Brief review of the Photo Package (100 Prints or Digitals)

[JazzBassMan]

Last week for the Odyssey of the Seas sailing (8 Night Southern Caribbean), my wife and I purchased the 100 prints or digitals photo package. We got the package for 159.99 USD pre cruise, which seemed like a great deal compared to the 20 photo package for 139.99 USD. 

Normally we aren't the kind of people that stop and take a lot of photos on the ship with the professional photographers since we find our iPhones do a pretty good job of getting our photos most of the time. So I just wanted to provide a list of a few pros and cons that we observed from getting the package for just a husband and wife. 

Pros: 

• Some of the photographers do a great jab at capturing your candid photos as you're arriving at your destinations. Some of our favorite photos wound up being at Labadee when we were posed in front of the ship and a 2nd photographer was taking candid pictures of us as we were getting ready to pose for the photographer in front of us. 
• The photographers on Odyssey were out on the Esplanade every night with a variety of backdrops that provided a nice variety for the photos on formal, casual, and theme nights
• The new digital systems at the Focus Photo Gallery were incredibly easy to use and we were able to get all our digitals before we left the ship.
• There are lots and lots of opportunities to get great shots with the ship when disembarking at all three of the ports we had (Labadee, Aruba, and Curacao).

Cons: 

• This is clearly stated in the conditions when you purchase, but not getting your photos included from specialty dining and certain activities is kind of a bummer.
  • The cost for those photos is still 50 USD if you want to purchase those, and that does not include a digital version unless you pay an additional fee on top of the 50 USD. If you do a lot of specialty dining and want those pictures, maybe skip the package.
  • I also think it would be nice if there was some option for a discount for people with a photo package or an upgrade option to get these included. 
  • Same thing as above, but for Ripcord by iFly. 50 USD charge for 3 photos and an iFly certificate, and an additional 5 USD for the digitals. 
• Some of the photographers over-pose you when you're taking the photos when you're taking the photos on the Royal Esplanade. The poses in some of our photos wound up looking very stiff and wooden as a result. It would be nice to get more photo opportunities that look more candid or like natural interaction at these locations. 

Overall, we are pretty satisfied with what we got. We wound up getting pretty much all the photos we took, even some we didn't really like that much because 100 photos is a ton of photos. I don't know if we'll do the photo package again for a while, and it might be much more worth it if you are travelling with a family instead of just a couple. Hopefully this is helpful to someone. 

 

[FireFishII]

I have never seen a photographer taking candid photos.  I never saw any candid photos in our account.  That would be nice to view and purchase. 

[Wheeler825]

Royal needs to calm down on the photos.  It was outright annoying on Harmony how often you were bugged about photos

[JazzBassMan]

17 minutes ago, FireFishII said:

I have never seen a photographer taking candid photos.  I never saw any candid photos in our account.

We were surprised to see them when we scanned our Seapass cards at the Photo Gallery. It was certainly a nice surprise. I am guessing the 2nd photographer got our stateroom number from the first photographer. 

[CrimsonCruiser]

I'm pretty sure the candid photos only happen when the photographers weren't being used. For example, we have some candid shots on Allure last year from a couple different ports but I also noticed we were the only ones to actually stop. Most people ignored the photographers like they had the plague so I think they just want something to do to justify being up early in the hot sun. It's definitely not a guarantee but from my experience and Jazz's notes, sounds like your best bet at getting them is to take those port photos.

[CruisingNewb]

42 minutes ago, FireFishII said:

I have never seen a photographer taking candid photos. 

That's the very definition of "candid." LOL

(of a photograph of a person) taken informally, especially without the subject's knowledge:"it is better to let the photographer mingle among the guests and take candid shots"

[JazzBassMan]

28 minutes ago, CrimsonCruiser said:

I'm pretty sure the candid photos only happen when the photographers weren't being used. For example, we have some candid shots on Allure last year from a couple different ports but I also noticed we were the only ones to actually stop. Most people ignored the photographers like they had the plague

I think this is a safe bet as to what was happening. We got off the ship early so foot traffic was pretty minimal. Most of the passengers were eyes straight ahead avoiding eye contact with the photographers. 

