Is there a secret to Vibe passes?

My Fiancé and I are planning our next cruise for October 2018, and it will be special to us as it will be our honeymoon. We have cruised several cruise lines in the past and her favorite is NCL (mine is RCCL). We went on the escape last year and we were lucky enough to score the last 2 passes to Vibe Beach Club. It made the ship feels so much smaller. I would be much more open to sailing Norwegian again if we were able to get the Vibe passes. I'm not saying it is make or break, but it is a big deal to us and definitely factors into our decision in cruise lines. I was trying to find out if there is a way to increase our odds of getting a pass.

Thanks,

Jacob

book a suite or another other haven cabin. the haven group is one of the first groups to board the ship

The key is to get to the sales desk as soon as possible. Unless you have priority boarding, then I would skip the effort, hassle, and likely disappointment, and get a spa pass.

You have a great chance of getting them if you are in one of the first boarding groups. This generally means getting to the port around 9'ishAM and waiting around for hours only to join in the Amazing Race, Vibe Pass Edition. Other options? Booking a Haven, bidding strong to upgrade to a Haven or traveling with someone who has some physical limitation so you get priority boarding.

yes, Haven gets you on board faster, but if you are paying for the Haven, you really dont need Vibe.

get to port early, you will probably get boarding group 2. also, you are sailing in october which helps.

the one and only time we did Vibe, it was sold out despite my fiance RUNNING to customer service. however, he had a nice chat with the person there and stated that we really wanted the passes and what could he do? ultimately, we got them. try being persistent, talk up the honeymoon, etc. it may work.

fact is, they sell X passes for the week, but in our experience, it sat empty most days. a waste. we never saw anyone in a cabana, and there was a group of about 10 of us that were "regulars" parked up there all day. On subsequent sails, i talked to some who had access. one guy said he only used it for the bar (no wait) and *if* he wanted a hot tub. otherwise, he never sat up there. so they can probably oversell these (even tho they dont advertise it) konwing that there is a large percentage that buy them and rarely or never use the club.

The constant stories of Haven guests who just gobble up Vibe passes for "peace of mind" or even just "because I can" and never use them just really bother me. I know it's their money and they can do what they want with it, and they did pay that huge Haven markup to get that kind of special treatment/privilege, but something about it just rubs me the wrong way. I try not to judge, but it does feel a bit inconsiderate of fellow passengers who are more than willing to spend a little extra for a small upgrade like Vibe but are still essentially priced out by the Haven guests.

I am really hoping to have the Vibe experience on my upcoming cruise in November, and my wife is hoping for it even more than I am. We plan on getting to the port by 9 and grabbing that boarding group number of 2, and know that if we still don't score vibe passes, it won't ruin our vacation, but it sure will be a major disappointment to start out our trip. I figure if we do wind up still missing out on Vibe passes, even getting to the port before security opens, I could at least lay on a sob story about that and try to get on a waiting list or something. Doesn't hurt to try.

^^I’m shooting for them in November as well but I had them on the Escape same time last year and it was like being in a hurricane at least half the days. If you don’t get them, don’t let that affect your cruise. I had spa passes too and that is an awesome alternative and....no tornado wind gusts!

Here is a link for the VIBE on the Escape!

All I can say is try to be there when the doors open about 9am. If your in boarding group 1 or 2 you should be fine. You want to move along as fast as you can

The constant stories of Haven guests who just gobble up Vibe passes for "peace of mind" or even just "because I can" and never use them just really bother me. I know it's their money and they can do what they want with it, and they did pay that huge Haven markup to get that kind of special treatment/privilege, but something about it just rubs me the wrong way.

There's no valid reason for it to bother you. The person who buys the pass decides how much or how little time that they spend in VIBE. The same is true for spa passes.

As for getting on the ship before general boarding begins, do you feel the same way towards Ambassador, Platinum Plus, and Platinum Latitudes members who board before general boarding and are able to get VIBE passes?

I try not to judge, but it does feel a bit inconsiderate of fellow passengers who are more than willing to spend a little extra for a small upgrade like Vibe but are still essentially priced out by the Haven guests.

How in the world is it "inconsiderate"? If there's a cruise that I want to go on and the DOS is sold out, is it inconsiderate of those who booked it because I now can't? When there is a limited number of something, those who get aren't doing anything wrong by those who do not.

I figure if we do wind up still missing out on Vibe passes, even getting to the port before security opens, I could at least lay on a sob story about that and try to get on a waiting list or something. Doesn't hurt to try.

You don't need a sob story. Anyone can put their name on the waiting list.

Ok, I will concede my frustration directed at those who purchase the passes and do not use them is misplaced. I even prefaced by saying I fully understand they have the right to do with those passes whatever they please (even if it means only poking their head up into the vibe once and never returning).

There is something wrong with the situation/setup, though, if you could be the very first person to arrive at the port that morning, head directly to the Guest Services desk, and attempt to purchase the one add on which would be meaningful you were hoping to get, and still have it sold out. It's a frustrating situation, to say the least. I know it's not the fault of those who rightfully take advantage of their priority boarding to maximize their perks and access. It just doesn't seem quite right when even putting in the effort to be timely and going for what you want still doesn't even give you a decent shot unless you already fall into a number of (usually financially prohibitive) classes of passengers. If getting to the port early and making a bee-line for the desk actually had a reasonable chance of success, I wouldn't care at all. The real problem is less that those with extensive histories with the line and those who invested in the premium experience of the Haven get first access to many of the ships offerings, it's that the system for such a small space should have at least some parity if time and again it's shown that in general, the general population on the cruise has zero or near-zero chance of access due to the popularity among the priority boarding pax. In that case, NCL may as well just stop marketing Vibe to us plebeians, thus avoiding any frustration and disappointment.

