Vantage Travel Website Down, Cruises Canceled Last Minute

Vantage Deluxe World Travel may be in trouble. In the past month the company has canceled at least four cruises within days of departure. Reports of a possible ransomware attack have hit the headlines and the company’s main website is down.

“Vantage Travel wishes to inform its valued customers the company has experienced a data security incident,” the company writes on a temporary bare-bones website it has set up. “We have hired a leading national forensic firm to investigate the incident. Be assured that Vantage Travel is committed to solving this problem quickly and effectively to ensure the protection and privacy of our valued customers and staff. We understand customers may have questions regarding this incident. We will provide more information as soon as it becomes available.”

The temporary website also lists three upcoming cruises as “expected to embark as scheduled.”

According to a Boston Globe article, the company has a history of run-ins with the law and leaving customers hanging. As cited by the Boston Globe, the Massachusetts’ Attorney General’s office reports more than 700 complaints from Massachusetts residents, mostly for their inability to get refunds for trips canceled during the pandemic.

Vantage is not a member of the USTOA, so customers are not protected by the Association’s $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program. Additionally, Vantage Deluxe World Travel encourages customers to bypass travel advisors and book direct, giving them no one to advocate on their behalf.