Going to war with ship's photographers

[operafan]

Always say no and have never had a problem. Even in the dining room. When boarding we just keep walking.........

[cusyl]

Always say no and that we aren't married to each other, or we are in a witness protection program. The pictures are entirely too expensive and who wants to see them anyway.

[Eleris]

Please also keep in mind, the photographers on the ships are people too! They are trying to do a job which can be sometimes annoying but can also give you some of the funniest memories to look back on years later. I have met some wonderful photographers onboard that have great tips for taking photo's with my own camera. Sometimes in the dining room timing can be an issue with dinner arriving but look at the typical seating in the dining room to get through all the guests. A polite but firm no thank you should be all you need.

 

My only complaint that I took back to X was when they started making 5x7's really 4x6's with all the cartoon border around the picture the same with the 8x10's. I want a full size photo not some cartoon scribble treasure map in the background. You can ask for it to be printed without but you still get the smaller picture for the same price. This was a rip off and my last Azamara cruise our pictures were full size so hopefully X is doing the same. :D

[Jade13]

A short story:

 

*The Photographer showed up exactly at the same time that our Waiter and our hot food came.

*It was a table of 8, and she wanted half of us to get up and stand on the other side of the table (group shot)

*I did not want our food (many of us having fish) to get cold, and asked that she come back.

*She started to argue with me (just wouldn't take no for an answer).

*Eventually, I asked the Waiter to get her the $#%& out of here.

*She started arguing with him.

*Eventually the Section/Head Waiter came over and made her leave.

*After dinner the Maitre d’ came over to ask what happened and get details.

Two things resulted from that:

1. When we got back to our Cabin that evening there was a plate of chocolate covered strawberries and a note of apology from the front desk; and

2. When I didn't see her in the dining room, or around ship any more, I asked the Head Waiter and he said she was "put off" at the next port-of-call. Guess she was “trouble” to more than just us??

 

Let me end by saying that this was a rare occurrence --- a polite, one-time. "No" has always worked in the past.

 

Was this on Celebrity?

[Lsimon]

I see a couple of examples above where there is a fair argument the photographers are too pushy. But for the most part what can you do?

 

Sure, we don't usually like to have our photos taken anymore - after a bunch of cruises it doesn't have the bang for the buck it used to. The prices have also gotten quite high. OTOH - not everyone on the ship has cruised multiple times. If it is your first time, or if you don't cruise that often, you probably really want the pictures.

 

So for the most part we just say no and walk by, or sometimes just take our picture. Occasionally I've been known to make funny faces at the last minute.:eek: The only time it is hard to say no is usually the embarkation photo - and typically these come out the worst too! Also at dinner - but we're usually sitting with others at dinner who were strangers a few days earlier and would never presume that they don't want their pictures taken. Besides - if you have a few pictures at least looking at them is something to do when you're walking arouind waiting for the show to start or something like that and you never know if one will come out great.

[RichardK]

Was this on Celebrity?

 

Royal Caribbean

[sassycruiser]

They don't take no for an answer and they chase you down if you try to side step getting off at ports. I have had this happen on NCL, Carnival and Celebrity.

 

Last June on Celebrity our table mate was stressed out about the situation with the cancellation of the cruise, etc. Just after the announcement about being stuck one more day the photographer shows up. Our table mate very politely asked him to leave us alone. He wouldn't and insisted all of us pose and then pose one by one. It was amazingly insensitive of the photographer and of Celebrity to even have them (photographers) going around.

 

I like the formal night pictures - and I do always buy one. So leave it at that - leave me alone at the pool, dinner, etc.

[bikinibottom]

I like to have my picture taken (not that I look very good) but since I am the photog in the family I am rarely ever in any vacation pictures. Some of of the few I have from our last 2 cruises are ones I purchased and I am happy to have those now that I look back on it.

Now that being said - I think the prices are outrageous and I hate having my dinner interrupted! However it goes with the territory as my mom always used to say. (Literally, she said that on a cruise when someone at our table complained about it about 20 years ago!)

[Coco Creek]

I see a couple of examples above where there is a fair argument the photographers are too pushy. But for the most part what can you do?

 

Sure, we don't usually like to have our photos taken anymore - after a bunch of cruises it doesn't have the bang for the buck it used to. The prices have also gotten quite high. OTOH - not everyone on the ship has cruised multiple times. If it is your first time, or if you don't cruise that often, you probably really want the pictures.

