Photographers at mealtimes?

I saw a post in which it was claimed that on RCL ships photographers cluster around diners and their tables every night... Not just on formal night. I hope this isn't true!

We sail on the Serenade for 11 nights in the Baltic on June 17. I'd hate to be swarmed by seaborne paparazzi every time I sit down to dinner..

Our last cruise was on Princess, and the camera folks only showed up on formal nights.

I can't speak for RCL - you should ask on the RCL board for that. But I can say that this happens on most mass market cruise lines. We just wave them off. EM

Sail mostly on RC. They do come around, but I don't remember it being more than once or twice. If you are not interested, easy to just say no thanks and they leave.

They only set up outside the dining room on Formal night, but they wander around the restaurants asking, just say no f you don't want a photo never been a problem.

They were exactly the same on our last Princess cruise.

"cluster around diners"?

Ugh, some people like to over-dramatize things.

Photographers do walk around the dining rooms and will usually politely ask if you'd like a photo. Respond in the negative and they will walk away.

We just politely say "no thank you" when we don't want our pictures taken.

Although some of the cheerleaders don't seem to mind, some of us find it intrusive. Would you see this taking place in a land based restaurant? Of course not, diners would object and the restaurant owners would not allow it. On cruise ships however, the name of the game is to squeeze every dollar that you can out of the passengers.

I don't know about RCL - and neither does the OP for that matter, it's just hearsay - but I'd be surprised if the photographers bother with non-formal dinnertime photos. why would they? If you are going to buy a photo, it would be on formal night.

I don't know about RCL - and neither does the OP for that matter, it's just hearsay - but I'd be surprised if the photographers bother with non-formal dinnertime photos. why would they? If you are going to buy a photo, it would be on formal night.

I have seen them wandering around on some other nights, I think on RCL as well as other lines, but they aren't persistent at all, and seem pretty in-tune with who might or might not want a picture taken. They might look quizzically in your direction if they're nearby, but a simple head shake will send them in the other direction without fuss.

I don't know about RCL - and neither does the OP for that matter, it's just hearsay - but I'd be surprised if the photographers bother with non-formal dinnertime photos. why would they? If you are going to buy a photo, it would be on formal night.

Good post. I have only seen photographers in the MDR on formal nights on any line; there are never enough photographers to form a "cluster" or a "swarm"; and if you say "no thanks" they move on. They only want to bother taking pictures if they think you might want to buy them.

Yes...they will come by your table, and if you want a photo, they will take it. If you don't, they won't!

Although some of the cheerleaders don't seem to mind, some of us find it intrusive. Would you see this taking place in a land based restaurant? Of course not, diners would object and the restaurant owners would not allow it. On cruise ships however, the name of the game is to squeeze every dollar that you can out of the passengers.

If the prices at a land-based restaurant were not enough for the restaurant to earn a profit, then they would certainly be looking for a way to "squeeze" extra dollars out of you. Cruises are sold at a loss, therefore they must make it up by generating other revenue.

Those dining room photos with a couple , and their half eaten plates of food are sooooo romantic , are they not ?

I don't know about RCL - and neither does the OP for that matter, it's just hearsay - but I'd be surprised if the photographers bother with non-formal dinnertime photos. why would they? If you are going to buy a photo, it would be on formal night.

I've seen photographers in the MDR on non-elegant nights on Carnival. $20 in almost pure profit per photo is a great motivator. You don't need many yesses to make it worthwhile.

And yes, they're easy enough to shoo away, but still... ick. It's #62 on my pet peeve list.

I've seen photographers in the MDR on non-elegant nights on Carnival. $20 in almost pure profit per photo is a great motivator. You don't need many yesses to make it worthwhile.

 

And yes, they're easy enough to shoo away, but still... ick. It's #62 on my pet peeve list.

The photographers are harmless and easily shooed away. What you really have to worry about are your fellow table mates if they are foodie types who just have to take photos of everything they and you eat during the cruise.:eek: "Don't touch your food, I have to take a picture first!" "Darn the lighting wasn't right, I'll need to take another." "Oh, you got a saltine with your soup, wait....."

That is #7 on my pet peeve list.;)

I agree with Dirty Dawg. On one cruise-a formal night a photog came by and snapped pictures of all of us. Big deal.

Next day we got a good laugh looking them over.

I don't know about RCL - and neither does the OP for that matter, it's just hearsay - but I'd be surprised if the photographers bother with non-formal dinnertime photos. why would they? If you are going to buy a photo, it would be on formal night.

They come around every night taking pictures. Some people actually buy the candids that they take.