2 comments about onboard photos

[wieslaw]

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:

 

***

 

As far as I know it is also not allowed to take 'the purchased' photos and have copies made of them after 'you' return home ...... unless 'you' have a waiver from the cruise line ( easy to get).

The photos are the property of the photo dept. from that cruise line.

 

But people are, who / what they are, and they do / what they do .....even if it is wrong.

 

Wes

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

As far as I know it is also not allowed to take 'the purchased' photos and have copies made of them after 'you' return home ...... unless 'you' have a waiver from the cruise line ( easy to get).

The photos are the property of the photo dept. from that cruise line.

 

But people are, who / what they are, and they do / what they do .....even if it is wrong.

 

Wes

 

The people I saw used their digital camera and propped up the portraits and took pictures of them! Tacky!

 

***

[SusieV]

I agree that taking the photos is horrible. I can't imagine anyone doing that, and actually being proud enough to admit it!

 

But I actually like things the way they are. Digital images don't always look as good as actually looking at a well printed photo. I like holding them in my hands and deciding what to buy.

 

I also agree that it's human nature. You can delete a digital pic without thinking twice but you might be willing to buy it if you were holding it!

 

The paper's recycled anyway. Leave things the way they are!

[wieslaw]

The people I saw used their digital camera and propped up the portraits and took pictures of them! Tacky!

 

***

 

 

Yes, I do agree - very tacky, and I believe illegal as well ......... but with 3000 or more people on board - many are worse than just 'tacky'.

 

Wes

[rclcruzer]

Yes, I do agree - very tacky, and I believe illegal as well ......... but with 3000 or more people on board - many are worse than just 'tacky'.

 

Wes

that cracks me up...taking pictures of a picture. OMG that is weird :confused:

I agree wiselaw, many ARE worse than tacky IMO...

[WeWant2BCruzin]

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

Yes they were doing this on our cruise on Oct 28th.

Some of the photographers still asked for our seapass but some didnt.

We liked the folder also.It made things look alot neater.I really dont like people looking at my pictures :eek: because some are very hideous.

[JTJ]

I just hope they don't dump all the chemicals it takes to make that many color photos overboard

[Jimmers]

I was told that on the LOS they have facial recognition technology that will identify you in mere seconds. So if steal a picture they could track you down.

 

I think it's true. When we were scanning through our pictures at the kiosk we came across a picture that we didn't remember taking. It was someone else's family photo. But then we looked in the background and there we were. Amazing.

 

When you put your card in the computer goes through it's database and picks out any picture that you were in regardless of whether you "posed" for it or not. Amazing.

 

Jimmers:)

[0ldog]

My son-in-law works for Eastman Kodak and the kiosk technology that Wieslaw spoke about in an earlier post on this thread is in fact in use. They are not only working with cruise lines, but resorts, theme parks, anywhere large numbers of people might want their picture taken. Roller coaster rides where they snap your photo at various points are interesting. Anyone watching CSI or similar shows can see photo and fingerprint recognition software in action.

[truffles2]

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

 

That is not new. Mariner was doing that in September. And, they only have to swipe your card once and face recognition does the rest. Unfortunately, face recognition is not infalible and sometime it recognizes someone it shouldn't and you get a stranger in your group of pictures. You have the option of deleting them from the folder, etc. It was a neat way of viewing all of your pictures and not having to search for them. I like the idea of the option of putting all of them on a disc for sale.

[truffles2]

As an afterthought, all would-be troublemakers should be advised that there are cameras all over the ship and while they think they may be comitting their renegade act without witnesses, they could easily be recognized and dealt with--including the taking of pictures without paying.

[maxs mom]

Yes....the photo kiosks and the face recognition technology has been around on most of the ships for some time now. The problem I found was ....a picture would look nice on the computer screen, but when I looked at the actual picture....it was not good.

 

And with the recycling of the paper, there is not much waste there. It's a big profit center for them or they wouldn't do it. It's even more profitable now with the digital technology.

[jacketwatch]

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.

I have never even thought of doing this. We usually take some pics and of course take our own camera. Buying oics on a ship can be expensive so we limit it and besides you can easily get carried away and spend alot of $$.

[crusinmama06]

On Freedom everytime they took our picture the photog would run our seapass through a scanner attached to the camera equipment. Then we could pull up all of our pictures just by using our seapass.

 

I am sure that RCCL is looking for the impulse buyer though and that's the reason they print all of those pictures. If someone had to do any work at the photo kiosk, instead of just picking up the already printed photos, then RCCL might not sell as many. Just the nature of the beast.

[CruiseAddict74]

I agree with the poster who said that if you can afford a cruise you can afford a few photos. Of course no one holds a gun to your head and makes you buy them - but stealing them? ugh, that is just ridiculous.

 

Personally, the pictures were one of the highlights of my cruise experience because my husband and I rarely have photos of us taken together.

[cruisnfool]

We pick our grandaughters pics from a computer and its just not the same. Plus how would 300 passengers get a chance to get a computer to view the pics.......only way you could do it is on the TV.

I vote for inventory control devices

 

Its pretty sad you have to go through this!

[dontpanik]

but how much are the photos? Are they really that expensive?

[mtncouple]

but they are great memories. They just take sooooo many that its a waste of printing. I ask them to put them in a folder and then the last day I look at all the photos together and then choose. The first cruise I didn't know you could do this and saw others that I liked better after already purchasing a few. I learned that on this board, of course!

