The Travel Troubleshooter: Help! I’m continue to waiting for my Vantage refund |

After Vantage cancels Rick Pedersen’s tour of Portugal and Spain, it guarantees a prompt refund. But 100 times afterwards, there’s no signal of the $12,959. How does he get a Vantage refund?

Concern: Final yr, we booked a tour to Portugal and Spain through Vantage Deluxe Planet Journey. This was to be our third Vantage journey in as a lot of years, and the next with friends. Which include the optional excursions, air, coverage and expenses, my spouse and I paid $12,959 for the tour.

This March, Vantage canceled the tour mainly because of COVID-19 worries. On March 16, I asked for a refund. Vantage agreed to problem a refund in 30 times.

Two months afterwards, I gained an e-mail affirmation that the refund was “in approach.” I have made many calls and 3 published requests given that then. Just after 100 days, I am nevertheless awaiting the refund. Vantage is stonewalling.

Vantage’s Tour Participation Agreement suggests that Vantage will concern a “prompt” refund for any tour canceled by Vantage for any reason. Can you assist me get my Vantage Deluxe Entire world Vacation refund? — Rick Pedersen, Fulshear, Texas

Answer: Vantage must have refunded your tour inside of 30 times as it promised — and as it is contractually essential to do. But it had no way of knowing what would materialize in the subsequent 30 days. In March, you will remember, journey floor to an pretty much comprehensive halt. Every 1 of Vantage’s suppliers expert identical delays. So the refund method slowed down noticeably.

How slow? Very well, as I create this, a single cruise line is telling passengers they’ll require to wait two years to get their refunds. And allow me skip suitable to the resolution for individuals travelers: File a dispute with your credit rating card company. Ask your bank to take the dollars again.

But with this Vantage refund, I can understand the delay. It looks as if they were truly sincere in their intent, and they stayed in get in touch with with you (at minimum initially). But you were being a lot more than affected individual and 100 days was loads of time for Vantage to get its act with each other.

I’m glad you talked about Vantage’s Tour Participation Arrangement, the authorized contract in between you and the tour operator. It is value looking at the terms and ailments right before you e book your tour, but if you’re struggling with a cancellation, you surely have to know your legal rights. I go through the agreement the exact way you do if Vantage cancels, you get a full refund.

Other tour operators altered their conditions and situations halfway by way of the pandemic so they would only have to offer you a credit. Then they utilized the policies retroactively. To its credit score, Vantage didn’t.

You can uncover the names, figures and addresses of the Vantage supervisors on my purchaser advocacy web site at https://little bit.ly/2KVV2oY.

I contacted Vantage on your behalf, and you ongoing to pursue your refund. Ultimately, on Aug. 14 — 5 months after promising it — Vantage fully refunded your $12,959. Better late than never ever.

So why am I creating about a circumstance that resolved just about 5 months in the past? My client advocacy corporation has a case backlog, too.

Christopher Elliott is the chief advocacy officer of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit group that aids people solve their complications. Get in touch with him at elliott.org/enable or [email protected].