Vibe pass fraud

[Greenpea2]

No bar on the Haven sun deck though. For some people having a fun bar a few steps away is enough to make it worth it. 

[Greenpea2]

2 minutes ago, beerman2 said:

Last I saw it was 209.00 per person for the week.

I believe it’s more than that now. Closer to $300. I could be wrong though. 

[bjtravelnews]

56 minutes ago, beerman2 said:

Last I saw it was 209.00 per person for the week.

Spa passes pre boarding are still $199 pp.  Since this is also adults only, IMO - a better option than the Vibe.  Guess it depends on whether you want to be in the sun or not.  I am not a sun worshipper and don't like hanging out at the pools or sun decks.

 

[Georgia_Peaches]

1 hour ago, Greenpea2 said:

No bar on the Haven sun deck though. For some people having a fun bar a few steps away is enough to make it worth it. 

True, but they do have bar staff walking around taking drink orders.  Or at least they did on my Breakaway sailing.

[Greenpea2]

1 minute ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

True, but they do have bar staff walking around taking drink orders.  Or at least they did on my Breakaway sailing.

Yes, but it’s a different feel with a bar and bar tenders right there. More of a party atmosphere around the actual bar, you know? Also,  I have read a number of posts from Haven guests saying it’s not always easy to get a drink on the Haven sun deck without just going to the Haven bar. I have been in the Haven in the Gem and the Epic and I agree with that part of it. It never bothered me to go find my own drink, but it is different from having a dedicated bar right there is all I am saying. 

[NYcruzzer]

On the Escape the area just outside the Vibe is lovely. There is the other half of the Vibe bar situated on this side of the partition. There is also a large hot tub and cool misting area. Plenty of loungers there on my NYE cruise. I would much rather spend the extra money on a Thermal Pass. Escape's Spa is wonderful. A real nice place to escape the madness...

[Georgia_Peaches]

3 minutes ago, Greenpea2 said:

Yes, but it’s a different feel with a bar and bar tenders right there. More of a party atmosphere around the actual bar, you know? Also,  I have read a number of posts from Haven guests saying it’s not always easy to get a drink on the Haven sun deck without just going to the Haven bar. I have been in the Haven in the Gem and the Epic and I agree with that part of it. It never bothered me to go find my own drink, but it is different from having a dedicated bar right there is all I am saying. 

Gotcha...I guess I just don't understand the appeal of the Vibe area but like many, I don't like to be in the sun and much prefer the tranquility of the spa or the shaded loungers in the Haven.  I did read about a nice little spot just outside the Vibe area (on the other side of the Haven wall) on deck 15, I think that had very little traffic and a quiet little bar...again on Breakaway.  

[Greenpea2]

9 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Gotcha...I guess I just don't understand the appeal of the Vibe area but like many, I don't like to be in the sun and much prefer the tranquility of the spa or the shaded loungers in the Haven.  I did read about a nice little spot just outside the Vibe area (on the other side of the Haven wall) on deck 15, I think that had very little traffic and a quiet little bar...again on Breakaway.  

I agree with you. I really enjoyed Vibe when it was around $100 a week (and paid for itself by including a generous food/beverage credit). But I cruise out of NY in the winter so really could not use it that much. Now the price is just crazy--so no thanks!

[NCLetscruise]

Gamblers are very valuable to NCL, plain and simple. They lose lots of money. NCL will bend over backwards to try to accommodate them. It's the way it goes, like it or not.

[beerman2]

1 hour ago, bjtravelnews said:

Spa passes pre boarding are still $199 pp.  Since this is also adults only, IMO - a better option than the Vibe.  Guess it depends on whether you want to be in the sun or not.  I am not a sun worshipper and don't like hanging out at the pools or sun decks.

 

Now if they just added a bar (LOL) to the Spa!!!!!

 

 

Edited April 27, 2019 by beerman2

[Casino Comp Chick]

3 hours ago, NCLetscruise said:

Gamblers are very valuable to NCL, plain and simple. They lose lots of money. NCL will bend over backwards to try to accommodate them. It's the way it goes, like it or not.

 

 

^

^

Exactly this. 

It really is no different then a Haven passenger getting it from the concierge, that passenger has spent a lot of money and you get what you pay for.

Casino players pay in other ways and obviously that person has a history with CAS for dropping lots of coin.

Of course they will cater to them by giving them Vibe tickets to get them on the ship. Those bracelets can mean thousands and thousands of dollars in revenue to CAS.

Honestly that is a no-brainer for NCL/CAS.

 

BTW maybe I should mention that the casino actually paid for those VIBE bracelets through their casino tier OBC. 

 

Edited April 27, 2019 by Casino Comp Chick

[smplybcause]

14 hours ago, FLAHAM said:

 

No, they are often a small premium over insides and I have often purchased studios for less than the cost of insides. 