 

So for the most part we just say no and walk by, or sometimes just take our picture. Occasionally I've been known to make funny faces at the last minute.:eek: The only time it is hard to say no is usually the embarkation photo - and typically these come out the worst too! Also at dinner - but we're usually sitting with others at dinner who were strangers a few days earlier and would never presume that they don't want their pictures taken. Besides - if you have a few pictures at least looking at them is something to do when you're walking arouind waiting for the show to start or something like that and you never know if one will come out great.

 

Trust me, I just went on my first cruise and fought like the dickens to avoid some of the picture taking. The highlight for me was during the second formal night when they took a picture of our tablemates and I stood up to shoot my own photo of them--they had become good friends. I got the bump from the photographer, but my football days made be the better bumper and I got a great photo of two really neat people.

[Parrot Mom]

The easy way is to say "excuse me".. and walk by the long lines.. especially if you have a camera around your neck.. That said on the Celebrity Galaxy they now have "life style" pictures..they are a hoot..We went for it.. We posed on a white background and with the help of another photographer who "photoshopped".. we now have a picture of us.. on a flying carpet over Santorni...Several of our tablemates did the same type picture..lol.. As for table pictures.. we just pose..we don't bother buying. Remember they are doing their job.. you don't have to buy

[janandjon]

I always thought it was the cruise lines way of making us FEEL the roll of being a celebrity,by providing the paparazzi!

 

Alas! Poor Brittney.:confused: :eek:

[Sea Island Lady]

I get migraines from bright flashes of lights, so in the dining room, I say "NO! I get a headache" and they leave me alone. ;)

[drfun48]

As a commen courtesy I allow myself to be photographed ,since once my pictures are posted ,everyone who sees them wants a copy. I guess they then go home telling their friends that they were on a cruise vacation with Brad Pitt.

[63galaxie]

Remember the Kool-Aid character, Jolly Olly Orange? He was a big round face with crossed-eyes and buck teeth and a big grin!

Everytime my DH and I have our picture taken on the ship, we make the same face! We have one from each of our cruises. It makes us (and our kids) laugh everytime we see them! Sometimes, the photographers laugh too! These were the only pictures really worth buying (although we have purchased a few of the others).

Life is what you make it.

When someone throws you lemons, make Jolly Olly Orange!!

Karen:D :D :D :D :D

[sealover155]

No meant nothing to them.....We started with polite and ended up telling them where to put their equiptment.....not to mention the unprintable shots of "the bird".....No once, should get the message across, no twice is irritating, the third time is a strike and anything including language and hand signals are fair game in my book.

 

Dave:eek:

 

Hi Dave, you always make me laugh! On our last cruise it became obvious that:

 

1. So many pix left over the photographers must be really bad, or

2. People are offended at the ridiculous prices, or

3. The aggressive nature of the photographers is working - people are having the pix taken without any interest in purchasing. We have personally fallen into this category.

 

I worry about the environmental waste of chemicals and paper. Digital displays could certainly eliminate both.

 

Mary Anne

[Tisambas]

The easy way is to say "excuse me".. and walk by the long lines.. especially if you have a camera around your neck.. That said on the Celebrity Galaxy they now have "life style" pictures..they are a hoot..We went for it.. We posed on a white background and with the help of another photographer who "photoshopped".. we now have a picture of us.. on a flying carpet over Santorni...Several of our tablemates did the same type picture..lol.. As for table pictures.. we just pose..we don't bother buying. Remember they are doing their job.. you don't have to buy

 

 

Gee, I wonder why any passenger on their vacation could not relax and be polite to these young men and women working hard to take your photo to get a pay check. Please try to remember that they probably do not make as much money as you do and work long hours! No reason to say anything beyond "No thank you." If they still ask for your cooperation, what harm is there in having your photo taken.

 

Please do not feel a need to put someone in their place or make a fool of yourself in public by creating an unneeded conflict! You are on vacation while they are at work- we should be able to relax enough to not turn this into a major hassle for them.

[CruiseFever]

We always let them take our photo wherever we are and whenever they want to. We never look at them until the last day then pull them all and pick THE one we want as a souvenier. That gives us a LOT to choose from.

 

We used to try to dodge the photographers but then realized that we were not wanted for pulling off a bank heist, in a witness protection program, or a famous Celebrity so we just went with it.

