Dear Carnival, You're Photo Process Stinks...

[deej696]

Is it just me, or does anyone else find Carnival's process for photo's wayy outdated and wasteful. All of those thousands of photos that don't get purchased just going to waste. Nevermind the time that guests have to spend attempting to find their pictures.

 

I don't understand why they don't adopt a setup like Disney's Photopass where each guest has a card, or simply use one's cabin number, and all of the photos are stored digitally. Then all they would need to do is install a dozen kiosks in the existing photo area where guests can view all of their pics at one time. I'm sure there are better things that could be done with the saved space, then a wall full of pictures that most won't buy.

 

Perhaps this has been discussed before, and if so sorry for the redundancy, it just bugged me;)

[TigerStar]

It's been discussed, but I agree.

 

I am a virgin, but this is one thing I wish they would change, preferably before I cruise in 2.4 weeks.

[joeandaimeesmom]

Is it just me, or does anyone else find Carnival's process for photo's wayy outdated and wasteful. All of those thousands of photos that don't get purchased just going to waste. Nevermind the time that guests have to spend attempting to find their pictures.

 

I don't understand why they don't adopt a setup like Disney's Photopass where each guest has a card, or simply use one's cabin number, and all of the photos are stored digitally. Then all they would need to do is install a dozen kiosks in the existing photo area where guests can view all of their pics at one time. I'm sure there are better things that could be done with the saved space, then a wall full of pictures that most won't buy.

 

Perhaps this has been discussed before, and if so sorry for the redundancy, it just bugged me;)

 

 

 

I do so agree with you!! And I have not seen this topic before..

[JerseyshoreBruce]

They are going to that in the near future...all digital...just enter your s&s card to find your photos!

[happy cruzin]

They are going to that in the near future...all digital...just enter your s&s card to find your photos!

 

 

I really hope so!! The current process is just outdated, wasteful and very painful :o.....

[janabm81]

I agree...a big total waste...this is why we politely decline all the photo ops they push at us...we know that out of the ton of photos they take we might buy one so it's not worth it...I really don't understand why they haven't changed it yet with all the years and years of talks about saving the earth with limiting waste. I think the kiosks are a fantastic idea! :)

[Traveler353]

On his blog John has hinted that something is in the works. Hopefully it will be implemented soon.

[gazingm42]

DW and I agreed we will not buy anymore pictures until they go digital. One

they are way over priced, second we just have a issue of all the waste when

the print all these photos.

[toddraz]

Good idea, deej. It is a bit of a challenge like it is.

 

2000 Imagination (First time cruisers wonderment)

 

2006 Holiday (Best cruise food for our 40th anniversary)

 

2007 Triumph (with Mother, sisterr, aunt, cousin, God-daughter)

 

2008 Destiny (from San Juan--an island a day cruise [Y][Y])

 

2009 Spirit (Alaska's cool, but I didn't ned my winter clothes.)

 

6/12/2010 Triumph (with more family)

 

Cruisin towards Platinum and Warm Chocolate Melting Cake

[OhioJeff]

 

I don't understand why they don't adopt a setup like Disney's Photopass where each guest has a card, or simply use one's cabin number, and all of the photos are stored digitally. Then all they would need to do is install a dozen kiosks in the existing photo area where guests can view all of their pics at one time. I'm sure there are better things that could be done with the saved space, then a wall full of pictures that most won't buy.

Im just wondering how long the wait would be to get to only 12-20 kiosks with 3000+ capacity ship. On sea days there are easily hundreds of people looking for and at pictures.

So this might cut down on waste(which I think is already factored into the prices), it might cause people to not buy because they dont want to wait in yet another line. I can just imagine people going up to the kiosks and looking for 10-20 mins at their pics and others in their party.

 

Guess we will have to see how it all shakes out.

 

Years ago they tried a facial recognition system and it was an utter disaster.