 

He's referring to the per person rates. If a solo sails in an inside they're paying 200% the per person rate. Studios are often less than the 200% rate, but are almost always higher than the per person rate for an inside (excluding solo discounts) . I haven't seen a studio go below $899 but I've regularly seen insides around 600 pp - which at those rates makes the studios 150% of the inside rate. 

[FLAHAM]

3 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

 

He's referring to the per person rates. If a solo sails in an inside they're paying 200% the per person rate. Studios are often less than the 200% rate, but are almost always higher than the per person rate for an inside (excluding solo discounts) . I haven't seen a studio go below $899 but I've regularly seen insides around 600 pp - which at those rates makes the studios 150% of the inside rate. 

OK thanks, I understand now.  However, by that logic  I have never bought a hotel room as a solo for less than 200% of the "per person" rate. 

[smplybcause]

2 minutes ago, FLAHAM said:

OK thanks, I understand now.  However, by that logic  I have never bought a hotel room as a solo for less than 200% of the "per person" rate. 

 

Besides all inclusive resorts I've never seen hotel rooms sold on a per person basis. So I have no idea where your "logic" on that comes from. I just booked three in cities far from each other and not one hotel listed per person rates. 

 

The logic also doesn't follow because all your buying is the space. A cruise fare also pays for activities and food - both of which the cruise line save when there's only one person in the room. 

[FLAHAM]

3 hours ago, smplybcause said:

 

Besides all inclusive resorts I've never seen hotel rooms sold on a per person basis. So I have no idea where your "logic" on that comes from. I just booked three in cities far from each other and not one hotel listed per person rates. 

 

The logic also doesn't follow because all your buying is the space. A cruise fare also pays for activities and food - both of which the cruise line save when there's only one person in the room. 

Well, a hotel doesn't lose a lot of revenue when one person occupies the room, but a cruise ship does.  They can't sell the missing person specialty dining, gambling, excursions, etc.  If the lost revenue was matched by missing expenses, the cruise ship would best travel empty. 

[Formula280SS]

The Vibe is an evolving issue and story-line for NCL and such also varies not only by ship but by cruise.

 

The 'stated Vibe priority is FCFS, First Come First Served.  The published tiers are:

 

1.  B2B Cruisers

2.  Special Needs.

3.  Haven.

4.  Latitudes Priority.

5.  Group 1.

 

** Re: all of the above, each passenger must be present with sea card to reserve.

 

The above is not adhered to.

 

We have B2B's on quite a number of NCL Breakaway and + Class ships.  The following we have directly observed or have been directly informed by Vibe or Customer Service crew.

 

1.  The number of Vibe passes available is flexible based on the number of children in the Haven (per NCL crew) as there will be a demand for an alternate adult zone for the highest paying passengers.  Such are 'held and the Haven Concierge works with the Customer Service Vibe personnel real early in the day of boarding.

 

2.  Some of the cabanas are actually reserved for any Haven passengers that want to use them.  They are the ones, for example, on Bliss that are "non-toweled."  

 

3.  ** Re: each passenger must be present with card to reserve, not absolute.  We've observed ONE Haven passenger making 17 Vibe pass reservations.

 

4.  When the Vibe is SOLD OUT, it is not absolute.  We've directly observed two couples tip the Customer Service officer on side room after 'closing and coming out with Vibe passes (which, as we were in the Vibe, they actually were very proud of such and not secretive at all).

 

5.  Casino passengers (not really familiar with their tier status) do get additional attention with regard to Vibe passes (either pre-cruise promises or after sell-out arrangement).

 

The above observations are simply the way it is.  The real issue is the Vibe is too small, in our opinion.  The area outside the Vibe is much larger and similarly equipped and with the addition of the same loungers and umbrellas, could be a Vibe-Lite for hundred+ others at a moderated rate.

 

Also recently on the Bliss, the Vibe was not very popular for almost both our weeks.  Actually, to get a drink at the bar, you had to stand at the end of the bar so that the bartenders who were working the 'other side could see you.

 

The point, we don't know why they offer 'flex Vibe considerations.  If it is empty and passengers are on a 'wait list or 'day list, why not make a whole lot passengers happy with a day or two at the Vibe?

 

Further, on Bliss, between the amenities of the Spa passes, the incredible hide-outs in the Observation Lounge and option of sunning at H2O, plus the increasing Vibe pricing, it might not be the "must have" that it has had to date.

[smplybcause]

7 hours ago, FLAHAM said:

Well, a hotel doesn't lose a lot of revenue when one person occupies the room, but a cruise ship does.  They can't sell the missing person specialty dining, gambling, excursions, etc.  If the lost revenue was matched by missing expenses, the cruise ship would best travel empty. 

