Escape Vibe

[Chris_2448]

This was part of my longer review from my 5/12 Escape Sailing to Bermuda I just posted. I though it deserved it's own thread as I know the Vibe passes are a popular discussion.

 

19^th deck bar: I found this little hidden Gem. Never crowded when I went and ended going there a few times to catch up on the PGA. This is the bar which is right to the right before you enter the Vibe. The Vibe Bartenders service this bar. I got to speaking to one of the Vibe’s bartenders, her name was Febry. Great personality. She gave me a tour of the Vibe and told me to comeback tomorrow and she would let me spend the day there. I did not however because we were in Bermuda and spent most of the day off the ship. She did mention to me that they have not sold out of the Vibe passes since they raised the prices (I think about a month and ½ ago).

[vacation44]

Interesting.   We have purchased the Vibe twice before.  Once was during Christmas week when the Escape just started sailing and then on the Getaway last June.   Loved both experiences and it was worth it to is.   Now, since this time we are leaving out of New York with the weather is not so predictable and with the big price increase, we still have not made a decision if we are going to go for it next week.   Since we need four passes, the increase is a lot.  Both of our young adult children do want to go for it so we will see.   But then again, I agree the other side of the Vibe would be just fine.

[omarchs]

3 hours ago, Chris_2448 said:

This was part of my longer review from my 5/12 Escape Sailing to Bermuda I just posted. I though it deserved it's own thread as I know the Vibe passes are a popular discussion.

 

19^th deck bar: I found this little hidden Gem. Never crowded when I went and ended going there a few times to catch up on the PGA. This is the bar which is right to the right before you enter the Vibe. The Vibe Bartenders service this bar. I got to speaking to one of the Vibe’s bartenders, her name was Febry. Great personality. She gave me a tour of the Vibe and told me to comeback tomorrow and she would let me spend the day there. I did not however because we were in Bermuda and spent most of the day off the ship. She did mention to me that they have not sold out of the Vibe passes since they raised the prices (I think about a month and ½ ago).

Thanks for posting this!

 

We were on the May 5 voyage and bought Vibe passes for the 1st time. The staff told us only about 25 passes were bought for the previous week and only 44 for our week.  Whether this low count is due to the increased price or just due to people expecting lower temps traveling to Bermuda is anyone’s guess. Many people speculated that it would once again quickly sell out for the summer sailings.

 

The staff as you indicated were exceptional. Febrie, Carla and July provided great service all week. We didn’t realize that they had coffee/pastry in the morning and you could also order lunch from the Haven courtyard sandwich menu. They also brought around little sandwiches, fruit skewers and cookies throughout the day.

 

Would have preferred the lower price, but we still felt we got our money’s worth. We have done a Haven room before and always thought the Haven sundeck was subpar without a bar.

[vacation44]

1 hour ago, omarchs said:

Thanks for posting this!

 

We were on the May 5 voyage and bought Vibe passes for the 1st time. The staff told us only about 25 passes were bought for the previous week and only 44 for our week.  Whether this low count is due to the increased price or just due to people expecting lower temps traveling to Bermuda is anyone’s guess. Many people speculated that it would once again quickly sell out for the summer sailings.

 

The staff as you indicated were exceptional. Febrie, Carla and July provided great service all week. We didn’t realize that they had coffee/pastry in the morning and you could also order lunch from the Haven courtyard sandwich menu. They also brought around little sandwiches, fruit skewers and cookies throughout the day.

 

Would have preferred the lower price, but we still felt we got our money’s worth. We have done a Haven room before and always thought the Haven sundeck was subpar without a bar.

Thank you for your sharing your recent experience.   Where are the passes sold now?  I think I remember  reading they changed locations.

[Hockeydad1972]

12 hours ago, omarchs said:

Thanks for posting this!

 

We were on the May 5 voyage and bought Vibe passes for the 1st time. The staff told us only about 25 passes were bought for the previous week and only 44 for our week.  Whether this low count is due to the increased price or just due to people expecting lower temps traveling to Bermuda is anyone’s guess. Many people speculated that it would once again quickly sell out for the summer sailings.

