Cruise in 7 days and just informed a reality show is to be filmed on board.

[patch nine]

We were on a cruise in Western Australia on the Coral Princess a few years ago and when we boarded we were issued with a notice that a British TV show was being filmed on board.  This was a program about cruising with Jane McDonald and we were initially a bit worried about any disruption but in fact we hardly saw the film crews during the week we were on board and we didn't come across any areas which we couldn't access.  We watched the show on TV many months later and it seemed that most of the filming had been done during excursions at the different ports.

[Smokeyham]

@Kabuki12

 

I would be interested to hear back, when you have completed the cruise, on what impacts the filming had and how visible it was.

Thanks.

[Mike45LC]

2 hours ago, mnocket said:

I had another thought on this.  I actually don't know the legal purpose of releases.  Are they to waive your right to compensation/interest in the production (seems they sometimes pay you $1)  or are they a waiver to your right to privacy (i.e. not being shown on TV)?  In short....  is a release required to use your image or use your image without compensation?

I have no right to privacy when I am in public.  If you take a photo of the ship and I am at the pool in my speedos showing too much, well, that is the risk I take from wearing speedos in public.  I can't keep you from taking the photo.

 

But the production company has no right to use my name or image for commercial exploitation without my permission.  You can't sell that photo of me in my speedos to Hustler for its "Men Of the Caribbean" photo series without my signature on a release.  The release is required whether there is $$ paid to the "model" or not.  

 

We used to get releases signed for no money.  People were happy at the idea of their images being used.  They would sit glued to the TV or in a movie theater to get a glimpse of themselves on the screen.  I know the feeling, whenever I had given an interview for the news, I watched/recorded.  [News does not usually need a release, except for "talking heads" and bystanders.]

 

[Outerdog]

4 hours ago, Purple Gallinule said:

It is not about privacy. It is about expectations based on many previous cruises.

 

The OP said it was about privacy.

[Mike45LC]

I've been on a cruise with a large wedding party that kept having private events that closed down otherwise public venues.  I was not happy with that aspect of the wedding party.

 

I've been on cruises with large private groups that took over public areas simply by moving in and occupying them.  Chumley's Bear group was one of these, taking over the pools and hot tubs.  On one cruise, a dance group took over most of the dance venues.  It all depends on how large the group is relative to the ship -- my Continuing Education cruise took over the theater and a couple of larger rooms for lectures in the daytime, and otherwise didn't bother the rest of the passengers.  

 

The filming might not be intrusive, but it might be.  We don't know at this point if there will be lights and cameras and microphone booms and actors and crew and all the  hullaboloo (sp??) of a production blocking off public areas.  That is what I would fear.

 

I hope the filming is not disruptive of people's holiday, and I look forward to reports on it.

[phred119s]

3 hours ago, voljeep said:

?? - are they going to come up to you in a bar/pool/mdr - ??  why would they do that?  and yes, we have been on a Princess ship - way pre-covid and OM - when "they" were filming - 

 

If anyone remembers the early OM promos - there was a girl jumping in the pool... that took at least 50 takes - we were on the deck above the pool area where 'they' were filming.  A couple of times we saw filming - but it was 'roped' off so you couldn't just walk in ..

 

not an intrusion at all to us - actually kind of interesting since we have a close connection to someone in the film production / tv industry production arena

Heck. They were filming on Sky when we were on with you in 2019. 

[cr8tiv1]

Something to think about.  @Kabuki12.  If you take the FCC, you should be able to apply it to any of your 5 cruises booked in the future.  Final payment for your March cruise is not due until December.  So FCC is not worthless to you.

 

4 hours ago, Kabuki12 said:

No, I never said that I did not buy insurance.   I have 5 more cruises booked into March on Princess and Celebrity.  There is a good chance that I will not be cruising after that so FCC's would be worthless to me.  And if I can cruise again, I don't want to be forced into having to book a Princess cruise.   

 

I emailed the production crew.  I am opting out and would like to know what show this is and how much it's going to impact cruisers that want their privacy.  Most of us had a reasonable expectation of the quiet enjoyment of a cruise that we paid good money for or we would not have booked it.  

 

For the life of me, I don't understand why they chose Princess.  All the cruise ships go to the Mexican Riveria and I would think Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise passengers would be more entertaining on television and the ships with the all the bells and whistles would be more exciting.

 

14 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

I have no right to privacy when I am in public.  If you take a photo of the ship and I am at the pool in my speedos showing too much, well, that is the risk I take from wearing speedos in public.  I can't keep you from taking the photo.

