vantage travel headquarters

Vantage Deluxe World Travel Company Profile

River, Small Ship, and Land Journeys With Vantage Travel

Vantage Deluxe World Travel  is a group tour operator founded in 1983 by entrepreneur Henry Lewis. It is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The company is both a cruise and land tour operator that has served over a half-million senior travelers with deluxe land, river, and sea travel programs over the past 30+ years. One of the main goals of the company is to design itineraries that introduce travelers to local people where they live, work, and play and to use the very best regional guides available to educate travelers to the places they call home.

Vantage has been sailing the rivers of Europe with its own fleet since 1999. Currently, Vantage has over 60 different Memorable Journeys -- land tours or cruises visiting 80 countries on all seven continents.

The company has two primary divisions. Vantage Deluxe World Travel includes river cruises, European small ship cruises, and land tours. Vantage Adventures is comprised of small ship cruises and small group land journeys. 

Vantage's river cruises are its most popular programs. The company owns and operates its own ships on the Rhine, Main, Danube, Moselle, Seine, Saone, and Rhone rivers in Europe. It charters ships for the Elbe and Douro. Since 2011 in Asia, Vantage Deluxe World Travel has offered river cruises on privately chartered vessels on the Mekong, Irrawaddy, and Ganges rivers. 

In 2016, Vantage introduced its first luxury river vessel, the ms River Voyager. This European river ship joined the company's four deluxe river vessels. Vantage also began offering cruises in the United States, starting with a cruise on the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes.

Vantage Deluxe World Travel Ocean Cruise and River Ships:

Vantage Travel owns and operates five river vessels in Europe. These ships have a maximum of 176 guests. 

• ms  River Venture  (built in 2013) -- 134 guests
• ms  River Splendor  (built in 2013) -- 176 guests
• ms  River Discovery II  (built in 2012) -- 176 guests
• ms  River Navigator  (built in 2002, refurbished in 2013) -- 134 guests
• ms  River Voyager (built in 2016) -- 176 guests

I sailed on the ms River Voyager in March 2016 and loved the comfortable design of the river ship, its accommodations, and cuisine. 

The company charters the 78-guest ms Frederic Chopin on the Elbe River in Germany. The ms Douro Serenity joins the fleet as a charter ship in 2017.

Vantage charters these yachts and small cruise ships in Europe. I sailed on the yacht-sized Variety Voyager a few years ago and loved the ship and the fascinating ports of call. The company also charters small ships in the Mediterranean . 

Vantage charters these vessels in Asia, the South Pacific, and the Indian Ocean.

Vantage Deluxe World Travel Passenger Profile:

Most of Vantage Travel's guests are 55-80 years old, travel frequently, and are past passengers of the company. More than half of the guests are women, and about 40 percent are single. The company often offers "free single supplements", which makes their cruises and tours attractive to solo travelers.

Prior to 2015, Vantage only marketed its Memorable Journeys to mature, English-speaking travelers in the USA. Starting in 2015, the company formed strategic partnerships with established travel agencies in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia and began selling its tours and cruises to English-speaking travelers in those countries.

Vantage Deluxe World Travel Contact Information:

The company markets its cruises and tours using email and direct mail. Vantage buys directly from travel suppliers and sells directly to its customers. 

Reservations & General Information Toll-free: 1-888-514-1845 Monday - Friday: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM ET Saturday, Sunday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM ET 

Customer Service Toll-free: 1-888-982-6824 Monday - Friday: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM ET Saturday, Sunday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM ET Email Vantage Customer Service

President's Club Exclusively for travelers who have traveled three or more times with Vantage. Toll free: 1-800-833-0899 Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM ET Saturday, Sunday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM ET Corporate Headquarters Vantage Deluxe World Travel 90 Canal Street Boston, MA 02114-2031 Phone: 1-617-878-6000 Fax: 1-857-313-6400

Budapest is Vantage's river fleet headquarters and main European operations base, but the company has regional offices around the world.

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Welcome to Consumer Rescue

Fiascos and Fixes

Vantage Travel is bankrupt. Here’s what customers need to know

Michelle Couch-Friedman

Consumer reporter and ombudsman

July 16, 2023

Vantage Deluxe World Travel finally pulled the plug on itself and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 29. This move was no surprise to anyone following the troubling situation at the once well-respected tour operator. 

What did come as a surprise was the true debt the company amassed before increasing negative publicity about its operations forced it to shut down. The legal team of Vantage Travel revealed that shocking figure in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy proposal.

All told, Vantage Travel owes customers, vendors, contractors, and other creditors over 170 million dollars.

The value of the assets of the company is a mere fraction of that number. 

Vantage Travel’s legal team says the company’s primary asset is its customer database, which it’s hoping to sell. But that list contains disgruntled and distraught would-be travelers, to whom Vantage collectively owes nearly 110 million dollars. 

