Photographs on Board

[Jacqueline]

Years ago we had so many nice, flattering photos of the family taken onboard.

This summer on the Queen Mary over 16 nights, there was not a single picture that I was motivated to purchase !

Maybe because they were on the computers, but they just were not as becoming. Perhaps it's the lighting or lack of photoshopping.

Anyhow, do they still print photos on HAL? What has your experience been?

[kazu]

Years ago we had so many nice, flattering photos of the family taken onboard.

This summer on the Queen Mary over 16 nights, there was not a single picture that I was motivated to purchase !

Maybe because they were on the computers, but they just were not as becoming. Perhaps it's the lighting or lack of photoshopping.

Anyhow, do they still print photos on HAL? What has your experience been?

 

Yes, they still print the photos.

 

You can buy varying packages from formal to the more casual pics which include everything from around the ship and arriving at different ports.

 

Sometimes, it's the best package if you are already buying say 3 pics.

 

I am not photogenic but DH is and most pics have been decent.

 

Once you buy a package, you can pose at every port ;), agree to pics, etc.

 

Hopefully you have good photographers on board :)

[3rdGenCunarder]

Years ago we had so many nice, flattering photos of the family taken onboard.

This summer on the Queen Mary over 16 nights, there was not a single picture that I was motivated to purchase !

Maybe because they were on the computers, but they just were not as becoming. Perhaps it's the lighting or lack of photoshopping.

Anyhow, do they still print photos on HAL? What has your experience been?

 

It isn't you, it's the photographers on QM2. I hate the way they pose people--at our ages we feel silly in the "prom pose". On the Christmas cruise, they had us posing by pillars with a wreath in the background, and couldn't even center the wreath. The glare off DH's glasses is always bad. A pro should know how to deal with that--they used to. I finally got a great picture by posing us the way I wanted, a casual pose sitting on the grand lobby stairs. (She wasn't happy, but she took the picture)

 

I haven't done pictures on HAL because they're so expensive and I've been wanting a picture with us in tux and gown, which we don't pack for HAL cruises. But we've got a lot of OBC coming up, so I may HAL's photogs a try.

[rkacruiser]

HAL has started to use some type of service called Black Label that takes formal photos. I have not used their services, but the photos of their work that they display look very nice. What the cost may be, I don't know, nor whether it is worth that cost.

 

At least on the Nieuw Amsterdam in December/January, when the photographers did come around in the MDR for pictures and we said "No", I did not detect an "attitude" from them. I did buy a photo made by them and I'm pleased with it..

[retafcruiser]

HAL has started to use some type of service called Black Label that takes formal photos. I have not used their services, but the photos of their work that they display look very nice. What the cost may be, I don't know, nor whether it is worth that cost.

 

There has been some dissatisfaction with Black Label. Do a search in this forum.

[rkacruiser]

There has been some dissatisfaction with Black Label. Do a search in this forum.

 

As I said, I have NOT used the services of Black Label. But, I was happy with the two regular photos taken by the photographers.

[3rdGenCunarder]

There has been some dissatisfaction with Black Label. Do a search in this forum.

 

I don't think the problems were with the quality of the actual photos. IRRC, it was nondelivery of special (and expensive) packages.

[1of4]

We always buy at least one photo. This is our family memento of our vacation. I have never bought every photo except on Disney where the photos were amazing. Our last cruise we had some good ones but some equally horrible ones. We thought it depended on the photographer as one made us all look like we had full facial hair since she paid no attention to the lighting.

 

The black light session has never interested us due to the cost. It most more that booking a session with a local land based photographer.

[djhsolara]

We had experience with Black Label on Koningsdam two weeks ago. We were doing a "regular" white-background photo with one of the regular photographers and the Black Label photographer was there. She asked if we wanted to come by tomorrow to do Black Label. We had always discussed doing it, so we said yes. This was exciting to us because we purchased many cruise photos over the years. In fact, we told this photographer that our large 16x20 Canvas print in our Dining Room at home was from a cruise and were interested in getting a new print.

We asked her at this time how much it was and she would NOT tell us. She said, don’t worry about it and we can discuss it later.

 

After careful planning our outfits, we went to the session and told her what we were interested in. She was very “charming” and took MANY (over 100) shots of us. This took about an hour.

 

We then came back the next day to preview our photos. Again, telling her that that we were excited to find a new photo to hang in our Dining Room, she sat us down and showed us a lovely presentation slide show with music. We then went through and eliminated many photos but still needed to trim it down again from the 40 we had left.

 

At this point in time we asked her again, how much the photos were. She then explained to us that the photos would be sent out to be retouched and then they would be shipped to our home in a few weeks. Why wasn’t this told to us up front? We thought we could take them home with us.

 

Again, we asked the price. She told us that if we wanted all 40 photos (which we knew we still needed to narrow down) that it would cost us $2995.00 to get them digitally. WHAT? $2995!?!?! Does HAL want us to take another cruise or buy photos?

 

We then asked how much one 8x10 was? It was over $300!!!!! And the 16x20 would be over $800!!!

 

I can hire a professional photographer at home and get all this for a fraction of the cost. We then told her how upset and disappointed we were especially since we asked her up front how much they were and she would not tell us. We would not have done it and wasted our time if we knew the price.

 

The worst part of this is that we had our hopes up. We loved SEVERAL of these shots and could easily see one (or many more) of them hanging in our home. We felt used. We felt like she was a used car salesmen trying to “schnucker” us into a deal. We left VERY upset and disappointed. We also expressed this to the male manager of the photo area – as we purchased that original photo we took on the white background.