[FireFishII]

Ok, I guess next time I need to have my picture taken at ports. Yes, I was one of those that speed walked past the photographers and avoided eye contact.  Lesson learned. 

[melmar02]

They had the candid photographer at the port stops on our Liberty sailing in Feb. 2022. On our sailing, they were all black and white, and some turned out really good. I love this one of the kids.

[Lovetocruise2002]

@JazzBassManthanks for posting this! We got the 100 print/digital photo package as well for our sailing this Saturday since there are 10 of us.

I have a few questions...

- You cannot combine print and digital to make 100 right? It's one or the other?

- Did you end up going digital? If you did, how long did it take you to get the link for the photos? I have seen some not so great posts on other forums about people waiting forever to get the link.

[JazzBassMan]

22 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

- You cannot combine print and digital to make 100 right? It's one or the other?

- Did you end up going digital? If you did, how long did it take you to get the link for the photos? I have seen some not so great posts on other forums about people waiting forever to get the link.

Correct. It is either 100 prints or 100 digitals.

We did the digitals. I don't know about other ships, but on Odyssey as soon as you added the photos to your package they were available to download to your smart phone from a link you can display by scanning the QR code taped to the corner of the displays in the photo gallery.

The link to download all the digitals was sent to us at 11AM the morning we disembarked. I don't know if that kind of speed is typical, or if Odyssey just has it figured out a lot better since it's a newer ship. 

[Ticca]

55 minutes ago, JazzBassMan said:

Correct. It is either 100 prints or 100 digitals.

We did the digitals. I don't know about other ships, but on Odyssey as soon as you added the photos to your package they were available to download to your smart phone from a link you can display by scanning the QR code taped to the corner of the displays in the photo gallery.

The link to download all the digitals was sent to us at 11AM the morning we disembarked. I don't know if that kind of speed is typical, or if Odyssey just has it figured out a lot better since it's a newer ship. 

Ditto!  On Symphony, our digital photos were also available the morning of disembarkation.  And, we had ZERO candid shots.  Only posed pictures were available.

[new2cruzing]

Did they offer the Print + Digital for $50 more? On our cruise last Sep on Ov OTS, for $50 more they printed our selections at 8x10 and we were still able to download the digital prints at home.

[JazzBassMan]

48 minutes ago, new2cruzing said:

Did they offer the Print + Digital for $50 more? On our cruise last Sep on Ov OTS, for $50 more they printed our selections at 8x10 and we were still able to download the digital prints at home.

This might have been on offer, but we were only interested in the digitals. We will probably take some of our favorites and print them locally. 

[YellowBrickRoad]

We have always gotten the 100 prints ever since they went this route. I do wish we had different sizes we could choose from when printing other than 8x10. 
I get the prints all the time and pick up the evening before cruise ends since it gets very busy and add a few extra that usually cost me $5 a picture. 
I did notice on my last cruise I did receive the digital as well even though I choose prints. 

[Ahaque]

On 3/7/2023 at 10:13 AM, JazzBassMan said:

Last week for the Odyssey of the Seas sailing (8 Night Southern Caribbean), my wife and I purchased the 100 prints or digitals photo package. We got the package for 159.99 USD pre cruise, which seemed like a great deal compared to the 20 photo package for 139.99 USD. 

Normally we aren't the kind of people that stop and take a lot of photos on the ship with the professional photographers since we find our iPhones do a pretty good job of getting our photos most of the time. So I just wanted to provide a list of a few pros and cons that we observed from getting the package for just a husband and wife. 

Pros: 

• Some of the photographers do a great jab at capturing your candid photos as you're arriving at your destinations. Some of our favorite photos wound up being at Labadee when we were posed in front of the ship and a 2nd photographer was taking candid pictures of us as we were getting ready to pose for the photographer in front of us. 
• The photographers on Odyssey were out on the Esplanade every night with a variety of backdrops that provided a nice variety for the photos on formal, casual, and theme nights
• The new digital systems at the Focus Photo Gallery were incredibly easy to use and we were able to get all our digitals before we left the ship.
• There are lots and lots of opportunities to get great shots with the ship when disembarking at all three of the ports we had (Labadee, Aruba, and Curacao).