With figures like those in the bankruptcy proposal, it’s hard to imagine the customer list of Vantage Travel holds any value. But apparently it does.  

In the follow-up bankruptcy hearing on July 5, which I attended via Zoom, not one but two companies stepped forward in the courtroom to express a desire to buy the remnants of Vantage Deluxe World Travel for one million dollars.

Today, thousands of Vantage Travel customers want to know what all this means. They’ve been waiting for months and, in many cases, years for promised refunds. Those refunds, if the bankruptcy court approves the current proposal, will likely never materialize.

If you’re one of those thousands of Vantage Travel customers , here’s what you need to know. 

What should Vantage Travel customers do right now ?

According to court records, the database Vantage intends to sell to United Travel Pte. Ltd includes customers’ credit card information and passport numbers, among other personal details.

Update: During the sale auction held on Aug. 7 and 8, 2023, Pacific Travel Partners , a subsidiary of Aurora Expeditions, won the bidding. On Aug. 14, 2023, Judge Janet Bostwick in U.S. Bankruptcy Court approved the sale.

This proposal doesn’t sit well with thousands of Vantage Travel customers who already consider themselves victims of the company. They view the sale of their private data to the highest bidder as yet another betrayal by the tour operator to whom they gave their loyal business.

• Update : On July 20, 2023, the Consumer Privacy Ombudsman (John Loughnane) appointed by the the U.S. Trustee published his first report on the Vantage Travel bankruptcy case. In this document, he explained that in response to the ongoing complaints about the company’s intention to include personal credit card and passport details in the customer list, Vantage has adjusted those plans. The legal team of Vantage now says that those details will not be transferred to the buyer and the encrypted data will be destroyed before the sale is concluded.

There are a number of things Vantage Travel customers can do now to make sure the bankruptcy court hears their opinions.

1. File Form 410 (Notice of Claim)

Vantage Travel customers owed a refund or have a future trip scheduled should file an official proof of claim. Here’s how to do that:

• Fill out Form 410 Proof of Claim .
• Print out the the form.
• Mail it to the following address: Vantage Travel Service, Inc. Claims Processing c/o Stretto 410 Exchange, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92602

Update : The deadline to file a form 410 Notice of Claim is Dec. 1, 2023 . A number of customers have asked me if they need to file the 410 in the bankruptcy court if they’ve already received their notification of future credits with Pacific Travel. The answer is “Yes.” No one knows what the future will bring and should any funds be made available to the unsecured creditors down the road, you’ll want to be on the official list for a cash distribution. So if Vantage Deluxe World Travel owes you a refund, make sure you put yourself on that list.

2. Contact the U.S. Trustee’s office

The U.S. Trustee Program at the Department of Justice is the bankruptcy proceeding’s watchdog.

These are the key team members (and their contact information) working on the Vantage Travel bankruptcy case:

• Eric Bradford (Lead attorney, U.S. Department of Justice)
• John Loughnane (Consumer Privacy Ombudsman)
• Jason Longton (Paralegal Specialist)

The U.S. Trustee’s team is inviting Vantage customers to submit their questions and concerns to Jason Longton.

Consumers who wish to become part of the unsecured creditors’ committee should send a message to Longton indicating that intention. Those customers will receive a request for more detailed information from the Department of Justice.

Note: The Section 341 meeting of unsecured creditors is scheduled for Aug. 1 at 1:30 p.m. Customers can attend that meeting remotely.

3. Subscribe to receive Vantage bankruptcy updates

Things are happening unusually fast in this bankruptcy case. In the hearing on July 5, the lawyers for Vantage and the potential buyer mentioned the “Need for speed” here. They argued Vantage Travel’s value plummets further each time a new unfavorable article appears in the media.

To keep up with the rapidly evolving case, customers can subscribe to the Vantage bankruptcy updates on Stretto . Stretto publishes all the official documents and transcripts.

4. Attend the hearings in person

The Vantage bankruptcy proceedings are public. That means anyone can attend the hearings at the United States Bankruptcy Court in Boston. Keep your eye on updates in Stretto to find out when the next hearing will be.

5. Attend the hearings via Zoom

As most of the unsecured creditors (customers) are not located in Massachusetts, the court has agreed to a remote broadcast. To participate, you’ll need to create a free Zoom account . Interested consumers can email the court deputy prior to each hearing and request a link to join.

* Note : Make sure to turn off your video camera and microphone if you intend to participate via Zoom. Otherwise, the court and everyone else can see and hear you — even if you aren’t aware of it!

Only turn on your camera and microphone if Judge Bostwick asks for comments and you wish to speak. During the first hearing, she did ask Zoom participants if they had questions.

6. Join our Vantage Travel Customer Support Facebook group (not affiliated with Vantage Travel)

So far, no court has required Vantage to alert its entire customer list of the bankruptcy filing. As a result, many customers who aren’t on the internet have remained in the dark about the situation. I continue to receive emails and phone calls from surprised Vantage customers who come across one of my articles and only just now are hearing the bad news about the company.

