On Board Photos

[Grandma Dazzles]

Have not seen much on this subject. Wondered if anyone has any ideas (hope RC is listening).

 

Recently returned from NOS. We do not purchase many photos - usually a couple to remember the trip by. We found we were overwhelmed with too many photo ops - yes, you could decline, but after a while it got to be a little annoying; especially after leaving the ship and trying to walk - you felt like you always had to stop so that you did not "spoil" someone's photo.

 

Also, found it almost impossible to "find" the photos once taken. There has to be an easier way to display them! The boards were labeled and numbered, but still difficult. Also, when we did locate a photo, one that we thought was okay, we wanted to "hold" and see if a better one came along. The photo people said just to put it back and wait and see which we preferred. We did this - but never could find it again - someone had moved lots of the photos around. Did not want to spend hours looking for it again. They said they could not "hold" pictures.

 

I am not looking to start a discussion on prices - that's for each individual to decide what they are willling to pay. I would just like to see better organization. Also, how do they know if you don't just remove your photo without paying for it? (Just curious - have heard several people say that!)

 

Anyone have any thoughts/suggestions for improvement.

[glndr]

I've seen some ships move photos to an album to make space for more photos on the wall. The album was placed in the center of the room on a table. For me it was easy to choose my pictures 9 out of 10 my DH eyes were shut.

[superjerryw]

I wish they would come up with a better system for the photographs, I can never fiqure out which ones are mine.......:eek:

[bigscrb15]

I am not sure if they are the same as carnival, but carnival uses a secrity system with those tags on the back of each photo, and an alarm goes off if you walk out of the photo lab with them.

[larkwind]

Our experience with photos on the Millenium (can't say about all Celebrity ships) was one of unobtrusive photographers. They had photo ops set up at the end of the gangplank in a couple of ports (pirates, parrots, etc) and formal night stations but not near the barrage of Carnival or Norwegian or what you've described. And yet there were lots of pics to choose from on the walls, so they must have been taking pics!

Different lines, even in the same family, do things a bit differently, I guess.

 

It would be nice if they grouped pics by day and then had an area where you could stick all your own that wouldn't be rearranged--but still out where they can see them, if it's a security problem. Some creative thinking could really jazz up the same ol' picture area!

 

We sure enjoy looking over those pictures and remembering the fun.

[Max Circus]

Ultimate suggestion for improvement? How about having the photos available via a kiosk system where you could enter you name or scan your SeaPass. You'd then see the photos under your name. You could select the one you want with whatever options, have the charges billed to your SeaPass and pick them up later or have them delivered to your room. Maybe they could even add this feature to the in-room interactive TV?

 

Have no idea of the logistics of implementing this. Agree it might be very complex.

[LetsGoCruisN]

We have never had a real problem finding our pictures. Of course it's taken us a few minutes to find some of the pictures but what we try to do is remember some of the people who we saw getting on/off the ship or we knew were around us when the picture was taken. By doing this, you aren't just looking for your picture but can sometimes recognize the other people's first and 9 out of 10 times if you spot the people who were around you, your picture is usually close by.

 

On the subject of how does the cruise line know if you just walk out with the pictures. This past summer we were cruising with friends who were wondering the same thing. After a few drinks they decided that they were just going to see if they could walk out with a couple pictures that they wanted... and they did just that. They probably took 3 or 4 pictures and nobody ever said a word. I, myself, am too much of a "scaredy cat" to try something like that but I guess it is obviously possible... although not the right thing to do. We also saw two teenagers actually taking pictures of the pictures with their digital camera. One of them was holding up each picture and the other was zooming in and taking the picture. I couldn't believe it!

[Grumpy8]

I wish they would come up with a better system for the photographs, I can never fiqure out which ones are mine.......:eek:

 

"Which one are mine" !! Funny !!!:D

[LetsGoCruisN]

Ultimate suggestion for improvement? How about having the photos available via a kiosk system where you could enter you name or scan your SeaPass. You'd then see the photos under your name. You could select the one you want with whatever options, have the charges billed to your SeaPass and pick them up later or have them delivered to your room. Maybe they could even add this feature to the in-room interactive TV?

 

Have no idea of the logistics of implementing this. Agree it might be very complex.

 

 

That sounds like a great idea! That would be such a nice feature!

[eweig2]

That sounds like a great idea! That would be such a nice feature!

That's how its done a Disney World.I also think people are more willing to buy the photo if it's on paper. I would bet the sale's would go down if it was on a computer screen.

[jkrislc]

My personal opinion is that they'd sell more photos and make more money if they lowered the price of the photos in general. The sheer waste is astonishing.

 

I like the kiosk system. Since most ships have gone digital, this would reduce the waste of photo paper, the use of developing chemicals, etc. by only printing the photos people actually wanted.

[Cruisechick82]

My personal opinion is that they'd sell more photos and make more money if they lowered the price of the photos in general. The sheer waste is astonishing.

 

I like the kiosk system. Since most ships have gone digital, this would reduce the waste of photo paper, the use of developing chemicals, etc. by only printing the photos people actually wanted.

 

I think the kiosk system sounds great! That would be so much easier and it would have to be so much cheaper!

[superjerryw]

Ultimate suggestion for improvement? How about having the photos available via a kiosk system where you could enter you name or scan your SeaPass. You'd then see the photos under your name. You could select the one you want with whatever options, have the charges billed to your SeaPass and pick them up later or have them delivered to your room. Maybe they could even add this feature to the in-room interactive TV?

 

Have no idea of the logistics of implementing this. Agree it might be very complex.