Cons: 

• This is clearly stated in the conditions when you purchase, but not getting your photos included from specialty dining and certain activities is kind of a bummer.
  • The cost for those photos is still 50 USD if you want to purchase those, and that does not include a digital version unless you pay an additional fee on top of the 50 USD. If you do a lot of specialty dining and want those pictures, maybe skip the package.
  • I also think it would be nice if there was some option for a discount for people with a photo package or an upgrade option to get these included. 
  • Same thing as above, but for Ripcord by iFly. 50 USD charge for 3 photos and an iFly certificate, and an additional 5 USD for the digitals. 
• Some of the photographers over-pose you when you're taking the photos when you're taking the photos on the Royal Esplanade. The poses in some of our photos wound up looking very stiff and wooden as a result. It would be nice to get more photo opportunities that look more candid or like natural interaction at these locations. 

Overall, we are pretty satisfied with what we got. We wound up getting pretty much all the photos we took, even some we didn't really like that much because 100 photos is a ton of photos. I don't know if we'll do the photo package again for a while, and it might be much more worth it if you are travelling with a family instead of just a couple. Hopefully this is helpful to someone. 

 

After reading the reviews above and talking with the family, we decided to purchase a photo package. I went on the site and its going to charge per person, did you guys just purchase one package to one of your names? 

 

EDIT: Nevermind I scrolled down and starting reading the fine print and it says only one package is needed per stateroom, sorry all!

Edited March 11, 2023 by Ahaque

[Jodie Fanshaw]

Hi, we have recently come back from the symphony of the seas. We had a fantastic time, but on the downside we purchased the photo package which cost us $400 which I think was an outrageous price to have them emailed to you, but we thought why not we are on holiday there were some lovely photos of us as a family. We got told they would be emailed to us between 4-7 working days. After the 7th working day, still no photos, so I've contacted a member of staff to be told it was 10 working days. So after the 10th working day I got told it would be another week. No! Not good enough at all! I feel like I've just been fobbed off! You're ok to take my money and I have nothing in return for them. I am very angry, disappointed and upset more than anything. Absolutely disgusting!  I've paid for a service and not received a single photo!

[Xaa]

10 hours ago, Jodie Fanshaw said:

You're ok to take my money and I have nothing in return for them. I am very angry, disappointed and upset more than anything. Absolutely disgusting!  I've paid for a service and not received a single photo!

We didn't take any of your money.  You need to keep following up with the cruise line.  Perhaps dispute the charge on your credit card.

[michaelp1446]

@Jodie Fanshawdid you select the photos you wanted before you got off the ship? If you did, you would have been provided a link then and there. there would have been instructions provided on how to access if there was a problem with the link on board.

If you did not, they are not going to email any photos that were taken....sorry. Hopefully this gets resolved to your satisfaction. 

Try googling RCCLphotos and if still available create an account. You might be able to access based on ship , sail date etc...

[michaelp1446]

RCCL-photos.com

[John-NC]

On our Alaska cruise, we selected our photos the last night on ship and got the link very soon after.  I would say if you haven't gotten your link after 2 weeks, something is wrong.

 

[Mathias]

@Jodie Fanshaw Were you on Symphony of the Seas Sep 24 – Oct 1? We were on that cruise and purchased the Digital Photo Package. We were told we would get a link by email to view and download our photos within 4-7 business days after the end of our cruise. We are still waiting for our download link.

@michaelp1446 Can you please specify what you mean by

On 10/17/2023 at 1:39 PM, michaelp1446 said:

you would have been provided a link then and there.

They hand out download links to the email when you are on the cruise? The staff told us we would get the link within 4-7 business days after the end of our cruise.

[michaelp1446]

2 hours ago, Mathias said:

@Jodie Fanshaw Were you on Symphony of the Seas Sep 24 – Oct 1? We were on that cruise and purchased the Digital Photo Package. We were told we would get a link by email to view and download our photos within 4-7 business days after the end of our cruise. We are still waiting for our download link.

@michaelp1446 Can you please specify what you mean by

They hand out download links to the email when you are on the cruise? The staff told us we would get the link within 4-7 business days after the end of our cruise.

Yes... It's done at the kiosk where you select the photos you like.