To combat this lack of transparency, we established a private Facebook group . We dedicated this space to providing reliable information, guidance, and friendly emotional support to everyone troubled by the Vantage bankruptcy. Our group has become known as a trusted source of factual information that Vantage doesn’t necessarily want to be publicized.

This private group includes thousands of Vantage customers, employees, vendors, and suppliers. Additionally, you’ll find notable journalists, TV newspeople, public relations executives, and of course, consumer advocates.

Will Vantage Travel customers receive refunds?

When cruise lines or tour operators go bankrupt , it often hits the consumers the hardest.

The harsh reality is that it is unlikely that Vantage Travel customers will get their money back. Certainly, it will not happen as a result of the bankruptcy proceedings. 

Vantage Travel is over 170 million dollars in debt with no real assets. Secured creditors and the lawyers involved in bankruptcy proceedings stand at the front of the payout line if there are any proceeds at the conclusion of the case. Unsecured creditors (customers) always get the short end of the stick when a company goes belly-up holding their funds (See: How to get a refund if your cruise line goes bankrupt ). 

But there is one exception to this rule in the Vantage case.

What about trips booked just before Vantage Travel declared bankruptcy?*

Customers who purchased new tours on May 12, 2023, or later will likely receive all their money back. Here’s why: (Please see update below)

Even after it was clear that Vantage was heading to bankruptcy court and had no chance of operating future trips, it continued to market and sell phantom tours to customers who hadn’t yet heard about the company’s dire situation. 

The sales team at Vantage Travel was one of the last departments to be let go. Right up until June 20 (the day they were all fired), these employees, who received commissions based on their sales, continued to cheerfully hype future tours to unaware, mostly elderly customers who were willing to pay with a bank transfer. 

The good news for these customers is that Vantage put all of that group’s cash in a separate account. According to the bankruptcy proposal, there are 2.1 million dollars in a separate account that represents all sales from May 12, 2023. 

If the court approves the sale of Vantage Travel, that money will transfer to the new company. If the new owner is unable to operate the tours as scheduled for those customers, they will be eligible for a cash refund.

*Update* : Because of multiple objections to this part of the sale agreement, it was removed from the final document that was approved on Aug. 14, 2023. The 2.1 million dollars will now remain as part of the bankruptcy estate of Vantage Travel, and customers who purchased new trips after May 11, 2023, will not receive special treatment. They will file a Form 410 as the rest of the Vantage customers .

What about the 1.2 million dollars the Attorney General retrieved?

Last month, in response to growing inquiries from media outlets in Boston, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office released a memo announcing it had retrieved 1.2 million dollars from Vantage for customers. 

Unfortunately, that statement set off a new wave of confusion among Vantage customers, who assumed that now there was a pile of money to share for those in line for a refund.

The truth is that the Massachusetts Attorney General has received nearly 1,200 complaints from Vantage customers since 2020. The 1.2 million dollars cited in the press release is the total amount the office has negotiated in refunds for Vantage customers during the entire three years. Vantage did not send money to the Attorney General, and no cash is waiting for disbursement.

If you consider that Vantage Travel sold luxury tours that on average cost around $15,000, it’s not hard to figure out that the vast majority of customers who contacted the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (or any other advocate) have not received a refund.

Will the new owner honor our Vantage Travel trip or refund?

If you are a Vantage customer and  have a future trip scheduled , you can assume it’s canceled. Your contract is with Vantage Deluxe World Travel, and at the end of the bankruptcy proceedings, that company will no longer exist.

In the bankruptcy filing, there are no provisions for cash refunds for customers.

If the bankruptcy proposal proceeds as is, customers who are owed refunds will only receive a small future trip credit from the new company. The value of the credit will be equal to 20 percent of the refund that Vantage Travel owed to the customer.

* August Update : Pacific Travel Partners, a subsidiary of Aurora Expeditions, became the winning bidder for the remnants of Vantage Travel. Under the sale agreement, Vantage customers who are owed refunds will receive future travel credits equal to 100% of the value of what was owed to them at the time of the bankruptcy (with limitations). This is a much better outcome compared to what the customers would receive had the competing company United Travel won the bankruptcy auction.

Can I file a credit card dispute against Vantage?

The Fair Credit Billing Act protects credit card-using consumers from merchants who do not provide the purchased goods or services as described. It also protects consumers against fraud. 

Customers who paid for their Vantage Travel tour with a credit card should contact their credit card company to ask about filing a chargeback based on services not received as promised. 

If your credit card company accepts your dispute, you will receive a temporary credit, and Vantage will have 30 days to respond to the chargeback. At the end of those 30 days, if Vantage has not responded, the temporary credit will become permanent. 

Note: If you made your payment many months or even years ago, you may need to remind your credit card company that the deadline for filing a dispute is based on the expected date of service, not the date you first made a payment. If the front-line customer service agent doesn’t accept your request, ask to speak to a supervisor who will likely be more familiar with the Fair Credit Billing Act.

