X Losing Revenue Over Dumb Rules!

[tuggers]

Heavy Handed Approach Loses X Revenue.

I have done my fair share of B2B’s (sometimes B2B2B, etc J) and have never had a problem with the photo shop working with me.

Today I went down and picked out the a boarding picture (19.95), 2 6x8’s (9.95 each) and had asked about the price for 50 Christmas cards which I thought was reasonable at $39.95. So I was talking about a minimum of an $80 purchase.

I asked if they would be taking the same type of picture (with the butler) at Coco Cay and they said yes. So I asked if they would put that picture in a folder for me for the next cruise to compare with the 2nd picture (this was the one I wanted for a Christmas card). He said sure, to bring him the picture and he would put it in a folder with a note. As I left to go get my picture I was followed by LISA who informed me they would never do such a thing. When I said it had been done many times for me when I was doing B2B she said they didn’t care how many ‘B2B’s’ I did, they held no pictures.

Companies always seem so short sighted to me when they take these hard and fast approaches. Now I will buy no pictures from either cruise. For a company looking for revenue at every turn it seems wasteful to throw away any sale. I put all my pictures back. Believe me, I can live without them. I have drawers full at home as I’m sure most of you do.

Only difference this time is I always buy the boarding picture to know which cruises I’ve been on. On these two cruises I will do without even that $40 sale.

Thanks LISA, you just lost the company money! :rolleyes:

[jt1120]

I would have talked to someone else besides "Lisa" to try and rectify the issue. Seems a rather small inconvenience though. Purchase the first one, take the second one, compare the two. If the second one is better, buy the second one as well. When you consider all of the money spent on a cruise, one picture isn't worth the aggravation (though "Lisa" could have handled the situation better).

[Andy]

Hi Gail !

 

I've always purchased photos, and My Sister is a HUGE photo buyer. They always graciously held photos until the last day or 2 of the Cruise. I hope this is not another policy change, and I can understand why you would be annoyed. Perhaps the employee was being difficult ?

 

I suggest you speak with the Guest Relations Manager. I'd definitely voice my displeasure. Please don't let it upset you, and have a wonderful Cruise.

[cruise kitty]

I have to agree with Tuggers, this is a lack of common sense approach to doing business...the attitude that the rules are the rules, despite the fact that circumstances & logic should dictate otherwise. Easier to fall back on the company "policy" than to actually have to make a decision that requires some thought as to the possible profit line... kind of like expelling a kindergarten kid for bringing cheese & crackers that has the little plastic butter knife... my gosh we must follow the zero tolerance policy, give me a break;) I do wonder though, are the photo people employed by X, or is it like the spa & art auction, where it's an outside vendor?

[PatC]

I would definitely talk to someone in guest relations or the CC. Remember, these are contracted companies to Celebrity and they might be trying to pull a fast one.

 

I remember years ago when we sailed on Horizon on the "Legionairres' cruise and we were put off in Bermuda. We were told all shipboard bills were cancelled and any pictures in the photo shop were all ours, no charge. While they were quickly trying to unload passengers and luggage the folks in the photo shop were trying to collect money for the pictures. Well, someone went down and told the guest relations manager and he flew upstairs and reamed them out in no uncertain terms. I remember that really well!!!

 

If you've sailed so many times with Celebrity, and we know you have, they know you well so I wouldn't let this ruin a cruise but I would definitely confirm what you've been told.

 

All in all, enjoy your cruise. How bad can it be when you're on a ship, on the ocean and enjoying good company.

 

Pat C

[kitty9]

I've always wondered, are photographers employed by the cruise line or are they independent contractors, employed by a separate company on shore?

[allentownahoy]

Who is this Lisa and what is her position?

[Allis154]

I have had similar occurances on our past cruises. Infinity staff were more than willing to hold the photos until the end. Summit..NO WAY!!! Not even for an hour! Equinox, not a problem for DH and I, but MIL and BIL couldn't...No rhyme or reason.

