warning about "free" photo session on dream

[cruzinmamaTN]

Sorry, the photos always have been a rip-off, but people buy them, even though I have no idea why. Take your own camera and there will ALWAYS be other guests onboard who will be happy to take your picture-we do it all the time for others especially when we see one family member taking a picture of the rest, we immediately ask to help so that everyone is in the picture.

 

We always do that too! When we are standing somewhere and see one person taking a pic of the rest of the group, we always offer to take a "whole" group photo for them! We have TOO MANY of: him with the ocean in the background, then me with the ocean in the background.. when all we wanted was just one of US with the ocean in the background!

[cruzinmamaTN]

from an environmental impact stand point it really bugs me they print all of those prints (most of which get thrown away). They should scan the S&S cards and only print on request.

 

Exactly! While I understand this would require a technology upgrade @ Carnival, I'm sure the Disney Photopass program is a true revenue generating business, while it seems that the photography program on Carnival is a break-even, at best.

[balcony bound]

Thanks very much for posting your experience. I like to buy a few pictures on the cruise, but that's quite a bit outside of what I would want to spend and I appreciate the heads up.

 

I took a cruise with my daughter a few months ago, her first. It had been 11 years since we had taken a trip together, just the two of us (pretty much since the grandkids started arriving). I spent more on photos than normal that time and don't regret it a bit.

[westview1]

Thanks for the warning. I only purchase the embarkation photo the getting off the ship in port and a Elegant Night photo. Thats why before the cruise I purchase the photo coupons that way I stick to my budget.:) I wish they would attach pics to sail n sign card then you can view and purchase later. But I love there photography. Had Christmas Cards done on one of my cruises. Didnt have all my children with me but had two of them. Photos are priceless, their memories.:):)

 

I seem to remember John Heald saying that on the Magic they have kiosks set up where you swipe your sail n sign card and the software finds the pictures you have had taken. It uses the picture they take of you at embarkation and facial recognition software. I don't think it's perfect but it definitely seems a lot easier that spending time looking through all those pictures.

 

We usually pose for every picture they offer us. Then the last day of the cruise we go through them and pick 1 or 2 to buy. We generally don't buy any other souvenirs, unless you count my DOD cups. :rolleyes:

[jdcml]

We always do that too! When we are standing somewhere and see one person taking a pic of the rest of the group, we always offer to take a "whole" group photo for them! We have TOO MANY of: him with the ocean in the background, then me with the ocean in the background.. when all we wanted was just one of US with the ocean in the background!

 

Until they take off with your camera at the Tivoli fountain :). $499 would have been a bargin for that poor lady!

[mrsnat]

I just came back from cruise and I saw those pictures and albums done on board by Dream studio professional photographer. They are awesome! They are well worth the price! It's too bad, people can't tell the difference between professionally done portraits and snapshots at the table.

[taragl]

Sounds like the misleading part is that you're required to buy a package. I would have been able to choose a few photos, but to require a minimum $500 purchase should be spelled out up front.

[fergusonvt]

Have you priced pictures at home? Have you bought pictures for a recent HS grad? The prices are in line with what you pay on shore, so you should not be shocked.

 

 

Exactly what I was thinking. 2 years ago I paid almost $700.00 for 4 poses for DS for HS graduation.

[emelvee]

We usually buy a few photos. RCI offered a package for $199 on our last cruise, which included unlimited photos from the ship's photographers at the usual locations. Probably wouldn't do that again since we only liked about 15 photos or so, and probably would have only bought 5 or so if we had paid for them individually.

[kah1829]

Well I for one as a 1st time cruiser in December am VERY glad for this posting! I agree that the price for the pics was OUTRAGEOUS and would've been upset to waste our precious vacation time on something so out of our budget. So THANKS for the heads up!

 

We did something similar on Sanibel Island a few years ago - pictures were fabulous but price was crazy. I think we ended up spending about $1600... Won't do that again. LOL.

[golfadj]

I just came back from cruise and I saw those pictures and albums done on board by Dream studio professional photographer. They are awesome! They are well worth the price! It's too bad, people can't tell the difference between professionally done portraits and snapshots at the table.

 

$ 1000 pretty much pays for our next cruise, no way would I consider paying that much for pictures.

 

By any chance you a photographer?

[ready2cruzagain]

JMHO but the shoot was free. As others have said...if you have priced pictures anywhere lately then that price is pretty much in line. At least you weren't charged for not getting pictures.

