Vantage Deluxe World Travel Defunct – How Do We Get Refunded?

[Host Jazzbeau]

This thread is an attempt to reset following 26 pages of the https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2882444-vantage-deluxe-world-travel-warning/ thread.

 

To give a brief summary: after months of denial Vantage is now clearly out of business, all employees laid off and lines of communication shut down.  Many customers are owed tens of thousands of dollars, and it seems unlikely that they will get any of this money back directly from the former cruise line or its owners.

 

Suggestions have been made to contact the Massachusetts AG office, but they seem to be willing to help Massachusetts residents only and are sending others to their own state AGs – who are sending them back in a loop to the MA AG.

 

Another suggestion is consumer advocates, especially Michelle Couch-Friedman of Consumer Rescue.

 

There is also a private group of Facebook – Vantage Deluxe World Travel Complaints.  [Sorry, I don't have a link and I don't have a Facebook account]

 

Please post here any other ideas for getting money back, and your experience with any approaches you have tried.

 

DO NOT post rants and accusations.  That won't help anyone.  Such posts will be removed.

 

[sharkster77]

In the other (closed) thread, some have expressed doubt that their travel insurance will pay up.  My experiences with travel insurance have been quite the opposite. CAVEAT:  my claim did not involve Vantage.

 

 I would expect that if the policy with the appropriate coverages was purchased, and that if all of one's ducks are all in a row, I would expect travel insurance to cover the losses.

 

After all, don't we purchase travel insurance in the event of this kind of event?

[Host Jazzbeau]

26 minutes ago, sharkster77 said:

In the other (closed) thread, some have expressed doubt that their travel insurance will pay up.  My experiences with travel insurance have been quite the opposite. CAVEAT:  my claim did not involve Vantage.

 

 I would expect that if the policy with the appropriate coverages was purchased, and that if all of one's ducks are all in a row, I would expect travel insurance to cover the losses.

 

After all, don't we purchase travel insurance in the event of this kind of event?

This is true, and based on my experience I would expect that Allianz would pay since Vantage is listed on their supplier list.  But that only applies to Allianz policies bought direct from Allianz or though a travel agent.  

 

There were several posts in the old thread that said the policies sold through Vantage, even though apparently Allianz policies, are actually controlled by Vantage.  Allianz only services those policies; trip cancellation payments had to be approved (and presumably funded) by Vantage.

[GerryL13]

One of the challenges for people trying to file disputes with their credit card companies or banks (or maybe claims with 3rd party insurance) to get some of their money back: They have no official documentation stating that Vantage has stopped doing business. Tips about how to document their situation in light of Vantage's "radio silence" might be helpful. Can anyone state what "evidence" they have used to file a dispute or claim on a future cruise or on a refund that has never some through.

[ATL1234]

There has been much confusion and frequent misconceptions about Travel Protection/Travel Insurance:

1. If Vantage cancels a trip, Vantage is responsible for reimbursing you. However, as we know, they have apparently closed due to major financial issues, so there is no one there right now to issue any refunds (and apparently no money). Staff reported they were permanently laid off as of 6/20/23. There is still no announcement from Vantage.
2. If you purchased Allianz Travel Protection directly from Vantage, unfortunately there is no insolvency coverage. The plan you purchased included cancellation coverage (YOUR OWN cancellation); and on trip coverage such as medical, emergency evacuation, lost luggage, missed flight connections, etc.
3. If you purchased Travel Insurance independently, check your plan details to see if there is insolvency/cessation of services coverage. If so, you may have a claim that could lead to reimbursement by your insurance provider.
4. If you made your payment with a credit card, you can dispute the charge. If you made an ach payment, contact your bank and its Fraud Department.

 

[NightFlight]

Advice from Consumer Rescue on FB for people who bought 3rd party insurance (not from Vantage) and has an insolvency clause is to use cessation of operations.  Do not say canceled by Vantage as that mean Vantage is responsible to refund you. Include NewsNation article June 12 & Consumer Rescue article of June 17 as proof.  Saying Vantage canceled the trip will result in denial.  Again, this is for people who bought travel insurance independently & have an insolvency clause in their policy.

[CPT Trips]

Just a thought that occurred to me after reading @NightFlight’s post. Many of us purchase our insurance through a third party, one of the big online brokers or the travel agency that booked the trip. It can’t hurt to contact that third party for assistance. 
Get your ducks lined up before filing the claim and make sure you file in a timely fashion so that your claim is not easy to deny. 

[MOssyLedge]

Thank you for starting this new thread and hopefully there will be some solutions, suggested that gain traction and will result in payments to travelers. I suspect most payments would come from third-party Travel Insurance rather than from Allianz policies bought through Vantage.