[ccxnola]

On-board photos are by the Image Group.

From their web site:

Image is the largest and most successful photo concessionaire in the cruise industry, serving over 40 ships carrying more than 80,000 guests per week on worldwide itineraries. In addition to taking over 20 million photos of guests per year, we also provide dvd production, guest film processing, custom digital photo kiosks and onboard retail sales of cameras and other photography-related products.

 

You can also get reprints from your cruise and print a copyright release from them so you may make legal copies of photos purchased from them.

The web site is image.com

[CoachT]

The OP wants the company to hold it not until the end of this cruise but to hold it until the ship returns to Coco Cay on her next cruise as she is on a B2B. I would never expect the company to keep photos beyond the current voyage. It would be quite the nitemare if EVERY B2Br wanted this done!

 

If it was done before, it was a courtesy more than likely, but IMHO should never be expected.

[js1357]

I'm glad you're speaking up. Too often I run across idiot people like this and just go along. I'm sick of it. Let them keep their pictures!

[A Sixth?]

There are always a few negative moments on a cruise... the photo thing does seem silly.

 

But as far as loosing $$$$ I don't think so.

 

Third quarter profits at RCI are up 55% the stock price shot up over 15% today alone. Carnival is making money and paying dividends again and its' stock price is up almost 7% just on the RCI news.

 

Looks like the cruise industry is leading the charge back to profit after a bleak few years for everyone.

[uktog]

Hi Gail !

 

I've always purchased photos, and My Sister is a HUGE photo buyer. They always graciously held photos until the last day or 2 of the Cruise. I hope this is not another policy change, and I can understand why you would be annoyed. Perhaps the employee was being difficult ?

 

I suggest you speak with the Guest Relations Manager. I'd definitely voice my displeasure. Please don't let it upset you, and have a wonderful Cruise.

 

On both Equinox and Eclipse they refused to keep our pictures together for the last day so we could sit and make choices. We also found some were not printed and they declines to print more saying someone must have moved them

 

We spent a very small amount on pictures on both trips, previously we have been three figure spends

 

It is an outsourced arrangement and the attitude of the staff varies greatly

[c-legs]

I do wonder though, are the photo people employed by X, or is it like the spa & art auction, where it's an outside vendor?

Outside vendors.

But wearing Celebrity uniforms/tags...as well as supposedly held to == X == standards.

Guest relations personnel can assist in resolving your unhappiness but do not have esactly 100% impact on what remains an outside vendor employee...

Had some snarly ones myself on previous cruises...but funny, never anywhere but photo dept...

Cheers

[Andy]

On both Equinox and Eclipse they refused to keep our pictures together for the last day so we could sit and make choices. We also found some were not printed and they declines to print more saying someone must have moved them

 

We spent a very small amount on pictures on both trips, previously we have been three figure spends

 

It is an outsourced arrangement and the attitude of the staff varies greatly

 

Hi Uktog !

 

That is interesting. I agree that the attitude of the photo staff, may have everything to do with how it's handled, but we have never run across this before. Then again, perhaps they've decided against holding photos.

 

I'm on Constellation in a few weeks, and I will be sure to ask the photo staff about this.

[uktog]

Thanks Andy - it was always easier to see everything at the end of the trip and then decide on the best 4 or 5 - we always have the embarkation photo regardless of how bad it is!!

[Project_gal]

We also found some were not printed and they declines to print more saying someone must have moved them.

 

We have always assumed if they did not print them it was because they were SO bad and dared not ask for them! Then, perhaps you are more photogenic than I am ...

 

Sue

[CoachT]

She is not asking them to hold photos until the end of ONE voyage. She is asking them to hold photos until the NEXT voyage as she is on a B2B. Why would anyone expect them to do this in the first place?

[curiouscat]

There are always a few negative moments on a cruise... the photo thing does seem silly.

 

But as far as loosing $$$$ I don't think so.

