Photographers on Gangway causing long delays!

[mzloolue]

We don't get photos.

Okay, like in 2006 on a big family cruise we all , except dh, got dressed up like cowboys and had some photos taken. It was fun.

 

My husband gets bad migraines from light flashes.

 

The dining room can be pretty stressful.

If we are at a big round table and they come around to take photos three times, that is at least 30 flashes going off just at that table.

And then the surrounding tables...

[Havingfun2010]

It is the most annoying thing on a Carnival Ship. They block walkways, gangways, and just are plain annoying. Carnival lowers prices, and then will rely on extra income to generate revenue. They block you so you must get past them, and for every picture taken, it hold up the line as it snakes up the stairs, and you are standing for an hour to get off!

 

I have stood on cruise docks, and watched "other" ships and saw the passengers stream off quickly, while I see the slow process on the Carnival ship. The others? They take pictures off to the side, and just try to direct people to take them. Sometimes there is a line, but the line is separate.

 

Why would anyone care how hard they work, in the sun, etc. It is their choice. Just move them out of the way, and let the passengers off the ship already, and stop this silly debate. They are not wanted, or needed by the majority. If someone wants a picture, they can chose to do so, without making everyone else wait.

[figdu]

Maybe they can add this as a benefit of FTTF... A way around the line.

[loubetti]

In the good ol' days of cruising (and they were good!), you might have 400 people getting off the ship at one time. Other's might leave later for excursions or to walk around town and avoid the "rush". Today you might have THOUSANDS getting off the ship at one time, and therein lies the issue with photos on the gangway.

 

Among my many talents, I am a professional photographer, and in the digital age, photo has become an even larger cash cow for the cruise lines. With today's computers, software and printers, it is not nearly as labor intensive as it used to be in the days of film. The process can be highly automated once the image gets from the data card into the system.

 

As a photographer I value my time, and do my best to make a good photo, but let's get real here. The ship's photogs are shooting tons of volume with hopes of some purchases, and there are plenty of purchases. If even 10% of photos made are purchased, that's good money when one considers the cost of the photos to the passenger.

 

So, what does a $21 8x10" print cost the cruise line in materials? 50 cents or so at best. Add in labor to make the photo and print it and overhead for the photo facility, and waste, and I'll say $1.50. Can you say: "1300% profit"? :eek:

 

I actually took a job at Walgreens (oy!!) for a few months to see how their photo processing worked. Not bad at all. Nice dye sublimation printers, using roll paper, and a nice Epson wide format ink jet for the big stuff. A nice operation. On Mondays, my local Walgreens sells an 8x10 for 99 cents (normally $3.99). Of course, you have to bring in the digital image in some form. At Walgreens, photo is their highest profit operation, and you can be sure that they make money selling an 8x10 even at 99 cents!

 

The photographers can be aggressive, or maybe a bit pushy for a reason, as there is BIG money on the line here!

[rarasnake]

This. Don't need any pictures. Don't want any pictures. No WAY am I gonna look through THOUSANDS of photos, trying to fine one of me and my wife, on the off chance that it's a spectacular photograph.

 

I don't understand why they don't find a way to send YOUR PICTURES right to your in-cabin TV, or at the very least, have it so you could look up photos of yourself at a kiosk. Just a swipe of my Cruise Card and they'd have what they need. (And I bet they'd sell a lot more photos if they figured out a way to send everyone THEIR pics.)

 

 

I completely agree with you'll!! I hated having to wait at Nassau because people were getting their picture made. When we got back, we had to weave through the line because we were back early and people were still getting off (we didn't stay every long off the boat and came back for a late lunch).. People were rude though and as I was trying to cross over, one lady was agast that I walk between her and her family, as she is trying to take her own picture of the kids with the pirate...

 

Also, on our cruise, after looking at the photo walls for 30 minutes, not seeing 1 picture of our family, I was done. I am NOT taking all my vacation to sit and sift through millions of pictures.

[5000]

I just walk straight past the photographers like they don't even exist.

.

 

BINGO can't stand the backup!

[SteelerCruiser]

We were on Royal Caribbean in January I like how they did it. Instead of crowding on the gangway they would get you near the bottom to the side a little. Was a much better process and still allowed those wanting their picture to be taken to have it taken without holding back the others that don't.