[michaelp1446]

I have done this on 6 out of the last 8 cruises the past 2.5 years.. The Radiance class ships didn't have a digital option. you had to search for your printed photos from the display. All the rest we had linked to our phones/email by the last night of the cruise.

[josefina022]

I was able to download all 100 of my pictures before I left the ship. 

[Mathias]

@josefina022 & @michaelp1446 Thanks for replying. Can anyone of you explain how you downloaded your pictures onboard the ship? Do you mean that you received the download link by email before your cruise ended? Or did you connect your laptop / USB Flash Drive to the photo kiosk and somehow downloaded them directly at the Focus Photo Gallery?

The staff at Focus Photo Gallery told us the download link would be sent by email 4-7 days after the cruise. This is also the information Royal Caribbean has written on their site => https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/when-will-my-photos-be-ready-for-viewing

Quote

 

Q When will my photos be ready for viewing?

A Photos will be uploaded and ready for viewing within 4-7 days after the voyage ends. It is usually much quicker and is often available for viewing on the same day a voyage ends.

 

[YellowBrickRoad]

5 minutes ago, Mathias said:

@josefina022 & @michaelp1446 Thanks for replying. Can anyone of you explain how you downloaded your pictures onboard the ship? Do you mean that you received the download link by email before your cruise ended? Or did you connect your laptop / USB Flash Drive to the photo kiosk and somehow downloaded them directly at the Focus Photo Gallery?

The staff at Focus Photo Gallery told us the download link would be sent by email 4-7 days after the cruise. This is also the information Royal Caribbean has written on their site => https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/when-will-my-photos-be-ready-for-viewing

On my August cruise, I saw my photos on the app a few hours to a day after they were taken, which is a new feature I enjoyed. Then the 6th day when I was done, went to kiosk and picked my 100 digitals. I then started downloading individually all my photos as a download (save image) just in case I didn’t receive my link from them.  I actually received the link the 7th day leaving the cruise. 

[ScottD]

We are never interested in Photo packages, but now that they send all photos they take to your app, even without a package, it  almost got me to buy one or two pics individually. We never even go look at them normally, but having instant access to them on the app definitely made us at least look at them and think about buying a few. 

[Mathias]

I appreciate all the replies I get. However, it seems like no one really understands what I'm asking. @YellowBrickRoad You wrote that you went to the kiosk, picked your digital photos, and then started downloading them. To what exactly did you download the photos and how?

On Symphony of the Seas the Focus Photo Gallery had several touch screen stations. I did not se any place near the touch screen where I could have plugged in a laptop, USB Flash Drive or something like that. How do you for example transfer the photos from the kiosk (save image) to your laptop or USB Flash Drive without the download link? Several people now have said that they did not need an email link, they just went and downloaded the photos when they were onboard. Sorry for asking the same question over and over, but I don't understand how the downloading is done without the email link.

Edit. @ScottD Ok thanks, now I might understand. So the downloading of the photos people mention is done directly to the phone in the app, and not at the Focus Photo Gallery. Too bad that the onboard staff didn't know about this and just said they send out a download link after the cruise.

Edited October 20, 2023 by Mathias
Update

[YellowBrickRoad]

9 minutes ago, Mathias said:

I appreciate all the replies I get. However, it seems like no one really understands what I'm asking. @YellowBrickRoad You wrote that you went to the kiosk, picked your digital photos, and then started downloading them. To what exactly did you download the photos and how?

On Symphony of the Seas the Focus Photo Gallery had several touch screen stations. I did not se any place near the touch screen where I could have plugged in a laptop, USB Flash Drive or something like that. How do you for example transfer the photos from the kiosk (save image) to your laptop or USB Flash Drive without the download link? Several people now have said that they did not need an email link, they just went and downloaded the photos when they were onboard. Sorry for asking the same question over and over, but I don't understand how the downloading is done without the email link.

When I picked all the ones I wanted from the kiosk, on my app they showed up right away without the watermark before I received the link. This way I could download it myself by saving each image manually. Then a few hours later I received the link. This is a new way to do it with the app so not sure if this is the norm but it worked for me. 

[Xaa]

Prior to them being in the app, when you would select your 100 or 50, or however many photos in your package you would be notified that you would receive an email with a link in a few days and I always have usually within 1 day.  There is also a link also provided for you to go and enter your information and get them sooner if you choose and I've done that as well, downloading them to my phone, but you could do the same from a laptop, tablet etc.  There is no method to insert a thumb drive or direct connect your laptop to the photo kiosks.

