Comparison

Shipmate vs VIBES

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Shipmate

This app helps you plan, track, and enhance every aspect of your cruise journey. Discover deals, book excursions, connect with fellow travelers, and access detailed ship and port information. It's your comprehensive companion from pre-cruise planning to post-voyage memories.

Highlights
  • Cruise planning and tracking
  • Meet fellow cruisers
  • Write cruise reviews
  • Find cruise deals
  • Book port excursions
  • Cruise countdown
  • Ship and port information
Features
Read full description

Shipmate is the ONLY cruise app you can use before, during, and after your cruise! It works for every cruise line, not just one. Save and share your entire cruise history and learn everything you need to know about upcoming sailings. Voted "Best Cruise App," Shipmate has over two million downloads and was the first cruise app ever created. Here are just a few things you can do with Shipmate: -> Meet Fellow Cruisers With Roll Calls For Specific Sailings -> Write a Review for Your Cruise and Share Your Experience With Other Travelers -> Check Prices - Find Discount Cruises and Deals -> Cruise Countdown -> Book Port Excursions and Tours -> Set Price Alerts on Cruises -> Learn About Your Ship (deck plans & photos) -> Find Out What to Do In Port (reviews, tips & photos) -> Ship and Port Q&A Features -> Cruise Ship Tracker -> Much More Inside, you'll find boatloads of content for your cruise ship and ports. Get to know your vessel top to bottom using our detailed deck maps, and user-submitted pictures. You can visit your ports before stepping onboard with user tips and reviews. Got a question? Our cruise forums are packed with happy users, eager to share their cruise knowledge and tips. User Testimonials: Love Shipmate. Have used it for almost 15 years to track all of our cruising. Great App!!! Because I was able to put in my cruise info, I was able to save $500+ when my cruise fare went down. In addition to that, my family was able to save the same amount as we were in connecting rooms. Really enjoy Shipmate! Like keeping track of my cruises and exploring ships and deck plans. Always go to Shipmate when booking to see room locations. We absolutely love the Shipmate app. It is awesome to have a listing of every past cruise that you've been on as well as every cruise that you have booked. It is especially useful to know and be able to check the specific dates that we will be traveling which enables us to book side-to-side cruises on different cruise lines. Download Shipmate and start your vacation today! Sailing with all your favorites, like: - Royal Caribbean - Disney Cruise - Carnival Cruise - Norwegian Cruise Line - Celebrity Cruises - Holland America Line - Princess Cruises Powered by Cruiseline.com

About

VIBES

Explore the U.S. Virgin Islands with convenient, eco-friendly e-scooter and e-bike rentals. Easily locate, unlock, and ride to local attractions. Offers exclusive partner deals and group ride options.

Highlights
  • E-scooter and e-bike rentals
  • Smartphone app control
  • Locate rides on map
  • Scan QR code to unlock
  • Exclusive partner offers
  • Group ride options
  • Discount passes
Features
Read full description

Discover the U.S. Virgin Islands with VIBES, the premier e-scooter and e-bike ride service. Designed for convenience and green, eco-friendly travel, VIBES offers accessible rides right from your smartphone. Unlock a e-scooter or e-bike, enjoy a smooth ride, and explore local hotspots with ease. Plus, find exclusive offers from our partners in the app. Download VIBES now and experience the islands like never before! HOW TO START A RIDE & ENJOY THE VIBES: 1. Download the app, create an account and accept the terms and conditions. 2. Find your nearest VIBES scooter or bike on the map. 3. Scan the QR code or enter the ride ID to select and unlock your ride. 4. Ride responsibly, follow the rules of the road, and enjoy the Vibes. 5. Park responsibly and neatly, clear of walkways, driveways, ramps and access roads. TAKE ADVANTAGE FOR SPECIAL OFFERS! VIBES Free: Download the app and get a FREE or DISCOUNTED first ride. Also invited friend and you both get a FREE or DISCOUNTED ride. VIBES With Friends: Riding with a group of friends? Sign up with multiple electric rides with just one phone. VIBES Discount Passes: Take advantage of daily or monthly passes that provide savings options for every rider. Also take of advantage of sponsored promotions. VIBES Mission: At VIBES, our mission is to transform the transportation in the U.S. Virgin Islands by offering sustainable, convenient, fun, safe, eco-friendly travel. Through our electric scooters and bikes, we empower locals and visitors alike to explore the U.S.V.I. responsibly, helping preserve our islands for generations to come. Terms and Conditions: https://www.vibesscooters.com/blank Ride and Safety Policy: https://www.vibesscooters.com/blank-1

Screenshots

Shipmate4 screens
VIBES4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Shipmate at 75% against VIBES's 0%. Shipmate also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (51K vs 16). VIBES's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Shipmate holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shipmate has 51K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Shipmate's written reviews are positive against 0% of VIBES's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shipmate ships an update every 5 weeks, VIBES fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and July 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Shipmate versus VIBES: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShipmateVIBES
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (51K ratings) — better4.4 (16 ratings)
Positive reviews74.7% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings51K — better16
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size117 MB97 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCruiseline.comSIA ATOM Tech

Customer experience

Shipmate

All ratings50,791 ratings
Positive97.1%
Neutral1.8%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews411 reviews
Positive74.7%
Neutral8.0%
Negative17.3%

VIBES

All ratings16 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral6.3%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

Shipmate

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Cruise itinerary details not accurate
  • Cruise tracking and ship information not up-to-date
  • Issues with accessing and sharing content

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add ability to remove cabin numbers for privacy
  • Improve search and filtering options
  • Integrate more cruise line and excursion booking capabilities
  • Enhance social features like user profiles and messaging

VIBES

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Shipmate

No in-app purchases

None

VIBES

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Shipmate free?
Shipmate is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is VIBES free?
VIBES is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Shipmate or VIBES?
Shipmate is rated higher. Shipmate averages 4.8 out of 5 from 51K ratings, while VIBES averages 4.4 from 16 ratings.
Do Shipmate or VIBES have ads?
Shipmate shows ads; VIBES does not.
Which is updated more often, Shipmate or VIBES?
Shipmate ships an update every 5 weeks, and VIBES fortnightly. Most recently, Shipmate was updated on September 24, 2026 and VIBES on July 18, 2026.

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