Strange update: There’s been a strange turn of events for customers who have filed valid credit card disputes against Vantage Deluxe World Travel . Who is contesting those credit card chargebacks?

Could my bank reverse the payment I made to Vantage?

Unfortunately, most Vantage customers did not use a credit card to pay for their trip. Instead, they were enticed by the small discount Vantage offered when a customer would pay with an instant bank transfer.

In general, bank transfers are not reversible – especially ones that were authorized by the consumer. However, that should not prevent you from asking your bank about this possibility.

In some cases, if the bank transfer has been initiated in the last 30-60 days, your bank may decide to pursue the reversal with the receiving bank. 

Will the Travel Protection sold by Vantage help?

The Vantage Travel Protection is of no use to its customers now that the company has ceased to operate and is bankrupt. 

The product was highly problematic because Vantage was self-insuring Part A of that policy (pre-departure cancellations) – with no underwriter.

And Vantage ran out of money… a long time ago. 

Today, Vantage owes around 5 million dollars to customers who have approved claims via its “travel protection” that, in the end, provided no protection at all to those travelers.

What about that Allianz policy?

Travel insurance can be confusing to consumers. There is no doubt about it. For that reason, the industry offers a 10-14 day (depending on the company) look-over period during which travel insurance purchasers can carefully review the entire policy. After that time, the policy becomes nonrefundable and legally binding.

The travel insurance industry is highly regulated and so consumers can be confident that an insurance company will provide all the protection described in their policy. The opposite is also true. By thoroughly reading the document during the look-over period, travelers can be certain of what is and isn’t covered by the travel insurance policy.

Unfortunately, many travelers do not read those travel insurance policies.

As a consumer advocate, that fact has never been more clear to me than in the past three months. During that time, my email box and message center have been flooded with questions and misunderstandings about the responsibility Allianz and TripMate have to Vantage customers.

The Vantage Deluxe World Travel Protection Plan came with a 10-day look-over period. But the mass confusion about this policy proves that most customers didn’t read the document — until now.

In the Vantage case, Allianz and TripMate were only providing post-departure travel insurance. That means that all customers who bought that policy from Vantage had full post-departure medical coverage, trip interruption and delay protection, evacuation benefits, lost luggage coverage and more. It was a valuable, comprehensive travel insurance product that many Vantage customers who completed their trips utilized.

Of course, that part of the policy had no value if Vantage didn’t actually operate the tour. 

Will travel insurance ever pay when a tour company cancels?

Desperate Vantage customers are looking for any alternative way to recoup the money that Vantage owes to them. I’ve received a plethora of requests from customers asking me to ask TripMate and Allianz to provide the refunds that Vantage owes them.

These requests indicate a basic misunderstanding of the Vantage Travel Protection Plan at its core: it only pertains to customer-initiated cancellations. Neither part of that plan provides any coverage for a cancellation initiated by Vantage.

Fact: When a tour operator cancels a customer’s trip, it owes the refund — not the travel insurance company. The only exception to this rule, is if the tour operator goes bankrupt AND the customer purchased a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes an insolvency clause.

For a more detailed explanation of the difference between a travel protection product and a true travel insurance policy, you can read Consumer Rescue’s guide on the topic.

Will the new company give Vantage customers a free trip as a gesture of goodwill?

No. This is a suggestion that lands in my email box over and over again. The new company is a for-profit company. They wish to buy the customer data so that they can market to the list and sell new trips. None of the companies vying to buy that list are offering to absorb the enormous debt that Vantage has accrued.

The bottom line: A 110 million dollar goodwill gesture isn’t going to happen.

I’m sorry I don’t have better news to report for Vantage customers. I will continue to update our readers via Facebook , in the Consumer Rescue newsletter and in our Facebook group. Stay tuned…

*Update 8/20/23: Vantage Travel is sold. Here’s what that means to customers

Update 11/27/23: The deadline to submit a notice of claim (410) to the bankruptcy court is Dec. 1, 2023. Make sure to file electronically via Stretto before that date if you were owed a refund at the time Vantage Travel filed for bankruptcy.

Update: 12/1/23: The deadline to file a notice of claim has passed but if you are a Vantage Travel customer who is owed a refund from the bankrupt company, you should contact the new company Vantage Explorations. You may be able to receive future travel credits with VE. Here’s how to contact their team: [email protected] (Note: Only one E in the middle of that email address.)

Related: Good news: Here’s how Consumer Rescue helped return nearly $100,000 to Vantage Travel bankruptcy victims as we ended 2023.

