Diamond status free photo

[Parkhopper]

On Allure right now and was just told that I cannot use my free Diamond level photo to purchase a photo of my adult son and his new wife because they are not in my cabin.
 

Is this really the way this works?  I booked and paid for their cabin and it has been attached to our reservation.

 

They have not had any issue with us paying the gratuity when we have dined together at the specialty restaurants, or with me using my Diamond drink coupons to purchase drinks for them. 
 

Why are the photos different?  My son and his wife were with me at the time I was trying to purchase and we all share the same last name

[davekathy]

10 minutes ago, Parkhopper said:

On Allure right now and was just told that I cannot use my free Diamond level photo to purchase a photo of my adult son and his new wife because they are not in my cabin.
 

Is this really the way this works?  I booked and paid for their cabin and it has been attached to our reservation.

 

They have not had any issue with us paying the gratuity when we have dined together at the specialty restaurants, or with me using my Diamond drink coupons to purchase drinks for them. 
 

Why are the photos different?  My son and his wife were with me at the time I was trying to purchase and we all share the same last name

Who did you speak with? The contractor who runs the whole photo business on the ship or the CAS LA? 

[Parkhopper]

I spoke with the woman working at the photo area. I will escalate to a Manager today, if I need to. I just need to make sure that there really is no reason why I cannot do this before getting a manager involved

[davekathy]

2 minutes ago, Parkhopper said:

I spoke with the woman working at the photo area. I will escalate to a Manager today, if I need to. I just need to make sure that there really is no reason why I cannot do this before getting a manager involved

I would speak with the CAS LA. 

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

I'm guessing that the reason she said she couldn't do it is because photo packages MUST be used for photos with at least one member of the purchaser's cabin in them.  Logically, it would make sense to apply the same standard to Diamond photos.

 

That said, I'm not aware of any hard-and-fast rule for Diamond photos. If it's worth it to you to press the issue, you probably have a decent chance of getting the decision reversed.

[cruiseguy1016]

Here is the way I understand it and what I was told on the ship a few years ago. It has nothing to do with who paid for what and who is in what cabin. You are talking about a Diamond member perk. The free picture is for the Diamond member. The Diamond member must be in the picture. You are not allowed to get just any random picture (your son's family) with the perk. The Diamond member must be in the picture in order for it to qualify.

Edited May 13, 2023 by cruiseguy1016

[marci22]

1 minute ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

Here is the way I understand it and what I was told on the ship a few years ago. The free picture is for the Diamond member. The Diamond member must be in the picture. You are not allowed to get just any random picture (your son's family) with the perk. The Diamond member must be in the picture in order for it to qualify.

Yes. When my family traveled and we were in various pictures, we had to use the coupon(s) corresponding to who was in each picture. It was a pain.

 

That being said, they could possibly make an allowance, but don't count on it.

[bajathree]

34 minutes ago, Parkhopper said:

On Allure right now and was just told that I cannot use my free Diamond level photo to purchase a photo of my adult son and his new wife because they are not in my cabin.
 

Is this really the way this works?  I booked and paid for their cabin and it has been attached to our reservation.

 

They have not had any issue with us paying the gratuity when we have dined together at the specialty restaurants, or with me using my Diamond drink coupons to purchase drinks for them. 
 

Why are the photos different?  My son and his wife were with me at the time I was trying to purchase and we all share the same last name

Technically thats not supposed to be happening either. If you use one of your diamond plus coupons to buy yourself a drink and give it to someone...thats kind of hard to prevent people from doing. However if someone other than you is ordering a drink at dinner or at a bar and you are just telling the bartender or waiter use my diamond plus coupon for their drink.....they aren't supposed to be allowing that.

Edited May 13, 2023 by bajathree

[davekathy]

15 minutes ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

Here is the way I understand it and what I was told on the ship a few years ago. It has nothing to do with who paid for what and who is in what cabin. You are talking about a Diamond member perk. The free picture is for the Diamond member. The Diamond member must be in the picture. You are not allowed to get just any random picture (your son's family) with the perk. The Diamond member must be in the picture in order for it to qualify.

I agree and my understanding of the photo perks. Why I suggested that @Parkhopper speak directly with the LA. 

[MCC retired]

We have never had a Free Diamond photo problem.

We select one 8x10 photo of us and one 8x10 generic photo of the ship[.

[gerif]

It has always been my understanding that the Diamond member must be in the free photo (although one could use the drink vouchers for anyone). I wouldn’t embarrass myself by demanding that the rules don’t apply to me but that’s up to you. In any event, no one cares who paid for anything. That reasoning will get you nowhere. 

[not-enough-cruising]

2 hours ago, Parkhopper said:

On Allure right now and was just told that I cannot use my free Diamond level photo to purchase a photo of my adult son and his new wife because they are not in my cabin.
 

Is this really the way this works?  I booked and paid for their cabin and it has been attached to our reservation.

 

They have not had any issue with us paying the gratuity when we have dined together at the specialty restaurants, or with me using my Diamond drink coupons to purchase drinks for them. 
 

Why are the photos different?  My son and his wife were with me at the time I was trying to purchase and we all share the same last name

This is really how it works. If the Diamond member isn’t in the picture or on the folio then you can’t use your perk. 

