Sthrngary

I cannot remember the times. I can remember that I NEVER, EVER had an issue getting an umbrella. The key to the Joy Vibe is it is literally double the size of other Vibes. You will love it. Tell the manager that "Gary" (The Gary Beach Club) said hello. LOL, I made myself know when I was there. Have a great time. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Always neat. I have now a bottle at home and it is not every ones cup of tea. My adult children just know cheap tequila for shots. This is sure not that. Thanks for asking. Cruise well.

My reference to the "A" list bar was from the NCL Joy. It was the bar that separated Cagney's Steakhouse and the French Restaurant. It was very classy and is called different things on different ships. Hope that answers your questions. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Thank you for your question. I needed to respond to a post with a smile on my face and talking about having a nice drink on a cruise ship does that for me. I drink it straight up. However never and I mean never as a straight shot. It is a sipping tequila. That is only part of the story. The part of my life I like to relive on a cruise ship is the times I have gone into a classy bar. Sat at the bar, had a nice drink and engaged with strangers. Whether at the "A" list Bar or the Haven Bar if I am so lucky, this is the environment I enjoy the most. Nine times out of ten when folks see the distinctive bottle, they ask what it is. We talk about how I was given my first shot on a cruise on the Getaway, with the Premium Plus Beverage package in 2019. I nice drink is only great when you can share the experience. That is a long answer to a very simple question. Cruise well and enjoy every minute.

As much as I sympathize with you, this is what happens when items or policies change with NCL. I can remember the complete nightmare when Covid started to cancel cruises. It was awful. On the bright side, especially on a great vacation like you are going on. You don't have to make the mad dash. That is the best part. Enjoy your trip and I hope this all works out for you folks. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@gmbhardyI was able to use my Premium Plus Package at the Vibe. The Selection was not great but OK. If there is a brand you like, ask the manager. My favorite tequila was only at the Horizon Lounge and the "A" list bar. I hope that helps you. Cruise well.

This program is a good one and I had no idea it even existed until I was told by the NCL Rep. She changed my reservation. I don't think it really makes that much of a difference money but it is much easier to do this way. The real difference is comparing it to Haven Proper. Cruise well.

LOL, yep. Lazy writing on my part. I hate to use excuses but what the heck. I was diagnosed with covid to days ago and my mind is kind of a fog. You are absolutely correct. Thank you for the correction. Cruise well.

@DrSeaThe issue is finding way to enjoy your cruise. First let me answer your question directly. No, the Haven is without a doubt the way to go if you are on a big NCL ship. That said, when you can create an experience utilizing the Haven Lite Strategy, you can come close but close it not the Haven. The term I used is called the "Price Value Formula". When the value exceeds the price by one cent, the consumer should buy. Example of what I mean. My wife and I are going on the Breakaway in December 2022. We are currently going Haven Lite. Vibe Beach Club Cabana; Premium Plus Beverage Package; Upgraded unlimited internet; Four specialty restaurant meals; prepaid gratuities. The cost is for two travelers is 40% of the Haven. That is to much of a difference in price to consider the Haven. Now will I bid to upgrade to the Haven, sure. Will I get it, probably not. Will it matter, no. Why? Because I will have realistically set my expectations. Prices on everything go up and down over time. There will be a time in the future, when they Haven price will be closer and that will be my call. Again, if price is no object, I would do the Haven. As a matter of fact, if price was no object, I would do a penthouse suite on the Regent Seven Seas Cruise on the Splendor. That cost is about the same as a small SUV. So price matters in this case. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

No, no price change.

