Photos on the ship

[Petermoss]

How easy is it to have a pic taken on the ship of we buy the package? Also how many should we do? Our first cruise. Thanks

[loki007]

you don't necessarily need to buy a package. It is easy to get dressed up and get a nice family photo. several nights during your cruise their will be opportunities. you can buy the photos you like before you disembark. 

[Sealegs]

We bought a 20 photo package before boarding. On a seven night cruise, there were two formal nights and one in tropical dress, so the photos were taken then for the most part, although we also had a photo from each of the ports we stopped at. 

There were photographers around the ship, mostly evening hours. They were using varying backdrops, so we stopped at the backdrops that appealed to us. The photographer will take several shots, very carefully directing the pose - put your foot here, your knee this way, etc. The photographer got our name and room number each time. At some point near the end of the cruise, we went to the photo area and reviewed our photos after swiping our sea card. Then we picked out the best twenty, although we could purchase additional.  

I thought the twenty photo package was worthwhile, especially for a first cruise. We got digital copies downloaded on the spot and then an email download a few days after the cruise, so we could do whatever we want with them, such as print 8x10's or post on Facebook. 

 

[Heymarco]

If you don't have the package, you can buy them for around $20 a photo.

[smokeybandit]

7 minutes ago, Heymarco said:

If you don't have the package, you can buy them for around $20 a photo.

Or have a bystander take a photo on an outdoor deck at sunset, and get a more realistic backdrop for 1/10 the price.

[ScottD]

Just a side note, as someone who doesn't buy the pics, I still enjoyed taking a few candid ones around the ship when the photographers popped up- me and my kid playing mini golf, the family in the boarding terminal, hanging out at playmakers.... never even went to look at them before, but now you can look at the photos right after they are taken right in the app. So that was cool- I'd look at them on the app, then still not buy them- BUT it'll save you a lot of time down the line if you are buying them, you can check them out as they are taken instead of going at the end of the cruise and scrolling through them all. 

[WAYNO]

Photographers on the ship are very similar to salesmen on a car lot.  They are there if you want them to be or not.

[smokeybandit]

26 minutes ago, WAYNO said:

Photographers on the ship are very similar to salesmen on a car lot.  They are there if you want them to be or not.

But somehow not nearly has hovering as they were before the shutdown.

[RCIfan1912]

3 hours ago, Heymarco said:

If you don't have the package, you can buy them for around $20 a photo.

Every time we cruise and I see the photo prices in like "what a F-ing racket". I mean talk about profit. 

[Minuet888]

So wait the photos for the photo packages are all in front of fake backdrops?  The way they make it sound on the website is that they are all over the ship and it even says "ride" photos (I assuming zipline or the abyss)

Can anyone let me know so I can cancel my photo package if I need to?

Also I still can't get an answer as to whether it is just digital or if I can have any printed (on the ship) instead of digitally.

[Heymarco]

1 minute ago, Minuet888 said:

So wait the photos for the photo packages are all in front of fake backdrops?  The way they make it sound on the website is that they are all over the ship and it even says "ride" photos (I assuming zipline or the abyss)

Can anyone let me know so I can cancel my photo package if I need to?

Also I still can't get an answer as to whether it is just digital or if I can have any printed (on the ship) instead of digitally.

It's a combination of both. Typically when boarding or in the evenings before dinner, you can get a photo done in front of a backdrop. At ports they offer them outside in front of the ship, they also go around to dinner tables. Sometimes they will offer them in front of a staircase, sail away party, on the promenade, or other places around ship.
 

Prints or digital depends on the package you select, read the details.

[WAYNO]

2 hours ago, Minuet888 said:

So wait the photos for the photo packages are all in front of fake backdrops?  The way they make it sound on the website is that they are all over the ship and it even says "ride" photos (I assuming zipline or the abyss)

Can anyone let me know so I can cancel my photo package if I need to?

Also I still can't get an answer as to whether it is just digital or if I can have any printed (on the ship) instead of digitally.

As others have said, the sky is the limit on scenes, backdrops, or impromptu sittings/settings.  You are the customer, tell them what you want.

Every time I've taken a photo home, I am given the choice of prints or digital.  If you have purchased a digital package,  they are there to make money.  If you want it printed, it will be printed.     It may or may not be an upcharge, depending on the purchase.

[CrimsonCruiser]

14 hours ago, Minuet888 said:

So wait the photos for the photo packages are all in front of fake backdrops?  The way they make it sound on the website is that they are all over the ship and it even says "ride" photos (I assuming zipline or the abyss)

Can anyone let me know so I can cancel my photo package if I need to?