 

But the production company has no right to use my name or image for commercial exploitation without my permission.  You can't sell that photo of me in my speedos to Hustler for its "Men Of the Caribbean" photo series without my signature on a release.  The release is required whether there is $$ paid to the "model" or not.  

 

@Mike45LCSo it was YOU an the aft pool deck in those speedos I took a photo of to share with my EldER friends.  I did not publish it so owe you no money.  It burned an image into my cornea...ouch, and I will have to live with your speedos for the rest of my life!  

[cruzin4us]

I have to agree with the OP.   If I'm laying out by the pool in my bathing suit, the last thing I'd want to have happen is to appear on TV.....

I can see it now......have a crew member go to that overweight lady in the pink bathing suit and serve her a dirty banana, that'll boost the ratings.    That's reality TV.

 

[Kabuki12]

52 minutes ago, Smokeyham said:

@Kabuki12

 

I would be interested to hear back, when you have completed the cruise, on what impacts the filming had and how visible it was.

Thanks.

I will for sure report back my experience.  

 

31 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Something to think about.  @Kabuki12.  If you take the FCC, you should be able to apply it to any of your 5 cruises booked in the future.  Final payment for your March cruise is not due until December.  So FCC is not worthless to 

Thanks for the suggestion. It would be a great idea if I had unpaid cruises but my cruises with Princess end this year and are paid in full.  The Celebrity cruises are in Feb and March.    I have a lot of OBC on all 4 cruises and really would have a hard time trying to figure out on how to spend the excess.    

 

I have opted out and will post any replies that I get if any.

 

Edited September 21, 2022 by Kabuki12

[Crystal04]

Just opt out. Filming isn't intrusive, they typically put signs up when filming is in progress and have all shots and scenes planned out and are in and out quick. If they are filming a dining scene they will probably only seat people in that section that want to be filmed and volunteer. They will probably recruit specific passengers to be in scenes.  I wouldn't be too concerned.

[esstheman]

My bet is that it’s “Made in Chelsea”, a reality soap about the lives, loves and feuds of Rich Young Things in London. 

[cdngrl]

I’m on this cruise too and got the notice this morning. I figure as a frumpy, overweight, middle-aged grandmother with a fondness for crocs I’m pretty safe from the cameras! 

I hope the filming is not disruptive but I’m also interested in seeing what they’re doing. I also know that if I happen to get caught in the background, I’ll be

a) wearing a swim suit

b) taking a bite of something bad for me

c) bending over with my butt in the air

d) doing the myriad other embarrassing things that make up my life

[Ptroxx]

31 minutes ago, esstheman said:

My bet is that it’s “Made in Chelsea”, a reality soap about the lives, loves and feuds of Rich Young Things in London. 

If this was true they wouldn’t be on princess.  Lolol.  

[PrincessLuver]

1 hour ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Edited September 21, 2022 by PrincessLuver

[Kay S]

9 hours ago, Kabuki12 said:

 

I think that this is utter B.S. to be informed 7 days before a fully paid cruise that I am to be subjected to this chaos.   I paid a lot of money for a relaxing cruise to forget about the mayhem in my life. 

Princess is doing anything and everything for money, and the don't seem to care one whit about the customers. I would be furious is I were you.

[c-boy]

59 minutes ago, PrincessLuver said:

 

I agree, 100%  exclamation point. 

[caribill]

15 hours ago, Kabuki12 said:

Yes, we can opt out of being filmed but can they come into any area of the ship at any time? 

 

Not sure what opting out will mean in actuality.

 

Does it mean you will not be in the background when they film? If so, how do they know which people in the background opted out and which did not.

 

[caribill]

8 hours ago, Mike45LC said:

But the production company has no right to use my name or image for commercial exploitation without my permission.

 

Pre-pandemic Princess would make (and sell to passengers) a DVD of the cruise which included many passengers shown during normal ship activities from the Champagne waterfall event to shore excursions to dancing to many other activities.

 

From the Passage Contract every passenger has agreed to before boarding the ship (even if agreed to without reading it first):

 

"You grant Carrier and its licensees the right to use Your photograph/voice/indicia taken during Your Cruise, in any fashion and for any purpose in all media now known or hereafter devised without any limitations whatsoever. Professional photographers photograph Guests, process, display and sell such photos to You and other Guests."

 

[DougH]

I was on the Sapphire when they filmed The Biggest Loser. They were on for only a couple of days from LA up to SF then left. I don't recall a huge disruption aboard. The TV crew were big party people and the nightclub bar was packed when they were aboard. When the episode finally aired I saw myself for about two seconds lying in a deck chair as a contestant and the crew filming ran past. 