 

The staff as you indicated were exceptional. Febrie, Carla and July provided great service all week. We didn’t realize that they had coffee/pastry in the morning and you could also order lunch from the Haven courtyard sandwich menu. They also brought around little sandwiches, fruit skewers and cookies throughout the day.

 

Would have preferred the lower price, but we still felt we got our money’s worth. We have done a Haven room before and always thought the Haven sundeck was subpar without a bar.

Can anyone confirm that you can now order lunch from the Haven in the Vibe on the Escape..? We have done Vive on our last 2 cruises on Escape and Getaway and this wasn’t the case.. They did cookies and Fruit skewers but never lunch front he Haven ..

 

Is it possible this is a change with the huge price increase???

 

 

 

 

Edited May 22, 2019 by Hockeydad1972

[Son of a son of a ...]

11 hours ago, vacation44 said:

Thank you for your sharing your recent experience.   Where are the passes sold now?  I think I remember  reading they changed locations.

 

Interested, too.  And, what is the cost now?

[Laszlo]

32 minutes ago, Son of a son of a ... said:

 

Interested, too.  And, what is the cost now?

I believe they are still sold at Headliners and cost $209 or $219

 

 

 

[omarchs]

Yes, they were sold at Headliners and they were $209 each. There was a staff member right when you walked in that you got a ticket count number for each pass you wanted to buy and then brought them over to a cashier who reminded you of the new price.

 

i didn’t take a picture of the lunch menu, but it was the same Haven lunch menu we have ordered on the Breakaway courtyard in the past with burgers/sandwiches . It isn’t the Haven dining room lunch menu. 

 

You will I’ll need to ask previous Vibe purchasers if this was included in the past since this was our first time in Vibe. I don’t believe it was a previous inclusion since I never remember

reading about it as a perk prior to the price increase.

[graphicguy]

Talked to a couple of NCL cruise friends who went on the Escape two weeks after me on my last cruise.  They said The Vibe wasn’t sold out either time.  Price increase seems to be the general concensus.

 

I concur.....$418 (for two) just to get a lounger is a tough sell.  The bar tender at the bar right outside of the Vibe is the same one in the Vibe.  

 

Be interesting to see if they change pricing to reflect the steep downward trend of people who buy VIBE passes.

[nhquilter1]

Too bad you can't purchase a daily pass for $30 a day...For me, buying a pass for the 7 days and then being docked in Bermuda for 3 days would be a waste.

[vacation44]

2 hours ago, omarchs said:

Yes, they were sold at Headliners and they were $209 each. There was a staff member right when you walked in that you got a ticket count number for each pass you wanted to buy and then brought them over to a cashier who reminded you of the new price.

 

i didn’t take a picture of the lunch menu, but it was the same Haven lunch menu we have ordered on the Breakaway courtyard in the past with burgers/sandwiches . It isn’t the Haven dining room lunch menu. 

 

You will I’ll need to ask previous Vibe purchasers if this was included in the past since this was our first time in Vibe. I don’t believe it was a previous inclusion since I never remember

reading about it as a perk prior to the price increase.

Both times we were in the Vibe, we were not able to order any food (we were also non Haven).   

[beerman2]

If I remember correctly on the Escape (2 or 3 years ago) ,you could order sandwiches/food for an extra fee. It definitely wasn't included.

[Laszlo]

Been in the Vibe four times on two ships and never saw a lunch menu. Then again we never asked. We just walked down to the buffet to grab a plate to bring back. What I did see was a couple Haven guest who had their butler bring them lunch from the Haven restaurant

[sid_9169]

Looks like they finally found the breaking point of "cost" vs "selling out" Vibe every single sailing... I have enjoyed Vibe on all the away and away plus class ships, but I would rather throw my money towards the new premium plus upgraded beverage package than fork over two hundred something bucks for a better chair and a less crowded bar...

[Hockeydad1972]

7 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Talked to a couple of NCL cruise friends who went on the Escape two weeks after me on my last cruise.  They said The Vibe wasn’t sold out either time.  Price increase seems to be the general concensus.

 

I concur.....$418 (for two) just to get a lounger is a tough sell.  The bar tender at the bar right outside of the Vibe is the same one in the Vibe.  

