Ship board photographs and the ecology

[Trainman52]

We just returned from the QM2 and I was amazed by the price of the photos. They were charging $24.95 for the standard getting on and off the ship and the formal photos. I may be mistaken, but I seem to recall them being more in the $12.95 - $14.95 price range on other ships. The photographers take literally thousands of photos a large percentage of which are not purchased. I discussed the huge waste of paper and ink with one of the photographers, their reply was that they recycle them. I could have facetiously asked, "you mean that you use facial recognition to find passengers on future cruises who look like these?". But alas, I am too much of a gentleman for that. I was told that they send them downstairs, presumably for shredding. My point is that with digital photography, why does anything have to been printed? Use chroma-key technology and shoot in front of a green or blue screen. The "studio" could have a monitor showing you what the final picture can look like. The picture can be viewed at a viewing station with various backgrounds inserted. Find the combination that you like and have it printed. This is the Disney model. They have photographers roaming the parks. They take your digital picture which is then sent back to a file server. Your account is tracked via a bar-coded card which is scanned by the photographer. When you are ready to view the pictures, you go to one of several viewing locations where you can view your pictures and see what they look like with various mattes. If you like them, you order them, if not, no harm, no foul. You also have the opportunity to order them from home should you change your mind. All of the cruiselines talk about their commitment to the ecology, this is an excellent place to start. BTW - I emailed the concession that does the photos on the QM2 and have not received a reply back.

[startraveler]

Just imagine the typical number of people looking through their photos in the photo gallery. Then imagine the same number of people waiting their turn to view them in on say half a dozen monitors in the photo gallery.

 

I imagine that that scenario can be cicumvented by using facial technology and having digital pics sent to a cabin's TV - but it's not always foolproof (on RCL, where they put all our photos into a physical folder with our cabin number, rather than having to hunt for them, we constantly got someone else's photos) and TVs also don't show the true colors of photos, either.

 

IMHO, I'd rather they print out the photos and then recycle the ones that aren't purchased. After all, if they can save paper by not printing out photos... then why not save paper by not printing out the daily schedule and just having monitors in the cabin and throughout the ship show what today's events are? (On my last cruise, I saved the daily schedule but was forever throwing out the inserts on what shop and spa specials there were, as well as the daily door hangar for breakfast room service because we always ate breakfast on deck.)

[Trainman52]

Just imagine the typical number of people looking through their photos in the photo gallery. Then imagine the same number of people waiting their turn to view them in on say half a dozen monitors in the photo gallery.

 

I imagine that that scenario can be cicumvented by using facial technology and having digital pics sent to a cabin's TV - but it's not always foolproof (on RCL, where they put all our photos into a physical folder with our cabin number, rather than having to hunt for them, we constantly got someone else's photos) and TVs also don't show the true colors of photos, either.

 

IMHO, I'd rather they print out the photos and then recycle the ones that aren't purchased. After all, if they can save paper by not printing out photos... then why not save paper by not printing out the daily schedule and just having monitors in the cabin and throughout the ship show what today's events are? (On my last cruise, I saved the daily schedule but was forever throwing out the inserts on what shop and spa specials there were, as well as the daily door hangar for breakfast room service because we always ate breakfast on deck.)

On the QM2, they saved all of the dinner menus and presented us with them in a folder on the next to the last night of the cruise. A nice touch. Gone, however, are the full color printed menus which we first received in the 70s. Having a printed schedule as an optional item may not be too far down the road either. Sync your iPhone or PDA at a Kiosk and you're good to go. :D Isn't technology wonderful?

[startraveler]

On the QM2, they saved all of the dinner menus and presented us with them in a folder on the next to the last night of the cruise. A nice touch. Gone, however, are the full color printed menus which we first received in the 70s. Having a printed schedule as an optional item may not be too far down the road either. Sync your iPhone or PDA at a Kiosk and you're good to go. :D Isn't technology wonderful?

 

Except for one thing: I do not carry an iPhone or a PDA, I don't have a need to, nor do I want to. I have a pay-as-you-go cell phone, which may or may not have internet capability... but I don't use it. I use my phone just to make and receive phone calls.

[Trainman52]

Except for one thing: I do not carry an iPhone or a PDA, I don't have a need to, nor do I want to. I have a pay-as-you-go cell phone, which may or may not have internet capability... but I don't use it. I use my phone just to make and receive phone calls.

