Photo Packages for Disney Cruise

[rkcoulter]

I am trying to decide if we should buy the Disney photo package now, or wait until our cruise. Traveling with my DH, kids, parents and in-laws. We are in three different staterooms. I know that the only way to get all the pictures is to have one of my kids photo bomb their pictures. However, I know that my parents will get pictures by themselves and my in-laws will have pictures by themselves.

 

I love pictures, and I will be taking as many as I can with my own camera. Based on prior experience my pictures are usually ok, but not considered professional.

 

I am looking at the All Prints package for $295. I also found that if you purchase the unlimited package for one stateroom, and the second unlimited disc is 50% off the onboard price.

 

Any benefit to purchasing pre cruise? Can the 2nd and 3rd staterooms get 50% off their package? Thanks for your advice! Can't wait for my trip next month.

[Shmoo here]

I am trying to decide if we should buy the Disney photo package now, or wait until our cruise. Traveling with my DH, kids, parents and in-laws. We are in three different staterooms. I know that the only way to get all the pictures is to have one of my kids photo bomb their pictures. However, I know that my parents will get pictures by themselves and my in-laws will have pictures by themselves.

 

I love pictures, and I will be taking as many as I can with my own camera. Based on prior experience my pictures are usually ok, but not considered professional.

 

I am looking at the All Prints package for $295. I also found that if you purchase the unlimited package for one stateroom, and the second unlimited disc is 50% off the onboard price.

 

Any benefit to purchasing pre cruise? Can the 2nd and 3rd staterooms get 50% off their package? Thanks for your advice! Can't wait for my trip next month.

 

Yes, recently the pre-cruise purchase price is running $50.00 cheaper than waiting to purchase onboard.

 

I know that the "My Cruise Photo" website says:

 

For larger families traveling together across multiple staterooms, we offer a discount on unlimited Digital Photo discs: Purchase the unlimited package for one stateroom, and the second unlimited disc is 50% off the onboard price.

 

 

I read this as the second room gets the 50% discount. But they don't really address a 3rd or subsequent rooms. It wouldn't hurt to ask once onboard.

 

The information I have gleaned regarding photos:

Individual prices are:

8X10 - $20.95

6X8 - $14.95

 

The packages are 6 ($99.95), 10 ($149.95), 15 ($199.95), and 20 ($249.95) photos. Different length cruises have different options. You can also purchase an all prints package (all your photos printed) for the same cost as the length of cruise CD.

 

The length of cruise CD cost varies with length of cruise. The prices I've seen are (for pre-cruise purchase/onboard cost):

7 night $295.95/$100.00 to add prints/$349.95, $100.00 to add prints;

5 night $249.95/$50.00 to add prints;

4 and 3 night $229.95/$50.00 to add prints/$229.95, $75.00 to add prints;

2 night $199.95/$50.00 to add prints

Special CD prices –

14 night $339.95/$100.00 to add prints;

12 night $339.95/$100.00 to add prints

 

The 6, 10, 15, & 20 photo packages can be either prints or the CD with 6, 10, 15, or 20 photos unlocked for your access once home.

 

 

So, maybe your room can purchase the whole CD, second & third rooms just get a smaller package to cover those "grandparents only" pictures?

 

Another note here, whatever (if any) packages you purchase, if it's not working out (you're not going to get enough, or you want more), you can change your package, or even cancel it onboard, as long as you do it by the afternoon of the last full day of the cruise. Our last couple of cruises we purchased the 10 photo package and then cancelled it and just purchase a couple of photos (they credit back the charge to your onboard account).

Edited December 17, 2014 by Shmoo here

[moki'smommy]

I think the most cost effective way to do things would be to buy the CD with prints for the "main" stateroom. Then just buy a small package to cover the "grandparent only" photos for the additional cabins. If you get them on the CD, you can print out as many copies as you want at home.

 

You wouldn't need the full CD for the grandparent cabins because any photo with one of the parents or kids in it will be included on the main cabin CD.

 

IF you take along an appropriate device, do check your CD before you leave the ship--they make mistakes A LOT with the CDs and it is far easier to straighten it out while on board than "after the fact."

[cruising_knc]

We recently sailed on Dream with our daughter and her family. We bought the unlimited digital package for their room because we mostly wanted pix of the kids. Some, but not all, of the pictures of the two of us showed up on the CD.

 

 

Sent from my iPad.

[moki'smommy]

We recently sailed on Dream with our daughter and her family. We bought the unlimited digital package for their room because we mostly wanted pix of the kids. Some, but not all, of the pictures of the two of us showed up on the CD.

 

 

Sent from my iPad.

 

This is another point for checking the disk before leaving the ship and then seeing if there are additional prints/digitals that you wish to purchase. They use a combination of KTTW cards and facial recognition to decide which pictures go on your disk. It's not usually a problem if you hand them a KTTW card (those tend to show up, but can occasionally get lost).

 

You might end up with the grandparent shots you wanted at no additional cost. But you'll only know if they are on there if you look at the disk.