[topnole]

3 hours ago, Parkhopper said:

On Allure right now and was just told that I cannot use my free Diamond level photo to purchase a photo of my adult son and his new wife because they are not in my cabin.
 

Is this really the way this works?  I booked and paid for their cabin and it has been attached to our reservation.

 

They have not had any issue with us paying the gratuity when we have dined together at the specialty restaurants, or with me using my Diamond drink coupons to purchase drinks for them. 
 

Why are the photos different?  My son and his wife were with me at the time I was trying to purchase and we all share the same last name

Apparently you can’t pick pictures you aren’t in.   Makes sense.  
 

I’ll say your comment about paying for their cabin is irrelevant though.  It is far beyond the workers business or even right to know how anyone’s cruise is paid for, and it’s completely unrelated to your situation. Either you get to pick photos of them or you don’t.  Who’s credit card was used to pay for their cabin matters nothing.  

Edited May 13, 2023 by topnole

[cruiseboy89130]

4 hours ago, Parkhopper said:

Is this really the way this works?  

YES!

[cruiseboy89130]

4 hours ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

The free picture is for the Diamond member. The Diamond member must be in the picture. You are not allowed to get just any random picture (your son's family) with the perk. The Diamond member must be in the picture in order for it to qualify.

+1 That is the correct rule!

[SG65CB]

The Diamond member does not have to be in the picture. When you review your photos you swipe your card in the machine. This tells the system which cabin you are in, and tells them you are a Diamond member. You are shown photos of people in that same cabin number. You can buy any of those photos regardless of who is in the photo, but you will only see photos for your cabin. You select the photo to buy and then during checkout you specify to use your Diamond discount. 

 

If your son is in another cabin he will not appear in the photos for your cabin - he will be in the photos for his cabin. You can only view and purchase photos for your own cabin.

Edited May 13, 2023 by SG65CB

[SG65CB]

4 hours ago, bajathree said:

Technically thats not supposed to be happening either. If you use one of your diamond plus coupons to buy yourself a drink and give it to someone...thats kind of hard to prevent people from doing. However if someone other than you is ordering a drink at dinner or at a bar and you are just telling the bartender or waiter use my diamond plus coupon for their drink.....they aren't supposed to be allowing that.

 

You can use your Diamond drink coupons to buy drinks for other people. There is no restriction on this. You can take four people to a bar and buy them all drinks at the same time and it is allowed. 

 

You cannot use your drink package to buy drinks for other people. 

 

[neverbeenhere]

 Back when the photos sat in the racks, people used to steal or buy our photos. Of course, they were the shots without me present. 
 

 

I guess I should not say our photos, but the wife’s photos. 

Edited May 13, 2023 by neverbeenhere

[not-enough-cruising]

5 hours ago, bajathree said:

Technically thats not supposed to be happening either. If you use one of your diamond plus coupons to buy yourself a drink and give it to someone...thats kind of hard to prevent people from doing. However if someone other than you is ordering a drink at dinner or at a bar and you are just telling the bartender or waiter use my diamond plus coupon for their drink.....they aren't supposed to be allowing that.

Actually sharing your C&A vouchers and buying a friend a drink are all allowed and were part of the Royal promotional literature for the program. They promote sharing the free drinks.

[sharktums]

There seems to be 'selective enforcement' with the "you must be in the photo" rule.  Sometimes we've been told you can't and sometimes it isn't even questioned. 

[marci22]

1 hour ago, sharktums said:

There seems to be 'selective enforcement' with the "you must be in the photo" rule.  Sometimes we've been told you can't and sometimes it isn't even questioned. 

I don't think the computer will let you buy a photo without someone in  your cabin being recognized in that photo.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

6 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

This is really how it works. If the Diamond member isn’t in the picture or on the folio then you can’t use your perk. 

 

I've read this a few times in this thread but each time I read it, I ask myself...why? Why is this rule in place? As a Diamond, it's my earned perk. What image I choose is my diamond privelege. Can anyone explain the logic behind the rule other than Royal wants the revenue from her family member? 

 

On a different note, We've had about a dozen or so cruises in our time. What I don't need is another 8x10 pic of me & the wife on a cruise. But I must say they do look impressive all lined up on the hallway wall by cruise year . 😉

 

 

 

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

On a different note, We've had about a dozen or so cruises in our time. What I don't need is another 8x10 pic of me & the wife on a cruise. But I must say they do look impressive all lined up on the hallway wall by cruise year . 😉

 

I'd need a really big house to do that

[taglovestocruise]

1 hour ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

 

can  anyone explain the logic behind the rule other than Royal wants the revenue from her family member? 

 

 

That is exactly the reason, why give a free photo to someone who might pay for it. 

[Goodtime Cruizin]

OK... so here's what the Royal benefits states on their website...

 

Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle club members receive a free any size photo of your choice from your existing photograph selection. Special requests such as reprints, copies or modifications cannot be accommodated.

 

So here's a potential way of how to handle it... whenever you wish to select a picture of someone else as one of your perks, give the photographer your sea pass as they take snap the picture. Be the dining table, formal night staged area, getting off the ship while at port, just hand themyour seapass and the image will modt likely be placed under that account. It should then fall into your selection.