Va4fam

Thank you so much.  Didn't realize we had to cancel first but now I know.
Was able to rebook the refreshment package for the kids and saved almost $60!
 

Thank you so much.  Didn't realize we had to cancel first but now I know.
Was able to rebook the refreshment package for the kids and saved almost $60!
 

Make sure you cancel it first, then you can rebook it or you will just keep getting error messages.

Just did a cruise with iPhone X ,Osmo Moble 3, DLSR and Osmo Pocket. all worked great, of course bests pic were with DLSR. I used the DLSR and iPhone the most. Osmo pocket is great  but strongly suggest you practice a lot with it before hand. other expenses to consider with the Osmo pocket are Wheel, Extension rod and lenses

+2 on the MY Pillow "not a fan club".   They just didn't work for us.
BUT......the travel size MP is perfect sized and helps for short trips.

+2 on the MY Pillow "not a fan club".   They just didn't work for us.
BUT......the travel size MP is perfect sized and helps for short trips.

That's hard for me to articulate because there are many different photo scenarios on a ship. 
For sunset or sunrise stopping down a few stops will create a more round appearing sun then you can adjust the lighting later in software to brighten the image.  Most cameras overexpose the sun at sunset resulting in an irregular blob like or washed out sun.  While it may still be a beautiful sunset by stopping down a few steps in takes it up a level.  
By default the camera wants to overexpose the sun based on the rest of the scene:

By stopping down a few stops the sun isn't so washed out and it's a better overall photo.

For action scenes where people or objects are moving you need a higher shutter speed.  If you camera is capable of high ISO with decent noise performance a higher shutter speed will yield sharp images with motion present in challenging lighting like night or indoors.  When shooting in the theater again stopping down a few stops will correct for the camera over exposing the image based on the dark periphery of a stage.
It's generally better to underexpose slightly rather than overexpose.  Once a picture is overexposed there is no getting that lost detail back.  A slightly underexposed picture can usually be brightened later. 
A big improvement you can make to photography is going through your photos one by one and making fine adjustments to each one.  It's time consuming but once you get used to it your workflow will become more efficient and less time consuming.  To this end shooting RAW gives substantially more room to correct mistakes when shooting but requires more card space since files are a lot bigger.  You also need to plan to work on your photos in software later.  Few cameras will produce ideal JPEGs in all scenarios but shooting in RAW is more work.
Composition makes all the difference in photography.  To this end explore the concept of the "rule of thirds".  While not required for all photos it's a safe fall back when in doubt.  Search YouTube for a tutorial.
Lastly learn how to manipulate depth of field.  When you have subjects like people standing at a railing on a ship a slight blur of the background will cause your subjects to pop out of the picture.  Too much blur and you lose the idea of where they are.  Practice makes perfect.
I not not going to show people because I don't have any who have given permission to share so I'll use a beer.  Clearly the beer is the subject but it's somewhat lost in the clutter of the background:  

By leveraging the concept of depth of field to blur the background you still know it's a bar but the beer stands out as the subject of the photo. 

Put it all together and a mundane photo of a beer in bar can become more interesting. By taking some time to compose this I managed to get the reflection of the sign symmetrical with the sign but keeping the glass of beer as the focus of the picture by blurring the background.

Learning to move beyond the automatic modes of a camera will help to raise your photography to the next level.  However it takes time and lots of wasted pictures to figure out what works best.  The more you play around the more comfortable you'll become taking manual control when you need it at that perfect moment.  

+2 on the MY Pillow "not a fan club".   They just didn't work for us.
BUT......the travel size MP is perfect sized and helps for short trips.

Old cliché...  The best camera is the one you have with you.  
For video instead of doing a lot of walking that requires stabilization try a series of short clips with fluid movement then edit your short clips together into a video.  iPhones have some stabilization built in, some editing software can further stabilize video if you edit it on a computer.
The 13mm lens on the iPhone 11 models do great on a cruise ship where wide angle rocks but you have to be careful using ultra wide angle due to the edge distortion.  If you can find natural lines or curves in your scene the ultra wide angle can compliment the photo and work well.  
The two most important benefits of a proper digital camera is often most evident in low light and optical zoom depending on your camera.  Smartphones are great but you will usually get much better photos with a real digital camera.  On a bright sunny day a phone can do well if you need the fixed zoom.  
As far as GoPro they have a use but for general travel photography I find them lacking.

I Would Recommend The DJI Osmo Pocket. 

Keep it simple, small and good stabilization . Get a DJI Osmo mobile 3 for your phone

I use either my iPhone XS Max, or my canon 6d DSLR. All are hand held. I know others have used tripods or gimbal devices. 
 