[voljeep]

12 hours ago, phred119s said:

Heck. They were filming on Sky when we were on with you in 2019. 

Yep, forgot about that - USA Inaugural v2.0 - I seem to remember them filming a couple of ladies at the aft bar (imagine me being there).  I do remember it was also overrun by Cruise Planners - which was to be expected, I guess.  But it was a fun little cruise, no problems

[vjmatty]

11 hours ago, cdngrl said:

 

c) bending over with my butt in the air

 

 

I had signed a release for photos and video taping of a local Community Day where I was teaching a free Zumba class.  Of course I had no idea they'd get a picture of me mid-squat during an abs and glutes routine choreographed to "Mr. Boombastic."   Never had so many compliments (?) on my posterior.

[Cruise Raider]

6 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Pre-pandemic Princess would make (and sell to passengers) a DVD of the cruise which included many passengers shown during normal ship activities from the Champagne waterfall event to shore excursions to dancing to many other activities.

 

From the Passage Contract every passenger has agreed to before boarding the ship (even if agreed to without reading it first):

 

"You grant Carrier and its licensees the right to use Your photograph/voice/indicia taken during Your Cruise, in any fashion and for any purpose in all media now known or hereafter devised without any limitations whatsoever. Professional photographers photograph Guests, process, display and sell such photos to You and other Guests."

 

^^^ This!  
Many people probably never (or rarely) read their contract.  
 

Funny story .. we had formal pictures taken on a cruise many years ago.  Someone was in line to buy pictures of my me and my DH.  Creepy as it might seem, it did kind of make me chuckle, especially when she was busted 😂 by us standing right behind her in line and pointing out she was buying pictures of us.  It’s what we agree to when we board a cruise ship.  
I’ve seen countless videos of passengers in the vicinity of the intended focus on cruises posted on FB.  I’ve even posted pictures of friends and family and other passengers are captured in the photo.  Once you’ve left your room, you really should not have any expectation that you won’t wind up on a photo or video somewhere.  I was waiting during a particularly long and disorganized embarkation in San Francisco earlier in the year.  A friend sent the video from the news and I could easily spot myself in that long line. 

 

[Kabuki12]

This is the email response that I received from the production company:

 

Thank you for your email. We acknowledge that you do not wish to be featured in the programme.  It would be helpful if you could forward a headshot photograph of yourself to me so that I can alert producers to try and avoid you in the back of shot. We will, at all times, display public notices in the areas we are filming in, there are no hidden cameras.  In the event that you are caught on camera in these public areas, we will ensure that you are not included in the final cut when we edit the programme.

 

Kind regards

 

Nicola Warren

Production Coordinator

 

 

Displaying notices where they are going to film for the day is helpful.  They won't be roaming around the ship catching people off guard.  The passengers that are into reality shows can attend and those of us that detest them be elsewhere during the filming. 

[Kabuki12]

This isn't a matter of simply not reading a contract or being filmed by ships photographers, vloggers or passengers. That's way different from being in the midst of a reality show and goes with the territory. 

 

 This should have been announced from the get-go and not pulled as a gotcha one week before the cruise.  Of course, they did it for the money.  Princess could have charged more money for the cruise and had a full house within a week. Reality shows have a huge audience that are addicted to them.  Announcing a reality show one week before the cruise exhibits a lack of caring and respect for the passengers.  

 

I hate reality shows and find it annoying to be in the same room where one is on the television.  I could not imagine a reality show filming while I'm at the pool or having dinner.  They are high drama trash.  I hope that they adhere to their promise and post where they are going to film.

 

This whole fiasco cheapens the Princess brand for me.  Would Celebrity or Cunard pull this one week before a cruise?  

[mnocket]

1 hour ago, Kabuki12 said:

This is the email response that I received from the production company:

 

Thank you for your email. We acknowledge that you do not wish to be featured in the programme.  It would be helpful if you could forward a headshot photograph of yourself to me so that I can alert producers to try and avoid you in the back of shot. We will, at all times, display public notices in the areas we are filming in, there are no hidden cameras.  In the event that you are caught on camera in these public areas, we will ensure that you are not included in the final cut when we edit the programme.

 

Kind regards

 

Nicola Warren

Production Coordinator

 

 

Displaying notices where they are going to film for the day is helpful.  They won't be roaming around the ship catching people off guard.  The passengers that are into reality shows can attend and those of us that detest them be elsewhere during the filming. 

Thanks for posting.  I was curious about what would happen if you sent an opt out email.  Still not sure how they are going to insure your image will be edited out if caught on film......  facial recognition maybe?