Also I still can't get an answer as to whether it is just digital or if I can have any printed (on the ship) instead of digitally.

There will definitely be prom-esque backdrops and these are popped up every night around dinnertime. The most will pop up on formal night and they will also usually stake out a spot by the prettiest stairs, the promenade bridge (on freedom and Voyager class), and the car (on oasis class). Off the ship, there are guaranteed photographers at the port stops right in the debarkation area that will either be set up to get the ship in the background or the cityscape. There will also be roaming photographers in the main dining room.

But the most interesting photos are the ones roaming around the pool, coco cay beach, the carousel, or other activities on board. There is *no* schedule for them and no way to know when or where they will be which makes it like a fun game of where's waldo.

Also! photographers at port tend to get ignored and if two happen to spot you, the one that doesn't take your room number directly will often have fun candid shots in black in white!

[PhillyLady]

I have been buying photos on ships since the days when all they had were black and white prints that they displayed on boards.

Then a decade and a half later they moved up to color prints, and put them in slots on walls.

It was always a pain to walk around and search for your face.  Sometimes they missed some of your photos and stuck them with someone else!

One time I purchased ALL photos, and came home with 200 prints that weighed a ton, and many of the shots were not that great.

Now you find you photos online on a computer, and purchase digital and/or prints.

I stick to about the package of 10, and I always include my formal night photos, often our boarding photo, and maybe a dining room photo.  Sometimes we also purchase the port photos where you pose with the name of the place on a sign.  Many of the professional photographers take excellent photos, and they help you pose.  We try different backgrounds just for the fun of it.  Depending on the cruise line, some of the prints are exceptionally nice, and they also give you a cardboard display folder. 

I usually pre-purchase the package, just so I do not have to worry about having the costs added to my bill at the end. 

Do not wait until the end to purchase--check your photos out regularly so you have an idea what you want, and allow enough time to have them ready for you (usually the night before disembarkation). 

Enjoy your first cruise!!

[Minuet888]

so what are the "ride" photos they talk about on the website

[Pattycruise]

On 4/28/2024 at 2:43 PM, Heymarco said:

If you don't have the package, you can buy them for around $20 a photo.

Photos are now about $30 each. 
a package is the way to go given they typically have a good value -you aren’t paying $300 for 10 photos. 

be aware that poses are “typical”. The way they ask for hand hold, hand on mans chest etc.  so if you have a pose you’d prefer tell them.  We asked for no head to foot shots at one station and it was the nicest photo we’ve taken.  Also formal night had the plain white backdrop whereas tropical night they had paisley, rainbow colors and other unsuitable busy backgrounds for tropical attire.  On our recent 10 night cruise we wore our tropical attire for one of the dress your best nights so our photos would look good.  What a difference from a busy background! Of course your ship may vary.

[ScottD]

12 hours ago, PhillyLady said:

Now you find you photos online on a computer, and purchase digital and/or prints.

Now You can even look at them directly on the app right after they are taken. 

3 hours ago, Minuet888 said:

so what are the "ride" photos they talk about on the website

Zip line, rock wall, carousel,...stuff like that. We saw them quite a bit in the evening around the mini golf and rock walls, you'll see them just roaming the promenade and up on the decks...you'll see them as soon as you get off the ship at the ports and roaming Coco cay....

[Ditchdoc]

Here is the basic process ...

 

Photographers are pretty much everywhere at opportune moments.

You can have them take your photo, or not.

They collect your room info.

Within 24 hours, you go to the photo 'store'  on board and there will be a touch screen kiosk.

Follow the instructions to see all they photos that have been taken.

Select the ones to want to purchase, or not.

You can opt for digital sent to you or prints you can pick up.

It takes a few hours before the prints are available.

Your room account is charged or you prepay for a package in advance.

 

So ... there are no limits as to how many you can have taken. That cost nothing. Only pay for the ones you want to keep.

Our experience has been mixed with the quality of the individual photo. Sometimes its the subject, sometimes the photographer. Sometimes you get a great photo.

[ScottD]

@Ditchdocsee my comment about the app...no more waiting to look at them. Now you can see them right after they're taken and pick the ones you want as you see them. Saving all that time at the photo kiosk!

[Ditchdoc]

Nice...not so long ago...you looked through all the printed photos on racks. Tech is moving faster all the time. Next....click 'photo' in the app and a drone shows up in seconds to take one.

[Pattycruise]

9 hours ago, Ditchdoc said:

Nice...not so long ago...you looked through all the printed photos on racks. Tech is moving faster all the time. Next....click 'photo' in the app and a drone shows up in seconds to take one.

Some Older ships still print