 

Be interesting to see if they change pricing to reflect the steep downward trend of people who buy VIBE passes.

Just an FYI to people who say that the bartenders are the same that is not the case.. The main bartender covers vibe only.. The 2nd bartender helps at both and a bartender from the non Vibe bar comes in while either of the other two main bartenders are on break.. 

 

This was the case in each instance I had Vibe on Escape and Getaway

[beerman2]

2 hours ago, Hockeydad1972 said:

Just an FYI to people who say that the bartenders are the same that is not the case.. The main bartender covers vibe only.. The 2nd bartender helps at both and a bartender from the non Vibe bar comes in while either of the other two main bartenders are on break.. 

 

This was the case in each instance I had Vibe on Escape and Getaway

On the Bliss Rommel is main bartender in Vibe. Our cruise in Jan. he spent a lot of time outside Vibe. Vibe was sold out, but nobody used it, so we reminisced about our Vibe experience on the Escape 2 years earlier.

[Hockeydad1972]

9 minutes ago, beerman2 said:

On the Bliss Rommel is main bartender in Vibe. Our cruise in Jan. he spent a lot of time outside Vibe. Vibe was sold out, but nobody used it, so we reminisced about our Vibe experience on the Escape 2 years earlier.

We had Rommel and Rommel(trie story)in the Vibe 2 years ago and he definitely never worked the outside bar..

 

Darwin and Ricky last year on Getaway same thing.. If this is the case definitely new this year as they always had separate bartenders outside

Edited May 23, 2019 by Hockeydad1972

[beerman2]

3 minutes ago, Hockeydad1972 said:

We had Rommel and Rommel(trie story)in the Vibe 2 years ago and he definitely never worked the outside bar..

 

Darwin and Ricky last year on Getaway same thing.. If this is the case definitely new this year as they always had separate bartenders outside

There were separate bartender(s) outside, in our case Romell would spend a good amount of time with us outside Vibe. He had 1 of the bartenders check/cover Vibe.

 

Whether he was suppose to , who knows. What I do know his boss came around a few times and didn't say anything. She actually enjoyed hearing about our time with Romell on the Escape.

[Hockeydad1972]

1 minute ago, beerman2 said:

There were separate bartender(s) outside, in our case Romell would spend a good amount of time with us outside Vibe. He had 1 of the bartenders check/cover Vibe.

 

Whether he was suppose to , who knows. What I do know his boss came around a few times and didn't say anything. She actually enjoyed hearing about our time with Romell on the Escape.

They are all great guys!! Enjoyed our time with all of them..

[beerman2]

9 hours ago, Hockeydad1972 said:

They are all great guys!! Enjoyed our time with all of them..

3 of the best bartenders we met on the Escape (Romell, Chocolate Cowboy and Bong). It was great spending time with them again.

 

The DB crew was pretty good also.

 

 

[graphicguy]

4 hours ago, beerman2 said:

3 of the best bartenders we met on the Escape (Romell, Chocolate Cowboy and Bong). It was great spending time with them again.

 

The DB crew was pretty good also.

 

 

Spent time with the Chocolate Cowboy, but he was in the the WaterFront Bar the last time I saw him.  Great bartender.....along with  Miraslov and Petra as Haven bartenders.  Last time I saw either of them were on the Away ships.

 

Re VIBE bartenders.....just saw two of them in the VIBE, and they seemed to be moving between the VIBE and the “outside the door” bar area just outside the VIBE.

Edited May 23, 2019 by graphicguy

[beerman2]

6 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Spent time with the Chocolate Cowboy, but he was in the the WaterFront Bar the last time I saw him.  Great bartender.....along with  Miraslov and Petra as Haven bartenders.  Last time I saw either of them were on the Away ships.

 

Re VIBE bartenders.....just saw two of them in the VIBE, and they seemed to be moving between the VIBE and the “outside the door” bar area just outside the VIBE.

Yep , Bong was Waterfront Bar , Chocolate Cowboy was right inside.

 

Vibe/Just outside Vibe Bartenders did seem to go back and forth this past Jan.

 

Rommel was bored, Vibe crowd was sparse that week, even though it was sold out!