower or maintain our price to you due to the strength of the US dollar and our buying power."

 

 

 

No, it doesn't look the same, you raised the price on the Gateway to Eastern Europe by $500 person, and dropped a night, so now it is 9 nights on the boat instead of 10. More money, less product. Please add time in Bucharest or elsewhere, as you implied you might review that change.

 

 

 

Dropping the program directors from 4 to 1 PD and 1 Concierge?

 

Sorry, no way you can spin that and make it sound better.

 

 

 

Somebody asked about a bad review posted on a certain ship, on this site.

 

You replied that you had no knowledge of this, what review?, can you send a link?

 

There are only about 25 Vantage reviews on here, even fewer for that ship; you really couldn't use a search engine, or weren't aware of it the writeup?

 

 

 

I mention in my question to you how important this forum is to your company. You don't use travel agents and for whatever reason on-line reviewers and magazine people don't give you any coverage. I had never heard of Vantage until I saw some trip reports here.

 

 

 

You had a chance to really get your message out. Not a great response on your end.

 

 

Just gotta shake my head!!!! And this is how they deal with FREE advertising ;)

[Hydrokitty]

Just gotta shake my head!!!! And this is how they deal with FREE advertising ;)

 

When your real message is..."we want to make more money so we're cutting back on service, with the result that you'll be getting less service on your $10,000 trip, which will now cost you only $500 more", you run into problems figuring out a way to explain it so nobody notices. But you have to admire his tap dance!! :D

[JVilleGal]

No, this was their perfect moment to win me and my fat wallet over. They didn't even send a spokesman with a slick skill to "Sell their Brand".

[Talisker92]

Unfortunately, this has been going on for a long time. My box of cookies at my market now contain 45 instead of 50, and my mayo is 30 ounces instead of 32.

By eliminating the PD's, they can sell more cabins. I hate the change! On my past Vantage cruises, the PD's were a great help whenever we had a problem.

[Hydrokitty]

Unfortunately, this has been going on for a long time. My box of cookies at my market now contain 45 instead of 50, and my mayo is 30 ounces instead of 32.

By eliminating the PD's, they can sell more cabins. I hate the change! On my past Vantage cruises, the PD's were a great help whenever we had a problem.

 

Talisker92: Have you noticed the ice- cream???? My favorite brand (probably can't mention it but it begins with a B) has gone from 1/2 gallon to 1.5 qts AND it's not even labeled as ice cream any more because it no longer qualifies....it's frozen dairy desert!!

 

Amen to the help received from PD's/TM's in the past. why so many businesses think it's prudent to abandon their loyal customers and concentrate on getting new ones is beyond me. Are we dying off that fast???

[didicruiser]

New cruisers won't miss what they never had.......

[CPT Trips]

New cruisers won't miss what they never had.......

 

But, cruisers considering Vantage after having cruised, oh say GCT, will think twice. I'm going through that right now.

[Di Princess]

It seems that their Social Media Hack has abandoned Cruise Critters. :eek:

[Hydrokitty]

It seems that their Social Media Hack has abandoned Cruise Critters. :eek:

 

I guess he's not that social after all. :rolleyes:

[Host Jazzbeau]

Talisker92: Have you noticed the ice- cream???? My favorite brand (probably can't mention it but it begins with a B) has gone from 1/2 gallon to 1.5 qts AND it's not even labeled as ice cream any more because it no longer qualifies....it's frozen dairy desert!!

 

You realize that that is the brand Tom Carvel was making fun of about the air pump that he never used! The "B" brand half gallon always weighed less than any other brand. I have a solution to your problem, but you probably shouldn't read on ... Talenti Gelato. So rich!!! Especially the Sea Salt Caramel. [Please eat some for me -- just back from Maine and now on a diet :(]

[hiccups]

You realize that that is the brand Tom Carvel was making fun of about the air pump that he never used! The "B" brand half gallon always weighed less than any other brand. I have a solution to your problem, but you probably shouldn't read on ... Talenti Gelato. So rich!!! Especially the Sea Salt Caramel. [Please eat some for me -- just back from Maine and now on a diet :(]

 

There's a company in Cincinnati called Graeter's (named as one of Oprah's Favorite Things) that makes its ice cream and gelato through what they call the "French Pot" process, meaning no air is whipped into it. It can't even be pumped into containers, it's so thick--it's all hand-packed. It's very expensive, but oh, is it good! Definitely worth a splurge if your local stores carry it. Or if you're so inclined to mail order and have it shipped with dry ice :o

 

Many of their flavors have chocolate chunks; they melt chocolate and pour it into the pot. I have gotten pieces of chocolate that are an inch long!

[Hydrokitty]

There's a company in Cincinnati called Graeter's (named as one of Oprah's Favorite Things) that makes its ice cream and gelato through what they call the "French Pot" process, meaning no air is whipped into it. It can't even be pumped into containers, it's so thick--it's all hand-packed. It's very expensive, but oh, is it good! Definitely worth a splurge if your local stores carry it. Or if you're so inclined to mail order and have it shipped with dry ice :o

 

Many of their flavors have chocolate chunks; they melt chocolate and pour it into the pot. I have gotten pieces of chocolate that are an inch long!

 

Best ice-cream (outside of Italy) I ever had was a Hawaiaan brand. I don't remember the name but I first had it in Sausalito, CA and then in Hawaii..tried to see if I could get it shipped to NY. It was very reasonable...only $3.99 a gallon......oh, shipping? $75!

 

The Talenti Gelato is the closest I have ever come to Italy.

 

But guys, I just came down for breakfast and instead of thinking cottage cheese and strawberies, now I'm looking at that half gallon of van-choc-straw in the freezer!!! :D

[ural guy]

Glad to see that Vantage has returned to answer a few questions.

 

Hopefully they will get back to mine....:)

[ural guy]

And ice cream is the best way to solve/end any arguments or patch up hurt feelings w/ kids or spouse while on vacation.