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Photo Gallery honor system?


wtang
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I'm not sure if it's OK to post this here, so please delete if it's not allowed.

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but is the photo gallery basically relying on the "honor system" (or the decency of passengers) when it comes to preventing theft in the photo gallery? I was on the Summit last week and I didn't see any theft prevention stickers on the photos or detectors at the entrance/exits to the photo gallery. There also weren't any employees patrolling the gallery. I didn't see anybody trying to steal photos, but it looked like the photo gallery doesn't do anything to actively stop it either.

 

I think I remember being on a Carnival or Norwegian cruise years ago that had signs posted in the photo gallery warning of their theft prevention system. And I believe there were detectors installed at the entrance/exit. I'm not sure if it was the same cruise, but I remember some passengers trying to use a camera or smartphone to take pictures of the photos and an employee came over to stop them.

 

I know in some small towns, people leave their home and cars unlocked, and stores leave merchandise outside when they close at night. But here in New York City, theft (and law breaking in general) is fairly common. I'm not sure the "honor system" would work in a big city like New York. I remember being surprised on a visit to San Francisco to see their BART subway stations only had a 3 foot high barrier preventing people from entering the station except through the paid turnstiles. Here in New York, we have floor to ceiling steel bars in our subway stations preventing unauthorized (unpaid) entrance to the subway system. If NYC subways only had 3 foot high barriers and no police presence, I'm sure many people would be jumping over the barrier for a free ride.

 

Anyway, I was happy to purchase a digital photo CD of our lovely cruise photos, but I wonder how much theft happens in the photo gallery?

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I think there are a few reasons why Celebrity does not safeguard the photos:

 

1. The photographs themselves are worth just pennies

2. Likely an overwhelmingly high percentage of them get thrown out anyways

3. Someone who steals a photograph probably doesn't represent a $ conversion regardless

4. Statistically speaking one could infer that Celebrity pax would be less likely to steal a photo than Carnival pax *ducks*

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Here's a Celebrity job description:

 

Security

 

The onboard security department works tirelessly to ensure a safe and secure environment for all our guests and crew.

We are responsible for the access control to the ship, the screening operation at the gangways, video security monitoring, investigations, security patrols, and more.

Our mission is to prevent security incidents and provide an immediate response to any related issues. If you are a highly qualified security professional with law enforcement credentials (and ISPS Code certified), we invite you to explore an opportunity with our team.

 

So they could have covert CCTV cameras and use facial recognition software!

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As most of the cruise pictures taken of me make me look like a small, aging and slightly overweight woman rather than the glamorous person I know I am why would I steal them?

 

Seriously the risk of theft must be light...most guests are honest anyway, those that aren't probably wouldn't risk getting caught for an item costing so little....

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I have always thought that it is such a waste of money and resources and space to print out all of these photo's when probably 90% get trashed. Digital photos are the way to go on more ships these days. First- they overall need to lower the cost to passengers. Cruise lines sell a link with a unique password to all of your photo's on a cruise that you can download at home. Or give you a photo CD for a fee. No need to have them printed and displayed on ship- other than marketing.

Edited by TeeRick
typo
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It seems like there are always photo people around the photo gallery, I guess if you have a tote bag you can sneak one in, but to carry a large photograph out without one of the folders you get when you buy one would be pretty obvious. Agree that generally speaking agre there's no 'loss' if you steal a photograph. Any photographs not purchased are thrown away so that would have been tossed anyway, and someone who would steal one is probably unlikely to buy one. I've seen newer ships switching to a digital photo gallery where they aren't physically printed out, id prefer to see them all go to that. Much easier to find your photos that way and less wasteful.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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Great comments. I agree that theft must be low because I didn't see anyone attempting it, and the financial loss is minimal because most of the photos end up in the trash at the end of the cruise anyway. It also warms my heart to see and be reassured that most people are good and honest.

 

On a side note, I was chatting with one of the ship photographers on the Summit and he said they will only be printing all the photos, like they do now, for another 3 months. After that, he said they will be digital only. I presume that means they will install more electronic kiosks (I believe they have 2 now) for you to order prints. Plus I assume they will be pushing the digital CD option over paper prints.

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We were on Equinox a few weeks ago and my first impression of a picture of my wife and I was that it was a lousy picture, with artifacts all over. Then I realized THAT was the security. It was a watermark kind of pattern which let you examine the picture, but made it unsuitable for display. When we purchased the picture we didn't get that one, we got a freshly printed picture without the 'watermark' effect.

