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

[JT1962]

3 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 believe that will only benefit those who booked after May 12, 2023. 
 

“Vantage's bankruptcy filing says customers who booked and made payments on or after May 12, 2023, for future travel will either have those trips take place as scheduled or customers will receive refunds. Those funds were put into a separate account, totaling $2.1 million, but that's a small fraction of the total amount Vantage says it owes customers.”

 

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

Edited June 30, 2023 by JT1962

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, CPT Trips said:

I missed seeing that in any of the linked Articles. 

Oops.  It's a good thing I retired, as my critical reading skills seem to have deteriorated badly.  I saw "accounts payable" and read it as funds set aside.  @JT1962's quote above is correct.

[CPT Trips]

And that million is a drop in the bucket considering what they owe pax for undelivered trips. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

Good news and bad news today on Cruise Industry News:

Two More Bidders, Including Aurora, Emerge for Vantage

 

The good news is that at least one additional bidder seems very serious, and would clearly utilize the expedition ships, as would the other potential bidder.

 

The bad news is that the backgrounds of all three bidders does not include river cruising, so there's no indication that a sale would revive that aspect of the line.  As Michael J. Goldberg of Casner & Edwards, the lawyer representing Vantage, said the customer list "is the company’s main possession."

[Lexie31]

Who would pay $1 million for an angry customer list, none of whom have any interest in a 20% discount on a cruise or for that matter any dealings at all with a new owner. Makes no sense.

[Host Jazzbeau]

42 minutes ago, Lexie31 said:

Who would pay $1 million for an angry customer list, none of whom have any interest in a 20% discount on a cruise or for that matter any dealings at all with a new owner. Makes no sense.

I suspect that the real asset the bidders want is the leases to the two expedition ships.  Such ships aren't lying about waiting to be snapped up, and it's possible the existing leases are at better terms than could be gotten now – it's interesting that most of the rumored bidders already operate expedition cruises, in at least one case with sister ships to these.  It's also possible there is some equity in the river ships, which if they don't want to operate them could be sold to recoup the purchase price.  [Why didn't the Reporter ask these questions?  O Tempora, O Mores!  O Times, O Daily Mirror!  Reporters nowadays are useless...] 

[Guest ldtr]

On 7/5/2023 at 7:35 PM, Lexie31 said:

Who would pay $1 million for an angry customer list, none of whom have any interest in a 20% discount on a cruise or for that matter any dealings at all with a new owner. Makes no sense.

People said the same thing when Crystal failed. But many have booked cruises with the new Crystal.

 

The key point is that the new owner should not have any link to the old owners. Be mad at the old ones not the new ones they are not responsible for the actions of that company.

[ATL1234]

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/07/business/vantage-travel-bankruptcy/

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

I was able to read the latest Boston Globe article by googling 'Vantage bankruptcy news' – this article shows up two ways, and one of them let me read the entire article.  The news looks pretty dire.  One of Vantage's lawyers said “it is extremely unlikely that there will be assets available to pay even a fraction” of consumer claims.

 

Vantage did apparently negotiate the 20% discount offer as part of the agreement with United Travel Pte. Ltd. [and another article said that the second bidder has agreed to honor these terms if the United bid is withdrawn].  Greg DelGreco, Vantage’s chief operating officer, said

that the offer of future travel credits “provides the best treatment possible to its customers under [Vantage’s] difficult financial circumstances,” and that otherwise they would “receive nothing for their claims against” the company.

 

Meanwhile Ronald W. Dunbar Jr., a lawyer representing a group of customers, said his clients 

“don’t want a 20 percent coupon for some possible trip many months or years in the future... They don’t want a promise. They want cash refunds so they can get on with their lives.”  But if the bankruptcy court rejects the sale terms, it is possible the clients won't get the coupons or any cash.  [I would also guess that if the clients only get the coupons, lawyer Dunbar doesn't get any fee...]

[PaulMCO]

15 hours ago, ldtr said:

People said the same thing when Crystal failed. But many have booked cruises with the new Crystal.

 

The key point is that the new owner should not have any link to the old owners. Be mad at the old ones not the new ones they are not responsible for the actions of that company.

And then again most former Crystal customers have not rebooked.... Just looks at the open sailings, nothing is sold out.  They will have a long haul to be sucessfull.

 

Having been one of those unlucky persons some lessons learned

 

1. File a dispute for non delivery of services with your credit card.  Amex seems to have been the most receptive to this type of claim.  Visa has a 500 day window for non delivery claims.  500 days from your payment.  After this they will not pay.  My case  - Chase denied me.  Amex paid my deposit refund back.

 

2. I do not think Venture had any departures from US ports.  In this case a FMC bond would have been posted, that could provide some claim money.

 

3. Insurance.  If you purchased insurance through the cruise company there is no bankruptcy coverage. If you purchased insurance through a third party, like a broker or directly from the insurer you MAY be covered.  Many insurance companies have a time limit as to when bankruptcy protection is effective.  Example Travelguard was 21 day policy purchase limit from the date your down payment was made.

 

4. Insurance Company are picky on paying.  They will delay and delay.  Make sure you provide copies of invoices of payment, copy of the credit card statement showing payment, copy of cancellation of cruise notice plus file a claim with a credit card anyway and provide a copy of the denying letter/statement.  They will likely ask for more items like credit card statements from the date you cancelled/or were cancelled until the present showing no refunds.

 

5. After two months of non action -- file an complaint with your state insurance commission that usually will starts some action.

 

Best of luck...