You say you want to come home with better pictures, I suggest first maybe looking into photography classes near by. A camera is as only good as the photographer behind it. You can throw all your money into expensive gear, but if you don’t know how to best utilize it, you really won’t have any improvement.
i took some classes while in college, but I too am considering more studying on digital work with post processing etc.

I can tell you that I am the same way, I am highly ASHAMED to admit that I do not have any cruises booked but I can assure you that I am going to remedy that situation pretty soon.  I spend way too much time on the RCCL website, looking at Youtube videos of ship layouts and cruise news, and here.  I know I have an affliction but at least it is something that I really enjoy!  I know that I work hard (well over 300 hours per month) and really deserve to have a vacation that I completely enjoy.  I know that there are quite a few that are here that spend the time in between cruises doing the exact same things.  Cruise life is absolutely amazing and far more wonderful that I could have imagined!  My only regret so far is not starting FAR sooner! I did not go on my first cruise until I was 40.  Enjoy your cruise addiction and please enjoy the next two cruises!?

So our friends treated us to our first Royal Caribbean cruise back in Sept on the Navigator, we all had such a great time.  Since this cruise I have become obsessed with cruising, I already have 2 more cruises booked and constantly looking for more, If I am home my laptop is opened to the PTZtv webcams on the cruise ports so I can watch the ships come in and out of port, My next cruise is in 22 days and it can't come quick enough. All my friends think I've lost my mind and I drive my husband crazy, please tell me I'm not the only one that has this cruise obsession!!
 

We did a Med cruise on Freedom of the Seas two summers ago.   Booked all of our own tours.  
In Marseille, we took a cab to Cassis and wandered on our own at the beach and shops.
In Nice, we walked from the cruise port to the bus stop, and rode to the beach and shopping, lunch.
In Rome, we shared a private group tour with another family and did a Vatican/Colosseum tour.
At the La Spezia stop, we did a combo Florence/Pisa private tour with the same company.
I'm sure I have the info for the company we used for the Rome and Florence days if you need it.
In Naples, we were going to take the train but the workers were on strike.  Caught a cab to Pompeii in the morning and did a Vespa tour of Naples in the afternoon.
 
No issues with getting back to the ship.
 

We just booked with MEI for the first time and Michelle is our agent.   Haven't met her but I think we are only an hour away.  Yay!
We previously booked with one of the large cruise discounters and got very little if any service.   Looking forward to the MEI experience.

We just booked with MEI for the first time and Michelle is our agent.   Haven't met her but I think we are only an hour away.  Yay!
We previously booked with one of the large cruise discounters and got very little if any service.   Looking forward to the MEI experience.

I upgrade to a JS over regular balcony on Indy, based on the bath room alone. A bigger bathroom is worth every penny! I also repriced the booking when it was on sale saving $194 off original price, then did the upgrade for only $200. Basically only cost me $6 to upgrade over original booking price. 
11/27/2019 - Just saved another $75 with the Black Friday instant credit going up to $150! Score!! To bad I am planning way too early to get a discount on anything else #April2021
 

30 points would be Platinum for Diamond you need 80 points.

Congrats on booking your first cruise.   Warning it can be addictive.
Best way to pass the time is to go ahead and book additional cruises that sail between now and June 2021!!   Trust me !!!!!!!!!!!

We booked the OV room on Empress last night through MEI Travel (first time using them).   Told our agent to keep an eye out for JS deals.
Most likely we will book a JS on a different cruise where the price difference is not as significant.   Based on our 7-10 nights a year we book on RCI, we are probably 5 years away from reaching Diamond but I would love to "double up" sometimes and get there by Summer 2023 for a BIG anniversary Alaska Cruise!!!!   
Thanks everyone for your input. 

Congrats on booking your first cruise.   Warning it can be addictive.
Best way to pass the time is to go ahead and book additional cruises that sail between now and June 2021!!   Trust me !!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats on booking your first cruise.   Warning it can be addictive.
Best way to pass the time is to go ahead and book additional cruises that sail between now and June 2021!!   Trust me !!!!!!!!!!!

We booked the OV room on Empress last night through MEI Travel (first time using them).   Told our agent to keep an eye out for JS deals.
Most likely we will book a JS on a different cruise where the price difference is not as significant.   Based on our 7-10 nights a year we book on RCI, we are probably 5 years away from reaching Diamond but I would love to "double up" sometimes and get there by Summer 2023 for a BIG anniversary Alaska Cruise!!!!   
Thanks everyone for your input. 

We wear matching shirts all the time. The shirts are a reminder of cruising as a family and friends. When my Dad retire after 60 years of working. His shirt read "The Legend has retire," our shirts read "We are with the Legend." We took a family portrait with the shirts. Last year we honor our graduate from kindergarten to college grad. The shirts were awesome. We are working on out next family reunion shirts 30 cabins and counting.