Mythbusters: Tipping the Photo Attendant to Avoid Purchase

[Cruising Jedi]

Yeah definitely an unethical move. If this was a thing, why on earth would anyone ever buy photos again?  Wouldn't everyone just wait until the last day and say well, you're throwing them out anyway...And to equate spoiled yet cheapskate cruise passengers with giving food to the homeless is ridiculous. 

[pablo222]

On 12/5/2019 at 8:28 AM, sanger727 said:

The employer throws the unsold product away. It costs them nothing for the employee to give it away at the very very end of the cruise when it's clear it won't be sold anyway. Would you also have a problem with an employee giving restaurant leftovers to a homeless shelter after closing?

 

But, the 'gift' isn't being made to charity...

 

The parallel to your restuarant analogy is something like:

 

The server comes to you, and says:

 

I know the manager would like you to purchase desert.

But, I happen to know there is a lot of cake left.   If you promise me a good tip, I will

bring you cake for free, before is is thrown away.

 

The business is losing the opportunity of the sale, regardless of the cost or value of the goods being sold.

If all customers knew about this secret system, who would ever purchase dessert?

 

And, this would actually prevent a homeless shelter from getting the discarded cake...

 

 

If all passengers knew they could purchase their pictures on the down-low from a photographer,

who would ever actually buy a picture?

 

 

Edited December 6, 2019 by pablo222

[MissP22]

4 hours ago, pablo222 said:

If all customers knew about this secret system, who would ever purchase dessert?

We never get dessert when we dine out, even with friends. 

We always wind up at each others homes afterwards & have coffee & dessert at a fraction of the cost.

Same with photo's. We never purchase any since the price is our of sight. 

If enough people would do the same the price would be a fraction of what they want today. 

 

[jwattle]

3 hours ago, MissP22 said:

We never get dessert when we dine out, even with friends. 

We always wind up at each others homes afterwards & have coffee & dessert at a fraction of the cost.

Same with photo's. We never purchase any since the price is our of sight. 

If enough people would do the same the price would be a fraction of what they want today. 

 

Is there anything that you don't seagull?

[RMMariner]

On 12/5/2019 at 5:28 AM, sanger727 said:

The employer throws the unsold product away. It costs them nothing for the employee to give it away at the very very end of the cruise when it's clear it won't be sold anyway. Would you also have a problem with an employee giving restaurant leftovers to a homeless shelter after closing?

 

Ludicrous analogy. 

 

You must be trolling, because there is no way you actually think that this is the same thing.

 

Miss P - No way was this an above board transaction. Princess does not do cash sales anywhere on their ships, to avoid this very situation. It would not matter if he was a manager or not. 

I was head of security for a large entertainment group. We caught waiters, bartenders and managers doing something like this every so often. They were always fired, and in extreme cases the matter was referred to the police. 

[MissP22]

6 hours ago, RMMariner said:

Miss P - No way was this an above board transaction. Princess does not do cash sales anywhere on their ships, to avoid this very situation. It would not matter if he was a manager or not. 

Whatever- but he offered the photo's I wouldn't question him. That's his problem to deal with and most people certainly wouldn't turn him in.

Pack them away to enjoy latter.  

[sanger727]

15 hours ago, pablo222 said:

 

But, the 'gift' isn't being made to charity...

 

The parallel to your restuarant analogy is something like:

 

The server comes to you, and says:

 

I know the manager would like you to purchase desert.

But, I happen to know there is a lot of cake left.   If you promise me a good tip, I will

bring you cake for free, before is is thrown away.

 

The business is losing the opportunity of the sale, regardless of the cost or value of the goods being sold.

If all customers knew about this secret system, who would ever purchase dessert?

 

And, this would actually prevent a homeless shelter from getting the discarded cake...

 

 

If all passengers knew they could purchase their pictures on the down-low from a photographer,

who would ever actually buy a picture?

 

 

Not even close to an analogy. Again.... I am not responding to the OP post. I was responding to a couple follow up

posts were the person finished their cruise, purchased pictures if they were going to, and had no interest in purchasing more pictures. The employee then discreetly handed them the photos as a thank you, not for a tip, but for a positive comment card.

 

A random occurrence like this isn’t going to discourage anyone from buying photos. No free photos were solicited and no bribe/tip was solicited. It cost the employer nothing. And it probably left the cruiser with an extra positive experience.

 

i have no doubt that things like this happen from time to time. Just like free drinks and double pours happen from time to time to big tippers. The difference is the free drinks and double pours to big tippers does cost the cruise line in unpaid alcohol. Discreetly handing someone photos on their was off the ship instead of shredding them

does not.

Edited December 7, 2019 by sanger727

[pablo222]

59 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

The employee then discreetly handed them the photos as a thank you, not for a tip, but for a positive comment card.

 

The photos belong to Princess Cruises, not a particular photographer.

 

A photographer has no right to give them away.

 

BTW, based on your numerous replies to this thread, I think you are just trolling us.

 

Carry on.

[sanger727]

4 minutes ago, pablo222 said:

The photos belong to Princess Cruises, not a particular photographer.

 

A photographer has no right to give them away.

 

BTW, based on your numerous replies to this thread, I think you are just trolling us.

 

Carry on.

i assure you I am not. Just expressing an opinion that differs from your own. Differing opinions is what makes the world the interesting place it is.

Edited December 7, 2019 by sanger727

[pablo222]

3 hours ago, sanger727 said:

i assure you I am not. Just expressing an opinion that differs from your own. Differing opinions is what makes the world the interesting place it is.