 

[Guest ldtr]

in the end if you did not buy appropriate insurance, if you paid by cash, if it was before the date where some money was allocated for last minute purchases, you are pretty much left to the bankruptcy court.

 

All are not, but a fair number are. in this case as in that case payout from assets to customers from remaining assets is going to be pretty low. From what I understand there and more assets available to the bk court, but also more debts.

Edited July 8, 2023 by ldtr

[PaulMCO]

9 hours ago, ldtr said:

in the end if you did not buy appropriate insurance, if you paid by cash, if it was before the date where some money was allocated for last minute purchases, you are pretty much left to the bankruptcy court.

 

All are not, but a fair number are. in this case as in that case payout from assets to customers from remaining assets is going to be pretty low. From what I understand there and more assets available to the bk court, but also more debts.

But it depends on the court and the State law.  Not all debts are created equal -- some are priority. 

Example -- ships wages to crew and staff (if direct employees) are generally considered priority and first to be paid.  In the case of Crystal passenger fares are being considered priority but only the first $2K.

[Guest ldtr]

5 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

But it depends on the court and the State law.  Not all debts are created equal -- some are priority. 

Example -- ships wages to crew and staff (if direct employees) are generally considered priority and first to be paid.  In the case of Crystal passenger fares are being considered priority but only the first $2K.

Yep, but still up to the bk court

[CarolinaKathy]

I was able to get my $1940 final payment AC reversed by my credit union as I requested within the 60 day window. Unfortunately, my nearly $18,000 payment I made last year is not eligible.

[CarolinaKathy]

On 7/5/2023 at 11:22 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

I suspect that the real asset the bidders want is the leases to the two expedition ships.  Such ships aren't lying about waiting to be snapped up, and it's possible the existing leases are at better terms than could be gotten now – it's interesting that most of the rumored bidders already operate expedition cruises, in at least one case with sister ships to these.  It's also possible there is some equity in the river ships, which if they don't want to operate them could be sold to recoup the purchase price.  [Why didn't the Reporter ask these questions?  O Tempora, O Mores!  O Times, O Daily Mirror!  Reporters nowadays are useless...] 

Vantage does not own the River Splendor and it has already been leased by another cruise company.

[fieldagent]

To bring you up to date on my claim .My wife  broke her foot before our cruise. the doctor did not want he to go so I notified Vantage on 4/24. The pre cruise was to start on May 13th. I notified Vantage and they told me file a claim with Allianz which I did. On May 15 the I received from Allianz an email saying good news that I would receive further communications regarding payment from Vantage. After asking Vantage when I will get my monies I received on May 24th a statement saying that they owed me nothing due to the Amount of Penalty to claim with Allianz. I sent copies of their policy and heard nothing. Filed an appeal  and received from Alliance. They said  they could do nothing with the pre cancellation but if I wanted they would give a full refund on the Allianz post departure produce. They will give me $ 216.00 for me and $ 216.00 for my wife. They will not give me a letter saying that is the only monies I got from Allianz. I looks like Allianz never issued a policy, We never got any policy's which I have gotten from other companies. Does any one know how I can get on the list of people who are owed  monies. All this happened before bankruptcy was declaimed. 

[LynnS08]

On the Better Business Bureau page  I filed an electronic claim today  Below is the link to file a claim

 

On 06/29/2023, the business filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the federal Bankruptcy Act, case# 1:2023bk11060. This permits the business to continue to operate with court supervision while developing a plan of reorganization. Those with monetary claims against the business are advised to obtain a Proof of Claim form by writing to Massachusetts Bankruptcy Court 5 Post Office Square, Suite 1150 Boston MA 02109 for resubmission to that court. The case number should be entered on the form.

 

https://ecf.mab.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/autoFilingClaims.pl

[lynncarol]

Our host Jazzbeau mentioned awhile ago there is a huge Facebook group: Vantage Deluxe World Travel Complaints Page run by a consumer advocate that has been following this situation closely.  If any of you are Facebook members, you could follow this sad saga and will learn that any chance of getting your money back from Vantage itself is impossible.

[Lexie31]

I respectfully disagree. There is an additional FB group regarding restitution. A lot going on behind the scenes.

[ATL1234]

The FB Restitution group is doing the same things as the Complaints group, yet the Complaints group is led by consumer advocate journalist Michelle Couch Friedman who has been working behind the scenes, and has facilitated tons of media coverage which will continue.  I believe the restitution group feels somehow they will be refunded at the end of the bankruptcy and new sale proceedings.

[Lexie31]

It’s not quite that simple, very complicated. Many well qualified people within government and private sector working hard. We are not giving up.

[ATL1234]

4 minutes ago, Lexie31 said:

It’s not quite that simple, very complicated. Many well qualified people within government and private sector working hard. We are not giving up.

I don't think anyone within the government is saying refunds will be possible from a bankrupt company

[Lexie31]

No one is saying anything for sure at this point. Time will tell.

[Host Jazzbeau]

New update on Cruise Industry News:

Bids for Vantage Travel Due By August 3

[fieldagent]

Good luck for those who a re trying to get anything from Allianz who got the policy through Vantage. Allianz says they hold the policy and Vantage holds the monies and is responsible to pay all claim can get a small refund for the cost of part B the n on-insurance  Cancellation Fee Waver which  in my case it will be $ 216.00 each for my wife and self. They say that they will let Vantage know that they have to pay me but will not give me a letter stating this. So now I have a document from Vantage saying that they owe me nothing. I will see if I can some how file a claim with the bankruptcy court.