[golfadj]

Geez...after just 5 or 6 cruises, I was done with the photo thing! :cool:

 

 

When Pixels took over and prices soared, I got seriously Done with them! :)

 

.

 

They are entitled to take as many pictures as they want but dont think we should have to wait to get off the ship so others can take pictures.

 

Think it took DW about 6 before she realized it was generally a waste of time to take pictures.

[Rudyard]

We were disembarking on our last visit to Cozumel. The line was moving steady when all of a sudden an announcement was made that Conquest was about to dock next to us and disembarking would have to cease for about fifteen minutes while she docked and was tied up. We were told we only had a couple of minutes to get off the ship.

 

The crowd started surging forward but still didn't seem to be moving much faster. When we got towards the hatch, security was scanning S&S cards as fast as they could, but what was holding everything up was the photographers were still trying to get people to stop for pics. Even more amazing were the people who were stopping for pics knowing they were possibly shafting the people behind them.

 

We were among the last to get off and at that point Conquest was about 50 yards out. They stopped anyone else from getting off at that point. We went to Three Amigos and pretty much had the place to ourselves for a while until they released the passengers that got stuck on Triumph and the new arrivals from Conquest.

[Rh2458]

You are on vacation, slow down, realx...enjoy the photo ops and the lines.

 

It's not a matter of slowing down or relaxing. I actually HATE to have my picture taken. So for me, how is that relaxing? I agree with the person that said have two lines, those that want to have their picture taken, and the other line for those that don't. Seems pretty simple to me. I also agree with the idea they should lower the prices, they'd probably sell a whole lot more and actually make more money in the process.

[QJenk]

In my experience, I have not noticed long lines due particularly people taking photos. The long lines are because a very large amount of people are trying to exit out of one location at one time. It simply can't be helped. I have never minded the photographers on the gangway either. Those pictures take all of 3 seconds, that's it. Normally I'll stop, allow them to snap, and I keep it moving. Ill willingly allow photographers to take plenty of pics of me, knowing I will not buy a single one.

 

So I really think people in this thread are over blowing things here

[cruizinisthebest]

In my experience, I have not noticed long lines due particularly people taking photos. The long lines are because a very large amount of people are trying to exit out of one location at one time. It simply can't be helped. I have never minded the photographers on the gangway either. Those pictures take all of 3 seconds, that's it. Normally I'll stop, allow them to snap, and I keep it moving. Ill willingly allow photographers to take plenty of pics of me, knowing I will not buy a single one.

 

So I really think people in this thread are over blowing things here

 

Totally and 100% agree with every sentence. Well o.k. except for the one about not buying any pics. I'll usually give in and buy one or two. :)

[Terre]

It is extremely annoying when you're trying to get on the ship on embarkation day and even worse trying to get off in ports, especially if you have an excursion you're trying to get to.

 

They should have a line for those not wanting their pictures taken so we can get on the ship and get off the ship as quickly as we want.

 

The photographers in the dining room are also annoying because they come by when you have a mouthful of food, then they want everyone to stand behind someone else, get close, etc...I'm there to enjoy my dinner, not take pictures. We just tell them no.

[DGP1111]

. . . The photographers in the dining room are also annoying because they come by when you have a mouthful of food, then they want everyone to stand behind someone else, get close, etc...I'm there to enjoy my dinner, not take pictures. We just tell them no.

 

I'm not sure saying 'No' to a very-real-looking Filipino/Russian pirate with a knife in his hand is a totally safe decision. :D

 

.

[golfadj]

I'm not sure saying 'No' to a very-real-looking Filipino/Russian pirate with a knife in his hand is a totally safe decision. :D

 

.

 

Give them a scowl and off they go. Very cowardly bunch of pirates.

[cuzzx]

CHILL PEOPLE ,

slow down and smell the flowers,

your on vacation and the water will not move on out.

Have fun, enjoy life.

[Terre]

CHILL PEOPLE ,

slow down and smell the flowers,

your on vacation and the water will not move on out.

Have fun, enjoy life.

 

Exactly and I'm in a hurry to get it started, don't want to waste time with pictures I'm not gonna buy anyway.