 

 

 

 

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[3rdGenCunarder]

We had experience with Black Label on Koningsdam two weeks ago. We were doing a "regular" white-background photo with one of the regular photographers and the Black Label photographer was there. She asked if we wanted to come by tomorrow to do Black Label. We had always discussed doing it, so we said yes. This was exciting to us because we purchased many cruise photos over the years. In fact, we told this photographer that our large 16x20 Canvas print in our Dining Room at home was from a cruise and were interested in getting a new print.

We asked her at this time how much it was and she would NOT tell us. She said, don’t worry about it and we can discuss it later.

 

After careful planning our outfits, we went to the session and told her what we were interested in. She was very “charming” and took MANY (over 100) shots of us. This took about an hour.

 

We then came back the next day to preview our photos. Again, telling her that that we were excited to find a new photo to hang in our Dining Room, she sat us down and showed us a lovely presentation slide show with music. We then went through and eliminated many photos but still needed to trim it down again from the 40 we had left.

 

At this point in time we asked her again, how much the photos were. She then explained to us that the photos would be sent out to be retouched and then they would be shipped to our home in a few weeks. Why wasn’t this told to us up front? We thought we could take them home with us.

 

Again, we asked the price. She told us that if we wanted all 40 photos (which we knew we still needed to narrow down) that it would cost us $2995.00 to get them digitally. WHAT? $2995!?!?! Does HAL want us to take another cruise or buy photos?

 

We then asked how much one 8x10 was? It was over $300!!!!! And the 16x20 would be over $800!!!

 

I can hire a professional photographer at home and get all this for a fraction of the cost. We then told her how upset and disappointed we were especially since we asked her up front how much they were and she would not tell us. We would not have done it and wasted our time if we knew the price.

 

The worst part of this is that we had our hopes up. We loved SEVERAL of these shots and could easily see one (or many more) of them hanging in our home. We felt used. We felt like she was a used car salesmen trying to “schnucker” us into a deal. We left VERY upset and disappointed. We also expressed this to the male manager of the photo area – as we purchased that original photo we took on the white background.

 

 

 

 

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Wow, that is just sleazy!!!! I tend to get my back up when someone is trying to avoid telling me the price of what they're selling. I probably would have walked out before having any pictures taken.

 

Sounds like she was hiding the price hoping that you would absolutely LOVE some of the shots and say, "Gee, that's expensive, but it's so nice..." and buy them.

[djhsolara]

Wow, that is just sleazy!!!! I tend to get my back up when someone is trying to avoid telling me the price of what they're selling. I probably would have walked out before having any pictures taken.

 

 

 

Sounds like she was hiding the price hoping that you would absolutely LOVE some of the shots and say, "Gee, that's expensive, but it's so nice..." and buy them.

 

 

Yeah...but not at $300 for an 8x10. [emoji32]

 

 

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[Sequim88]

djhsolara - thanks for the heads up. We have been intending to get nice photos on Gala night for our 40th anniversary but would have stepped right into that trap. Sounds like they are operating the photography the same way as the Art Gallery business with independent high pressure (on the agents to sell, sell, sell) emphasis on revenue. Forewarned is forearmed. No price up front, no sitting.

[djhsolara]

Honestly, you can get some really nice photos from the regular photographer.

 

 

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[jthibeault]

Sounds like she was hiding the price hoping that you would absolutely LOVE some of the shots and say, "Gee, that's expensive, but it's so nice..." and buy them.

 

It worked on us. It is a really nice photo though.

[ODECCIT]

We were ready to buy formal night 8X10 picture, but photographer told us that we have to buy it with wallet size pics and one 5X7 for 49.95. They lost a lot of revenue on that cruise from us since I don't carry pics of my family in my wallet and have no use for 5X7 picture.

[3rdGenCunarder]

We were ready to buy formal night 8X10 picture, but photographer told us that we have to buy it with wallet size pics and one 5X7 for 49.95. They lost a lot of revenue on that cruise from us since I don't carry pics of my family in my wallet and have no use for 5X7 picture.

 

I ran into that on QM2 this winter. They put their photos on a computer system, so you go to the photo center and review your pictures on a computer screen instead of searching through racks of printed photos. This is fine with me, it definitely cuts down on waste. But you submit your order on the computer, and that's where it gets bad. When I went to choose the photo I wanted, I ran into the packages. Like you, all I wanted was one 8x10. So I went to the desk and asked why it was all packages, and she said that if I scrolled down I could find the option for just one photo. It was the last item on the list. I think it should have been the first. That's what most people want. But at least I was able to buy a single picture.

[ODECCIT]

I ran into that on QM2 this winter. They put their photos on a computer system, so you go to the photo center and review your pictures on a computer screen instead of searching through racks of printed photos. This is fine with me, it definitely cuts down on waste. But you submit your order on the computer, and that's where it gets bad. When I went to choose the photo I wanted, I ran into the packages. Like you, all I wanted was one 8x10. So I went to the desk and asked why it was all packages, and she said that if I scrolled down I could find the option for just one photo. It was the last item on the list. I think it should have been the first. That's what most people want. But at least I was able to buy a single picture.

 

Ours were pre-printed and solo picture wasn't an option.

[djhsolara]

It worked on us. It is a really nice photo though.

 

 

I'm sure it is. There were beautiful photos that we loved.

 

 

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[djhsolara]

Koningsdam is apparently getting the electronic version but it wasn't working the whole time we were onboard two weeks ago, so you're left with the printed versions that are shown. We never, however, asked if other options are available. Perhaps they can print just something that you want.

 

 

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[3rdGenCunarder]

Koningsdam is apparently getting the electronic version but it wasn't working the whole time we were onboard two weeks ago, so you're left with the printed versions that are shown. We never, however, asked if other options are available. Perhaps they can print just something that you want.

 

 

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At the prices they charge, they certainly should!