On Cruise Critic, after a while; you just know the questions that will come up. This post is like that. When I found out I could prebook the Vibe, I reached out and it got done. Then I realized that I would have preferred to pay a bit more and get the Vibe Cabana. It Came with two week Vibe passes. I made three phone calls and the NCL Representatives were clueless. Some of them did not even know what the Vibe Beach Club was. In all three calls, I was told the Cabana's were sold out and so were the Vibe Beach Club passes. I then wrote an email to the person in NCL that has helped me the most. She called me back and here is what happened. She Booked me a Vibe Beach Club Cabana. She Informed me there was a way to have a better value for my upgrades on the Free At Sea program. Then she fixed it. She sent me confirmations on everything. So I looked on my online account and the upgrades were charged in my final balance due August 6, 2022. Yet it did not show the items were purchased. Folks, the moment you pay the final balance, those items will show paid. Don't worry about it. Keep you email confirmations for your records. I hope this helps. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I was happy to send you pictures. However if you go to YouTube and search the Joy and Vibe they have very nice video's that will give you an even better idea. Here is how it works. You enter in to the Vibe Beach Club. A member of the crew ask you where you want to sit and if you want an umbrella. Once set up, they bring you frozen fruit and ice water. Kind of nice Hope that helps. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Allow me to approach this question differently. I was on the NCL Joy twice in six months. Both times the Haven was sold out. This was with upgrades, and bid upgrades. In both my cruises, the ship was not close to capacity. This makes staying in the Haven nice but not critical. The Haven was just that, a Haven to get away from the crowds. Privacy, better food and drink. Personalized service. All that is true. The reason was because it was tough to cruise with a completely sold out ship. The more people, the less the overall service was. The harder it was to get into all restaurants. None of this was the case on my two cruises. On my second Joy Cruise, I was not in the Haven and did what I call, Haven lite. The Vibe Beach Club was by fare much nicer and less crowded then the Haven Sundeck. Not even close. My opinion only. I never had an issue with specialty restaurants at all. Show were easy and I had a seat at the Cavern Club for all shows. All because the ship itself was not sold out. That is my take on your question and I hope it helps you. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I was in the Vibe Beach Club on the Joy in March 2022. Unlike other ships, you can not purchase a Cabana. You can get a week pass for $209.00 per person. The Joy has a huge VIBE. Huge Hot tub on both sides of the ship. Twice as much Vibe then on the Breakaway for example. The staff was over the top. When I entered, they would ask where I wanted to sit, they got me an umbrella and frozen fruit and a water with ice. Any time you needed a drink, they were their for you. It was awesome. I hope that helps you. FYI, I just booked the Vibe for the Breakaway trip for December 4, 2022. They are now completely sold out. Crazy. As soon as they changed the game to book it early, they Vibe was completely sold out in days. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@Sand and SeasAllow me to do my best and I hope you and other find this helpful. I was on the Joy twice in 6 months. I was in the Haven with my family the first time and in a Club Suite solo the second time. I also wrote this op-ed on the Secrets to the Haven. The room service menu as I recalled, did not look different from the regular room service menu. This fact is kind of not relevant because all the room service I did came from the Haven Restaurant while in the Haven Suite. That was the first request I made from my butler on day one. The only time this is not honored is when the Haven Restaurant is closed or the item you request is not on the Haven Menu. Room service in general is mostly lackluster. It sound romantic and lovely especially when in a Suite. Try it once, ask for the Haven Restaurant and provide a review. That would be helpful. Remember my opinions are only my own and other opinions should be considered. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Take a look at the Amenities on the Joy. Look at the Haven Categories. That might help you. The bottles in the Haven are on the ledge in the bathroom. They are small and get replenished when they are gone. They are high end. When out of the Haven, they can be located in the shower in dispensers. Cruise well. Amenities JOY.pdf

@CruiseCattVery good question. Consider this, the Encore has hottubs in the Vibe. The view is lovely. There is a bar in the Vibe. With all that said, the best view in my opinion on a Alaska cruise is the Observation deck which is climate controlled. You have a Bar and a Starbucks. Since it is the Encore they have the Thermal Spa which cost as much as the Vibe. I would opt for the Thermal Spa instead of the Vibe. Just my two cents which is what I think you were asking for. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

My posts are all about strategy. Realistic expectation. Making your cruise experience the best it can be. The game has changed on the Vibe Beach Club. What if none of us knew the game changed. What if we did what we always did. Got on the ship super-fast, even paid extra to get on faster just to run to the Vibe Beach Club Desk. We were there first but they were sold out. How would we feel then. At least new we know, when you book your cruise, book your Vibe. Simple as that. If you can't get the Vibe, make a decision on if you want to cruise if you feel strongly that way. Better to be informed. Now to clarify a couple of points. The Cruise I am on is a special cruise. It is for the winners of the slot tournaments from all NCL ships from 2021. The Haven is almost sold out and that is very unusual for a cruise 150 days away. The people going on this cruise are not new to cruising and they found out just like we did, the new game for the Vibe. On my Cruise which is December 4, 2022; on the Breakaway out of New Orleans; 150 days in advance the Vibe week passes are sold out. The Cabana's in the Vibe are sold out. That is a fact. This does not mean your cruise is sold out. The new game again is when you book, book your Cabana or Vibe pass. Nothing is going to change that. Folks, I do not do post to create controversy or to promote fear. I do it so those that read my post can be as informed as I am, so we have the best possible cruise experience. Cruise well everyone and enjoy every moment.

