Photo package sticker shock!

Two years ago we went as a family to Disney World (7 adults & 4 kids). We were able to buy a photo package so that everywhere we went at the various Disney Parks anyone in the group could have their picture taken and it would be included in the digital file we had access too. I don't remember the exact price, but it was about $375 for the 5 days we were there. We got hundreds of formal group shots, individual shots and everything in between. We split the price between 3 families and were very happy with our purchase.

I just checked the packages for our upcoming 7 day cruise where we have 3 cabins, 6 adults and 2 kids and they want $395 (this includes a 15% discount) for digital photos for 1 cabin only! If grandma poses for a photo with a child from cabin #1 it will be included, but no photos of just grandma.

Not included is:

"Group photos, weddings, Quinces and other special occasion photography services." So for $395 we can't even get a photo of our entire group. This is very disappointing.

If we have each cabin purchase the package I found these details:

"Purchase the unlimited package for one stateroom, and the second unlimited disc/USB is 50% off the onboard price. " In other words, the 2nd and 3rd cabin cost would be $172 each. Total cost for our group $739.

As I stated before, this is very disappointing and not very family friendly. I guess we will just take as many of our own photos as possible.

I'm sorry for your disappointment, but they charge what a lot of people will pay.

ex techie

Two years ago we went as a family to Disney World (7 adults & 4 kids). We were able to buy a photo package so that everywhere we went at the various Disney Parks anyone in the group could have their picture taken and it would be included in the digital file we had access too. I don't remember the exact price, but it was about $375 for the 5 days we were there. We got hundreds of formal group shots, individual shots and everything in between. We split the price between 3 families and were very happy with our purchase.

 

I just checked the packages for our upcoming 7 day cruise where we have 3 cabins, 6 adults and 2 kids and they want $395 (this includes a 15% discount) for digital photos for 1 cabin only! If grandma poses for a photo with a child from cabin #1 it will be included, but no photos of just grandma.

 

Not included is:

"Group photos, weddings, Quinces and other special occasion photography services." So for $395 we can't even get a photo of our entire group. This is very disappointing.

 

If we have each cabin purchase the package I found these details:

"Purchase the unlimited package for one stateroom, and the second unlimited disc/USB is 50% off the onboard price. " In other words, the 2nd and 3rd cabin cost would be $172 each. Total cost for our group $739.

 

As I stated before, this is very disappointing and not very family friendly. I guess we will just take as many of our own photos as possible.

The bolded is not correct. For each 50% off package you must purchase a full package. So, with 3 rooms, to get the packages for all three, 2 of your rooms must purchase full price and the other room gets 50% off.

And I believe the restriction on group photos is meaning large groups of unrelated people. Not families.

Shmoo called it right--you can have a family portrait of all the people in all 3 cabins and it will be included. The large groups that they are talking about are things like FB groups, "The Cougar Girls" (on a TA Cruise), groups from companies that travel together, etc. The sometimes do groups of 100 people! These are the "not included" groups.

And yes, my understanding is that you can get a single cabin at 1/2 price with the purchase of one at regular price.

You can also get all of your family photos with the purchase of one cabin if you are doing a "dad and the boys" in one cabin and "mom and the girls" in the other (which often sleeps mom and dad in one and the kids in the other.) As long as ONE person from the purchasing cabin is in the photo, it is included.

If you wanted a photo of grandma alone or grandma and grandpa, they can purchase either a print or a CD with a specified number of photos on it; they don't have to purchase an unlimited package.

Shutters is one of the HUGE money makers for DCL.

The bolded is not correct. For each 50% off package you must purchase a full package. So, with 3 rooms, to get the packages for all three, 2 of your rooms must purchase full price and the other room gets 50% off.

 

And I believe the restriction on group photos is meaning large groups of unrelated people. Not families.

Thanks for the clarification on price. So the cost for our group to each have a package comparable to Disney World would be $395+$395+$172=$962!

Thanks also for the clarification about group photos. Your interpretation sounds correct, but I'm just looking at what the Disney Cruise web site says and it doesn't say except family groups unless I missed that.