Update: 1/21/24: Why are so many former customers of Vantage Travel opting out of their credits with the new company? Is there any way to reverse what looks like bankruptcy claimant confusion? ( Michelle Couch-Friedman , reporting for Consumer Rescue)

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At Vantage Explorations, we redefine the art of cruising, setting a new standard for unforgettable journeys to the world’s most captivating destinations. We specialize in:

• Expedition cruises to Antarctica & the Arctic: Venture into the icy realm of Antarctic and Arctic aboard our purpose-built small ships. Dive into the heart of these pristine ecosystems, guided by a team of passionate experts, dedicated to enriching your understanding of these remarkable polar regions.
• Small ship ocean explorations and discovery cruises: Our small ships are designed to deliver immersive and intimate explorations and discovery cruises. Experience quality like never before, with every voyage meticulously crafted to offer enriching experiences that redefine your sense of adventure.
• River cruises and land adventures: Explore the world’s most iconic rivers and terrain, with our river cruises and land adventures. We believe that the journey is just as important as the destination, and our itineraries reflect this commitment.
• Sustainable travel: At Vantage Explorations, we are unwavering in our dedication to the planet and its people. We leave a minimal footprint on earth, employing advanced, environmental management systems, to protect the dedicated ecosystems we encounter. Our commitment to education and enrichment extends to both our travelers and the communities we engage with; fostering, understanding, and respect.
• Adventure activities: dive into the heart of your destination with activities, such as kayaking, snorkeling, and Zodiac excursions. We believe that true exploration means getting up close and personal with the world around us.
• People and community: our team of motivated individuals, and seasoned experts, share a common passion for exploration. We are bound by a desire to connect with both the natural world and the communities we visit, forging meaningful relationships that endure beyond our journeys.

At Vantage Explorations, we invite you to embark on a voyage that transcends ordinary travel. Experience the world with purpose-built small ships, unparalleled adventures, uncompromising quality, and a deep commitment to sustainability. Discover the planet, as it was meant to be, with Vantage Explorations.

In 2023, the Vantage Travel’s assets found a new home with Pacific Travel Partners, a subsidiary of Aurora Expeditions—an acclaimed global small vessel cruising company renowned for tailor-made voyages worldwide. Today, we proudly operate as Vantage Explorations, continuing our legacy of delivering unparalleled journeys and exploration to passionate travelers like you.

We can confirm that Aurora Expeditions and Pacific Travel Partners have no affiliation or past relationship with the former owners or senior management of Vantage Travel.

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Vantage Travel owes more than $170 million, bankruptcy filings show

Vantage Travel, the Boston-based company now in bankruptcy court, owes a stunning $108 million to customers who paid in advance for trips that were later canceled or postponed, according to court filings .

Besides the $108 million it owes to customers, Vantage is $62 million in debt to vessel managers and other vendors and suppliers, for total liabilities of more than $170 million, the filings say.

Of the $108 million owed to customers, $80 million is for trips that have been indefinitely postponed, $23 million for trips that were canceled, and $5 million for approved travel insurance claims against the company, the filing says.

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But Vantage, a Boston travel mainstay for 40 years, has only a tiny fraction of what it owes customers in cash — $4,207, the filings say.

Bankruptcy proceedings are intended to allow creditors like the thousands of Vantage customers to get at least a portion of what is owed to them. But under the terms of a sale of Vantage’s remaining assets proposed by the company, its customers would apparently get no cash refunds.

Instead, they would be offered a maximum 20 percent credit toward future trips with the Singapore-based company that has agreed to pay $1 million for Vantage’s customer list, the company’s only remaining substantial asset.

In filings in US Bankruptcy Court in Boston, Greg DelGreco, Vantage’s chief operating officer, said the offer of a credit was the best Vantage could do for customers, and that otherwise they would “receive nothing for their claims against” the company.

Vantage “is confident” that the offer of future travel credits “provides the best treatment possible to its customers under [Vantage’s] difficult financial circumstances,” DelGreco wrote.

One of Vantage’s lawyers said in the filings that consumer claims for their deposits are usually considered a priority in bankruptcy proceedings, but that in Vantage’s case “it is extremely unlikely that there will be assets available to pay even a fraction” of consumer claims.

In its filings, Vantage is asking Judge Janet E. Bostwick to approve of the sale of Vantage’s remaining assets, which includes the agreement to provide credits for customers who are owed refunds estimated to average about $20,000.

But Ronald W. Dunbar Jr., a lawyer representing a group of customers, said his clients want their money back.

“They don’t want a 20 percent coupon for some possible trip many months or years in the future,” he said. “Many of the customers are seniors. They don’t want a promise. They want cash refunds so they can get on with their lives.”

Dunbar said the big question he wants answered in the bankruptcy proceeding is what did Vantage do with the tens of millions of dollars that customers paid to the company in advance for now canceled or postponed trips.

“Vantage got paid many millions of dollars for trips that never happened,” he said. “Where did all that money go?”

That question is apparently not answered in the hundreds of pages of documents filed in court, according to a filing by Eric K. Bradford, counsel to the Office of US Trustee, whose role is to enforce bankruptcy laws, according to an online description of a trustee’s responsibilities.