If the upgrade bidding ends up being a big hit for NCL, maybe they'll start doing the same thing for Vibe and Spa passes. Pay double the amount to get a guaranteed spot, otherwise submit a bid and if it's one of the highest 48 hours before sailing, your card is charged immediately. (Although even then, I imagine concierge would reserve additional passes for Haven guests.)

There is something wrong with the situation/setup, though, if you could be the very first person to arrive at the port that morning, head directly to the Guest Services desk, and attempt to purchase the one add on which would be meaningful you were hoping to get, and still have it sold out. It's a frustrating situation, to say the least.

I understand the frustration with the setup but there is no setup that wouldn't be frustrating to hundreds/thousands of people.

If passes could be reserved online, there would still be frustration as suite guests would probably be able to reserve them sooner (just like dinner reservations).

If passes were handed out in a lottery-style random drawing, some couples would win while their friends would probably not. Plus, one stateroom may have 1 adult and the next may have 6 adults. How would people get an equal chance of "winning"?

...it's that the system for such a small space should have at least some parity if time and again it's shown that in general, the general population on the cruise has zero or near-zero chance of access due to the popularity among the priority boarding pax.

No matter what, less than 100 passes for over 5,000 people will always result in a "slim to none" chance of getting passes. Not everyone wants a pass but the total number that want will always exceed the number of available passes by a large margin. Disappointment cannot be avoided.

In that case, NCL may as well just stop marketing Vibe to us plebeians, thus avoiding any frustration and disappointment.

The level of frustration is up to the individual. If VIBE access is of the utmost importance (it shouldn't be), there are ways to improve the odds even if not booked in the Haven. It's not guaranteed but there is still a chance just like there is a chance of a Haven bid winning.

just wondering would it be helpful to post the location of where to buy the Vibe passes on each ship as its not guest services on every ship is it??

just wondering would it be helpful to post the location of where to buy the Vibe passes on each ship as its not guest services on every ship is it??

Vibe only exists on 3 ships. You buy them at guest services on Breakaway and Getaway and in Headliners on Escape.

the Norwegian Epic has the Posh club which is similar to the Vibe

 

There is something wrong with the situation/setup,....

We did Posh and Vibe. We burn after a day or so. The clamshells and padded chairs are nice, but the loungers on the sun deck work just as well.

We now save the money to take a relaxing beach excursion and lay in the sun and wade in the surf. We still get burned!

Maybe they could make a part of the Haven adults only?

As long as children are allowed in the Haven I see no reason not to pay for VIBE even if I have access to the Haven.

Maybe they could make a part of the Haven adults only?

With Bliss' much larger Haven sundeck, I would make the starboard side (next to VIBE) adult-only and the port side open to all if I could....but I can't. ;p

Maybe they could make a part of the Haven adults only?

 

As long as children are allowed in the Haven I see no reason not to pay for VIBE even if I have access to the Haven.

Why would you penalize passengers, who paid much more than the regular passenger, with children and relegate them to a separate area, which would probably mean the bar is not in that area or it would be a lesser area?

But people paying for Haven and travel without children also pay much more than the regular passenger. Why not give them an adults only area? Does children really need to be allowed in the whole Haven?

I don't mind children but on a cruise with many children I might like to have an quiet adults only area.

But people paying for Haven and travel without children also pay much more than the regular passenger. Why not give them an adults only area? Does children really need to be allowed in the whole Haven?

 

I don't mind children but on a cruise with many children I might like to have an quiet adults only area.

If you want a quiet adults only area, you don't want Vibe. The times I've been there, it's far from quiet. It's a loud, fun, adult party.

Children is as I said no problem for me but if more non-Haven passengers shall be able to get VIBE-passes maybe they should make a part of the Haven adults only so that less Haven passengers want VIBE-passes.

If you want a quiet adults only area, you don't want Vibe. The times I've been there, it's far from quiet. It's a loud, fun, adult party.

I have only been in VIBE on the Breakaway and that was very quiet on our cruise.

But people paying for Haven and travel without children also pay much more than the regular passenger. Why not give them an adults only area? Does children really need to be allowed in the whole Haven?

 

I don't mind children but on a cruise with many children I might like to have an quiet adults only area.

Anyone traveling in the Haven, should expect there to be children, because of the number of bedrooms in some of the suites and the space in the others, not to mention NCL is a family friendly cruise line. I'll be in a Haven aft-penthouse next year, but won't be using the Haven or Vibe, for that matter, but if I were and I was relegated to a lesser space after spending money for the Haven, I would certainly be ticked off. Also, I believe all or most all of the suites have a balcony and I'm sure that would be a quite place. Don't get me wrong, I don't think there is any place for undisciplined chldren that are running around screaming and yelling, canonballing into the pool, etc., but really not sure how to solve the issue.