Actually, my phone doesn't do that "stuff" either. There are a few real geeks on board. I was amazed at the number of people surfing the net at the prices they were charging on the ship. I guess that it is a necessity in some situations.

[cb at sea]

We don't buy many, if any, photos...and in truth, there are PLENTy of "disposal" places for trash. Most of it is not toxic...so really, who cares.

Paper is totally renewable....trees grow, you know! And, with increased CO2, they'll grow even faster! Trees LOVE carbon dioxide! That's their life-blood! This whole "ecology" thing is a total hoax!

[LHT28]

Or they could do like Oceania & do away with the photographer altogether;)

 

No problem with all those wasted photos that no one buys.

No stopping every 5 minutes for your picture to be taken

[Moochanator]

I just don't understand why they're so expensive. At $25 bucks each I don't buy any. If it were half that I'd buy all of them.

 

As for the ecology, cruise ships aren't exactly a paradigm for ecological sensitivity. The huge lumbering hulks burn hundreds of thousands of gallons of fuel just to shuttle boorish knuckleheads like me from port to port whilst stuffing myself silly. (but it's worth every drop!)

[kooljamming]

I buy them, I love them, really that is one of the appeal of criusing.

I know they are overpriced but I look 29 year after year in them.

For that, they are pricessless, or the $20 a pop;) On your mass market line it's one of the highest profit area. Sears do an entire package of 9.99!

 

Marketing - if you make them cheapest enough or everyone to afford them, then no one will buy them!

[startraveler]

I just don't understand why they're so expensive. At $25 bucks each I don't buy any. If it were half that I'd buy all of them.

 

As for the ecology, cruise ships aren't exactly a paradigm for ecological sensitivity. The huge lumbering hulks burn hundreds of thousands of gallons of fuel just to shuttle boorish knuckleheads like me from port to port whilst stuffing myself silly. (but it's worth every drop!)

 

On our recent cruise, we were surprised at the price. Granted, we don't remember what the last price we paid for was, but we coulda sworn the price had doubled.

 

But the ship had a package of buying so much, getting one or two free. Of course, we took them up on the package... as well as on their special offer of buying a 8*10 and getting a frame for an extra $5. :rolleyes: *sigh*....

 

What we didn't do, for the first time, was buy a photo from each of the ports. Instead, we got one 8*10 which had a listing of all the ports. That saved _some_ money....

[Trainman52]

On our recent cruise, we were surprised at the price. Granted, we don't remember what the last price we paid for was, but we coulda sworn the price had doubled.

 

But the ship had a package of buying so much, getting one or two free. Of course, we took them up on the package... as well as on their special offer of buying a 8*10 and getting a frame for an extra $5. :rolleyes: *sigh*....

 

What we didn't do, for the first time, was buy a photo from each of the ports. Instead, we got one 8*10 which had a listing of all the ports. That saved _some_ money....

The $24.95 on Cunard were by far the most expensive photos that I can remember. Last year on RCCL, I could swear that they were more in the $14.95 range. As I mentioned previously, the photos are done by a concessionaire who handles a number of the ships. It may be a case of the more upscale the line, the higher the prices.

[mrstrod]

I missed if anyone metioned this already but, just in case no one has, all the photos they take ARE digital. They do not use film.

 

 

Anyway, there is a real reason why the print the photos instead off switching to digital displays. It actually has to do with how we regard them psychologically.

 

When you see a digital photo in a screen, if it's not the perfect picture, it is a lot easier for you to throw it away - mentally. However, when you see and touch a printed photo, even if it is not the perfect photo, you do form a mental attachment to the photo, in the back of your head you're saying "gosh, I hate to throw this away."

 

The cruise lines know this - they have done studies on this (as have many tourist attractions) and we all know that their number one goal is to make money. The sales of printed photos greatly out way the cost of recycling the paper.

[Eagle River]

We help the ships use less paper by bypassing all of the ships photographers and then there is not a need to print out a picture that we would never look at or purchase.

[ozzy77]

also cruise ships arent the only ones who use this method of selling....when I take my son to get his pictures done at the photograher in the mall when I go to pick up my picture package they always seem to have a few "extra" that was sent to them and we could buy them or they would just throw them away....They arent throwing away MY baby lol.

[mrstrod]

also cruise ships arent the only ones who use this method of selling....when I take my son to get his pictures done at the photograher in the mall when I go to pick up my picture package they always seem to have a few "extra" that was sent to them and we could buy them or they would just throw them away....They arent throwing away MY baby lol.

