Cruise DVD questions to Corperate and there response

[trbarton]

At my BVE last Thursday on the Golden I questioned the photo department staff about why they were no longer shooting events around the ship so why would I want to purchase the cruise DVD. They indicated that they were told by corporate to no longer photograph these events around the ship. Because of this I contacted corporate.

Below is the response I received today. Any questions I'll see what I find out.

 

I indicated I was a part of the Cruise Critic group with many members world wide.

 

Hi Tom,

 

Your email was forwarded to me by our customer service

dept. Thank you for reaching out to us.

 

The Reflections (video) program

you're referencing is currently going through, what can be called a major overhaul at present. Due to, in large part many of your own observations.

 

 

Having joined the Princess team back in November I see a great deal of opportunity with the product and service we offer, and am currently working on updating and modernizing across the board, with a focus to deliver what you, our guests want, so your feedback is invaluable.

 

I believe the response you got from our photo dept. onboard is endemic to a culture that was structured around our current photo service, one we are slowly addressing to change, to ensure we can deliver consistency, and more importantly richer, more valued content across the board. The direction Reflections initially took was a 'Storyteller' approach, which became a little more cinematic, in terms of content. This reduced the amount of events captured as time, being a resource was taken up with this more involved production approach.

 

My vision for video is to keep this storyteller component, in one form or another, however get back to more of the onboard experience, so our guests, as you quite rightly identified can share their experience with friends and family when they get back home.

 

The timing of your correspondence is perfect, as I'm meeting with the video department today to discuss the business as a whole and will certainly bring your email to the table.

 

Please feel free to contact me directly with any follow up or ideas, suggestions you may have.

 

Thanks again Tom, we look forward to your future sailing's with Princess.

 

Best regards

 

Ian

 

Ian

Lawrence

Director, Onboard Revenue, Photo-Video Operations

Princess Cruises |

Holland America Line | P&O Aus I Seabourn

24305 Town Center Drive | Santa

Clarita, CA 91355

P: 661-753-2460 | Email: ilawrence@hagroup.com

 

-----

Forwarded by Lisa Cohen/HTS/Princess Cruises on 06/15/2015 08:57 AM -----

 

 

 

From: Tom <trbarton743@aol.com>

To:

"customerrelations@princesscruises.com" <customerrelations@princesscruises.com>,

 

Date: 06/12/2015 04:32 PM

Subject: Cruise DVD

 

 

 

I am aware that corporate at Princess has instructed the video photographers on Princess ships to not photograph things like Sale Away, Country Western Night and other activities around the ship for the cruise DVD. I have bought this DVD before as a way to remember my cruise and share with friends who might want to book a cruise with Princess. I was on a Princess ship recently and was told by the photo department that they were instructed by Princess to no longer photograph these events.

 

I'm evolved with a group called "Cruise Critic" and myself along with other members wonder why this decision was made and what was the rational for such a decision.

 

If this is a decision by Princess I hope corporate will reevaluate there decision so that I can advise our members.

 

 

Thank you very much.

 

Tom

[greenie082756]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for sharing your discussion with

Ian

Lawrence

Director, Onboard Revenue, Photo-Video Operations

I had to read the response to question twice. Basically what I got from his response was that they are in the process of changing the format of the Reflections DVD and not cancelling it.

I can see why you would want a professional DVD, I myself just would rather take my own videos and photos instead of paying for someone else's format of what they thought the highlights of the cruise were.

I don't remember what the cost was and perhaps on our next cruise I will take a look and see if I want to purchase it.

Thanks for sharing. Its nice to know that corporate is listening. :)

[Astro Flyer]

Thanks Tom for the results of sharing your feelings with Princess & it appears that you got to someone who is directly involved with the Princess Reflections DVD.

 

I prefer a DVD showing more of the ship & port experiences without seeing so many of the same passengers who always seem to show up at events because the videographer will be there to have their own "personalized" video. That's a big reason why we stopped purchasing the DVD which was too much like a home movie for those passengers. Instead we prefer one showing more about the cruise experience and less of many of the same passengers "performing" during passenger participation events.

 

That's merely our preference but it's why we no longer purchase the Reflections DVD.

[caribill]

I prefer a DVD showing more of the ship & port experiences without seeing so many of the same passengers who always seem to show up at events because the videographer will be there to have their own "personalized" video. That's a big reason why we stopped purchasing the DVD which was too much like a home movie for those passengers. Instead we prefer one showing more about the cruise experience and less of many of the same passengers "performing" during passenger participation events.

 

That's merely our preference but it's why we no longer purchase the Reflections DVD.

 

But I suspect many of the sales were to passengers who saw themselves on the video and thus just had to purchase it.

 

I myself just would rather take my own videos and photos instead of paying for someone else's format of what they thought the highlights of the cruise were.

