Anybody else find the ship's photographer annoying?

[sandypaper]

We were on the Volendam last June and I found the photographers great. I did purchase some of the photo's as they were very very good. Hope they're just as good on the Zuiderdam in May. No complaints here and was happy to have the pictures.

[mnbruce]

As a photo hobbyist I have some sympathy for those photographers because it's no fun taking photos of people who would prefer to not have their picture taken, plus it would be very boring to take the same photos over and over again. I just let them take a photo when they ask but I never purchase any. To make some travel money I will on occasion take a job shooting special events but I will never pressure anyone to take a photo. I love photography but would never consider spending any time as a cruise photographer.

[English_in_Spain]

We let them take the photos just in case one of them comes out making me look a slim 35 year old :D.

There is no obligation to buy.

[luvcruisn']

On my cruise on the Prinsendam in November 2009, the photographers were very helpful in showing me how to put together and operate my new digital camera, which I had brought onboard in its box, and never used before. However, one of the photographers did pressure me some to buy the dvd of the cruise ports before the end of the cruise, as he "didn't know how many would be left." As it turns out, I bought the dvd the last night of the cruise, and there were several left. I did buy one picture, that sold for a lot less some years ago, and one photographer was very disappointed, hoping I would have bought several.

[TahoeTraveler]

I so agree with both Gabbysadog andLorekauf!!!

But at dinner it was a totally different situation. My table was in the middle of the meal when the photographer wanted to take a photo. It took "no" more than once to get him to leave. I have no problem before the food is served or towards the very end,but not when the main course is served!

I normally don't write anything bad about the crew,but I placed a comment about the photo at dinner.

 

The same thing happened with us on the Zuiderdam last October. During one of the formal nights at dinner, a photographer came by right as our main course was being served. When we said we weren't interested in a photo, he persisted. He then added insult to injury by asking me to get up and stand behind my husband for a photo (so much for chivalry, I guess). God bless my hubby, he looked the guy straight in the eye, said that his wife certainly would NOT get up in the middle of her dinner to stand behind anyone, and to please leave. At which point the fellow finally did. But for heaven's sake, what do you have to do to get these folks off your back???

 

Top that off with the fact that the pictures the photographers had taken (during the photo time at the designated places) were absolutely horrible (bad lighting, silly positioning, etc), and that the ones we had the concierges take in the Neptune with our own digital camera prior to dinner were simply superb, we just gave up on the photographer's shop.

 

I used to love buying the photos the ship's photographers took during cruises. But unfortunately, it appears that the photos have become just another money-maker for the cruise lines, rather than an art. Too bad...that used to be one of the highlights of cruising for me.

[Krazy Kruizers]

HAL hired a new photography quite some time ago. At first we didn;t have any problems with them.

 

But on our last cruise -- Zuiderdam -- they were annoying. We were constantly telling them "no, thnak you". You would think after a while they would recognize who doesn't want their pictures taken -- espceially when you are on a ship for 20 days.

 

We never buy any of the pictures.

[dfish]

If they were on my Maasdam cruise last September, I missed them. I was never asked to pose and never went to the photo gallery. In fact, didn't even think about it the entire week.

 

Deb

[Pete Jackson]

I've never understood why they persist when the passenger indicates that they are not interested. After all, it costs something in paper and ink to make photos that won't be sold.

 

Either the photogs have poor training or those pax are inconsistent and sometimes buy the pictures anyway.

[GeneK]

They can be a pain in the arse. But years later after a couple dozen or more cruises, it's nice to look at those photos. :)

[RetiredMustang]

Years ago, the photographer's were extremely aggressive and annoying, much more so than now. Once, an idiot dressed as a pirate came up behind me while I was dining and placed a fake sword to my neck for his colleague to get a cute picture. I was completely startled and started to react instinctively -- he nearly left with a broken arm and nose, and he knew it, because he left me alone thereafter.

 

Why did the photographers back off? Constant complaining about them in the comment cards and end of cruise questionnaires by many of us cruisers. I would recommend that if a photographer refuses to take "no" for an answer and starts rearranging glasses, etc., that you get his/her name and complain as soon as feasible directly to the hotel manager. That is unacceptable behavior and you don't have to put up with it.

 

Dave

[Gaucho39]

They are a nuisance. During embarkation we walk right past them.

 

The only purpose they serve is to make money for HAL.

 

You mean after spending 300 million on a ship they're actually trying to recoup some of their investment?

 

The nerve of them!:rolleyes:

[agabbymama]

Well, guess I'm the odd man out here. I think the photos are fun and a great souvenir of the cruise.

 

On our New England/Canada cruise, we actually purchased the port photo from every single port. They had a lobster, pirates, etc that stood with you for the photo. I spent $110 just in photos.

 

As others have posted, it costs you absolutely nothing to have the photo taken. If you don't want to buy it, you don't have to. I certainly don't find the photographers aggressive at all. And though we took photos of our tablemates, none turned out as good as the photographer photo of our whole table.

[howard6933]

When we first started cruising in 1978, we bought a few pictures once in awhile. We especially liked the photos that they took of us standing next to the captain at the "welcome aboard" party or the "repeaters party".(they rarely do that anymore). Of course those were the days when the photos cost somewhere around $4.95 each. Now when we cruise, we just let them take as many pictures as they want. If we buy any of them it's usually the one that they take when you board, because that one usually has a scene behind you indicating the name of the ship and the date of the cruise. ;)

[TahoeTraveler]

HAL hired a new photography quite some time ago. At first we didn;t have any problems with them.

 

But on our last cruise -- Zuiderdam -- they were annoying. We were constantly telling them "no, thnak you". You would think after a while they would recognize who doesn't want their pictures taken -- espceially when you are on a ship for 20 days.

