MSC Seaside Photo Pkg Question

[hugoviking]

Traveling on MSC Seaside Eastern Carribean very soon and have a few photo package questions if anyone that has cruised recently can help.

 

The All-inclusive photo package is $150 if purchased online prior to cruise.  I've heard rumor that it may be available for $99 the first day but I'm not sure how long ago that information is from. Is the most current price $150 regardless of advanced purchase or once on board?

 

When choosing the All-inclusive photo package online prior it prompts to attach to a specific passenger. It was my understanding the package encompasses all passengers in same cabin?  Will all bracelets have the all inclusive photo package attached or will it only be tied to one person's ship card? 

 

Thanks in advance for advice!

[mgrieger]

They do advertise a $99 package - I looked at our Daily's for Feb 23 cruise and it was advertised Day 1 and Day 3. Day 4 had the exact same verbiage, except for price - which was now $150.  I had purchased pre-cruise @ $150, and did not take time to verify that there was no difference or bring up the online claim of best pricing.

 

My experience with the bracelet/card swipe is that the package is tied to one specific person - when you look up your pics on site, you enter the 'Internet ID' that is printed on your cruise card, and that differs per person; likewise, when looking at the pics at the photo kiosks, you swipe your card/bracelet and it brings up the pics tied to that one.  However, we did have some pics taken where my wife swiped her card instead of me (package was on mine), and I just had to had one of the photo desk folks merge the pics tied to her card over to mine - shouldn't be a big deal unless it is busy, which it is on the last couple days.

 

Had one larger issue with the process, and that was on 2nd formal night they had the 'Bridge of Sighs' pictures, which IMO is kind of the most special/unique ones, and since the photographer is taking from an elevated position, you don't get to swipe with him afterwards, so not really sure how they tie the pictures back... in any event, we had the wrong couples pictures on our account, and it took a couple of visits to the photo desk to first find the printed copies so they could then locate the digitals and get them on our account - took a couple desk visits to finally get them, but ultimately did.

[CruiseIreland]

There was a $99 offer onboard. This gets you 10 8x10 prints, 1 16x20 canvas and 1 photo album. I don't recall when we received the offer. Ken

[mgrieger]

Guess I need to clarify the $99 onboard/dailies promo that I had cited, as I was pretty sure OP was talking the digital all-inclusive, based on the pre-cruise purchase package.

Printed in the (Seaside, Feb 23rd cruising) Daily Planner: "ALL IN DIGITAL MEMORY PACKAGE - The Photo Team is here to capture your cruise memories. No one is left out of the picture when our team takes the photo. Digital copies of all your cruise photos for only $99."

[Europe Cruiser 05]

On 3/21/2019 at 7:47 PM, mgrieger said:

Guess I need to clarify the $99 onboard/dailies promo that I had cited, as I was pretty sure OP was talking the digital all-inclusive, based on the pre-cruise purchase package.

Printed in the (Seaside, Feb 23rd cruising) Daily Planner: "ALL IN DIGITAL MEMORY PACKAGE - The Photo Team is here to capture your cruise memories. No one is left out of the picture when our team takes the photo. Digital copies of all your cruise photos for only $99."

I apologize in advance if this is a stupid question, but we have never cruised MSC before and I'm a bit confused. So with this $99 package you get all photos of the people in your cabin? You mentioned in an above post you were able to merge pictures linked to your wife's card. We are 3 people in a cabin (my husband and our four year old) so I am trying to understand the package. For example,  if I buy the package and the photo is of my husband and our daughter is it included? 

[mgrieger]

That is correct.  Package covers everyone in your cabin.

[Into Cruising]

I would say give additional thought to  getting any package for either photos or for the Fun pass.  

While fun pass seems to be a great deal ,  you should ask what are the hours of operation  for the 4D theatre and the F1 simulator.   They are very limited.  The Zip line seems to always be closed due to winds, and even on port days, they seem to stay closed.   It is very hard to get your moneys worth of these  attractions, but you can use the 2 or 3  video game or bowling.  There are only 8 seats in the VR theatre, and some people seem to monopolize them, staying on for multiple sessions.  The lines for the limited hours of the F! are very long, usually of family groups, which tend to somehow rejoin the lines after their ride, by being pulled in by other group members, ahead of everyone else.  There is no oversight.

 

As for pictures, The packages are actually great and most of the photographers are awesome.  However scheduling time to preview and select your photos is hit and miss.  There are too few people serving and helping, and the kiosks never seem to work properly.  The workers will not even help each other out.  Expect hours in line, and expect appointment times to slip, and nothing is ready in time....This is especially true the last day and night, when many people are told to come back between 6-9 on Saturday morning  to finish the transaction and get their photos.  On Friday night they will close  even though they have many people still waiting in line to be served.  

 

My son ended his cruise with well over $100 of credit on his Fun Pass.   He also wasted 3 hours of prime time dealing with the photos.   And it was a great hassle since it seamed they put half of the photos shot on his card and half on his Significant other.  This caused a great deal of problems when trying to choose from each one to complete their package.