Princess Photos

[Wildcatter]

We had purchased the photos from previous cruises, but not this time (Grand Xmas Cruise). They were around $20 each. I saw tons of them the last night still on the wall, most pretty good photos. The photographers are top notch, but I think Princess needs to do another supply/demand analysis on what people are willing to pay. You can get a photo package at a local photography studio for what you'd pay for eight 5 x 7's on Princess. They are just going to throw the photos away after the cruise anyways. Why not have a sale on them and get was you can get? Drop them to $5 or $10 the last night and unload them. I heard a lot of grumbling and complaining in the photo area from many passengers who liked their photos, but could not justify blowing $100 on 5 pictures.

[from the desert]

The idea is good but flawed. If Princess marked down the remaining photos the last night, who would buy them at full price?:confused: It's not as if you need them before you head home.

 

I know a lot of people who hate lugging a camera around and really enjoy their photo(s) from the cruise line. Even though so many are taken they only choose the one or two that sums up their vacation for them.

 

Pictures are like the soda card, the coffee card, and alcohol. They are available (for a price) but if you don't want or need it, don't buy it.

[camNaud]

We bought 5 large portraits last time round and got 1 free which was a good deal at $100. The photographs we purchased were top quality, and we would have paid a lot more for a professional photographer back home to do the portriats we had taken.

 

On our next cruise we are like yourselves, we will not be purchasing. There is a limit to the amount you can buy without running the risk of the photos being too 'samey'. It's less than a year since our last cruise and we both have changed very little in that time.

 

To limit the number being taken we won't queue to have portrait photos taken. I don't think it's fair to pose for portraits when you have no intention of buying.

[chasetf]

I agree. They have gotten pricewise beyond what I want to pay. The other thing is they put those gawdy "port" borders on them and upsize them to 8X10's. The actual "picture" is still only 5X7.

 

They print very few 5X7's at the lower price. I would buy more of the smaller ones without the ugly borders. Standing next to sign showing what port we are in is sufficent for me.;)

[MercedMike]

... I think Princess needs to do another supply/demand analysis on what people are willing to pay. ... I heard a lot of grumbling and complaining in the photo area from many passengers who liked their photos, but could not justify blowing $100 on 5 pictures.

 

LOL -- I think I can confidently believe that the photography company that contracts with Princess and other cruise ships is CONSTANTLY doing intense supply/demand and other marketing analyses. I bet they have a Harvard MBA making about 100K doing those for them!!;) It is unquestionably big business, and if their marketing wasn't making a handsome profit for them, it would be changed in an instant!!

 

We just finished our 29th cruise last month on Grand Princess, and we probably bought more pics than we have in quite a while. I thought the quality was very good and the photography was better than on many other ships. Remember this is a profit making enterprise -- not a service the ship provides out of kindness! There were lines at the cash register most times I went through the gallery, so I guess they are doing something right!

[City_Woman]

Just returned from the Star and we bought the fewest photos ever. However, that's a good thing. Saved some money!

 

We also decided - after 7 cruises - that we will stick with the embarkation photo and 1 formal night photo at most.

 

Judy

[Princess Chatterer]

I purchase very few photos since they raised the prices. On our last cruise two young children were having the time of their life having their formal picture taken in the atrium. After the photographer took at least twenty different formal, mostly silly, poses of the children I just quit counting. All of those photos was sure going to cost either Princess or the parents who probably wandered off to a lobby bar.

[mycruz]

I agree the prices have gotten way out of hand. We did not buy any of the pictures, only took the two that were included in our package. I really liked one picture but when I was told it was $20 I left it on the counter.

[FuzzyMelton]

After cruising multiple times I find myself not purchasing any of the pictures. They are just to much money. If they would halve the charge, I would find myself buying several. But at $20+ per picture I just throw them away, even if they are pretty good, and rely on the trusty digital camera.

[ldoc31]

I think they would sell more if they charged less for the port ones than the formal ones which take more time to pose.