[PoofyTheCat]

Would it really be that difficult to be able to access your pictures from your tv screen in your cabin? If you can access your S&S bill, I don't see how technically different it would be to see your pictures of yourself from the cabin's tv. Then there would be no lines at kiosks and a freed up space in a public spot on the ship for another bar or shop (more profit for Carnival).

[Cruiser@Heart]

The Dream has the new photo kiosks. BOOOO!!! What a royal pain in the backside. Yes, you swipe your card and up pops your photos so you can see them. But you still have to go searching for them. Not a time saver or a cost saver because they STILL printed every blasted picture taken by the photographers, even though they scanned your sign and sail cards when taking pictures.

 

The system does not tell you where the photos are displayed. Also, whomever the primary person is in the cabin, all the photos are linked to them. So, even though my friend who was traveling with me, swiped her sign and sail card (we had our own individual accounts)... up popped my pics because we shared the cabin and I was considered the "Primary" person ie: first person and she was secondary ie: second. We asked and this is how it was explained. It is a known glitch. Her pic never showed up unless I was in the photo with her. People tried them initially on our sailing but by the 2nd day, gave up and went back to the "Hunt and Seek" method of going through the panels and panels of pictures.

[CruiseinNJ]

I put this on my comment card every time - The way it's currently done is a waste of paper, space and time. Everything else is tied to your S&S - why not the ability to view photos in your cabin like you can view your account info. A few clicks to order what you want. Huge impact to the environment with all the wasted paper/chemicals to print photos no one wants. I even wrote a letter to carnival a few years back but they never did respond...

[2thesea]

I agree BUT having just sailed on the Disney Magic in Feb of this year they DO not offer this on all photos taken. Disney still have their walls and walls of 1000's of photo and crowds to accompany the photo viewing.

[MyImagination]

Would it really be that difficult to be able to access your pictures from your tv screen in your cabin? If you can access your S&S bill, I don't see how technically different it would be to see your pictures of yourself from the cabin's tv. Then there would be no lines at kiosks and a freed up space in a public spot on the ship for another bar or shop (more profit for Carnival).

I dont think they want to allow pax to return to the comfort of their cabin to make that choice. Many buy pictures on impulse because they hold it and decide they want it, or the grands are begging you to buy it:p

 

Viewing it on a kiosk or tv takes away the impulse and allows the person to change his mind, or wait until the next day, which may never come.

[big_duck]

I dont think they want to allow pax to return to the comfort of their cabin to make that choice. Many buy pictures on impulse because they hold it and decide they want it, or the grands are begging you to buy it:p

 

And the guilt. Guilt is a great marketing tool - "well they've already printed it and we did pose for it". ;)

[Calker]

The Dream is currently trying out a process where your S&S card is scanned before the picture is taken.

 

Several issues with the process - not all of the photographers had the scanner to read the cards - some of the photographers did have scanners but they weren't working properly - all of the photots whether scanned or not are still printed and put up on the walls - if you want to just look at the scanned photos and not search - your S&S card may or may not bring up your photos - some of ours showed up on the viewers but many were of other people or were missing totally (a staff member was able to bring more of the scanned photos of us up onto the viewer - but even he was unable to get the photos that he himself took of us to appear on our screen)

 

We were also told there are currently no plans to put all of the photos onto a CD for purchase. The prices will not be changing anytime in the near future.

 

Maybe once all of the bugs are worked out it may be a great process - but right now its no better than the old system.

[deej696]

I agree BUT having just sailed on the Disney Magic in Feb of this year they DO not offer this on all photos taken. Disney still have their walls and walls of 1000's of photo and crowds to accompany the photo viewing.

 

See this makes no sense to me either. When you visit Disney in Florida, they give you a card that all the photographers anywhere in all of the resort can scan and your photos are stored online. You can either view them at your resort, or purchase online when you return home. Why they wouldnt do it on their own ships fails me...

 

Glad to hear I'm not alone in this thought. I don't follow John's blog, but its good to know its in the works.

 

As far as if it will create a log jam at the kiosks, I'm not so sure. We are just off 9 days on the Destiny, and with the exception of dinner time, I rarely saw lots of people in the photos. I guess its all about when you go...

