After a long day (or night) of flying down from Canada for my cruise, the last thing I want is to stand in line to have my picture taken, red eyes, bad hair, wrinkled clothes and all, before I`m allowed to board the ship. Then they have the nerve to put it on display, and try to sell me the photo!
Actually in recent years we have gotten smart and ducked under the rope, avoiding the whole ugly line-up and getting quickly to our cabin for a much needed shower and change of clothes.
The photographers neglect to tell you that these photos are not mandatory. Never bought one, never will. They are over priced and tacky. The stupid Pirate in the dining room on The Norwegian Sky last year was pathetic. Do people really buy this stuff?
I completely agree! One time I had a photographer grab my arm! Actually, it wasn't funny and I will never cruise on that line again.
I usually decline the "embarkation" photos, but I have taken a couple and have purchased one. I disagree with the practice, however, of trying to force one to take photos. In fact, on the last cruise I took, my husband overheard the lead photographer telling another photographer that she was not agressive enough, and that she should "get in their face and make them do it". (This was on the line I swore I would never cruise again after three years ago; this reaffirmed my conviction).
What I find even more disgusting than the embarkation photos are the dinning room photos. Why would I want to be interrupted during dinner to take photos? I find this EXTREMELY annoying.
I do appreciate that photos are available if and when I want them, and I often participate in a sitting or two during formal nights in case I want a couple of photos without getting dressed up again. I have actually purchased a few of these.
Anyway, I agree. I wish they should stop this annoying practice, it is about as bad as trying to sell cook books during dinner.
We are the ones who tend to buy lots of the pictures. In the 3 times we have taken our 4 kids, we have bought just about all the pictures. We compared the embarkation pictures of all of us from our 1st family cruise in 92 to the one we took in 98. Amazing how those kids are grown (I even had hair in the 92 picture).
If we don't feel like getting our pictures taken (mostly when getting off the ship), we just keep walking or say no thanks.
I guess I realize that the photographers have a job to do and their job is to make money for the ship.
We have mostly sailed on Carnival (6 of our 9 cruises), Premier, RCI and Dolphin (our first one). Is it any different on the more "up-scale" cruise lines?
On the cruises where we have not taken the kids, we probably buy about 1/2 the pictures. We pretty much always to do the formal ones as that is about the only time we ever really dress up.
Hey Rick,
Believe it or not, this last cruise on Golden we actually bought the boarding pic, have never had a good one, until now?? The photographers never bother me, just takes a minute and I'm under no obligation to buy them.
Donna
Tuesday Chat Host
Actually Rick,
Most of those ship photos of me don't turn out good, so when we see one where both my husband look half way decent, we buy it for the memories. I was totally suprised at our boarding pic, since we were literally one of the last onboard before sailing, I think I was just so relieved to finally get there, most of come through on the film??
This Donna bought one of the pirate pix's too. The look on hubby's face is priceless! It was one of the ones I used at his funeral; it lightened the mood at times and made me remember some of our happiest times.
Tho it may be an urban myth, there was a story about someone needing to prove that they belonged on a ship and it was the boarding photo that proved their position and allowed them to reboard the ship in Mexico.
There are other statements that have been made that the photos are also used for security screening and identity by ship personel.
Tho it may be an urban myth, there was a story about someone needing to prove that they belonged on a ship and it was the boarding photo that proved their position and allowed them to reboard the ship in Mexico.
There are other statements that have been made that the photos are also used for security screening and identity by ship personel.
Totally agree with you Paul. You can't get on or leave the ship without a photographer pointing his camera at you. Try getting into one of the formal cocktail parties without a picture of the you with the captain. I usually try to stand a little away from the captain then cut him out and have a nice picture for the kids. The Pirate thing is the worst, wish they would come up with a better character, Columbus, Dolphin even a Crab is better that the Pirate costume. I hear the on RCI cruise line they have a video-cam going all day, your caught on tape whether you like it or not, then they show it on the TVs in the cabins. Talk about BIG BROTHER. I will admit we usually buy atleast one picture if we like it.
I have an anecdote concerning one particular ph0tographer on one of the big four cruise ships. Unfortunately, while I cannot locate the court case at this time, I do recall the case. It seems a lady passenger who must have been very attractive was continually followed around the cruise ship by the photographer who took her pictures. She apparently became annoyed so much by his actions that one day as he was taking her picture she grabbed his arm and shoved him. He dropped his camera. The photograher filed a lawsuit against the lady for damaging his camera and assaulting him. The lady filed a counter claim that the photographer had harrassed her.
The outcome: The judge dismissed the suit against the lady passenger and ruled in favor of the lady on the harrassment issue.
We have taken so many cruises that we no longer have every picture taken but- we have many wonderful memories from pictures taken about ship while we were still young.
There was a time a couple of years ago when passenger could have "killed" the photographers. While the HAL vessel was docked in Vancouver at Canada Place. boarding was help up almost two hours
because the photographers had not returned to the ship, Anyway that was the story we heard. The terminal was so crowded with passengers because there were not enough chairs for all to sit.
HannaS77
My family has a bag full of bad photos. My grandmother has cancer and has been cruising for the last 20 years. When she passes I will have those bad photos to remind me of the good times that we had on the cruises.
Yes, I am annoyed by the pirate photographers, capt's. handshake photographers, etc. etc. But must admit, it was rather funny the first time we cruised. There are so many things that were novel the first couple of cruises. Like the jokes about the honeymoon couples causing the ship to rock & so forth. Those of us who are lucky enough to have cruised a few times might just be a little jaded. That, & the fact that every time one line comes out w/something "new" to entertain the passengers in some way (new game; new food venue or something), the other lines jump on it. So every mainstream line has the pirates photos & so forth. Guess I can stand it. The ships have heard the gripes, I sure. But they obviously make $ from the photos. We are like so many of you. Once in a while we buy one if it happens to come out really well, but mostly stick to the ones we specifically pose for with our family on "formal nights". I've often wondered if the people forced to take those pictures hate it since they know so many passengers find it annoying?
While I am not a cruise pic purchaser, It's pretty easy to tell from the crowds at the ship's photo gallery the last night that MANY people buy this stuff.
I especially "love" it when the embarkation photo involves posing with a scantily-clad showgirl. This might appeal to the wet t-shirt contest supporter, above, but not me!
They have filled many trash cans with my photos.. Now, I just say NO! and move on. I really hate it when they interupt dinner ( when you have a mouth full) and want you to hoof it to the other side of the table for a picture. no way!
I LOVE THE PHOTO OPS. SOMETIMES THEY ARE GREAT AND I HAVAE NEVER FELT ANY PRESSURE TO BUY ANY. GOING TO THE PHOT GALLERY IS ONE OF OUR FAMILIES "FUN" MEMORIES. WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT....... EVEN IF THEY ARE BAD WE JUST TOSS THEM IN THE BOX AND HOPE FOR BETTER ONES NEXT TIME.
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Those ship`s photographers.....
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