I think the electric Kool-aid acid test for your thesis about the photographer...

 

Would the photographer do the same thing if the security officer was standing there watching...

 

[MissP22]

3 hours ago, pablo222 said:

I think the electric Kool-aid acid test for your thesis about the photographer...

 

Would the photographer do the same thing if the security officer was standing there watching...

 

The security camera didn't see to bother him. 

[Daniel A]

3 hours ago, pablo222 said:

Would the photographer do the same thing if the security officer was standing there watching...

 

Very similar to my earlier question.  Would that employee welcome mention of the give away on the comment card? 

[donaldsc]

On 12/7/2019 at 2:46 AM, MissP22 said:

Whatever- but he offered the photo's I wouldn't question him. That's his problem to deal with and most people certainly wouldn't turn him in.

Pack them away to enjoy latter.  

 

You are walking down the street.  A sleazy guy in a van pulls up and offers you a big screen TV or a new iPhone at only 10% of the original price.  What would you do - buy it and figure that it is his problem or say no.

 

DON

[MissP22]

5 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

You are walking down the street.  A sleazy guy in a van pulls up and offers you a big screen TV or a new iPhone at only 10% of the original price.  What would you do - buy it and figure that it is his problem or say no.

 

DON

Your scenario isn't quite the same. There was no money exchanged.

[pablo222]

28 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

Your scenario isn't quite the same. There was no money exchanged.

 

On 11/30/2019 at 2:16 PM, winnifer said:

During a conversation with one of my coworkers, the professional photos on board came up, and how wasteful it seems to print all those photos out, and what they do with them afterward if not purchased. He said that his roommate had tipped the photo attendant $50 to put all of their photos aside and hook them up with them at the end,

 

28 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

Your scenario isn't quite the same. There was no money exchanged.

 

Huh?

[MissP22]

6 minutes ago, pablo222 said:

 

 

 

Huh?

I could have sworn that someone posted getting photo's in exchange for a good comment card. Maybe it's gone.

Sorry.

[donaldsc]

5 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Your scenario isn't quite the same. There was no money exchanged.

 

"During a conversation with one of my coworkers, the professional photos on board came up, and how wasteful it seems to print all those photos out, and what they do with them afterward if not purchased. He said that his roommate had tipped the photo attendant $50 to put all of their photos aside and hook them up with them at the end, bypassing purchasing the photo package or individual photos. They got their photos, saved a chunk of change (which they said they did a few nights of specialty dining with) and the attendant made a nice tip, plus the paper and ink didn't go to waste."

 

This is part of the original post and the highlights are mine.  Did you read the original post.  

 

DON

[MissP22]

1 minute ago, donaldsc said:

 

"During a conversation with one of my coworkers, the professional photos on board came up, and how wasteful it seems to print all those photos out, and what they do with them afterward if not purchased. He said that his roommate had tipped the photo attendant $50 to put all of their photos aside and hook them up with them at the end, bypassing purchasing the photo package or individual photos. They got their photos, saved a chunk of change (which they said they did a few nights of specialty dining with) and the attendant made a nice tip, plus the paper and ink didn't go to waste."

 

This is part of the original post and the highlights are mine.  Did you read the original post.  

 

DON

Yes I did but I was responding to a removed comment that stated pictures were handed to someone who didn't offer cash in exchange. 

[pablo222]

8 hours ago, MissP22 said:

I could have sworn that someone posted getting photo's in exchange for a good comment card. Maybe it's gone.

 

The same thing happened to me in another thread.

 

If someone were to read the thread now, I make even less sense than usual...

 

[rugerdog]

I've thought I had seen posts "disappear" on this site, but figured I was just having hallucinations.  How and why does that happen?  I understand if a post was made that was considered offensive.  

[Daniel A]

9 hours ago, MissP22 said:

I could have sworn that someone posted getting photo's in exchange for a good comment card. Maybe it's gone.

Sorry.

 

4 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Yes I did but I was responding to a removed comment that stated pictures were handed to someone who didn't offer cash in exchange. 

 

48 minutes ago, pablo222 said:

The same thing happened to me in another thread.

If someone were to read the thread now, I make even less sense than usual...

 

17 minutes ago, rugerdog said:

I've thought I had seen posts "disappear" on this site, but figured I was just having hallucinations.  How and why does that happen?  I understand if a post was made that was considered offensive.  

The post I think everybody is referencing is still there.  Read post #11 on this thread.  I do think that particular post is suspect.  The poster just happened to need the spelling of the worker's name so they could do a good comment card and the worker just happened to have the rest of their photos already in a bag to hand over as a thank you.  Sounds kind of fishy to me but stranger things have happened, I guess.

[MissP22]

8 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

 

 

 

The post I think everybody is referencing is still there.  Read post #11 on this thread.  I do think that particular post is suspect.  The poster just happened to need the spelling of the worker's name so they could do a good comment card and the worker just happened to have the rest of their photos already in a bag to hand over as a thank you.  Sounds kind of fishy to me but stranger things have happened, I guess.

You're correct. That's the one.

[RMMariner]

It may not be cash changing hands, but it sure sounds like a bribe.

[Daniel A]

4 minutes ago, RMMariner said:

It may not be cash changing hands, but it sure sounds like a bribe.

I wonder if in this case it was the worker who was bribing the customer for a good reference on the comment card.

[richstowe]

Just worked my way through this thread . That's a half hour I'll never get back . 

(Yes it took a half hour . Had to go back and forth to see who was insulting whom ).