I'm sorry for your disappointment, but they charge what a lot of people will pay.

 

ex techie

Thanks for your sympathy and honest answer.

 

You can also get all of your family photos with the purchase of one cabin if you are doing a "dad and the boys" in one cabin and "mom and the girls" in the other (which often sleeps mom and dad in one and the kids in the other.) As long as ONE person from the purchasing cabin is in the photo' date=' it is included.

 

If you wanted a photo of grandma alone or grandma and grandpa, they can purchase either a print or a CD with a specified number of photos on it; they don't have to purchase an unlimited package.

 

Shutters is one of the HUGE money makers for DCL.[/quote']

 

Thanks for the info. We are already finding that the cost of this Disney cruise will far exceed that of our Disney World trip (which we strategically planned when they included the free meal plan). I'm sure we will enjoy this cruise greatly with or without the Shutters staff.

Wow, so you are looking at the photo package alone costing $937.50

For that much your family could buy a nice Nikon DSLR with lens kit and a Olympus TG-4 tough/waterproof camera with enough left over to print as much as you want. And possibly a GoPro or Olympus TG-Tracker if you rent the DSLR instead.

Thanks for the clarification on price. So the cost for our group to each have a package comparable to Disney World would be $395+$395+$172=$962!

 

Thanks also for the clarification about group photos. Your interpretation sounds correct, but I'm just looking at what the Disney Cruise web site says and it doesn't say except family groups unless I missed that.

You could work it out cheaper by rearranging the people in the rooms.

For example - if you have a mom & minor kid in one room, and dad & minor kid in a second room, both rooms could qualify for the same package.

Mom, Dad & minor kid on one room, Grandma & second child in second room, the child in the second room can be included at no extra cost. But Grandma would not (although there have been reports that has happened).

In that case, if Grandma alone pictures are desired, Grandma can purchase a smaller package option to get a few pictures.

I'm not sure as to the exact make up of your group, so can't make recommendation as to how to set up your rooms. I'll just point out, regardless of what room each person is assigned to (on paper) you can sleep in whatever arrangement you want.

You could set it up so two of the rooms include one nuclear family , and then only have to purchase one full package, and the third room could then get the 50% off package. Would that work?

You could set it up so two of the rooms include one nuclear family , and then only have to purchase one full package, and the third room could then get the 50% off package. Would that work?

We have mom, dad and 2 kids in 1 room and then each set of grandparents have their own room. If we switch who is in what room on paper it will also complicate how much each family owes for on board purchases.

Truthfully the price of a full package plus a 50% off package is still more than we want to spend for photos. Thanks again for trying to offer ideas. I still believe that DCL should offer a more family friendly package similar to Disney World. Until that time I think we will have to rely on taking our own photos and maybe buying a few prints.

We have mom, dad and 2 kids in 1 room and then each set of grandparents have their own room. If we switch who is in what room on paper it will also complicate how much each family owes for on board purchases.

 

Truthfully the price of a full package plus a 50% off package is still more than we want to spend for photos. Thanks again for trying to offer ideas. I still believe that DCL should offer a more family friendly package similar to Disney World. Until that time I think we will have to rely on taking our own photos and maybe buying a few prints.

Actually, figuring out who charged what onboard is quite easy. Regardless of what room the person is in, the charges are spelled out on the final sheet, by KTTW card. So, if mom is in one room, and dad is in another, but dad makes all the charges for any one in both rooms, it will only show on his room charges, under his KTTW card.

In the past we've been able to purchase a smaller package (10 or 20 prints) but were able to select prints from whatever room we wanted. We sailed with 3 rooms once and each room picked 3 prints they wanted, and we got the extra one (we had a 10 photo package on that trip).

Thanks for info on on board charges and also the print packages. I like your idea of sharing a small package.

We've also found the Shutters crew to be a little flexible--if you bought the package for the parent/kid room, the would put one photo of the grandparents alone on the disk. You can't count on that, but it has happened.

But honestly, we use our own camera a lot more an purchase very few photos. At the character things, the character attendant will be happy to use your camera. You can look at what the professionals take, but sometimes I've been happier with my own photos. And certainly the price is better when I use my camera.