According to Bradford, Vantage’s filings “provide little information about [Vantage’s] … financial transactions” prior to its bankruptcy filing.

Rob Hert, who last year paid Vantage $30,000 for a now-postponed safari he planned to take with his 81-year-old mother, said customers “want a thorough financial audit, first and foremost.”

Hert is an organizer of a group of customers fighting for refunds. He called the offer of future credits “ridiculous.”

Under the proposal, customers who accepted the 20 percent credit would have to pay 80 percent of the cost of their trips, which, on top of what they already paid to Vantage, would be unaffordable to some, he said. Besides, customers are totally unfamiliar with the company that would operate those trips, United Travel Pte. Ltd., based in Singapore, he said.

Hert also said his group is very concerned about the voluminous personal data customers have provided to Vantage, including bank and credit card information.

“Is it going to be adequately protected?” he asked.

An e-mail seeking comment from DelGreco and other Vantage executives and lawyers went unanswered.

In bankruptcy cases, there are two basic types of creditors: secured and unsecured. Secured creditors are lenders who obtained collateral to secure their loans and who are paid first from remaining in assets in the event of a bankruptcy. Unsecured creditors — including Vantage customers — get paid only after all secured creditors get their money.

And the only secured creditors in Vantage’s case are the founder of the company, Hank Lewis, and a trust established by Lewis. Lewis and the trust loaned Vantage $35 million, beginning in 2021, the filings say.

Its “single most valuable asset,” according to Bradford, is a list of past and prospective customers, including contact information. There are more than 3.7 million names on that list.

On the day last week that Vantage announced it was filing for bankruptcy, it also disclosed it had reached an agreement in which United Travel would purchase the customer list for $1 million.

It has been a stunning downfall for Vantage, a once well-regarded high-end international travel company. Founded in 1983 by Lewis, it specialized in tours for relatively small groups; its most popular leased ships were outfitted for fewer than 180 passengers. On ocean and river cruises, and on land expeditions, Vantage emphasized cultural exploration for “discerning travelers,” according to its website. It also catered to women traveling solo.

As recently as 2019, Vantage offered customers a menu of 65 river and ocean cruises and land excursions around the world. It operated about 500 tours annually.

Vantage, based in offices on Canal Street, employed about 70 people to market and book travel packages with third-party operators and to arrange air transportation, travel insurance, hotel accommodations, and other details. As of June 20, Vantage had laid off all employees except DelGreco and four other top executives and postponed all trips for at least three months “in light of our impending transaction,” according to an internal company memo .

Vantage pointed to the COVID pandemic as a source of its troubles. “As was the case throughout the travel industry, COVID-19 had a substantial impact on [Vantage’s] operations,” DelGreco wrote, saying the company’s revenue plummeted from $130 million in 2019 to $10 million in 2020, the first year of the pandemic. (It received $4.3 million in federal payroll protection program grants, the filings say.)

As its finances worsened, Vantage used “cash reserves generated by pre-pandemic bookings to fund its working capital needs,” the filings say.

“[Vantage’s] finances have continued to decline, and its cash reserves have been exhausted,” the filings say. “As a result, [Vantage] has been postponing trips for the past several weeks, because of a lack of funds needed to operate those trips to conclusion.”

Dating back to at least 2021, Vantage customers have complained of getting the runaround when they demanded refunds. The Globe, for example, published a story in 2021 about two local couples who had been fighting for about 18 months for $46,000 owed to them by Vantage for a canceled safari to Africa. (After the Globe got involved on their behalf , Vantage refunded the couples’ money.)

Since 2020, more than 1,150 customers have filed consumer complaints against Vantage with the office of Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. That office has mediated on behalf of about 85 Massachusetts residents, recovering more than $1.3 million in refunds. (The office accepts complaints from out-of-state consumers but urges them to contact their own state’s attorney general for assistance.)

In recent years, Vantage provided little information to customers about its precarious financial condition. But, in private, company executives for almost two years were working with an investment bank in search of a buyer or funding source, ultimately leading to the $1 million offer from United Travel, the court filings say.

Lawyers for Vantage have asked the bankruptcy court to quickly approve the sale of its assets to United Travel because a “growing amount of negative publicity” could threaten the deal with United Travel.

Got a problem? Send your consumer issue to [email protected] . Follow him @spmurphyboston .

Vantage Travel is back — or, at least, its name is

Vantage is sailing again, with new owners and a name that trades on its past glory while ignoring its inglorious ending.

Last year, troubled Vantage Travel abruptly went bankrupt amid punishing publicity that it failed to refund more than $100 million to customers who paid upfront for ocean and river cruises that never happened.

Thousands of bitter consumers deluged the attorneys general offices in Massachusetts and other states with complaints against the decades-old Boston-based company.

