PSA for Carnival Brides - DO NOT BUY VIDEO. They ruined it!

[jaded99]

Hello fellow brides and newlyweds,

 

I am still organizing a full review, but I wanted to come on here and post a warning so hopefully no one else will be as crushed as we were with the videography experience.

 

We bought the "standard" video, which is supposed to be the ceremony, the reception, a tour of the ship, and pre-and-post interviews. We paid $695 for it.

 

There were minor things that I did not like - they gave us no idea of the questions or any prep time ahead of time (in fact they interviewed me thirty seconds before I walked down the aisle so I was really flustered), the quality was overall poor - especially the sound - and the team was not very responsive about getting together to get it done, which is part of the reason that my video is a wreck.

 

The main thing I wanted to share - because it is killing me to say nothing about it, it was that bad - is that there was no editing whatsoever done, and we didn't receive the video back to preview it until 10:00 pm the very last night before debarkation, so there was no time to fix what was probably the worst wedding video I've ever seen.

 

They kept the microphones on the groom until after the ceremony and first dance and receiving line - which I guess is fine, but I didn't know he had it on him and I was speaking to him (I thought) privately about my uncomfortable undies (well, they were!). I figured they could just edit that out since I said it after the end of the first dance on the way to the receiving line.

 

During the ceremony, the video cuts between cameras a lot, and the audio switches along with it. Normally in a video you are supposed to record the audio and video on separate tracks and put them together later - instead, the volume changes sporadically and it gets muffled, and at times you can hear an echo because 2 mics were picking the same thing up at once.

 

Here's the worst part: We spent a lot of time and money learning to dance for the wedding, and we specified when we bought the video that we really wanted them to capture the first dance. So when we get the video the night before debarkation, guess what? They have the first third of our dance, and then it cuts out directly to the part where I was talking to my hubby about my underwear!!! I am so livid about this - cutting out the dance, but leaving that in?!? I just wish I had known they would be so terrible, I would have had someone else record the dance, but now I just have to live with not having it on video, when it was so important to me :mad:

 

The music they piped in to the background during the "ship tour" thing was awful - poor quality recording of a piccolo, and then all these shots of us talking at various places in the ship - some of them go on for FIVE MINUTES of piccolo music and us talking in regular clothes, but they couldn't include my whole dance?!

 

I have not even seen the whole video - my hubby told me about parts of it, because it was upsetting me to much to see what a terrible hack job of a video it was. I do realize that the videography is less expensive than for a land wedding, but it is not even about the money wasted for me - it is the destruction of a memory that cannot be recreated.

 

So, I hope in sharing my horrible experience with the Carnival video service, I can prevent someone else from going through the same thing. Just have one of your guests being a camcorder, I wish we did.

 

---

 

I do want to say that our photographer was absolutely amazing, and is the only reason that I don't feel like the wedding was ruined by the horrible video.

[albean86]

so terrible that this happened to you!!! I'm so glad that your pictures are amazing though and look forward to your review. We have decided against the video (which I was totally bummed about) for budget reasons, but you have finally made me glad that we're not spending the $695 on it. Instead my fiancee compromised that we can buy a decent camcorder and have a couple of our friends video our wedding for us and also use it throughout the week. I'm sure we'll get a few laughs out of it when we're back home :)

[alsys]

I decided against the video too because so many on here said how the videographer kept getting in the pictures! We figure spend that money on the nicest picture package instead. Really looking forward to my coffee book!:D

[jaded99]

I decided against the video too because so many on here said how the videographer kept getting in the pictures! We figure spend that money on the nicest picture package instead. Really looking forward to my coffee book!:D

 

He made the book for us, and we decided not to buy it because I was going to make a scrapbook anyway, but omg the book was gorgeous. He did such a good job. The book & the photos were honestly so much better than wedding photos I've seen that cost 5x what ours did. I hope you guys get as good a photog as we did!! (and you're right deciding against the video!)

[jul1221]

Thanks so much or the info. I've been going back and forth about doing it, now I'm gonna save the extra $700 and spend it on something else.

[Sonobride]

that totally sucks!! Sorry...I know how disappointing something like that can be....well, thankfully your pictures came out nicely! I am happy we were not planning on the video either, and you definitely just confirmed that!:D

[cupcake8503]

Wow!! I am so sad that this happened to you but I am so grateful that you warned us of your experience. I will be getting married on the Splendor out of NY next June so most likely I would have received the same videographer. It's upsetting that I am going to have to ask one of my guests to record for me when I really want everyone to enjoy our wedding day. I hope Carnival reads your review and fix the problem because it is such a major part of wedding memories.

[cruiseonthebrain]

Hello fellow brides and newlyweds,

 

I am still organizing a full review, but I wanted to come on here and post a warning so hopefully no one else will be as crushed as we were with the videography experience.

 

We bought the "standard" video, which is supposed to be the ceremony, the reception, a tour of the ship, and pre-and-post interviews. We paid $695 for it.