 

 

 

My major gripe with the videographers is that many times they completely block the view of what they are taping, thus spoiling it for the actual audience.

Edited June 15, 2015 by caribill

[waltd]

Curious where their biggest sales come from. Us old timers or the new cruisers. I for one would never look at it again once home so I would not buy one. Maybe that's why they are looking into changing the format. Freshen it up to attract a bigger range of cruisers.

[Pam in CA]

I think I bought a "Reflections" DVD twenty years ago. Never even loaded it in the computer; never watched it. Haven't bought one since. Digital cameras and GoPro's have become so prevalent that most people shoot their own. What I'd rather see is more "How to" talks onboard. Too many people shoot video that could make you nauseous if you tend to motion sickness. They zoom around too fast.

[Astro Flyer]

But I suspect many of the sales were to passengers who saw themselves on the video and thus just had to purchase it.

I'm confident they sell videos to many of those in the videos and understand that's a good way for them to sell the Reflections video; however you & I can only speculate about the net affect upon sales.

 

I'd suspect there may be more passengers who feel like me than the sales generated to the few who continually attend events to be in the video. I want to see more of the ship's experience & don't really care to see passengers shaking their booty because that's nothing that I care to "reflect" upon when watching the Reflections DVD of our cruise.

Edited June 15, 2015 by Astro Flyer

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for the update Tom.

[akeasley]

As many times as the Reflections DVD is shown on a Princess TV channel throughout the cruise, I never could understand why anyone would want to purchase one.

[caribill]

As many times as the Reflections DVD is shown on a Princess TV channel throughout the cruise, I never could understand why anyone would want to purchase one.

 

If you have won the Elvis impersonator contest....

[trbarton]

Thanks for everyone's reply's. I hear that some people would like to have a DVD that shows the ports that one visited. What if they gave you 2 DVD's, one showing the ports that you visited along with some tours plus another one that showed events around the ship. For those of us that like the DVD shot around the ship having the 2 DVD's could offer both.

 

Tom:)

[Astro Flyer]

Thanks for everyone's reply's. I hear that some people would like to have a DVD that shows the ports that one visited. What if they gave you 2 DVD's, one showing the ports that you visited along with some tours plus another one that showed events around the ship. For those of us that like the DVD shot around the ship having the 2 DVD's could offer both.

 

Tom:)

 

I'll have to "refresh" my memory by searching for my old Reflections DVDs but seem to recall that sometimes that has been done.

 

Although because the onboard DVDs have more of the same partying passengers & not enough on other aspects of the onboard experience, it's nothing we view without using the "fast forward" function to bypass it. ;)

Edited June 16, 2015 by Astro Flyer

[piper28]

I've bought some of the dvd's over the years, generally when I've been on some of the more interesting cruises. I couldn't imagine wanting one of a simple caribbean cruise. But the ones I have generally had some events from the ship and some from the ports.

 

I do think the quality could vary greatly depending on the staff on the ship. The Amazon cruise we took had one of the better dvds, but the guy on that ship really made an effort to get out at stops and take videos.

 

I had two things that pretty much made me stop getting them. A) a definite increase in the amount of stock video for ports. Originally it was stock intro segment and then video actually shot on that cruise. Towards the end of my buying them, it was more and more obvious that the port video was all stock (heck, on one cruise, we substituted a stop, yet the video still showed the original port, even though there was time after that stop to put it together properly). B) the price has gotten just downright ridiculous. I don't remember the price on my last cruise (a panama canal one), but it was pretty high, and they had the gall to charge even more if you actually had the audacity to want the footage from the PC day. And of course you couldn't buy just that disc. And of course most of the specials and coupons for the discs also required you to buy the package of 4-5 extra dvds. I really don't need more of those :).

[tonit964]

My DH and I bought one for our first Princess cruise in 2007. Never bought one again. I think the new cruisers would purchase them.

 

We also feel it is just buying a video of other peoples vacation. Not something we want.

[jrzebird]

Thanks for everyone's reply's. I hear that some people would like to have a DVD that shows the ports that one visited. What if they gave you 2 DVD's, one showing the ports that you visited along with some tours plus another one that showed events around the ship. For those of us that like the DVD shot around the ship having the 2 DVD's could offer both.

 

Tom:)

 

Often, they do have a few specific videos. One of ports, one of shipboard activities and another with both.

 

On my repo/Halloween cruise last year, on the Royal, the videographer was amazing. The video had high production qualities and was perfectly edited. It was the first CD I've bought in a long time and I've actually watched it a few times.

 

Maureen

[Times Prince]

Curious where their biggest sales come from. Us old timers or the new cruisers. I for one would never look at it again once home so I would not buy one. Maybe that's why they are looking into changing the format. Freshen it up to attract a bigger range of cruisers.