As noted, each KTTW card will show its own accounting, so it is totally easy to tell what has been charged to each individual card.

Wow, the DSLR rental prices have come down since I last looked (lensrental.com). D5500, 18-200 lens, prime lens (for indoors pictures) for around $150 for 7 days. Add a few more days and that would handle majority of any pictures you want to take.

The photographers on the ship use Nikons, so they would have no problem using it for your pictures with the characters.

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Thanks again to everyone for the good suggestions.

P.S. And thanks for not telling me that the photo package prices are really not that much money! LOL

The photographers on the ship use Nikons, so they would have no problem using it for your pictures with the characters.

 

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The ship's photographers are not supposed to take photos with your camera--not to say it never happens, but if they refuse you know why. On the other hand, if you are having any problems with your camera, they are more than happy to help.

The character attendants and most other CMs are happy to take photos using your camera though. And they typically know more about my camera than I do!

The ship's photographers are not supposed to take photos with your camera--not to say it never happens' date=' but if they refuse you know why. On the other hand, if you are having any problems with your camera, they are more than happy to help.

 

The character attendants and most other CMs are happy to take photos using your camera though. And they typically know more about my camera than I do![/quote']

I didn't know that. They have often volunteered to take the picture. Then again my dad spends a decent amount of money on his photography hobby. Maybe they want to play with different equipment.

 

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Thanks again to everyone for the good suggestions.

 

P.S. And thanks for not telling me that the photo package prices are really not that much money! LOL

No, they are stupidly expensive!

And part of that is because the service is provided by a vendor, so not only do DCL make a healthy profit on the sales, but the vendor, Image Photography, also do, plus the Photog's make a commission on sales I believe.

ex techie

I didn't know that. They have often volunteered to take the picture. Then again my dad spends a decent amount of money on his photography hobby. Maybe they want to play with different equipment.

When you think about it, the Photog's and the vendor Image Photography make they living from selling the photos. So it would be like asking a mechanic to service your car and show you how to do it, so you can service it yourself next time and not pay them!

I think you are probably right in that they unofficially offer to do it when they see a nice camera set up. Otherwise it will be a Character Handler as Moki'smommy said.

ex techie

The ship's photographers are not supposed to take photos with your camera--not to say it never happens' date=' but if they refuse you know why. On the other hand, if you are having any problems with your camera, they are more than happy to help.

 

The character attendants and most other CMs are happy to take photos using your camera though. And they typically know more about my camera than I do![/quote']

 

+1 and lol!

 

ex techie

Wow, the DSLR rental prices have come down since I last looked (lensrental.com). D5500, 18-200 lens, prime lens (for indoors pictures) for around $150 for 7 days. Add a few more days and that would handle majority of any pictures you want to take.

The photographers on the ship use Nikons, so they would have no problem using it for your pictures with the characters.

 

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Yes, rental fees have really come down. I rent a lot for assignments, when I need special equipment. lensrentals is one of three places I go to, the other two are borrowlenses.com and csirentals.com.

Also keep in mind that the photographers you see in the theme parks are part of a department called PhotoPass and are company Cast Members while the photographers on the ships are a third party vendor called Image Group and have a contract with DCL to take photos on the ships and can just about charge what they want within the context of their contract. They hire their own employees and "rent out" the space on the ship to sell their wares.

Thanks again to everyone for the good suggestions.

 

P.S. And thanks for not telling me that the photo package prices are really not that much money! LOL

it's very expensive, which is why we at most just buy a few pictures...

Gosh no, the photos are ridiculously expensive. You can save a little with a package, but still way high. As with others, that's why we purchase very few or none.

Also keep in mind that the photographers you see in the theme parks are part of a department called PhotoPass and are company Cast Members while the photographers on the ships are a third party vendor called Image Group and have a contract with DCL to take photos on the ships and can just about charge what they want within the context of their contract. They hire their own employees and "rent out" the space on the ship to sell their wares.

Not to nitpick, but the department is actually Disney Photo Imaging (DPI), which is a part of entertainment. Photopass is the role. I only know that because my daughter is a Photopass Photographer.