[michaelp1446]

1 hour ago, Mathias said:

@josefina022 & @michaelp1446 Thanks for replying. Can anyone of you explain how you downloaded your pictures onboard the ship? Do you mean that you received the download link by email before your cruise ended? Or did you connect your laptop / USB Flash Drive to the photo kiosk and somehow downloaded them directly at the Focus Photo Gallery?

The staff at Focus Photo Gallery told us the download link would be sent by email 4-7 days after the cruise. This is also the information Royal Caribbean has written on their site => https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/when-will-my-photos-be-ready-for-viewing

After selecting the photos we wanted at the Photo gallery kiosk screen, we finalized the purchase. (We had a pre-purchased photo pkg.) A link will then appear on the computer screen. We took a picture of the link. We then were able to access the photos while still on the ship and down loaded to our phone.. An email with the same link arrived via email 3-4 days after the cruise.

We could access again to download the selected photos to the desktop or air drop from our I-phones to our Mac.

[michaelp1446]

@Xaa typed faster than me...lol

[Xaa]

  I don't type faster than anyone.  I must have started before you @michaelp1446

[Mathias]

Thanks for all the replies. I have now received my photos. I contacted RoyalFocus@rccl.com by email and they responded within a day with the download link. 

@Jodie Fanshaw If you have not received your photos yet, you can try contacting RoyalFocus@rccl.com and see if they can help you. I don't know exactly what they need, but I sent them the name of the ship, cruise date, booking ID and stateroom number and they were able to find the photos and send me the download link.

[CanadaCruiser19]

Can someone clarify for me how the photographers identify you as having a photo package, or how they know whose account to upload the photos to? 

So confused. Cruising this February on Symphony.

[SpeedNoodles]

17 minutes ago, CanadaCruiser19 said:

Can someone clarify for me how the photographers identify you as having a photo package, or how they know whose account to upload the photos to? 

So confused. Cruising this February on Symphony.

You give them your stateroom number when the photos are taken.

[CrimsonCruiser]

17 hours ago, CanadaCruiser19 said:

Can someone clarify for me how the photographers identify you as having a photo package, or how they know whose account to upload the photos to? 

So confused. Cruising this February on Symphony.

The photographers don't know or care if you have a photo package. Anyone can take a photo - it's buying it where the package comes in handy. Very much like the snapshot on a rollercoaster or the pictures at the entrance of an amusement park. Free to take, pay to keep.

In terms of "whose account" photos are by staterooms so it will be available to all people in the room. (you give your stateroom number to the photographer after you're done posing)

Your package is pre-loaded in your account if you buy it ahead of time and you just need to "activate it" on board by giving your email address at the desk or kiosk. all the photos you take will be available to view on the kiosk (and maybe even in the app) a couple hours after being taken. You then select the ones you want. And you're always welcome to go over or under your package maximum. If you go under, you just lose the unused portion, if you go over, you pay per photo

[Laila M]

On 11/14/2023 at 7:32 AM, CrimsonCruiser said:

The photographers don't know or care if you have a photo package. Anyone can take a photo - it's buying it where the package comes in handy. Very much like the snapshot on a rollercoaster or the pictures at the entrance of an amusement park. Free to take, pay to keep.

In terms of "whose account" photos are by staterooms so it will be available to all people in the room. (you give your stateroom number to the photographer after you're done posing)

Your package is pre-loaded in your account if you buy it ahead of time and you just need to "activate it" on board by giving your email address at the desk or kiosk. all the photos you take will be available to view on the kiosk (and maybe even in the app) a couple hours after being taken. You then select the ones you want. And you're always welcome to go over or under your package maximum. If you go under, you just lose the unused portion, if you go over, you pay per photo

If you have a party in multiple staterooms, can the entire party provide the number of the state room that has purchased the package?

[AshleyDillo]

57 minutes ago, Laila M said:

If you have a party in multiple staterooms, can the entire party provide the number of the state room that has purchased the package?

Someone in the stateroom that purchased the package has to be in the photo, but yes you would give out that stateroom.