We never bought one until we saw ourselves in the video being displayed on the TV by the photo shop. We luckily had a videographer on our snorkeling excursion who included everyone onboard the catamaran plus many underwater shots of what we experienced during snorkeling. It was great to share that with our friends and family.

 

They also tend to shoot videos of passengers having fun - like dancing to music, and we were in several shots on that same cruise (they were not "shake your booty" shots).

 

We bought the Reflections DVD, and it was a 2 DVD set, with stock shots on the other.

 

Most times, however, they shoot detail of excursions we didn't take and events we didn't participate in, making the high cost not worth it.

 

If you are in the videos it is worth it, if not ...

[caribill]

Thanks for everyone's reply's. I hear that some people would like to have a DVD that shows the ports that one visited. What if they gave you 2 DVD's, one showing the ports that you visited along with some tours plus another one that showed events around the ship. For those of us that like the DVD shot around the ship having the 2 DVD's could offer both.

 

 

You do have the opportunity to do just that as shown on the order form below from a recent cruise.

 

[Pushka]

I was on a Cunard ship and didn't buy the video because the same couple appeared so many times. Maybe they thought it was a selling point. I am sure that couple bought it anyway. Turned me right off.

 

Purchased an RCCL dvd and most of it was file footage of a caribbean cruise but it was a med cruise. They just showed a couple of med ports at the beginning.

 

I dont buy ships DVD's anymore.

Edited June 16, 2015 by Pushka

[vidter]

I would like to add to this. The year is 2015 and they still don't offer it in Blu-Ray.

I have bought a couple of these in the past but why on earth would I buy one when I have a big screen and the Quality is shot so bad. I have done my own videos just because of this reason. Worse case sell it on a thumb drive. Princess is worried about people coping it but if you get the shot and offer it at a reasonable cost people will purchase it.

[pablo222]

I would like to add to this. The year is 2015 and they still don't offer it in Blu-Ray.

 

How many of their customers are still trying to get their VHS-recorders

to stop flashing "12:00"?

[Woobstr112G]

Thanks Tom for the results of sharing your feelings with Princess & it appears that you got to someone who is directly involved with the Princess Reflections DVD.

 

I prefer a DVD showing more of the ship & port experiences without seeing so many of the same passengers who always seem to show up at events because the videographer will be there to have their own "personalized" video. That's a big reason why we stopped purchasing the DVD which was too much like a home movie for those passengers. Instead we prefer one showing more about the cruise experience and less of many of the same passengers "performing" during passenger participation events.

 

That's merely our preference but it's why we no longer purchase the Reflections DVD.

 

Same reason why we stopped purchasing the DVD. It will be interesting to see how the Reflections DVD is changed/updated.....:):):)

 

Bob

Edited June 16, 2015 by Woobstr112G

[waltd]

How many of their customers are still trying to get their VHS-recorders

to stop flashing "12:00"?

 

Hate to say it but VHS, DVD, Blu Ray and 3D are now considered gone or old Technology. Has anyone gone to Costco lately and looked for the DVD or Blu Ray section. Not like it use to be. Instead of multiple bins of product by many studios it's one small section on some counter. I'm guessing the younger generation is not buying them. Maybe this in some way is why Princess is revamping this product. Today everything is streaming.

[san diego sue]

We make our own DVD's from our photos and some videos taken. We put it to music appropriate to the country in which we took the photos.

We don't take a lot of photos around the Princess ships anymore as so many of the ships look the same. Now it is mostly photos of us and friends sailing together.

I bought a Ship Video once and don't even know where it is anymore.

Watched it once.

And the only ones that seem to want to watch our home made videos are us or friends we travelled with (we make one for those friends). Can't even get our kids to watch.

So no purchases in our future no matter what Princess come up with or how nice.

[beg3yrs]

I would like to add to this. The year is 2015 and they still don't offer it in Blu-Ray.

I have bought a couple of these in the past but why on earth would I buy one when I have a big screen and the Quality is shot so bad. I have done my own videos just because of this reason. Worse case sell it on a thumb drive. Princess is worried about people coping it but if you get the shot and offer it at a reasonable cost people will purchase it.

 

Agreed! Last cruise I spoke with the video folk about this. Even though they shoot the video in high definition, display in on the monitors that way and have Blu-Ray burners on board, Corporate will not allow them to sell a Blu-Ray product.

 

I made a comment about this in the survey we all get upon return from each cruise. Sure seems like a bait and switch when you see the video on the monitor in glorious hi-def and then get a lousy standard definition DVD.

[beg3yrs]

How many of their customers are still trying to get their VHS-recorders

to stop flashing "12:00"?

 

LOL! Probably a large set of the same folks who, no matter what it is, for better or worse, big or small, complain about every change Princess makes.

Edited June 16, 2015 by beg3yrs