 

Third quarter profits at RCI are up 55% the stock price shot up over 15% today alone. Carnival is making money and paying dividends again and its' stock price is up almost 7% just on the RCI news.

 

Looks like the cruise industry is leading the charge back to profit after a bleak few years for everyone.

 

 

And hence why the prices of cruising and airfare

is trending upwards.....

 

CC

[Momorider]

http://image.com/html/operation_photo.html

 

https://www.image.com/html/post_cruise.html

 

Curious you can order photos after the fact from them with the exception of

 

NOTE TO CELEBRITY GUESTS:

 

 

Until further notice, Image can no longer accept post cruise requests for

 

Celebrity Cruises. For any post cruise enquiries for this cruise line, please contact

 

Image Customer Service directly at 800-772-3470, ext 743 or 744.

 

[Bridge Maven]

She is not asking them to hold photos until the end of ONE voyage. She is asking them to hold photos until the NEXT voyage as she is on a B2B. Why would anyone expect them to do this in the first place?

 

CoachT, I think she feels that way because she takes more cruises than most people do and is one of Celebrity's best customers.

[shipshape sam]

Heavy Handed Approach Loses X Revenue.

 

I have done my fair share of B2B’s (sometimes B2B2B, etc J) and have never had a problem with the photo shop working with me.

 

Today I went down and picked out the a boarding picture (19.95), 2 6x8’s (9.95 each) and had asked about the price for 50 Christmas cards which I thought was reasonable at $39.95. So I was talking about a minimum of an $80 purchase.

 

I asked if they would be taking the same type of picture (with the butler) at Coco Cay and they said yes. So I asked if they would put that picture in a folder for me for the next cruise to compare with the 2nd picture (this was the one I wanted for a Christmas card). He said sure, to bring him the picture and he would put it in a folder with a note. As I left to go get my picture I was followed by LISA who informed me they would never do such a thing. When I said it had been done many times for me when I was doing B2B she said they didn’t care how many ‘B2B’s’ I did, they held no pictures.

 

Companies always seem so short sighted to me when they take these hard and fast approaches. Now I will buy no pictures from either cruise. For a company looking for revenue at every turn it seems wasteful to throw away any sale. I put all my pictures back. Believe me, I can live without them. I have drawers full at home as I’m sure most of you do.

 

Only difference this time is I always buy the boarding picture to know which cruises I’ve been on. On these two cruises I will do without even that $40 sale.

 

Thanks LISA, you just lost the company money! :rolleyes:

 

Sorry to read that there was no help in working with you.

 

I tend to keep moving up the chain of command if I think an employee is not reasonably addressing my request.

[Bridge Maven]

In this digital age, I am surprised that cruise lines still print every photo they take when so many of them wind up in the garbage anyway.

 

It would make more sense for passengers to be able to search for them in a computer base instead, thereby eliminating waste while enabling passengers to view them at any time during a cruise. This way time would not be of the essence in deciding whether or not to order a photo and the cruise line could also offer an additional service of using computer software to eliminate an imperfection on a photo or crop someone out of a group photo before printing it.

 

Of course this is just my humble opinion :)

[fleckle]

........It would make more sense for passengers to be able to search for them in a computer base instead, thereby eliminating waste while enabling passengers to view them at any time during a cruise. This way time would not be of the essence in deciding whether or not to order a photo and the cruise line could also offer an additional service of using computer software to eliminate an imperfection on a photo or crop someone out of a group photo before printing it.....

Good idea! They would undoubtedly sell a lot more photos if people could get to see their photos with the wrinkles and double chins removed before making a purchasing decision.

 

Don't forget the standard advice for taking family group photos. Always put the in-laws on the ends. That makes it easy to crop them out after the divorce.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

She is not asking them to hold photos until the end of ONE voyage. She is asking them to hold photos until the NEXT voyage as she is on a B2B. Why would anyone expect them to do this in the first place?

 

Because she's on the same d*** ship. With probably the same crew. Why can't they provide this service? They are either service oriented or not. Clearly this gang is not.