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Ha ha, reminds me of our friends a few years back. They went on their first cruise and when they came back they had a lot of the professional pictures. They were tight on money so I was surprised the bought them. When I mentioned I was impressed the bought all the photo's they looked at me weird.

 

Seems they just took them, thought they were included since they were out on display. These are honest people that wouldn't steal them for anything so I know it's the truth. We still laugh to this day.

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Compared to other cruises most passengers on Celebrity don't purchase photos or even bother anymore as they sailed many times.

 

The photos are snap shots, not portrait quality.

 

 

We always let them take our pictures as it doesn't hurt anything when getting on or off the ship but do they really think that I want a photo being with a pirate, sailor, fish, or etc. Those are for the passengers on RCCL, Disney or Carnival.

 

Looking for our photos we have noticed thru the years that the area for them keeps getting smaller because passengers on X just wave them off, and the line for formal night portraits are also getting smaller.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

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...

 

Looking for our photos we have noticed thru the years that the area for them keeps getting smaller because passengers on X just wave them off, and the line for formal night portraits are also getting smaller.

 

Happy cruising

 

Perhaps time change... my wife and I personally hate posing for photographs in a I suppose what might be considered a traditional manner (in your finery staring into the distance). We would much rather take an a impromptu photograph.

 

Whenever I pose for a photograph I live in mortal fear they will end up like these

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=worst+family+portraits&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi2v5OygJnWAhVBCMAKHQ4aCREQ_AUICigB&biw=1229&bih=588#imgrc=_

 

I'm sure some of these were thought great at the time :-)

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I had some friends come home from their first cruise with a bunch of photos and I asked how much all that cost. They looked at me blankly and said they hadn't paid anything.

 

Turns out, one of the comedians had told a series of those "dumb questions you've heard on cruise lines" like "where does the crew sleep" routines.

 

Somewhere in it he said something like "a passenger asked, how do I know which are MY pictures?" And the answer was "the ones with YOU in them are YOUR pictures, of course"

 

They took it literally and came home with a big stack !

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I thought on our last cruise Solstice May 2017. They did not print out all the photos, I went to a kiosk near the casino. Swiped my seapass card and picked my photos, then given a code for downloading from home.

 

Several questions:

a) When looking at your photos after swiping your card, did they actually have all the ones taken with you in it or were some missing?

b) When looking at your photos, were there any included that did not have you or anyone you know included?

c) If you wanted to purchase a print, was that option available?

 

Thanks

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........Whenever I pose for a photograph I live in mortal fear they will end up like these

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=worst+family+portraits&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi2v5OygJnWAhVBCMAKHQ4aCREQ_AUICigB&biw=1229&bih=588#imgrc=_

 

I'm sure some of these were thought great at the time :-)

Hey, watch what you say.

Those are great photos of my family, from our last family reunion. ;p

 

That is supposed to be a private online photo album just for family members.

 

Darn it, I must have forgotten to put the secret access password on it once again. :eek:

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Several questions:

a) When looking at your photos after swiping your card, did they actually have all the ones taken with you in it or were some missing?

b) When looking at your photos, were there any included that did not have you or anyone you know included?

c) If you wanted to purchase a print, was that option available?

 

Thanks

 

Yes they had all our photos. I don't remember any other photos, yes there was a option for printing.

 

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Forums mobile app

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Several questions:

a) When looking at your photos after swiping your card, did they actually have all the ones taken with you in it or were some missing?

b) When looking at your photos, were there any included that did not have you or anyone you know included?

c) If you wanted to purchase a print, was that option available?

 

Thanks

 

When you board they take your photo for security and whenever your card is swiped it shows up.

I think that they use that photo as face recognition.

 

When using the kiosk all of your photos should show up, plus occasionally a few extras ( face recognition sometimes gets confused, and those are funny). I think there is a option to discard those that aren't part of your party.

 

You can order the prints that you want from the screen.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

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Yes they had all our photos. I don't remember any other photos, yes there was a option for printing.

 

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Forums mobile app

 

When you board they take your photo for security and whenever your card is swiped it shows up.

I think that they use that photo as face recognition.

 

When using the kiosk all of your photos should show up, plus occasionally a few extras ( face recognition sometimes gets confused, and those are funny). I think there is a option to discard those that aren't part of your party.

 

You can order the prints that you want from the screen.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

 

Thanks.

 

Technology has improved then since the facial recognition used on a Royal cruise several years ago.

 

On that cruise the ship's photographers took a special picture of you (if you asked) just for facial recognition purposes. When we looked at the photos at a kiosk screen, some photos were not there, some without us but with relatives were there (I guess our offspring must really look like us), and there were some photos of total strangers.

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