 

We never buy any of the pictures.

 

Thanks, KK, for the info on the new photographers. We wondered what had happened between our 2006 cruise and our one last year. The photographers on the '06 cruise were fantastic and we actually did buy several photos. But on that last one (on the Z, so it seems to be a trend), they were beyond annoying, and the photos they took were not good at all (basic things like shading on people's faces that true professionals would never let happen).

 

And I agree with everyone who says you don't have to buy the photos. But I also don't think you should have to have your dinner interrupted continuously or have to do the bob and weave to get around the photographers at ports either.

[TMWeddle]

As I said before on our last cruise we found the photographers less aggressive and that's a positive but when we looked at the photos we thought the quality was not as good on the Maasdam in '08. I didn't matter because we weren't buying anyway.

[photomikey]

As you depart the ship at ports, they stop you as you exit causing a backup. Why not set up near the steps and people who want pictures can go over.

Why not set up on the way back onto the ship, when people are trickling back on 5 at a time, instead of 2,000 of us trying to push off?

you can bypass any of the photo ops, whether upon boarding or disembarking at ports, dinner or whatever. All you have to do is smile, say "No, thanks", and continue with what you're doing. Works for me every time.

I don't have a problem pushing past them, the problem is when they are blocking the bottom of the gangway with a human-sized Charlie Tuna, and 100 sheeple are waiting in line to get their picture taken - nowhere to get past, then.

Have they changed their prices? I used to buy one or two overpriced photos. But then the prices became double-over priced, and too much was enough. So I went from buying some to buying none.

This is my rant on photo prices at events, and HAL falls into this group. I pay $0.25 for a 5x7 photo at Costco. I suspect Costco is making a pretty good buck on these photos, so for a nice round number, let's say the photo costs them $0.20 to print. Let's assume HAL has the same print-making machine on board, so their costs are similar. Their 5x7's are what, $20? I have never bought one, ever. But if they cost $2, Hal would make 1000% profit on each one, and I would buy them all day long. I'd be flagging down the photographer to come to my table so I could snag a couple of those $2 photos. Even at $5 I'd buy a handful, or at least not avoid the photo sales booth completely. Why is 1000% profit so hard to expect? Wouldn't they actually make MORE money this way?

[donaldsc]

A simple "no thanks" works wonderfully.

 

DON

[TahoeTraveler]

A simple "no thanks" works wonderfully.

 

DON

 

You mean after they've already interrupted your romantic dinner for 2 when the main course was just served with, "Get up and go stand behind your husband so I can take your picture?" Or after you've had to play dodgeball to get around them at each port?

 

Just trying to clarify why it is that the passengers have to be the polite ones, and the photographers can break just about every rule of etiquette. Again, this has not been the norm for us on most cruises. But last October on the Zuiderdam was a whole different story.

[suse]

They always make me feel like I'm Miss America. Chachacha!:)

[Druke I]

No ships' photographers on Oceania Cruise Lines - no art auctions either, anymore.

 

Great!

[wander]

After my first cruise I have NEVER had problems saying a very polite NO to the photographers as one embarks or in ports. After hundreds of days on ships I have NEVER experienced problems just walking bye, smiling and giving a polite NO or NO THANKS.

 

Getting off in ports I have always been able to easily get by folks waiting for the picture taker. However, I must say that I do not go on 7 day Caribbean or Mexican cruises. On 21+ day cruises, most passengers are no longer interested in "getting off in a Port" pictures.

 

At dinner I feel like more of a target, but still say NO politely and usually that works the first time. Then again, dinner on a Cruise ship is NOT when I experience my romantic moments. For those that do, it could be a more serious problem.

[sevenseasnomad]

When going to dinner it's impossible to go around, and they hold up traffic while they pose their shot.

Unless they're actually snapping the picture, I just keep walking through.

 

Agree 100%, Ruth C. DH says it's extremely rude of photographers to block a main thoroughfare. DH in turn will walk through photo shoot if he's held up too long, especially before dinner.

 

As for blocking the exit when in port, I'm the one pushing ahead. Can't stand to be delayed for even a minute of enjoying time ashore.

 

We rarely purchase anything because we don't have a photo taken in the first place. Having said that, on our next cruise with our son & his best friend, we'll probably make up for that lack, since I don't know if we'll ever cruise with these two young men (both 24 years old) again.

[Himself]

They do not bother me. If I don't want them to take a picture, I say "No thank you" and they respect that. If I do let them take my picture, I usually leave it on the rack unless I really like it. I do not find them to be like "head Lice," as some have described them.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

No ships' photographers on Oceania Cruise Lines - no art auctions either, anymore.

 

Great!

 

Wow! What then is there left to do onboard?;)

[Gunther1]

We just got off the Oosterdam yesterday and if I were pressed to name one thing that was annoying, it would be the photographers. Besides that, the cruise was wonderful.

 

In San Diego, they make it IMPOSSIBLE to go around the "opportunity" to have a photo taken. Just before going up the ramp to the ship, you make a right turn...the photographer is to your left and the cheesy background for the photo is to your right. There is no physical way to go around it...you have to walk between the two.

 

As a result, if you were to try to bypass this "opportunity", you would be walking in front of the camera and probably forcing them to stop taking the picture of somebody that IS posing. While we considered doing this, we thought it would be rude and did not.

 

As everybody in line had to wait for this, it held up the line for more than "just a second".

 

At each port, they had people in costume waiting at the bottom of the gangway for the same thing. In two of the three ports, you could go around. At the third and final one, they got smart and once again forced you to walk between the camera and the costumed people. Smart move on their part, but many of us were quite peeved about it.

 

The photographer in the MDR was much less intrusive. We just said "no thank you" and that was enough.