Photo package questions

Last time we did not order the photo package in advance but decided on board to take home a 10 pack of pics. The cast members would not take any pics with our own camera, unlike the parks so we missed out on a lot of family photos with the backdrop.

Cruising this coming Saturday and considering which package to buy in advance.

How is the photo sorting? Wondering if there's any improvement since two years ago, when we pulled them up there were a bunch of stranger photos. :rolleyes:

How many photo ops are there really on the ships as compared to the parks to make this worth it? Would I easily be able to fill the 35 photo book, and does everyone rush to Shutters to make this on the last night of the cruise so as to not miss any photo ops?

How many photos you have taken depends totally on you and your family make up. With kids, there are photos with characters (yes, adults can do this too). There are photos while in the programming. They take photos at dinner and a few candid "around the ship" shots. You can have photos with various backgrounds, with the captain, as you get off the ship at Castaway Cay, as you initially board the ship, etc. Or you can avoid the lines and not have photos taken. Since we are now cruising as 2 adults, we rarely have photos.

The Shutters CMs will not take photos with your camera. They work for another company and are professional photographers; why would they give away their expertise? The character attendants (who are DCL employees) will happily do so.

We once cruised with a family who had 2 teenage girls. The girls decided to set the record for max photos on one cruise. In 7 nights, they had over 400...but they did nothing but get into each photo line they saw!

Will you use 35 photos? We wouldn't, but if you cruise with kids you might.

We find that at the end of the week you have an expensive portfolio full of the same canned poses. We've gotten the book a couple times, just to get it, but this next time, I think we will just buy a couple single photos & skip the lines.

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I just got of the Magic. Facial recognition seems to be pretty good. The Character photos were good as well and you could take pictures with your cell phone if you wish. The professional photographers would likely not take a picture with your phone for you.

I bought the unlimited photo package ahead of time for like $295 or so. I think it was $349 on the ship. They give you a cd the last morning.

Shutters was very busy the last evening of the cruise.

One difference between Disney and other cruise lines like royal are that they have a very limited number of photo stations for just plain old fashion backdrop photos. Instead of 6 or 7 stations a night, they had 2-3 stations max. Some nights just had silly ship backgrounds too. If you are looking for traditional backgrounds for your photos, it is doable, but options are limited.

Last time we did not order the photo package in advance but decided on board to take home a 10 pack of pics. The cast members would not take any pics with our own camera, unlike the parks so we missed out on a lot of family photos with the backdrop.

 

Cruising this coming Saturday and considering which package to buy in advance.

 

How is the photo sorting? Wondering if there's any improvement since two years ago, when we pulled them up there were a bunch of stranger photos. :rolleyes:

 

How many photo ops are there really on the ships as compared to the parks to make this worth it? Would I easily be able to fill the 35 photo book, and does everyone rush to Shutters to make this on the last night of the cruise so as to not miss any photo ops?