[cruise_girl2002]

Hey gang,

 

I just read a recent thread talking about photographers in the dining room and it led me to recall my experience on the Dream a few weeks ago. In several ports, there was a huge back-up of folks trying to get off the ship and when we finally got to the gangway, the reason for the delay was obvious...the photographers were stopping people on both sides of the gangway to take pictures. Therefore, those of us who didn't want photos still had to wait behind everyone else. This may sound silly, but sometimes, it took an extra 15 minutes or more to get off the ship.

 

This really is a ridiculous practice in my opinion and is the type of thing that Carnival needs to address. Just curious what others think about this.

 

Thanks!

 

EVERY cruise line does this. I just keep walking. no picture. you need to look at this way too. you don't HAVE to stop to get your picture...the cruisers stop. I also see people line up on the stair case to get off in the port, which they tell you not to do. this causes a big back up too. we usually wait 20 minutes until after we dock to get off. no lines!

[Aplmac]

The photographers in the dining room are also annoying

because they come by when you have a mouthful of food, then they want everyone to stand behind someone else, get close, etc...

I'm there to enjoy my dinner, not take pictures.

We just tell them no.

I once told them.. "You're wasting your time" -they never came back! :D

 

.

[Aplmac]

I have never minded the photographers on the gangway either.

Those pictures take all of 3 seconds, that's it.

Normally I'll stop, allow them to snap, and I keep it moving.

Ill willingly allow photographers to take plenty of pics of me, knowing I will not buy a single one.

Firstly, your brief photo stop takes a lot more like 10-15 seconds

from the time you stop to the time the line starts moving again.

 

Multiply x four such stops and that's 1 minute gone.

Doesn't sound like much time does it?

but it starts to add up when multiples come into effect!

 

.....................

 

Secondly, if you know darned well you're not going to buy any of those pics

why stop at all?? :confused:

 

You'll be wasting

* your time

* my time in the queue behind you

* the photographer's time

* disc space on his SD card

* printing paper and processing costs.

 

So what's the point of stopping at all then??

 

 

Why not just ignore them and walk straight past

keeping the line moving!

 

How difficult is that? You wouldn't be the first person to do so

and certainly won't be the last.

.

Edited July 2, 2014 by Aplmac

[fireofficer5]

You guys do know, without the photo dollars the cruise would be a small % higher.

 

Everyone wants a dirt cheap ccl cruise.

[Lovefuninthesun]

So I really think people in this thread are over blowing things here

 

But that's the name of the game! Hyperbole and exaggeration!!:eek:

[near the beach]

We always take the photo.

I think the problem lies with the passengers who take three or four photos.

[rubygigi]

We experienced this for the first time on our May cruise on the Sunshine. On previous cruises the photographers were set up just past the gangway. There were no additional waits for us to disembark though. What bugged me was that we had one child in a stroller who would be completely blocked by the gangway and they still want to take our photo. They even suggested that we take him out of the stroller! Ain't nobody got time for that! We generally don't stop for these photos anyway. There are tons more photo-worthy places at port than a gangway.

[jchris1230]

It's interesting...there are several responses to my post telling me to simply say "No thanks" and walk past, etc., etc. and that some folks enjoy getting their picture taken and how I should just relax since I am on vacation. My whole point was that they are blocking the gangway and people are backing up into the stairwells waiting to get off. When I am given the opportunity to walk on past, I do. The problem is that they are on the gangway and no one can get by. On the Dream, it was impossible to squeeze past, so hundreds, if not thousands of people had to wait so people like you can get your picture taken. Just imagine if everyone had to wait in line to get into the theater while people ahead of them bought drinks. There would be massive complaints like "I don't even drink, and I don't understand why I have to wait in line for people who do to buy a drink." Then people would demand that Carnival change their policy. All I am asking for is that Carnival change their policy so they do not block the gangway, that's all.

 

Also, when we were tendering into Grand Cayman, the Carnival photographers were blocking the exit from the drop off point in town to take pictures. This is a similar situation, except that the passengers from the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas were stuck waiting as well. That was truly ridiculous.

 

Look at my signature...I obviously love Carnival, but I am just asking them to be more considerate of the masses and take their pictures 20 feet away from where they currently do it. It would go a long ways towards making their customers happy.

 

Good day!

 

Exactly my thoughts!! Thank you. On our miracle cruise in March it was long waiting to get off ship and there were several different photographers. We could not get past. We were highly annoyed after a while

 

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