 

The logistics would be a nightmare because every photo would somehow have to be linked to the passenger when the photo is taken. On some ships all the photographers are still using film cameras so there is no real way to do this. The photographer would have to ask your cabin number and then note the number of the photo he is taking and make note of both pieces of information. This would then have to be manually entered in to a computer system. It probably would not work anyway since when shooting film a 36 exposure roll of film will usually generate 37 or even 38 photographs so the numbers would get screwed up anyway. If they were shooting digital they would need to have a laptop with them so the pictures would go directly from the camera to the laptop. They would also need to have bar codes on your sea-pass card so they could use a bar code reader also attached to the laptop to make the connection between you and your photo. It's much easier to let the passengers find the photos themselves.

[nfused2cruze]

The logistics would be a nightmare because every photo would somehow have to be linked to the passenger when the photo is taken.

That's the point exactly. So much work would cut down all that picture taking! :D

[AmandaNS]

I think the kiosk system would be much more practical, since they wouldn't have to print the pics until they knew someone was going to buy them. I agree that it would be a nightmare to be constantly linking pictures to the appropriate stateroom, but they could have them in categories: Tuesday afternoon around the ship; Wednesday night formal dinner, early seating; port pics from Barbados; stuff like that. Yes, you'd still have to "look through" pictures, but it would be easier to find your group. Clearing it between sailings would be as simple as pushing "delete" and starting over again, instead of dealing with all the pics left over.

 

I also think another good idea would be to sell them in 2 formats -- printed, and digital file (of course, they'd have to switch to digital cameras to do this). For a certain amount you could have a print (possibly delivered to your stateroom??) and for a smaller amount you could have the file on CD. I'm just dreaming here... the changes would be expensive, but in the long run it might be more efficient for the cruise line.

 

If I were smarter, I would create and provide the technology, then get a job on cruise ships setting up the system. Making money, being at sea. Gee, where's the down side??? :D

[Max Circus]

As long as we're dreaming up suggestions, RCI could add an option where you could logon to a secure website after the cruise and purchase pictures. Much like Shutterfly and similar sites.

 

I've seen posts from some people that say "I wish I had purchased that photo when I was onboard . .".

 

Again, are logistics a challenge? Maybe. Just trying to keep within the confines of what the OP asked.

[OliverTheCat]

You think getting around and finding your photos in that small and confined photo shot is hard on foot when crowded, try being in a wheelchair doing it!! An elderly lady and myself had to be wheeled out of the way and waited for our spouses by stairway because we kept getting stepped on by rude pushy people. Yeah, NOT FUN. :(

[larkwind]

I'm not sure of all the details and we haven't ordered any prints...so maybe it wouldn't work from a marketing/money making standpoint...but Disney is onto something.

 

At WDW a few weeks ago--the photographer takes your pic and hands you a card (seapass size) with barcode on back. Anytime you want a picture taken, you give the photographer your card, they must swipe it somewhere and take the pic. Later you can go to a website, select your pics and order (or maybe sownload after paying...we haven't done it.

 

Cruiselines could have you enter the number on your stateroom tv and order w/the seapass or credit card. Onshore after the cruise you could use the web.

[Broch]

That's how its done a Disney World.I also think people are more willing to buy the photo if it's on paper. I would bet the sale's would go down if it was on a computer screen.

 

kkkkkkkkkkk

[Broch]

Sorry above posted in error

[superjerryw]

If I were smarter, I would create and provide the technology, then get a job on cruise ships setting up the system. Making money, being at sea. Gee, where's the down side??? :D

 

Depending on how long the project would take you might end up weighing 1,000 pounds.....:eek:

[AmandaNS]

Hmmm... superjerry.... you're right. Although I think if I were there long enough, even the yummiest food might get tiring.

 

Or maybe not... :D

[Ali-in-Texas]

How much are the pictures? We are taking our first cruise in Jan and were wondering how much to plan on spending for pictures.

[Merion_Mom]

Our experience with photos on the Millenium (can't say about all Celebrity ships) was one of unobtrusive photographers. They had photo ops set up at the end of the gangplank in a couple of ports (pirates, parrots, etc) and formal night stations but not near the barrage of Carnival or Norwegian or what you've described. And yet there were lots of pics to choose from on the walls, so they must have been taking pics!

Different lines, even in the same family, do things a bit differently, I guess.

 

It would be nice if they grouped pics by day and then had an area where you could stick all your own that wouldn't be rearranged--but still out where they can see them, if it's a security problem. Some creative thinking could really jazz up the same ol' picture area!

 

We sure enjoy looking over those pictures and remembering the fun.

uummm......this is just what they have done and just what we have done on each of our RC cruises............:confused:

[VernRDH]

I'm not sure of all the details and we haven't ordered any prints...so maybe it wouldn't work from a marketing/money making standpoint...but Disney is onto something.

 

At WDW a few weeks ago--the photographer takes your pic and hands you a card (seapass size) with barcode on back. Anytime you want a picture taken, you give the photographer your card, they must swipe it somewhere and take the pic. Later you can go to a website, select your pics and order (or maybe sownload after paying...we haven't done it.

 

Cruiselines could have you enter the number on your stateroom tv and order w/the seapass or credit card. Onshore after the cruise you could use the web.

 

 

When you have your picture taken at WDW you get the card with the barcode and go to the checkout and they are available for you to view and purchase. You use the same card throughout the day in the park (or in this case the duration of your cruise would work). They could also put kiosks throughout the ship, eliminating the congestion at the photo lab. DH says that they should have a system where you could view them on the TV in your cabin, and order them that way.

 

Lots of great ideas, hard to say if any of them will really work on a ship. I can't imagine that the WDW type card thing wouldn't work on the cruise. Again, that assumes that everything is digital and not film, but I thought they most of the ships had gone digital anyway. Save the Waves, no developer or fixer to dispose of.

 

Maybe if we all put this on our comment cards, they might get the hint?:confused: