Vibe - Sold Out - Availability on Board - Recent Experiences

[acrbag]

Hi All,

 

Apologies as I know this has been asked before but looking for any recent experiences. Vibe Beach Club has been sold out for our upcoming cruise for a while. Has anyone had any luck recently with buying passes once onboard (ie they hold some back)? Looking to see if we should get to the port early to secure. 

 

Thanks!

[IAcruising]

You're likely to get "yes" and "no" to this question. Different people had exact opposite experiences.

 

[BirdTravels]

11 minutes ago, acrbag said:

Apologies as I know this has been asked before but looking for any recent experiences. Vibe Beach Club has been sold out for our upcoming cruise for a while. Has anyone had any luck recently with buying passes once onboard (ie they hold some back)? Looking to see if we should get to the port early to secure. 

Sold out is normally sold out. You've waited too long. 

[Laszlo]

35 minutes ago, acrbag said:

Hi All,

 

Apologies as I know this has been asked before but looking for any recent experiences. Vibe Beach Club has been sold out for our upcoming cruise for a while. Has anyone had any luck recently with buying passes once onboard (ie they hold some back)? Looking to see if we should get to the port early to secure. 

 

Thanks!

You can always arrive at the port early, hope to get an early boarding pass and then run to guest services. They might have a few available, either way go to guest services and get on a waiting list. Some people get passes and cancel before the ship even leaves the dock

[SSFun]

When we first booked our December 2023 cruise the Vibe showed as sold out. I tried online, online chat and calling and was told it was sold out each time. I kept checking back (via the app) every few days and one day a couple of weeks ago it was again available. I was able to book it for both my husband and myself. So, sold out does not always mean sold out. I don't know why it came back as available, but it did for the cruise we are on; so if I were you I would keep checking back. If it doesn't open back up for sale, I'd check as soon as I get on the ship. Good luck!

[Laszlo]

2 minutes ago, SSFun said:

When we first booked our December 2023 cruise the Vibe showed as sold out. I tried online, online chat and calling and was told it was sold out each time. I kept checking back (via the app) every few days and one day a couple of weeks ago it was again available. I was able to book it for both my husband and myself. So, sold out does not always mean sold out. I don't know why it came back as available, but it did for the cruise we are on; so if I were you I would keep checking back. If it doesn't open back up for sale, I'd check as soon as I get on the ship. Good luck!

Someone could have cancelled, my wife and I had Vibe passes on our last cruise. They were sold out for weeks, I upgraded our cabin to the Haven and cancelled the passes. I went online and the Vibe was not sold out, the following day it was 

[PATRLR]

1 hour ago, SSFun said:

When we first booked our December 2023 cruise the Vibe showed as sold out. I tried online, online chat and calling and was told it was sold out each time. I kept checking back (via the app) every few days and one day a couple of weeks ago it was again available. I was able to book it for both my husband and myself. So, sold out does not always mean sold out. I don't know why it came back as available, but it did for the cruise we are on; so if I were you I would keep checking back. If it doesn't open back up for sale, I'd check as soon as I get on the ship. Good luck!

@acrbag the above is exactly the advice I give people.  Check daily.  Things change, people cancel, passes become available.

I think I have heard more stories of people getting them online, even after "sold out" than I have heard stories of people getting them on the ship.  That being said, if I didn't get one before boarding, I would be heading there as early as I possibly could.

[Jim The Lizard]

Not a lot of success stories out there getting those passes once onboard.   I've even read some where a couple was looking for an individual pass to join the only person in the cabin who acquired it.   Of course, ship choice matters here: Encore with it's supersized Vibe is going to have a lot more passes than Escape's 75 passes.   Some folks are upset because their latitude status doesn't translate to the acquiring of the passes.   I love that.  Started getting Vibe on our first Breakaway class ship and haven't sailed without it since.  Used to be luck and a lot of running, now it's planning!  

[vacation44]

56 minutes ago, Jim The Lizard said:

 Used to be luck and a lot of running, now it's planning!  

I certainly do not miss the running along with the stress!   We had a perfect four for four record before the change last summer.

[jcollin]

1 hour ago, vacation44 said:

I certainly do not miss the running along with the stress!   We had a perfect four for four record before the change last summer.

Knocked a few old ladies down on the way?

[D_And_K_gocruising]

2 hours ago, Jim The Lizard said:

Not a lot of success stories out there getting those passes once onboard.   I've even read some where a couple was looking for an individual pass to join the only person in the cabin who acquired it.   Of course, ship choice matters here: Encore with it's supersized Vibe is going to have a lot more passes than Escape's 75 passes.   Some folks are upset because their latitude status doesn't translate to the acquiring of the passes.   I love that.  Started getting Vibe on our first Breakaway class ship and haven't sailed without it since.  Used to be luck and a lot of running, now it's planning!  

Holy crap, the escape only has 75 passes?  That's insane!!  (coming from a couple that has vibe passes lol)

 

[trivia addict]

Last June on the Joy, Vibe passes were sold out months before boarding, but we were able to snag a few as soon as we boarded. We were told that a few are kept in reserve for boarding day.

We did NOT go to guest services. The passes were being given out at a table set up in the Teepenyaki restaurant.

[DominicAUS]

NCL are consistently inconsistent! Doing a B2B cruise in Jan, on the 5 day they have vibe passes available for presale, however the 15 day they haven’t had them  available, their website said come back post final payment, being in Australia as soon as it turned to midnight, still nothing. Called up and they weren’t sure what was going on. Still nothing, showing not available and to check back or book on the ship! 
 

Hoping to snag a pair, will ask while on the 5 day to see if they can get them in turnaround day.  
 

Hope you’re able to get them 

[Jim The Lizard]

On 10/24/2023 at 2:38 PM, vacation44 said:

I certainly do not miss the running along with the stress!   We had a perfect four for four record before the change last summer.

 

On 10/24/2023 at 4:06 PM, D_And_K_gocruising said:

Holy crap, the escape only has 75 passes?  That's insane!!  (coming from a couple that has vibe passes lol)

 

So true.  We are 8 for 8 on passes and it was crazy how we had to run!  As for knocking down old ladies, our very first Vibe some guy was angry with my wife accusing her of bumping him.  We all were in Vibe all week and he wouldn’t let it go (my wife is a pretty small woman and didn’t touch this guy).  One year I got bumped at the top of the staircase on Encore by an old guy and wiped out trying to get to the Social one deck down.  I’m a pretty big guy, and this little dude took me out.  Ran into Social as the attendant was putting the “Vibe Sold Out” sign right in front of me.  Thankfully it all worked out.   I love this new book as soon as you can and take that get to the port at O Dark 30 and then mad stampede out of the equation.  

[baflagg]

It's worth it to keep checking online and once you get on board. We sailed on the Joy twice this summer with per-purchased vibe passes and both cruises there were guests in the Vibe that purchased them when they got on board.  

[UKstages]

On 10/24/2023 at 1:39 PM, Jim The Lizard said:

Not a lot of success stories out there getting those passes once onboard.

 

i see lots of recent success stories about passes being purchased onboard on the day of embarkation. i have previously told one myself.

 

i'm currently onboard the joy on a B2B. boarded 10/16 in new york at 11:20 am or so, went straightaway to purchase vibe passes, was first in line. $309 for a 12-day cruise. there were about thirty to forty envelopes with welcome packets there, but five or six of them held solo passes. the rest were packets for two. so i guesstimate that there were as many as 60 or 65 passes available on the day. your mileage may vary and undoubtedly the numbers will be different for every ship, every sailing. but i asked the person selling them and she said that they always hoild back passes and make them available on the day. again, YMMV.

 

0n 10/28 out of miami, i was back on board around 11 am after clearing immigration. once again, i was first in line and was able to purchase a vibe pass... $249 for seven days. once again, there was a collection of thirty to forty envelopes with welcome packets on the table. once again, the person selling them said that they hold back passes to make them available on the day. once again, YMMV.

 

On 10/24/2023 at 5:15 PM, trivia addict said:

We did NOT go to guest services. The passes were being given out at a table set up in the Teepenyaki restaurant.

 

exactly right. a table set up outside teppanyaki, not at guest services. 

 

i wish the passes were being "given out," but i actually had to purchase them!

 

On 10/29/2023 at 12:08 AM, Jim The Lizard said:

I love this new book as soon as you can and take that get to the port at O Dark 30 and then mad stampede out of the equation.  

 

sure, i guess. but if one is trying to purchase using OBC, one has to purchase passes while onboard. NCL does not allow OBC to be used for advance purchases.

[seemoreroyals]

2 minutes ago, UKstages said:

 

 

i'm currently onboard the joy on a B2B. boarded 10/16 in new york at 11:20 am or so, went straightaway to purchase vibe passes, was first in line. $309 for a 12-day cruise. there were about thirty to forty envelopes with welcome packets there, but five or six of them held solo passes. the rest were packets for two. so i guesstimate that there were as many as 60 or 65 passes available on the day. your mileage may vary and undoubtedly the numbers will be different for every ship, every sailing. but i asked the person selling them and she said that they always hoild back passes and make them available on the day. again, YMMV.

 

0n 10/28 out of miami, i was back on board around 11 am after clearing immigration. once again, i was first in line and was able to purchase a vibe pass... $249 for seven days. once again, there was a collection of thirty to forty envelopes with welcome packets on the table. once again, the person selling them said that they hold back passes to make them available on the day. once again, YMMV.

 

 

 

 

Perhaps I missed your response elsewhere.  What was your overall impression of the vibe?  I guess it was positive since you decided to purchase it for the second leg of your cruise as well.  

 

You are one of the most thorough and objective reviewers.  Looking forward to your opinion of the vibe.

[Jim The Lizard]

4 hours ago, UKstages said:

 

On 10/24/2023 at 1:39 PM, Jim The Lizard said:

Not a lot of success stories out there getting those passes once onboard.

 

i see lots of recent success stories about passes being purchased onboard on the day of embarkation.

 

Wow!  You’re the first I’ve seen that mentions passes being held back!  Does Joy have the expanded Vibe like Encore?   Regardless, congratulations and enjoy. 

[vacation44]

25 minutes ago, Jim The Lizard said:

Wow!  You’re the first I’ve seen that mentions passes being held back!  Does Joy have the expanded Vibe like Encore?   Regardless, congratulations and enjoy. 

Yes, the Vibe is expanded on the Joy.

[Jim The Lizard]

23 hours ago, vacation44 said:

Yes, the Vibe is expanded on the Joy.

So it’s selling around 200 passes like Encore.   Makes sense that there might be some for sale at boarding with more than double available passes on other NCL Vibe ships. 

[DominicAUS]

On 10/31/2023 at 8:29 AM, UKstages said:

 

i see lots of recent success stories about passes being purchased onboard on the day of embarkation. i have previously told one myself.

 

i'm currently onboard the joy on a B2B. boarded 10/16 in new york at 11:20 am or so, went straightaway to purchase vibe passes, was first in line. $309 for a 12-day cruise. there were about thirty to forty envelopes with welcome packets there, but five or six of them held solo passes. the rest were packets for two. so i guesstimate that there were as many as 60 or 65 passes available on the day. your mileage may vary and undoubtedly the numbers will be different for every ship, every sailing. but i asked the person selling them and she said that they always hoild back passes and make them available on the day. again, YMMV.

 

0n 10/28 out of miami, i was back on board around 11 am after clearing immigration. once again, i was first in line and was able to purchase a vibe pass... $249 for seven days. once again, there was a collection of thirty to forty envelopes with welcome packets on the table. once again, the person selling them said that they hold back passes to make them available on the day. once again, YMMV.

 

 

exactly right. a table set up outside teppanyaki, not at guest services. 

 

i wish the passes were being "given out," but i actually had to purchase them!

 

 

sure, i guess. but if one is trying to purchase using OBC, one has to purchase passes while onboard. NCL does not allow OBC to be used for advance purchases.

Were you not able to secure passes on the first cruise for the second cruise? I’m hoping that I can secure some on the first cruise. However if not hoping to be one of the first back on to get them, as they’re not selling them prior to the cruise (as of yet)

[vacation44]

55 minutes ago, DominicAUS said:

However if not hoping to be one of the first back on to get them, as they’re not selling them prior to the cruise (as of yet)

When is your cruise?

[vacation44]

2 minutes ago, vacation44 said:

When is your cruise?

 

58 minutes ago, DominicAUS said:

Were you not able to secure passes on the first cruise for the second cruise? I’m hoping that I can secure some on the first cruise. However if not hoping to be one of the first back on to get them, as they’re not selling them prior to the cruise (as of yet)

Just re-read the thread and answered my own question.

[vacation44]

8 hours ago, Jim The Lizard said:

So it’s selling around 200 passes like Encore.   Makes sense that there might be some for sale at boarding with more than double available passes on other NCL Vibe ships. 

I am wondering if only the ships that have the expanded Vibe have some passes held back.   Holding back passes sorta brings back the race to obtain passes.   Just very happy we have them already for both our 2024 cruises which are on the Joy and Encore.

[bkrickles1]

I was on Joy in July and was told that they don't hold back passes.

But, I was told that there are typically cancellations and that frees up some passes after embarkation.

I've pre-booked Vibe for a Getaway sailing in April for the first time.

We always have others travelling with us, many times with children, and we end up not wanting to be away from them all day. This trip in April is just me, my wife and my daughter, so it's the perfect time to book Vibe and we're all super excited to experience it.

If some of our friends and family decided to join us, we could potentially cancel our passes prior to sailing and those passes could be made available after boarding.

I think that's probably how it might happen for others.

My wife would kill me for saying it, but I kind of hope nobody joins us. LMAO!!