 

There were minor things that I did not like - they gave us no idea of the questions or any prep time ahead of time (in fact they interviewed me thirty seconds before I walked down the aisle so I was really flustered), the quality was overall poor - especially the sound - and the team was not very responsive about getting together to get it done, which is part of the reason that my video is a wreck.

 

The main thing I wanted to share - because it is killing me to say nothing about it, it was that bad - is that there was no editing whatsoever done, and we didn't receive the video back to preview it until 10:00 pm the very last night before debarkation, so there was no time to fix what was probably the worst wedding video I've ever seen.

 

They kept the microphones on the groom until after the ceremony and first dance and receiving line - which I guess is fine, but I didn't know he had it on him and I was speaking to him (I thought) privately about my uncomfortable undies (well, they were!). I figured they could just edit that out since I said it after the end of the first dance on the way to the receiving line.

 

During the ceremony, the video cuts between cameras a lot, and the audio switches along with it. Normally in a video you are supposed to record the audio and video on separate tracks and put them together later - instead, the volume changes sporadically and it gets muffled, and at times you can hear an echo because 2 mics were picking the same thing up at once.

 

Here's the worst part: We spent a lot of time and money learning to dance for the wedding, and we specified when we bought the video that we really wanted them to capture the first dance. So when we get the video the night before debarkation, guess what? They have the first third of our dance, and then it cuts out directly to the part where I was talking to my hubby about my underwear!!! I am so livid about this - cutting out the dance, but leaving that in?!? I just wish I had known they would be so terrible, I would have had someone else record the dance, but now I just have to live with not having it on video, when it was so important to me :mad:

 

The music they piped in to the background during the "ship tour" thing was awful - poor quality recording of a piccolo, and then all these shots of us talking at various places in the ship - some of them go on for FIVE MINUTES of piccolo music and us talking in regular clothes, but they couldn't include my whole dance?!

 

I have not even seen the whole video - my hubby told me about parts of it, because it was upsetting me to much to see what a terrible hack job of a video it was. I do realize that the videography is less expensive than for a land wedding, but it is not even about the money wasted for me - it is the destruction of a memory that cannot be recreated.

 

So, I hope in sharing my horrible experience with the Carnival video service, I can prevent someone else from going through the same thing. Just have one of your guests being a camcorder, I wish we did.

 

---

 

I do want to say that our photographer was absolutely amazing, and is the only reason that I don't feel like the wedding was ruined by the horrible video.

 

 

I am so sorry to hear that you were not happy with your video and that you did not get to preview it until the last night of the cruise. Ours wasn't great- but I enjoy watching more as time goes on.

 

I do know that some couples have been very happy with their videos so if someone out there really wants the video I wouldn't let one or two bad incidents deter you. Just don't expect perfection.

 

Jaded99- what did the videographer say when you asked him to edit out the part about your UW- that's what the preview is for is to ask for changes so I am assuming you did. Also, did you talk to customer service or the IT department about getting a refund for the video portion and not walking off the ship with video in hand. I think if mine had been as bad as you're describing I would have refused receipt until it was fixed to my satisfaction or demanded my money back.

 

Again, I was not at all thrilled with the quality or content of our video, but it somehow got better as time went on. I didn't need perfect anymore once all the stress was gone- I just needed the memories :-)

 

I am so glad your photos turned out wonderfully though!

[jaded99]

Jaded99- what did the videographer say when you asked him to edit out the part about your UW- that's what the preview is for is to ask for changes so I am assuming you did. Also, did you talk to customer service or the IT department about getting a refund for the video portion and not walking off the ship with video in hand. I think if mine had been as bad as you're describing I would have refused receipt until it was fixed to my satisfaction or demanded my money back.

 

We didn't really get a "preview" session, it was just dropped off in our room late at night and we watched it on our portable DVD player. It was literally 11pm when we saw it. I wanted to go to guest services in the morning before debarking and refuse to take it, but DH was tired (we way overpacked) and didn't want the hassle, he wanted to try to get it resolved after we got home. We are still working on that. I contacted the wrong department at first, and now DH thinks he can edit some of it himself, idk. I personally want to make a big deal out of it, but he is more laid-back than me.

[cruiseonthebrain]

We didn't really get a "preview" session, it was just dropped off in our room late at night and we watched it on our portable DVD player. It was literally 11pm when we saw it. I wanted to go to guest services in the morning before debarking and refuse to take it, but DH was tired (we way overpacked) and didn't want the hassle, he wanted to try to get it resolved after we got home. We are still working on that. I contacted the wrong department at first, and now DH thinks he can edit some of it himself, idk. I personally want to make a big deal out of it, but he is more laid-back than me.

 

 

I am so sorry for you! My jaw literally dropped when I read this. I would have been uber upset too- even if the video was fine I can't imagine how they would think it was ok to not give you a preview session. I wouldn't normally go through the hassle of trying to get money back from Carnival or TWE, but in your case I sure would throw a fit. Our video was pretty hokey and choppy (I was actually a little embarassed to give copies to our families) and the video guy mixed up our pictures and used some of the very worst stills the photographer had, but we do have fun watching now.

 

I'm glad everything else turned out well for you though.