Hello Everyone, Sthrngary here: Thank you to all the folks that shared information on getting a Vibe Beach Club Pass in advance of your cruise sailing. I want to share my experience with everyone. My cruise is 150 days away, I called and get two Vibe Passes for the week at $209.00 per pass put on my remaining balance due August 6, 2022. I was beyond thrilled. Then I realized I could have gotten a Vibe Beach Club Cabana for with two week passes for just a bit more. I immediately called back and it took until the next day to find someone who could help me. It seems, at 150 days out, all Breakaway Vibe Beach Cabana's are completely sold out. In addition, Normal Vibe Beach Club passes are sold out. I am sharing this with you because I thought they were released 90 days before, but now I find out that even at 150 days you can get them. Please be advised. My wife and I are thrilled to get the passes, we are happy not to have to run to get them when we board on the ship. I hope this information helps everyone. Cruise well and Enjoy Every Moment.

Did the Vibe Cabana come with two vibe passes? I will call back and change that if that is the case. Your assistance is appreciated.

@vacation44When I first read your response I thought you meant a Beach Villa. Now I realize you meant a Cabana in the Vibe. Per your suggestion, I just called NCL. It took some effort but they confirmed I have two Vibe Beach passes for the week for my cruise. What is interesting is, they did not charge me. My remain balance went up instead of having to pay for it now. That was a pleasant surprise. I want to thank you for your help. I hated the run to the Vibe Desk. It made an already hectic day worse. I still don't trust I have this until it shows up on my online account. So I will call to verify even though they have charged me. Better safe then sorry. Thanks again Cruise well.

@Jim The LizardWow, Jim. You made my day. You can bet, tomorrow morning. I will be calling NCL and waiting the customary 90 minutes to talk to someone so they can transfer me several times, LOL. The one thing I can assure you, if I can pre-purchase the VIBE. It Shall Be Done. Thank you so much for the heads up. I hated the run to the Vibe desk. I would much prefer simply to go to the Vibe and have a drink when I get onboard. Life it short and I am trying to have a nice time for sure. Hope happiness and health to you and yours. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@REV_CruiserThank you for your kind words. Please remember, Haven is always my first approach. That will never change. Haven Lite is my approach until the Haven prices come back to a point where I can justify them again. I am retired new and my budget is not what it once was. On to your question. The Tequila in question is $45.00 per shot. if you have the normal perk drink package which is called the Premium Drink Package, the up charge per shot would be $30.00. For lots of reasons, I do the Premium Plus Drink Package, as long as the ship has the 1942, there is no upcharge. I write extensively on the Premium Plus Drink Package as I do about the Haven and now Haven lite on CruiseCritic.com. My goal is to inform, not to suggest. Folks can make their own budget opinions. Cruise well.

I am the author of this topic. My next cruise is on December 4, 2022 on the NCL Breakaway out of New Orleans. This was not the ship or the itinerary I would have chosen however it was selected because it hosts the Slot Machine Finals. My wife some how won the Slot Machine tournament on the NCL Joy in December 2021. This is crazy and odd. My wife never gambles. We will be going Haven Lite as I described on this topic. Usually I would do a Haven Upgrade bid. The issue is even thought this cruise leaves in almost six months, most all Haven suites are booked. I am assuming because of the Slot Machine Tournament. If not, I have no idea. The other reason is some of my family members will be joining and they simply can not afford the Haven. When you go on a cruise with family and good friends, you want to dine with them every night. This kind be expensive for the Non-Haven Guest. My Haven Lite Strategy is the same I did for my NCL Joy solo trip earlier this year. Premium Plus Beverage Package Upgraded Unlimited Streaming Internet Three meal Specialty Restaurant Package Earliest Boarding Time Vibe Beach Club and or Thermal Spa Depending on Weather Pre-Paid Gratuities Pre-Cruise Hotel by the Port If anyone has any questions, just ask. Cruise well.