[Guest ldtr]

The biggest problem is that the company is just going silent. No official response that it is out of business, trips delayed but supposedly not canceled.  Probably the only result that will come from the AGs will be to force the company into bankruptcy.  While it will not result in direct refunds it will at least provide a status for filing with insurance companies.  

[May617]

I understand some people have gotten reimbursed by credit card transactions.  Has anyone had a bank come to the rescue when the cruise was purchased with a bank transfer? 

[Roadlamp]

I purchased my travel insurance through Allianz this year for a trip with Vantage that was supposed to occur in August, 2023.  I understand that Vantage has not declared bankruptcy, but as I read over my policy, Allianz has a link to a list of companies that would be covered in the case of bankruptcy.  Vantage is not on the list!  So obviously, Allianz saw this situation coming. They are not covering Vantage for insolvency. I was not informed of this when I purchased the policy either.  Just found this interesting.

[Host Jazzbeau]

18 minutes ago, Roadlamp said:

I purchased my travel insurance through Allianz this year for a trip with Vantage that was supposed to occur in August, 2023.  I understand that Vantage has not declared bankruptcy, but as I read over my policy, Allianz has a link to a list of companies that would be covered in the case of bankruptcy.  Vantage is not on the list!  So obviously, Allianz saw this situation coming. They are not covering Vantage for insolvency. I was not informed of this when I purchased the policy either.  Just found this interesting.

As of Feb. 15, 2023 Vantage was a covered supplier for Allianz (listed under Tour Operators, not Cruise Lines):

 

Allianz Covered Supplier List 20230215.pdf

But not on the June 15, 2023 list:

Allianz Covered Supplier List 20230615.pdf

 

I'm not sure when they dropped Vantage coverage, but if it was still covered when you bought the policy you should still have the coverage for your trip.

[magnetman]

I have a question, if Allianz is only covering our trips once we leave on the trip, I think we should be able to get  our money back that was paid for the insurance. Let's face it, we paid for coverage from them that never happened. I think they should at least give us our money back for the cost of insurance.

[NightFlight]

https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2023/06/vantage-travel-sold-to-united-travel-heritage-expeditions/#:~:text=Vantage Travel Services today announced,expect%2C according to a press

[CPT Trips]

More details

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/finance/vantage-travel-files-chapter-11-sale-agreement-pending

[LynnS08]

Thanks for opening this new thread.  It really helps keep up with the recent developments plus supporting each other as we go through this 

[14 months and counting]

We filed a dispute with  our credit card company on June 5th.  Vantage has 90 days to respond - and haven't done so yet.  If Vantage doesn't respond at the end of 90 days we win our dispute and have the money refunded to us.  Does anyone know how filing chapter 11 affects this?

[JT1962]

Refunds for most don’t look promising, based on this article: 
 

https://www.wcvb.com/amp/article/vantage-travel-bankruptcy-customer-credit-proposal/44400033

Edited June 30, 2023 by JT1962

[sharkster77]

I would hope those who bought sufficient trip insurance would get relief?  I don't mean from Vantage, but from a 3rd party.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Latest update on CruiseIndustryNews:

Potential Vantage Travel Sale Would Include Customer Credits

[GerryL13]

57 minutes ago, sharkster77 said:

I would hope those who bought sufficient trip insurance would get relief?  I don't mean from Vantage, but from a 3rd party.

If the policy covers going out of business. Big if.

 

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Latest update on CruiseIndustryNews:

Potential Vantage Travel Sale Would Include Customer Credits

Looks similar to what the new Crystal offered those that lost money with the old Crystal.  A chance to recoup their losses through discounts.

 

Since it was a sale of assets they are not responsible for the actual debts. Basically a goodwill marketing effort by the buyer.

[Host Jazzbeau]

I was also glad to read that Vantage put millions of dollars from recent bookings into an escrow account that will go to the new owner and be applied to the booked cruises or refunded to the customers.

[CPT Trips]

From the Cruise Industry News article - “The amount of the credit will be equal to the lesser of the amount paid by such Future Customer, and 20 percent of the price of the trip purchased from the Debtor, provided further that the credit may not exceed 20% of the price of the trip purchased from the Purchaser,” the court filing said. “Thus, Future Customers who book travel arrangements from the Purchaser will be able to maximize the value of their credit to the extent that they purchase a trip of value equivalent to the trip they purchased from the Debtor.”

 

Looks like best case is 20% credit for an undelivered trip. Credit, not refund. 

[CPT Trips]

2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I was also glad to read that Vantage put millions of dollars from recent bookings into an escrow account that will go to the new owner and be applied to the booked cruises or refunded to the customers.

I missed seeing that in any of the linked Articles.