[Carnival_Brides]

I didn't know that about the Dream Photography Studios photos. We are using them for our wedding in January and our least expensive package is somewhere in the $500-$750 range, but than again those our wedding pictures. We did do a private shoot on the Glory (non-Dream photographers) in June for our engagement pictures and they let us pick and chose what we purchased. They also did touch-ups for free and charged us for a regular 8x10. Sorry you had such a bad time, OP.

[KirkNC]

I just came back from cruise and I saw those pictures and albums done on board by Dream studio professional photographer. They are awesome! They are well worth the price! It's too bad, people can't tell the difference between professionally done portraits and snapshots at the table.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

[jumbo1]

I just came back from cruise and I saw those pictures and albums done on board by Dream studio professional photographer. They are awesome! They are well worth the price! It's too bad, people can't tell the difference between professionally done portraits and snapshots at the table.

 

 

Just joined today , did a search for this year old thread and posted.

 

Is Nathaniel a Dream studio professional photographer ?;)

Edited November 6, 2012 by jumbo1

[ready2cruzagain]

Just joined today , did a search for this year old thread and posted.

 

Is Nathaniel a Dream studio professional photographer ?;)

Oh geez..I did not even look at the date:eek::eek:

[sharecruises]

The main problem I see here is they "implied" you could "buy what you liked"....they left out the fact you could only buy whatever package you liked. Big difference

 

I can see these prices for a wedding but IMHO most people won't just buy a big package like this

 

Years ago I used to pose for pics and buy some, but with digital cameras and online photo editing and cropping ...now I don't even bother with shipboard pictures. Last one I bought was the "Old timey" pic a couple years ago

 

IMHO they will hopefully start lowering the cost of the pictures, offer them digitally, maybe sell a CD at a reasonable rate. They waste so much paper and toner etc printing all those pictures they take and throw away.

[Chris41]

I don't see the problem and why OP is so mad. The shoot was free as the photographer said and they were not forced to buy any pictures.

 

If you have a photo shoot done at resorts or basically anywhere that the photographer is yours for a period of time it is going to cost for the pictures a lot more than say going to walmart photo

[mrsnat]

It was Gabor Paszti from Serbia on Carnival Miracle.

Edited November 7, 2012 by mrsnat

[mrsnat]

We all are photographers at some degree, whoever owns a camera. I would probably use $1000.00 for my next cruise as well, I agree. It's a nice experience. You eat, sleep, entertain, play, win and loose (sometimes too much). But, if you consider having some family or couples portraits done professionally, you should know what you are going for. I did not even bother buying snapshots prints, which are not cheap either, so I came back home with what I had on my own camera.

[silvercrikhix]

OP:

So sorry you were surprised and taken aback by the prices of the professional photos taken of your family. Not a good surprise for sure. It was a good service for your fellow cruises to warn them about the fees involved to purchase the portraits and you undoubtedly saved many families from going through what you did!

I do, however, have to agree with some responses to your query.

The prices you encountered are indeed the going rate for PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL portraits. We paid very similar prices for graduation and wedding photos recently for our family members.

[tweak89]

I do, however, have to agree with some responses to your query. The prices you encountered are indeed the going rate for PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL portraits. We paid very similar prices for graduation and wedding photos recently for our family members.

 

I don't know that I agree with that. Our wedding photographer was under $1000 and we got all of our photos (hundreds) from over 8 hours of shooting on CD along with a large variety of prints.

 

Heck, you can get a professionally bound hardcover book full of pics from shutterfly for a fraction of the cost charged onboard. Granted, if you suck at taking pics, then it might not be an option :p

[MikeC1610]

Hi All

 

We just returned from an 8 night Carnival Spirit cruise to the South Pacific.

 

We had the Dreams Studio photographer for a couple of hours on the island of Mare which is absolutely beautiful.

 

The photos of myself, wife and 2 year old daughter were absolutely incredible and way way better than anything we could have taken with our camera. The location and weather conditions were perfect and we decided that we may never ever get that opportunity again.

 

We purchased a $1500 package which included a leather album with 26 stunning photos, 2 x 30 inch by 20 inch canvas' and all the digital negatives.

 

Sure it's not cheap but it was something special and it will last forever. Some people would think nothing of spending $1500 on alcohol, massages and shore excursions on a cruise but would never consider spending $1500 on professionally done photos that will last a lifetime.

 

We were never at any stage pressured into purchasing, it was our choice and we are very happy we did it.

[mrsnat]

Agree 100%

[middlegray]

why would anyone think that they would be the same price at the other $20 8x10's on the ship? A "Private" hour long session with your family and you think it would be the same price as a cheesy fake background quick picture at dinner time? If it was...all 3,000+ guests would do a private hour long session. Of course they have to charge more or everyone would want a private session and there isn't enough time during the cruise to do that