Why do they make you take a picture (and without your glasses) for the pre-registration?

[ontheweb]

They take your picture when you board, and they do not make you take your glasses off. So why the previous picture, and why must you take your glasses off for that one?

[Asawi]

They have not taken my picture when boarding so I've been stuck with my no-glasses-really-can't-see-anything picture onboard. I thought it had to do with facial ID/passport-something but I really don¨t have a clue!

[BirdTravels]

Facial recognition. 

Edited August 19, 2023 by BirdTravels

[1025cruise]

Facial recognition for immigration. The picture is also used as your security picture. If the check in agent thinks the picture isn't good, they'll take a new one.

[ontheweb]

20 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

Facial recognition for immigration. The picture is also used as your security picture. If the check in agent thinks the picture isn't good, they'll take a new one.

OK, that makes sense except for the issue of glasses. Why does NCL require you to take your glasses off for the picture for pre-registration but not when they take the picture while in the actual boarding process?

[1025cruise]

Because you don't have your glasses on for your passport picture.

[CDR Benson]

I guess that's why Clark Kent never goes on a cruise.

[Pitzel]

On 8/20/2023 at 8:01 AM, ontheweb said:

OK, that makes sense except for the issue of glasses. Why does NCL require you to take your glasses off for the picture for pre-registration but not when they take the picture while in the actual boarding process?

When my husband gets his photo taken at the check-in desk, they do ask him to remove his glasses. If you have gotten your photo taken with glasses on, it might have been a fluke.

[laudergayle]

I believe it is so you can’t see how lousy you look in your mugshot.

[yakcruiser]

First cruise after Covid I could not get check in site to accept picture with or without glasses. For giggles I tried a picture of my now passed on cat. It worked! When I got to check in counter to get my keycard the young man looked at his screen and then at me and when I meowed he busted out laughing so hard other agents had to come over and look. Young lady at booth next to us said I looked much better in my picture than I did in person.

[ziggyuk]

1 hour ago, Pitzel said:

When my husband gets his photo taken at the check-in desk, they do ask him to remove his glasses. If you have gotten your photo taken with glasses on, it might have been a fluke.

 

We have always been asked to remove glasses for pictures at the port as well.

 

 

Edited August 21, 2023 by ziggyuk

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, Pitzel said:

When my husband gets his photo taken at the check-in desk, they do ask him to remove his glasses. If you have gotten your photo taken with glasses on, it might have been a fluke.

I specifically asked if I had to take my glasses off. The answer was no, only my sunglasses which were perched on top of my head where I could use them or not use them.

[minabruuke]

Oh no....

I guess pre-registration on my phone will not be going well for me. Without my glasses I can see ok if I put something almost right up to an eye (a few centimeters/ inch or two away at most) and everything else is just a blur.

 

This situation reminds me of my first encounter with the Smartgates in Sydney when they were relatively new (that are not smart or they'd realize that when you make a person take off their glasses they may not be able to see written instructions). I followed the instructions to take my glasses off and then just stood there clueless. An officer came over and unkindly reprimanded me for not following instructions. I explained that I was waiting for instructions but I didn't hear anything and since I was instructed to take my glasses off I couldn't see anything. The agent seemed humiliated; I couldn't believe that I was the first person that this person had encountered struggling because of their lack of vision.

 

I have since encountered these types of eGates in many countries and I am always shocked that there aren't audible instructions or at least a button for visually impaired people to get audible instructions (at least I have yet to encounter this). We've just learned that my husband needs to remain behind me so that he can read the screen and tell me if my head needs to be turned because I am not looking in the right place, give any other necessary instructions and tell me when I can put my glasses back on. We occasionally get attitude from the agents because they'll want my husband to use an empty adjacent gate but as soon as we respond that I can't see, a light bulb seems to go off in their brain.

[koreakruiser]

Preparing for a recent PoA cruise, I submitted my picture without glasses as instructed; didn’t really look like me.  Upon boarding, they wanted and took another picture WITH glasses.  My passport picture has glasses but being the PoA Hawaii cruise, immigration was not involved.

[MCMC100]

On 8/20/2023 at 11:22 AM, 1025cruise said:

Because you don't have your glasses on for your passport picture.

Sure you do…no requirement to remove glasses for a passport photo. 

[MCMC100]

On 8/20/2023 at 11:22 AM, 1025cruise said:

Because you don't have your glasses on for your passport picture.

Sorry…I misread this post initially and was thinking about something else. You DO need to remove glasses for a US passport photo. 

[Asawi]

3 hours ago, MCMC100 said:

Sorry…I misread this post initially and was thinking about something else. You DO need to remove glasses for a US passport photo. 

Yes. Any passport with the new international biometrics standards require this. US or elsewhere. It includes, among other things iris recognition for face ID. Even if that CAN be done with glasses, the easier, more secure way is to not allow glasses. Exceptions can be made though. But they are just that: Exceptions

[cruiseny4life]

On 8/21/2023 at 5:06 PM, yakcruiser said:

First cruise after Covid I could not get check in site to accept picture with or without glasses. For giggles I tried a picture of my now passed on cat. It worked! When I got to check in counter to get my keycard the young man looked at his screen and then at me and when I meowed he busted out laughing so hard other agents had to come over and look. Young lady at booth next to us said I looked much better in my picture than I did in person.

You win! I've tried photos with my dogs. I guess for my upcoming cruise I'll be trying my cat out. I'm really upset they only allow you a couple chances before they end your photo taking experience. I really enjoyed trying to get the most preposterous photo approved! But, I never tried just one of my pets.