[Thecat3902]

I had read that if it is one main family they will link the photos. Is this not the case? We have six kids and had to get two cabins. I definitely don't want to have to buy two disks.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[moki'smommy]

I had read that if it is one main family they will link the photos. Is this not the case? We have six kids and had to get two cabins. I definitely don't want to have to buy two disks.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

That was never an official policy, but they would often slide the rules for a nuclear family staying in 2 cabins. But now they have the 50% off second disk deal.

 

What you must do to get photos on one disk is simple. First, give the KTTW card for that cabin each time a photo is taken. Second, at least one person from that cabin must appear in each picture. That is, one person booked in that cabin, regardless of who is sleeping where.

 

You won't need to get 2 disks if you mostly want family together photos. If you want individual photos of the kids, it isn't likely to work out. Of course, if the kids look a lot alike, the facial recognition software may not sort them out correctly. You may get some of the kids in the other cabin.

 

In some situations, you actually have it easier. You must book one adult in each cabin, so if you want a parents alone shot, one parent will automatically be in the cabin buying the disk. Full family shots--no problem. Your only issue will be photos of kids alone. Then, technically, only the ones booked in the cabin buying the disk will appear. Plan carefully and you can still get all your pictures on one disk.

[Thecat3902]

I just went to the shutters page linked from Diane cruise lines and in there it also says about one immediate family being able to be linked once you are on board. My husband and myself are booked into two joining rooms with our six kids so hopefully they'll link once on board. I planned on doing the digital with the prints so I really don't want to have to spend way more money that I already planned

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[moki'smommy]

Great--I hope they are still doing it that way. They should! One set of parents with their children should count as one family for disk purposes.

 

Once you get to spouses and grandchildren, no. But a nuclear family--absolutely should be one disk.

[Thecat3902]

Whew I called just to get a clear answer. They said that yes all children and me and my husband would count as one package. I feel better now. Good news for those other big families out there too.

 

 

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[BRAVE5]

Good news for those other big families out there too.

 

Good news indeed!!! I was very undecided about purchasing the photo package since my family is split up between two rooms as well - but now I'm planning to buy the package. Thank you for the great information.

 

We are sailing on the Wonder in 2 weeks!!!!

[Shmoo here]

Good news indeed!!! I was very undecided about purchasing the photo package since my family is split up between two rooms as well - but now I'm planning to buy the package. Thank you for the great information.

 

We are sailing on the Wonder in 2 weeks!!!!

 

Just remember, they are talking about "nuclear" family. As in 2 rooms - mom & kids in one, dad & other kids in the second.

[BRAVE5]

Thanks for clarification. Yup, that's our situation. DH and DS have room with veranda while girls and I have inside stateroom across the hall.

 

Unrelated to topic.... But now I'm kinda glad we have two rooms - I'm anticipating our inside stateroom will mainly be used for storage and extra bathroom (although, kids may want to use that room as a "kid-only" clubhouse).

[tnshsms]

This is a little off topic but I want to note that the pictures you get on the CD or in print all have the borders that Disney chooses on them. For example, my kiddo had her picture taken with the Genie from Aladdin. The border on that picture was Aladdin related. I assumed when I got the CD that the border would be gone or removable, it wasn't. Not a huge deal but you are not getting a plain picture. Whatever it shows up as in shutters with whatever border Disney puts on it, will be the same border on your CD and will be printed at your local photo shop as well. Just thought I would let you know! It was news to me when I ordered my package last May.

[Shmoo here]

This is a little off topic but I want to note that the pictures you get on the CD or in print all have the borders that Disney chooses on them. For example, my kiddo had her picture taken with the Genie from Aladdin. The border on that picture was Aladdin related. I assumed when I got the CD that the border would be gone or removable, it wasn't. Not a huge deal but you are not getting a plain picture. Whatever it shows up as in shutters with whatever border Disney puts on it, will be the same border on your CD and will be printed at your local photo shop as well. Just thought I would let you know! It was news to me when I ordered my package last May.

 

When DCL first started offering the photo CD, the images on it were the raw images as they were taken by the photographers, with borders only being on the actual prints that you could get.

 

Then they changed it so the borders are on both the CD images and the prints.

 

I have read that you can sometimes get a printed picture redone, minus the border, if you can show that the border infringes on the people in the picture.

[BRAVE5]

Thank you for information regarding the pre-determined borders. That is very helpful information with regards to helping me decided whether or not to purchase the CD package.

[rkcoulter]

Just an update about my photo package. I purchased the package where I got all the digital prints on a cd prior to my trip. We had about 250 photos on our disk. The two rooms attached to our reservation were able to get the same package for 50% off while onboard. Worked out great for everyone.

[moki'smommy]

Just an update about my photo package. I purchased the package where I got all the digital prints on a cd prior to my trip. We had about 250 photos on our disk. The two rooms attached to our reservation were able to get the same package for 50% off while onboard. Worked out great for everyone.

 

Thanks for the update--the DCL site didn't make it clear if the 50% off was limited to one cabin or available to all linked. Now we know it is available at least to 2 cabins.