The Existential Loneliness of the HAL Ship Photographer

[harryw]

I’ve been on the Statendam for a week and note that the photographer is getting sparse business. He attempts to flag down customers but the parade passes him by. This is my first HAL cruise and I was surprised that this profession still exists. Does he make a profit? Is he a HAL 

employee or free lancer?

[Copper10-8]

3 minutes ago, harryw said:

I’ve been on the Statendam for a week and note that the photographer is getting sparse business. He attempts to flag down customers but the parade passes him by. This is my first HAL cruise and I was surprised that this profession still exists. Does he make a profit? Is he a HAL 

employee or free lancer?

 

There is usually a photo manager and up to three-four, if you include the Black Label artist, staff and all are HAL contract employees,as are the Spa, Casino, Art staff

[ZSandy25]

17 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

There is usually a photo manager and up to three-four, if you include the Black Label artist, staff and all are HAL contract employees,as are the Spa, Casino, Art staff

Love your new picture Cooper10-8

 

[sammiedawg]

While on a Holland America ship, a family  member hit his head on an overhead photography light.  Bad gash to the forehead.  I’ve personally tripped over their electrical cords.  Their equipment blocks walkways and is a nuisance.  And I cannot stand how they invade your dinner, attempting to take pictures. 

Many cruise lines have eliminated this position and they are not missed. 

Disney does a good job with their photo program but if you want a picture with the characters you get in a line.  

Edited January 27, 2019 by sammiedawg

[foodsvcmgr]

You would think that the economics would not be too favorable for HAL continuing ship photographers considering their generally older “been there, done that” repeat clientele.

Just how many photos can anyone buy over the years?

Thirty years ago I bought several each cruise, in the last ten years total of two that I can recall.

Whereas lines with younger, less travelled, less jaded passengers probably can still sell photos all day long.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Even when we first started to sail in the 80's, we hardly bought any pictures.

 

Having no family left for the last 20+ years, we haven't bought any pictures.

[Krazy Kruizers]

2 hours ago, sammiedawg said:

While on a Holland America ship, a family  member hit his head on an overhead photography light.  Bad gash to the forehead.  I’ve personally tripped over their electrical cords.  Their equipment blocks walkways and is a nuisance.  And I cannot stand how they invade your dinner, attempting to take pictures. 

 

 

Totally agree!!

 

They are a nuisance.  Also hate how they hang out at the end of the gangway as you are trying to get off the ship.

[Fouremco]

1 hour ago, foodsvcmgr said:

Whereas lines with younger, less travelled, less jaded passengers probably can still sell photos all day long.

I suspect that the younger passengers are more interested in selfies than paid packages.

[Essiesmom]

I usually buy the pier photos, if they are still taking them by the time we get off in port.  But back in 2009, on a 32 day collectors cruise from San Diego to Rome, there were no longer taking gangway pics, because there was not enough interest...EM

[510picker]

On our November cruise on the Koningsdam, they offered an unlimited digital photo package for a pre-purchase price of $99. We typically buy one formal night photo from each cruise, so we bought the $99 package and were smiling at every opportunity! I was very happy receiving all of the files for that price. 

[Copper10-8]

Hey, if you don't want it/are not interested, just say No. These people are there/get paid to do a job and they will be onboard until the powers to be in the SEA boardroom make a decision that it is no longer worth the investment and will then pull the plug. There used to be a videographer and that position is outtahere

[kazu]

20 minutes ago, 510picker said:

On our November cruise on the Koningsdam, they offered an unlimited digital photo package for a pre-purchase price of $99. We typically buy one formal night photo from each cruise, so we bought the $99 package and were smiling at every opportunity! I was very happy receiving all of the files for that price. 

 

I would buy this in a nano second if it were offered.

 

Last cruise ever on this ship and that is a fair ball price.

 

Sadly I don’t see it on board nor in our on line booking options.  Oh well and ‘sigh’

[Cruise Suzy]

1 hour ago, 510picker said:

On our November cruise on the Koningsdam, they offered an unlimited digital photo package for a pre-purchase price of $99.

