2 comments about onboard photos

[srico17]

OK. I'm almost afraid to post this, but, it's been on my mind. When we were on board last week, I was speaking with someone who seemed very normal and nice. What shocked me was in the middle of our conversation about how expensive the pictures are, she said she just took hers. Now, I KNOW THIS IS WRONG..... I WOULD NEVER DO IT.... but, I was wondering, is this common? Have you ever heard of anyone doing this, or actually seen someone doing it? I was shocked.....

 

Secondly, it seems like such an incredible waste of photo paper. There are THOUSANDS of photos that get thrown out every cruise. Wouldn't it make more sense to have computers to flip through the photos on, only print the ones people want to purchase, and charge way less?

 

I know the photos are an extra benefit, available if you want to spend the money, but, I just thought I would see what everyone else has to say.

[JC in CA]

I suppose I'm not surprised that someone would just take the photos- but I am surprised that they would admit it.

The waste of all those unpurchased pictures always bothers me. I wonder how long it will be before some sort of digital viewing goes in to play? I bet there would be a way for the photos to be sent to your cabin TV- probably even ordered off of the TV.

-JC in CA

[sms30519]

Funny story - my son who was about 11 at the time found the photo gallery and decided he would help mom and dad out by finding our pictures for us. Little did he know that you had to pay for them:eek: . We of course took the pictures back. It seems it is relatively easy to just walk out with them on most ships.

[rclcruzer]

I know people who do it. Does not bother me. At first I was a little taken aback, but to each his own. They have their reasons....like posted above about waste.

I THINK my girlfriend told me when they were on Liberty of the Seas in September they went to a photo kiosk and printed out only the ones they wanted. In fact I;m pretty sure she said that. Sounds like the way to go to me :)

[JanineM]

It's theft, plain and simple. I don't know how I would react if someone told me that they had just taken the photos ... guess it would depend on the person and how I expected they would react to me reacting! But regardless, I'd lose all respect for them that instant. But then, I pay for music that I download, and many of my friends tell me I'm a fool.

 

I do agree with you that there is tremendous waste in printing the photos. When we were on Mariner in September we could view some of our photos by sliding our SeaPass card in a specific terminal, and then view & purchase any pictures we want. Seems like they should do that all of the time. It would certainly be easy enough to do for the photos taken before dinner or at dinner, but may be more difficult for the casual/candid pix.

[jzerocsk]

It seems like they are moving towards electronic viewing of the pics...they had kiosks on my last cruise but they still printed everything anyway.

 

I'm not all that suprised that people would just walk off with them, but I always felt like there are cameras EVERYWHERE in the common areas so it seems outrageously risky!

[rclcruzer]

It seems like they are moving towards electronic viewing of the pics...they had kiosks on my last cruise but they still printed everything anyway.

 

I'm not all that suprised that people would just walk off with them, but I always felt like there are cameras EVERYWHERE in the common areas so it seems outrageously risky!

I thought I heard my friend correctly about the kiosks!

Yep, those camera's are their for a reason!! ;)

[cruisnfool]

I hope they don't do away with the picture gallery. I consider it a highlight to look at everyone else's pictures.

[Cruiserccl]

I hope they don't do away with the picture gallery. I consider it a highlight to look at everyone else's pictures.

 

Me too it's kinda funny to see some of them!:D

[BobBeaSea]

Wow! Taking the picture(s) without paying for them is stealing...no ifs ands or buts...it's theft.

 

On Explorer they had the digital kiosks where you could view your pics....I think they will do away entirely with displaying the pics....another cost cutting measure no doubt :).

[dontpanik]

I remember on another thread someone mentioning that it would be a good idea to take all the photos, place them on a disk, and sell them that way. I agree. Or at least have that as an option. I realize that you are not actually paying for the photo, per se, you are paying for the professional to take it. There must be a way for them to make a sound profit without all the waste. As far as looking through other's photos, how about a viewing station a la the ones shown after a theme park ride? Put up several monitors and loop the photos through all day long as well as in the staterooms with a small number at the bottom to order with. Maybe they could even make a way to order them while still in your room.

[rclcruzer]

I remember on another thread someone mentioning that it would be a good idea to take all the photos, place them on a disk, and sell them that way. I agree. Or at least have that as an option. I realize that you are not actually paying for the photo, per se, you are paying for the professional to take it. There must be a way for them to make a sound profit without all the waste. As far as looking through other's photos, how about a viewing station a la the ones shown after a theme park ride? Put up several monitors and loop the photos through all day long as well as in the staterooms with a small number at the bottom to order with. Maybe they could even make a way to order them while still in your room.

That would be awesome to view and purchase the pics in the privacy of your stateroom, anytime you wanted! But of course that would be too easy for RCCL. :eek::p

[srico17]

As far as looking through other's photos, how about a viewing station a la the ones shown after a theme park ride? Put up several monitors and loop the photos through all day long as well as in the staterooms with a small number at the bottom to order with. Maybe they could even make a way to order them while still in your room.

 

That is a great idea. I don't know about you, but, I get tired of flipping through the channels trying to find something on.... that would be a great channel...

 

I know there is a way to have computers where you can thumb through the pictures and order to print the ones you want. Now... would they pass the savings on to us so we could order more pictures, or would they stay the same price and they would just get more profit? hmmmmmm...

[rclcruzer]

As far as looking through other's photos, how about a viewing station a la the ones shown after a theme park ride? Put up several monitors and loop the photos through all day long as well as in the staterooms with a small number at the bottom to order with. Maybe they could even make a way to order them while still in your room.

 

That is a great idea. I don't know about you, but, I get tired of flipping through the channels trying to find something on.... that would be a great channel...

