A CRUISE line had closed down and filed for bankruptcy as customers waited for $108million in refunds for canceled journeys.
Vantage Deluxe World Travel canceled all trips through August 28 but many customers claimed that they were not informed and did not get their money back.
The Boston-based cruise liner sold its assets to Pacific Travel Partners, a subsidiary of Aurora Expeditions, in mid-August.
Pacific Travel Partners did not acquire the whole business or employ any of Vantage’s former management, according to Travel Weekly.
Aurora offered 100 percent in future travel credits to Vantage customers who are still waiting on refunds, which will be valid until November 2028.
This came as Vantage filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 29.
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New York Attorney General, Letitia James, filed a lawsuit against Vantage and its owner Henry R. Lewis for supposedly failing to refund hundreds of people in New York.
Customer issues began in 2020 when some journeys were postponed due to the pandemic but some people claimed their trips were not rescheduled and they did not receive a refund, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit read that the attorney general’s office received hundreds of complaints stating that Vantage denied refunds and was aware of the issue.
The lawsuit alleged that Vantage often rescheduled canceled trips several times and attempted to offer customers credit for future trips rather than money.
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Attorney General James said: “When a trip is canceled and a refund is denied, it adds insult to injury.
“My office will not let Vantage Travel get away with flouting the law and denying dozens of New Yorkers the refunds they deserve due to canceled trips.
“Companies that make promises to consumers must fulfill their end of the bargain or bear the consequences.”
This is not the first lawsuit put against Vantage as Massachusetts’ Attorney General Andrea Campbell sued earlier this year.
Attorney General Campbell recovered more than $1,230,000 back for Massachusets customers.
She said that her office had received over 800 complaints about Vantage since January 1.
The Chairman of Aurora, Neville Buch, said Vantage will be renamed and relaunched in 2024, according to Boston-based Fox affiliate WFXT.
Buch said: “We are fully committed to restoring value to Vantage customer creditors and at the same time delivering exceptional travel experiences.
“Unfortunately the speed of the process and the uncertainty of outcome until only a few weeks ago has meant that everything is ‘work in process.’”
The U.S. Sun previously reported that despite this news, some customers were hesitant to re-book their journeys again.
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Karrie Szatek, from Fairhaven, Massachusets said she did not plan to use the credit after she spent $30,000 for two canceled trips.
Szatek said: "At this point, no. I want to wait and see."
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