Vantage Travel was also pilloried on two newly created Facebook group pages as customers who lost as much as $50,000 vented their anger at the company and its founder and owner, Hank Lewis .

But now Vantage Explorations, a new company created out of the ashes of the bankrupt company, is embracing its Vantage Travel roots to sell tours around the world, while conspicuously ignoring the bankruptcy and the lost $100 million.

Already, Vantage Explorations, owned by a company based in Australia, is sailing guests on polar expeditions of Antarctica and has new cruises scheduled to Latin America and Scotland in the spring and to the Mediterranean next year.

In one recent email sent to prospective customers (as well as this Globe reporter), Vantage Explorations extols the virtues of Vantage Travel, a company that indisputably stiffed almost 10,000 customers, including many seniors.

The email, festooned with an array of color photos of alluring tourist destinations, begins, “For nearly 40 years, Vantage Travel has curated extraordinary experiences, leading over half a million travelers on unforgettable river and small ocean ship cruises, small-group land adventures, and safaris across all seven continents.”

But nowhere in its five-paragraph email does Vantage Explorations mention that its predecessor company went bankrupt at the expense of customers.

The email makes only the most oblique reference, saying Vantage Travel’s “assets found a new home” in 2023 with Pacific Travel Partners, which operates Vantage Explorations and is owned by Australia-based Aurora Expeditions. The company spent $2 million at a bankruptcy auction for what amounted to Vantage’s only asset: its extensive list of customers. It also got the right to use its name.

“Today, we proudly operate as Vantage Explorations, continuing our legacy of delivering unparalleled journeys and exploration to passionate travelers like you,” the email reads.

“There was a lot of surprise that the new owners are using the Vantage brand at all, given how tarnished it is, let alone touting its 40-year history,” said Marnie Brown, who helps administer a Facebook group of unhappy former Vantage Travel customers. “All you have to do is make a quick search online to see about the bankruptcy.”

“I think that email will be off-putting to a lot of people,” said Michelle Couch-Friedman, a consumer advocate who is closely tracking the Vantage Travel saga.

“But I’m sure the idea is to court the customers on Vantage Travel’s contact list,” she said.

Asked about his company’s omission of references to the bankruptcy, Michael Heath, chief executive of Aurora, repeated the kind of praise for Vantage Travel that is contained in the company’s marketing email. “So far the reaction to Vantage Explorations has been very positive,” he added.

Andrew N. Smith, a marketing professor at Suffolk University’s Sawyer School of Business, said it’s understandable why Vantage Explorations would gloss over the Vantage Travel bankruptcy.

“I can understand its apprehension about mentioning bankruptcy,” he said. “From a marketing standpoint, there is no benefit of introducing this negative meaning into the equation. [Vantage Explorations] needs to communicate the change in corporate structure and then shift to a more customer-focused message about the romance of travel.”

Tobe Berkovitz, a veteran media consultant and professor emeritus at Boston University, said Aurora is pursuing a smart strategy, especially by blasting out emails to its voluminous customer list.

“It’s a great contact list of people who have actually traveled with Vantage Travel or have shown interest in them,” he said. “It’s gold.”

For those who lost money in the bankruptcy, the email may “stick in their craw,” Berkovitz said. “But if you’re not one of them, you may well be very interested in Vantage Explorations.”

The Vantage Travel bankruptcy case is ongoing, with a bankruptcy estate trustee searching for additional assets that may belong to the bankrupted company for possible distribution to creditors like the jilted customers.

Judge Janet E. Bostwick of US Bankruptcy Court in Boston approved the sale of Vantage Travel’s name and contact list to Aurora, along with a provision that gives Vantage Travel customers whose trips were canceled a limited number of credits toward traveling with Vantage Explorations. Customers can use credits to pay for up to one-half on ocean trips and up to 20 percent on river trips. The credits will expire after five years.

While there’s little expectation that Vantage Travel will provide any significant refunds to former customers, there may be some hope that Lewis, the company owner, will be held responsible.

The attorneys general in New York and Pennsylvania have sued him personally in an effort to recoup some of the millions owed to customers.

“By virtue of the conduct alleged … [Lewis and Vantage] have engaged in repeated and persistent fraudulent conduct,” according to the suit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Asked for an update, a spokesperson for the New York attorney general’s office said “Lewis has retained counsel and the litigation is ongoing.”

Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry last year filed a similar suit that accuses Lewis personally (and Vantage corporately) of engaging in unlawful “deceptive and unfair business practices.”

A spokesperson for that office said the suit is ongoing.

The office of Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell supports the efforts of the New York and Pennsylvania attorneys general and is in regular contact with them, according to a spokesperson.

Multiple emails seeking comment on behalf of Lewis were sent to Lewis’s bankruptcy attorneys, who were listed in filings in the New York lawsuit, but were not answered. An email to Lewis at his former Vantage address “could not be delivered,” and there was no response to emails to other Vantage executives seeking comment on Lewis’s behalf.