 

Cute! I know places like picture people do this, also let's not forget about the school pictures! They always send home some big crazy package - I usually return all but the 8x10 and then scan it and have pictures pronted for much cheaper!;)

[geoherb]

I try to avoid the ship photographers. I don't need my picture taken as I'm heading on shore. We just walk past them and say "no thanks."

[Nebr.cruiser]

Picture prices have gotten way out of line. On our recent Island Princess cruise all pictures were $20--all were 8x10 sheets with smaller pictures, 4x6 and 5x7 surrounded by silly designs that I wouldn't want anyway. Formal photos were $25.

 

I'd willingly pay $10 or so for 5x7's that were mostly picture, but $20 is just too much, especially with all the exteraneous stuff around the actual photos.

 

We have gone from buying several photos per cruise to buying none because the prices are ridiculous.

[Kinkacruiser]

I'm afraid I'm hooked on the formal portraits. I bought a dry mount album for them recently, as their cost warrants a superior presentation. Each cruise we buy about a couple of 8"x10" prints.

[Trainman52]

I missed if anyone metioned this already but, just in case no one has, all the photos they take ARE digital. They do not use film.

 

 

Anyway, there is a real reason why the print the photos instead off switching to digital displays. It actually has to do with how we regard them psychologically.

 

When you see a digital photo in a screen, if it's not the perfect picture, it is a lot easier for you to throw it away - mentally. However, when you see and touch a printed photo, even if it is not the perfect photo, you do form a mental attachment to the photo, in the back of your head you're saying "gosh, I hate to throw this away."

 

The cruise lines know this - they have done studies on this (as have many tourist attractions) and we all know that their number one goal is to make money. The sales of printed photos greatly out way the cost of recycling the paper.

The cruise lines DO NOT take the photos. They are done by an outside concession: http://www.image.com/ I was given the company name during one of my discussions with a photographer.

 

I realize that they are digital, that makes printing them out even more foolish IMHO.

 

Bon Voyage

[Nebr.cruiser]

The last night of our recent cruise there what looked to me like thousands of unwanted photos sitting in bins for people to sift through, as well as lots still on display and however many had already been discarded.

 

What a waste.

 

I do agree that sometimes the formal photos are worth the money, if they turn out good. Just not the 'embarkation, dining room, port pictures, pictures with pirates or showgirls or whatever' that often aren't even 5x7 and have lots of what is ship advertisements.

 

I don't mind a small banner saying, say 'Island Princess, 2009' or something, but an 8x10 sheet cluttered with balloons, streamers, palm trees, sayings, etc. around a small picture or two--not worth $20--to me.

[Moochanator]

I don't get why they make such a big deal about the embarkation picture. I always look awful! I've been waiting in line for an hour and a half, I've got a bunch of carry-on crapola in one hand and a ticket in the other, and I just want to get on the ship!

[mrstrod]

The cruise lines DO NOT take the photos.

 

Ok... So? What does that matter to the subject? Are you implying that the cruise lines don't make money from the photos?

[Trainman52]

Ok... So? What does that matter to the subject? Are you implying that the cruise lines don't make money from the photos?

Not at all, they aren't in this for their health. I'm sure that they do call the shots (no pun intended), to what extent they are involved, I don't know.

[simplelife]

The only photo you have to have taken is the one that get encoded on your ship's card.

After our first couple of cruises, we realized we could just bypass the embarkation and reboarding photos and we certainly did not have to pose for any of the sessions.

DH and I are just not photogenic and take awful photos anyway, especially posed ones.

 

We take our camera and do lots of candid shots, both on and off the ship, which really capture our trip far better than the posed shots. Personal digital cameras and accompanying software are so good nowadays that we get some really good pictures.

[Shellzbellz]

I find the cruise pictures very frustrating. I scrapbook so while I want the image I don't want the big 8x10 size. As a result I only buy 1 maybe 2 pictures the whole cruise as souveniers (because of the cost).

 

I would love the cruise lines to operate the same process as Disney themeparks where you can get all your pictures put onto a CD. You can view the pictures, add custom borders (from home) and then decide whether to buy. I can then edit and print the photos whatever way I want. In about 10 previous trips to Disney I never bought any of their pictures but they now get $150 out of me each trip for the photo CD.