 

Not exactly. Most hotels have room service and on site restaurants and bars not to mention those that have spas. And if you include those that have in house casinos or theaters. Plenty of hotels have revenue beyond just the room. 

[thetaro]

It's not a fraud. 

It's FCFS for all cruisers but can be reserved for special guests (gambler, haven...) which you are not.

Edited April 28, 2019 by thetaro

[SeaShark]

There are 4,000+ guests on the ship and only 75 Vibe passes available.

 

Do the math.

 

Only 1.9% of guests on any sailing will have a pass to Vibe. The other 98.1% will not.

 

 

This is where the Internet has taken us...

 

When you are on a message board, forum, comment section, social media platform, etc the drama MUST always be turned up to 11. There can be no deviation from that rule. 

 

You cannot say: "I did my best to get a Vibe pass, but I was not successful." No...you must label it as "FRAUD". Any responses from the company that are not 100% on your side should be referred to as "rude", "curt", or "poor customer service". Also, if you end up being part of the 98.1%, you must announce that you are "done" with the company (even though you will continue to participate in forums to talk about the company).

 

 

 

 

FWIW...If people are going to go through all of this just to get a Vibe pass and be this dramatically disappointed when they don't, it is only going to signal NCL that there is still strong demand...and strong demand means that the price isn't set high enough.

 

Yet.

[mjkacmom]

8 hours ago, smplybcause said:

 

Not exactly. Most hotels have room service and on site restaurants and bars not to mention those that have spas. And if you include those that have in house casinos or theaters. Plenty of hotels have revenue beyond just the room. 

But while hotels make the majority of their revenue from the rooms, cruises make most from add ons.

[cruiser1955a]

Sea shark:

You not only described this situation perfectly, you just described America (and probably many other countries).

Systems have been put in place to make things fair & safe for ALL, but when the system doesn’t give certain people what they convinced themselves they “deserved”, they immediately scream “fraud”. 

 

OP did not “deserve” to get a Vibe pass. He simply participated in a lottery system, and didn’t win this time.

[NCLetscruise]

Not everyone gets a vibe pass.. 

 

... Oh, and by the way.. not everyone gets a trophy, either. 

Edited April 28, 2019 by NCLetscruise

[Budget Queen]

On 4/26/2019 at 11:36 PM, FLAHAM said:

 

No, they are often a small premium over insides and I have often purchased studios for less than the cost of insides. 

Not sure where you are looking but,  Studios are not much of a bargain-   side by side a total double occupancy rate.    And in advance on most sailings.    I more often see  75%+++  total double occupancy rates-   which is a 150% fare.  

[Formula280SS]

On 4/26/2019 at 6:08 PM, mrobstad said:

I’m a platinum Latitudes member who recently traveled on the Bliss.  I arrived at port at 8 am and went to the preferred boarding area in order to be first on the ship to buy a Vibe pass. It appeared disabled cruisers and their large families boarded beforehand, and then I boarded and headed right to the area to buy a Vibe pass.  Unfortunately, the passes were sold out. 

I wrote and complained and received a curt reply stating passes were first come, first serve.

Last week, I spoke to a Bliss passenger I had met years ago.  He was “comped “ the cruise for two (he gambles) and he told NCL he would only go on the free cruise if they held two Vibe passes for him in Guest Relations.  NCL complied. 

Ive cruised NCL over ten times, typically as a solo paying 150%, and paid for all my cruises, followed all the correct procedures that should have insured I was able to buy a Vibe pass, but NCL fraudulently holds passes for preferred guests, so I’m done with NCL .  

 

I know you are getting quite a bit of negative feedback, but if you read my previous post, you'd see that, although I don't think it rises to the level of fraud, that NCL clearly DOES NOT comply with its' stated Vibe policies based on the examples that I provided.

 

I don't know really what to make of the inconsistencies in NCLs' Vibe policies and EXCEPTIONS on a ship-by-ship and even cruise-by-cruise basis, but it does exist.  The more important issue re: the Vibe IMO is expanding it to (or to a Vibe-Lite experience) on the "other side of the door."  Everything is already there, same bar, hot tub, etc. so they just need access gate at the bottom of the steps and upgraded loungers, pads and umbrellas.

 

Let's all agree to hope they figure out a solution and try a few alternatives.

 

GLTA.

[adam_s_allen]

3 hours ago, cruiser1955a said:

Sea shark:

You not only described this situation perfectly, you just described America (and probably many other countries).

Systems have been put in place to make things fair & safe for ALL, but when the system doesn’t give certain people what they convinced themselves they “deserved”, they immediately scream “fraud”. 

 

OP did not “deserve” to get a Vibe pass. He simply participated in a lottery system, and didn’t win this time.

 

I don’t think what OP said happened was fair for all but I realize that not everything in life is fair.