[CanadaJulie]

Don't remember what they did on the Disney Magic but when you go to the Disney Parks they have an awesome system for it. You receive a photopass card and all the pics taken by the various photogs throughout the park, you hand them your photopass card and they 'attach' the pics they take of you to this card. When you get home, you sign on and input your photopass card number (this could be done with your S&S card on Carnival) and voila ! you can view all your pics. You can edit them, crop them, add a border, and order them individually or get the whole thing on CD for 120$. No wasted paper, ink, chemicals, etc... No wasted space on the ship, no wasted time for everyone looking for their pics...

 

The system already exists - it's up to Carnival to adopt it. No need to re-invent the wheel...

[emelvee]

It's been discussed, but I agree.

 

I am a virgin, but this is one thing I wish they would change, preferably before I cruise in 2.4 weeks.

Sorry, I laughed at "2.4 weeks." :)

 

And I can't wait until Carnival goes digital...no more looking through all those other photos to find ours. And other people won't have to look at my ugly mug...well at least the photos of me.

[CanadaJulie]

See this makes no sense to me either. When you visit Disney in Florida, they give you a card that all the photographers anywhere in all of the resort can scan and your photos are stored online. You can either view them at your resort, or purchase online when you return home. Why they wouldnt do it on their own ships fails me...

 

 

Yeah, what he said !

 

I type to slow ! LOL

[PoofyTheCat]

I dont think they want to allow pax to return to the comfort of their cabin to make that choice. Many buy pictures on impulse because they hold it and decide they want it, or the grands are begging you to buy it:p

 

Viewing it on a kiosk or tv takes away the impulse and allows the person to change his mind, or wait until the next day, which may never come.

 

That's a very very good point. The whole "you touch it, you're more likely to buy it" theory. Now, as far as the grands (I'm assuming you mean grandparents?), how cool would it be for family members not on board the ship be able to log in (you, as a passenger, give them a password to access your photos) and purchase photos of their family members while you're on board (or afterward). Just a thought.

 

I think the OP's discussion is a brilliant one with so many different ideas and tangents. A truly great thread idea!

[OhioJeff]

 

I think the OP's discussion is a brilliant one with so many different ideas and tangents. A truly great thread idea!

 

This has been the brought up often over the years on this board,with the same ideas and a few others which have been emailed,phoned and included in comment cards.

 

I think the fact that Carnival already makes an insane amount on pics as is, has been the reason they and all the other cruise lines(minus Mickey) do it essentially the same way.

 

Im sure they will examine picture revenue on Dream to decide if they will implement this fleet wide.

[waldocruiser1]

They are going to that in the near future...all digital...just enter your s&s card to find your photos!

 

They have the system on the dream, but it did not work well, and most of the time it would lock up as trying to log in. So you had to stand and wait to see if it would login or reset. If you walked away and it logged in, someone could order you all of your pictures and they get billed to your s&s card, they you get to fight it out. So you were stuck waiting for the computer to finish sitting.

 

It will be great when it is done. and it will give them a lot of floor space to use for something else that can make them money.

[PoofyTheCat]

This has been the brought up often over the years on this board,with the same ideas and a few others which have been emailed,phoned and included in comment cards.

 

I appreciate your response. I'm sure the same topic existed for many years. But there is no reason why it can't be brought up again in current times, just my opinion.

 

There are always newbies, or newbies for a particular idea. Please just let us enjoy our discussion. Obviously this was not a typical "can I bring beer onboard" or "should I tip more/less" or "why do people hog chairs with a book/towel/piece of paper?" type thread because this thread resulted in many intelligent and informative responses in a matter of an hour or so. I'm personally just bored because my tv has been stolen away by the better half for the Stanley Cup... otherwise I wouldn't be online.

 

Again, thank you for your thoughts. I think the OP started a conversation that obviously drew up some interest. Otherwise, 20+ people would not have responded within an hour.

 

Again, just my thoughts, and take care! :)