 

I know there is a way to have computers where you can thumb throught he pictures and order to print the ones you want. Now... would they pass the savings on to us so we could order more pictures, or would they stay the same price and they would just get more profit? hmmmmmm...

I'm banking on the profit....like Steve Martin said in the movie The Jerk:"Oh now I get it....it's a profit deal!" (during the carnival scene...) :D

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

I'm just stunned that someone would just walk off with the photos and not pay. What are they telling themselves to justify the theft? Furthermore, they then brag about it to a stranger. I wonder what else they help themselves to while on board. Beach towels? Table linens, such as napkins? Salt and pepper shakers?:eek:

 

I do agree with the OP about the egregious waste of paper, printing ink and energy to print all those photos when only a fraction of them are ever sold. It's high time to go digital.

[iheartbda]

I know people who do it. Does not bother me. At first I was a little taken aback, but to each his own. They have their reasons....like posted above about waste.

I THINK my girlfriend told me when they were on Liberty of the Seas in September they went to a photo kiosk and printed out only the ones they wanted. In fact I;m pretty sure she said that. Sounds like the way to go to me :)

 

It doesn't??? :( I doubt the people who are taking them are worried about waste. It's theft, plain and simple. Theft in the end costs us ALL and I resent paying the price for someone else's dishonesty.

 

[rclcruzer]

It doesn't??? :( I doubt the people who are taking them are worried about waste. It's theft, plain and simple. Theft in the end costs us ALL and I resent paying the price for someone else's dishonesty.

 

No it really doesn't. I have more important things to think about on my vacation than to worry about the thought of people taking their photo's without paying for them. Your right, It is unfair we have to pay and they don't, but I don't think this is a common thing. I believe though in Karma, maybe that's why I don't let it get to me. ;)

[explorer2000]

I noticed on Carnival, each picture had a sticky bar code looking thing on the back. It was raised, and in order to leave the photo area, you had to walk past those same type of contraptions you see in the department stores.

 

I am sure they are a type of "inventory control" device.

[rclcruzer]

I noticed on Carnival, each picture had a sticky bar code looking thing on the back. It was raised, and in order to leave the photo area, you had to walk past those same type of contraptions you see in the department stores.

 

I am sure they are a type of "inventory control" device.

I notice that too on Monarch last January....

[4bythebeach]

I asked on a previous cruise what happened to all the leftover pix and was told by a photo rep that the pictures get recycled.

I too think that taking the pix without paying is just plain theft. I could never do that!

[wieslaw]

I hope they don't do away with the picture gallery. I consider it a highlight to look at everyone else's pictures.

 

 

Hi,

in a way they did "do away with the picture gallery" on our cruise two weeks ago on the Mariner.

They started something new on that particular cruise as an experiment.

 

They are using a face recognition software, so the very first time that they take a picture of you, they will ask for your sea pass ( they run it through their scaner) - that allows them to link your face with your seapass ( and all others that you are linked with - same cabin ).

That has been used for a while on some ships - it was used on Explorer back in April.

But what was new on the Mariner - they created folders for every cabin , they put cabin number on each folder, placed them in rotating 'bins' and filled each folder with all the pictures pertaining to the people connected with the particular cabin. It was still a lots of pictures wasted but I believe they are counting on our human nature that it might be hard to resist buying the photos ones 'you; see them and have them in your hand.

The same photos were also available for viewing in the kiosks by using the seapass.

The only pictures / photos that were on 'public' display - were the ones that the face recognition software could not 'identify'.

 

Wes

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

I agree that it is theft, plain and simple.

I have seen people take a picture of the portraits. That was a cheap shot also. If you can afford to cruise you can afford to buy a photo or two. :rolleyes:

 

***

[rclcruzer]

Hi,

in a way they did "do away with the picture gallery" on our cruise two weeks ago on the Mariner.

They started something new on that particular cruise as an experiment.

 

They are using a face recognition software, so the very first time that they take a picture of you, they will ask for your sea pass ( they run it through their scaner) - that allows them to link your face with your seapass ( and all others that you are linked with - same cabin ).

That has been used for a while on some ships - it was used on Explorer back in April.

But what was new on the Mariner - they created folders for every cabin , they put cabin number on each folder, placed them in rotating 'bins' and filled each folder with all the pictures pertaining to the people connected with the particular cabin. It was still a lots of pictures wasted but I believe they are counting on our human nature that it might be hard to resist buying the photos ones 'you; see them and have them in your hand.

The same photos were also available for viewing in the kiosks by using the seapass.

The only pictures / photos that were on 'public' display - were the ones that the face recognition software could not 'identify'.

 

Wes

huh...that's seems high tech, I wonder if they will continue with that.

I still vote for picking our pictures in your stateroom and purchasing them from the remote!:)

[srico17]

No way! They can actually use software to recognize you?? That is so cool. I did notice them scanning our card when we took portraits. I thought that only those would be linked to our room account. Now, that is efficiency if they can identify you with software. Now there is no excuse for all the waste. Now, RCI if you are reading.... lower the picture prices..... or, sell a disc of all of our pictures that we can print when we get home. Everyone wins that way. I'm sure many more people would buy pictures if it were done that way!!

[rclcruzer]

No way! They can actually use software to recognize you?? That is so cool. I did notice them scanning our card when we took portraits. I thought that only those would be linked to our room account. Now, that is efficiency if they can identify you with software. Now there is no excuse for all the waste. Now, RCI if you are reading.... lower the picture prices..... or, sell a disc of all of our pictures that we can print when we get home. Everyone wins that way. I'm sure many more people would buy pictures if it were done that way!!

DITTO!!:)