Rob Hert, who last year paid Vantage Travel $30,000 for a now-canceled safari he planned to take with his 81-year-old mother, said he continues to closely follow the bankruptcy case and litigation against Lewis.

But he said he has no real problem with Vantage Explorations’ marketing campaign.

“It’s very crafty, not getting into the weeds about the bankruptcy,” he said. “But Vantage Explorations is not the enemy. They’re acting in their best business interest. I understand. What we want is justice from Vantage Travel and Hank Lewis.”

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Boston-based cruise company vantage deluxe world travel faces lawsuit, hundreds of consumer complaints.

Company facing class action lawsuit over canceled trips

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Hundreds of customers have filed complaints against Boston-based Vantage Deluxe World Travel with the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office in recent years and the troubled company now faces a class action lawsuit over the last-minute cancelation of luxury trips.

AG Andrea Campbell's office said Tuesday that it has received at least 818 complaints against the company since Jan. 1, 2020, including approximately 75 filed by customers who are Massachusetts residents. Of those complaints, officials said that approximately 181 of them were filed during 2023, including 21 from Massachusetts residents.

Campbell's office said it will provide consumer assistance to Massachusetts residents and is advising others to file in their respective states.

The updated information on the number of complaints comes after multiple reports of customer issues involving the company.

In April, Vantage posted public statements about a ransomware attack it said, "took down their call center, website, email and other internal systems." They said in a Facebook post on April 29 that the call center would be restored by May 1, but posted no subsequent update.

At the same time, Vantage confirmed the cancelation of four trips to the Netherlands "due to the vessel's readiness," and two trips to Egypt.

One widely-cited report from Consumer Rescue indicates that other trips are also being canceled. It cites a purported internal memo that said all tours would be canceled through Aug. 28.

This week, Boston-based attorneys and a client from California filed a class action lawsuit against Vantage in federal court. They claim that plaintiff Annette Woolf, 65, and other customers who suffered short-notice cancelations have sought refunds for canceled trips but "all of them have been stonewalled and misled."

The lawsuit also reports that an internal memo informed Vantage employees all trips scheduled through Aug. 28, would be postponed.

According to the lawsuit, Woolf paid $18,099 for a trip to Ireland with two cousins. She originally booked the trip in December 2021, for a scheduled departure on May 26.

Following the company's announcement of the ransomware attack, Woolf found that her airline tickets were canceled "due to non-payment by Vantage." They were subsequently re-issued but, on the day before her scheduled departure, Woolf was informed that her trip was being postponed. The new airline tickets were canceled but the lawsuit said the ticket price was refunded to Vantage.

Another example cited in the lawsuit involves a couple who purchased a $30,000 trip that included visits to Italy, France, Monaco and Spain. They said the trip was due to begin on May 13, but was canceled the night before.

A third example involves a $34,634 trip to Europe purchased as a graduation present for the customer and her niece. They were scheduled to fly to Rome to begin the trip on May 13, but the trip was canceled the night before.

"From my perspective, from what I can see so far, it's going to be a tough battle to figure out where the money is and how to get it back. I hope that that's not the case but we're prepared," said attorney Ronald Dunbar, who filed the lawsuit.

"I've heard as recently as this morning that some of these ships have been reclaimed by the actual owners," Dunbar also said.

Vantage, which was founded in 1983 by Henry Lewis, is incorporated in Massachusetts. As of the 2021 annual report, the latest available, Lewis served as the company's president, treasurer, Secretary, CEO, CFO and Director.

On Tuesday, however, Vantage and Lewis submitted a form to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, identifying general counsel Rossella Mercuri as the company's new registered agent.

As of Wednesday morning, the company's website was functioning, but multiple attempts to call the listed phone number for the company's corporate headquarters yielded an automated message that announced the call could not be completed.

On Wednesday evening, Mercuri responded by email to NewsCenter 5. Although we sent several specific questions, her reply echoed a short statement that she had previously shared with other outlets.

"At this time, Vantage Deluxe World Travel is engaged in sensitive negotiations for a sale of the company," she wrote. "Our primary goal is to obtain the best outcome for our customers. Confidentiality agreements governing our negotiations prevent us from disclosing additional information at this time."

Vantage made headlines in 2021 when it christened a new cruise ship, the Ocean Explorer , at Boston's Black Falcon Terminal. At the time, the luxury ship had planned trips to the British Isles, several South American ports and Antarctica.

Go aboard new Ocean Explorer luxury cruise ship launched in Boston

PHOTO: Cindy Loo for Regan Communications Group/Vantage Travel

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Henry R Lewis "Hank" CEO/Owner/Founder, Vantage Travel Service Inc

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River Cruise - Odyssey vs. Vantage - Moscow Forum

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River Cruise - Odyssey vs. Vantage

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Any suggestions will be helpful.

Did you go on a river cruise? Which one did you pick? Any recommendations for someone considering a similar trip?

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