[MrsPete]

Several comments:

 

1. The photograph prices are totally outrageous. If you look into professional printing services, you'll see that the printing itself is almost always less than a dollar -- even for top quality printing and large photo size. The profit on photography is through the roof! However, the ship also must pay for the photographer's time and equipment; that's probably considerably more than the printing itself.

 

2. I think they'll continue to have ready-to-pick-up prints because people are more likely to purchase them. "Oh, here it is, ready to go . . . I'll buy it." It's an impulse purchase.

 

3. Regardless of what they're charging, it is totally wrong to steal the photographs.

 

And a related comment:

 

When we left Mariner last week, I was amazed at how many people were down in the photo area complaining that they'd been charged 2X, 3Xs for their photo purchases! They must be very lax with their accounting in that department! Check your bills carefully!

[MrsPete]

We pick our grandaughters pics from a computer and its just not the same. Plus how would 300 passengers get a chance to get a computer to view the pics.......only way you could do it is on the TV.

I vote for inventory control devices

 

Its pretty sad you have to go through this!

Last week Mariner had three (maybe four) computers set up in the photography area for photo viewing. You just run your SeaPass through the machine, and you can see all the photographs of your party. It was available 24 hours a day, though during busy times you'd have to wait for a couple people to use it.

 

Of course, this isn't a fool-proof method. When the photographers take pictures as you go into dinner or as you board the ship, they ask for someone's SeaPass, and the photograph is "linked" to your room. But if they take a photograph of your family disembarking in Cozumel, or at Dunn's River Falls (I was surprised that our ship's photographer was there!), or on the beach in Labadee . . . your picture is likely to be posted in the "Cabin unknown" section!

[MrsPete]

We pick our grandaughters pics from a computer and its just not the same. Plus how would 300 passengers get a chance to get a computer to view the pics.......only way you could do it is on the TV.

I vote for inventory control devices

 

Its pretty sad you have to go through this!

Last week Mariner had three (maybe four) computers set up in the photography area for photo viewing. You just run your SeaPass through the machine, and you can see all the photographs of your party. It was available 24 hours a day, though during busy times you'd have to wait for a couple people to use it.

 

Of course, this isn't a fool-proof method. When the photographers take pictures as you go into dinner or as you board the ship, they ask for someone's SeaPass, and the photograph is "linked" to your room. But if they take a photograph of your family disembarking in Cozumel, or at Dunn's River Falls (I was surprised that our ship's photographer was there!), or on the beach in Labadee . . . your picture is likely to be posted in the "Cabin unknown" section!

 

One more thing that I found VERY IRRITATING: They charged more for 6x8 pictures (can't remember the prices), but the actual photograph was smaller than 6x8! It was only their foolish advertising (Dine like royalty . . . ) that made the photograph more expensive. Who isn't going to cut that off with scissors before putting it into the scrapbook?

[CruiseAddict74]

The picture prices didn't seem any more over priced to me than anything else that you'd generally purchase on vacation.

 

The prices range from 9.95 to 19.95 depending on the size,etc. (these were the prices on the Explorer in April)

 

I don't think that the mark up is any different than the $6.00 soda card per day. Fountain soda is pennies per glass.

 

Obviously the things on a cruise ship/tourist trap/resort are going to be priced higher than you would pay at home but it's vacation - not just you're average day at home.

[crusinmama06]

but how much are the photos? Are they really that expensive?

 

$19.98/piece aren't they?

 

I have a tendency to try to block that cost out of my mind...lol. Our last cruise I bought 48 8x10's :eek: I just can't resist pictures of my kids. :o So I am a classic example of an impulse buyer. (and an admited SUCKER)

[wieslaw]

Several comments:

 

1. The photograph prices are totally outrageous. If you look into professional printing services, you'll see that the printing itself is almost always less than a dollar -- even for top quality printing and large photo size. The profit on photography is through the roof! However, the ship also must pay for the photographer's time and equipment; that's probably considerably more than the printing itself.

 

Hi,

 

Yes the photos are not 'cheap ' but there is a lot of investment and fixed costs that needs to by paid by the photo dept ..... the printing portion is probably the least expensive but it still costs money.

 

They are not making as much profit as 'we' think.

 

There was a similar thread back in August and "Philip 217" posted an interesting posts from the insider's point of view. Start with post #3.

 

Philip works in the cruise industry on one of the cruise ships, I do not know what is his professional position on that ship but based on his posts, I guess he could be a hotel manager. I like to read the posts of some of the insider's - there seems to be a lot of 'true' information.

 

Here is the link for those that want to learn more:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=604727

 

 

Wes

[srico17]

Yes, I think the pictures are expensive. This is of course relative. What is expensive to one, is not to another. But, if you stop and think of all the photos that are taken, at 10 or 20 dollars a photo, you could easily spend hundreds. The only time I actually did this was on a disney cruise where the photos with the characters and my children were fantastic! I ended up splitting a photo package with my mom. There was a discount for buying more pictures. I didn't see that option on the Freedom. I'm sure they have researched the amount to charge to maximize profits. There are formulas you can use to do that. Like I said in my OP, it's an extra, you can choose to buy or not to buy. On this recent cruise, there were a few that I thought were nice pictures, but, to me, the cost was too high. I saw the computers, but never took the time to swipe my card and check it out. I didn't even know that face recognition tech. was available. There is always next time!