 

It was originally listed for pre-purchase for our 2/13 cruise, but a week or so before Christmas it disappeared. Someone posted they called Seattle and were told it would only be available onboard. At the time the onboard price was $149. Haven't heard anyone comment on it since.

[faerievert]

I'll be inquiring about unlimited photo packages on the Eurodam next week. We had one our last cruise three years ago (unlimited prints and digital) and loved it. I for one would miss the photographers.

[jakers]

Our daughters love to pose, and a fun part of their cruise is dressing up in different outfits and hair styles. Obviously, they get to know the photographers well. For this reason we get the all inclusive package when we board. The photographers have a job to do, like everybody else, and for the most part they do it well. We've been cruising as a family for 18 years now and can't remember how many photos went into the trash bin because we could only afford a few. The all inclusive package is the way to go. We keep the photographers employed, we don't mind the gangway or dining room pictures, and if you have multiple pictures taken with friends, you can gift a few to your friends that you meet on board. If they have a digital package, you don't have to scan them when you get home.Taking a day out of your busy life to get everybody dressed up at home, trucking them all to a studio, and then haggling about which picture for what price; that would be a drag.

[mcrcruiser]

The photography  department  on the cruise ships also sell cameras ,batteries  ,chips ie   .They are also very good at helping those who are part time photographers  with great ideas & are very approachable . no I would not recommend doing away with that department 

 

 Like many here we have now 81 cruises under belt (6 more cruises are booked ,2 HAL & 4 Princess )&  it has been many years ago that we ever bought a  cruise line picture .In fact ,our last pictures were free as one of the promotion items to sell Celebrity cruises on a Celebrity ship . Then we also received another free  picture ,the time we had dinner at the Captains Table  ,on a Celebrity cruise ship  .We had done over 40 cruises on Celebrity cruise ships . Very much likeing to HAL but ,not their ship designs 

Edited January 28, 2019 by mcrcruiser

[fatcat04]

2 hours ago, Cruise Suzy said:

 

It was originally listed for pre-purchase for our 2/13 cruise, but a week or so before Christmas it disappeared. Someone posted they called Seattle and were told it would only be available onboard. At the time the onboard price was $149. Haven't heard anyone comment on it since.

That is what our PCC said. I will check it out next week on NA. We love family pics by pro photographers when on vacation and would love an unlimited digital package.

Edited January 28, 2019 by fatcat04

[rafinmd]

8 hours ago, kazu said:

 

I would buy this in a nano second if it were offered.

 

Last cruise ever on this ship and that is a fair ball price.

 

Sadly I don’t see it on board nor in our on line booking options.  Oh well and ‘sigh’

I bought it on the Prinsendam for $140 for 80 days of photos.  I assume the price varies somewhat by length of cruise but am not sure of that.

 

Roy

[ski ww]

I like getting our photo taken when we first board & another on gala night all dressed up, makes for a nice souvenir of our trip. 

[kazu]

1 hour ago, rafinmd said:

I bought it on the Prinsendam for $140 for 80 days of photos.  I assume the price varies somewhat by length of cruise but am not sure of that.

 

Roy

thanks Roy.  That's encouraging.

 

Much appreciated 🙂 

[regnig]

16 hours ago, ZSandy25 said:

Love your new picture Cooper10-8

 

Me Too!!! 

[mcrcruiser]

Interesting price point for the photo package

[grsnovi]

We purchased the package on our last cruise. Comes in a nice "ship shaped" usb stick. What I thought was odd was that all of what they would have printed were included - so each pose collected into each size print. You had one file with a 5 x 7 along with four 2.5" x 3.5" rather than just the individual photograph. I suppose this was for the technologically challenged? There was also a single file which contained a signed "release" allowing you to print as many as you wanted. 

[Himself]

16 hours ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

 

Totally agree!!

 

They are a nuisance.  Also hate how they hang out at the end of the gangway as you are trying to get off the ship.

 

They normally don't bother me too much as I am usually the priest Chaplain. I will be on the Nieuw Statendam next month so I will see what happens. I will gladly pose but that does not mean I will purchase the pictures.

 

[Himself]