 

Wars are not allowed as part of our cruise experience

 

:)

[bububr]

Polite would be the photographers ASKING if we would like our photo taken, and ACCEPTING the word "NO" as an answer, and moving on.

 

What it has become is blatent harassment by the photographers of the passengers.

 

Its almost like trying to escape telemarketers now, but at least with them many have coller ID and can refuse to pick up the phone.

 

And sorry, I paid for a relaxing vacation, not to run from photographers constantly at ports and on the ship.

 

I do however agree with the set ups on Formal and Informal nights where there are specific times and places to accomodte those who CHOSE to have their photos taken. I also like the new 'lifestyle' photo set up.

 

As I said IF they would ASK and ACCEPT 'NO' for an answer and walk away, that would be the polite thing to do. Taking time from my hard earned vacation that I am paying for is NOT acceptable in my book.

 

Dave:eek:

[BobBeaSea]

Usually a polite no is sufficient however if you get an aggressive photographer (and they are out there) more drastic action has to be taken :D. Usually an embarkation port will have enough space to bypass the photographer but if it doesn't and you did not want to pose for a picture, thank your chosen cruise line for completely wasting your time on behalf of their drive for revenue.

 

Cruising is the only type of vacation I take where the photo industry is big. Must be something in it....ahhh! memories :)

[Sow There]

Usually a polite no is sufficient however if you get an aggressive photographer (and they are out there) more drastic action has to be taken. Usually an embarkation port will have enough space to bypass the photographer but if it doesn't and you did not want to pose for a picture, thank your chosen cruise line for completely wasting your time on behalf of their drive for revenue. We do get photos taken but they are our choice and number, not that of the photographers.

 

Cruising is the only type of vacation I take where the photo industry is big. Must be something in it....ahhh! memories :)

Well, that's not totally true. Some all-inclusive resorts still do the photography thing, but the photogs are not as omnipresent as they are on cruise ships.

 

And, while I understand the notion that the photogs are just doing their job, so they shouldn't be hassled by passengers. would those apologists who, if they were on a tour bus in Egypt or Morocco where the local traders are constantly pushing their wares in theit faces, interrupting conversations, etc. be as tolerant?

 

The Egyptian vendors are almost as pushy as the photogs but are treated much more rudely.

 

By the way, the ship's photography operation is a "leased" business, meaning the photography company pays the ship for the exclusive rights, the operating space, the gallery space, billing services, etc. That means the photogs are not Celebrity staff and, if they become overly annoying, can be invited by Celebrity to leave the ship.

 

When they become overly intrusive, don't make a scene. Take a name or two and lodge a complaint with the Hotel Manager.

[Ma Bell]

If there's a line, there always seems to be plenty of room to just walk on by while the photogs are taking someone else's photo. If there's no line, it only takes a moment to get your photo taken.

The only ones that take any time are the formal portraits that one chooses to take.

[BobBeaSea]

"Well, that's not totally true. Some all-inclusive resorts still do the photography thing, but the photogs are not as omnipresent as they are on cruise ships." quote by Sow There

 

I too have stayed in many an AI and some have had a photographer. My statement was "Cruising is the only type of vacation I take where the photography industry is big". I did not say there was no photography at all in other types of vacation. Show me any other vacation type where the photogs are at it on a schedule even remotely close to a cruise ship. The only reason I posted this is you said I wasn't being totally true. I really didn't think I was lying in my post.

[amagar]

I'm the original poster....

 

FYI: I did not intend the word "war" to imply violence...or even anything verging on rude behavior.

 

Rather, I was hoping for some unified revolt against against what we -- and apparently many others -- view as increasingly pushy practice.

 

Do shipboard photogs ruin my cruise? No. But I would prefer aggressive photogs to fade from the cruise experience.

[RichardK]

By the way, the ship's photography operation is a "leased" business, meaning the photography company pays the ship for the exclusive rights, the operating space, the gallery space, billing services, etc. That means the photogs are not Celebrity staff and, if they become overly annoying, can be invited by Celebrity to leave the ship.

 

See my post on the first page of this thread.

[Host Anne]

If any crew member (photographer or other) is truly harassing you, the best way to approach it is to get their name and go to guest services and request to speak with the Hotel Manager/Director. Be pleasant but insistent that you want to speak with them. Make your concerns known to them and let them know that you'd like the photographer (or wine steward, etc.) to stop.

 

We've been cruising since the early 1990s. Most photographers leave us alone when we politely say "no, thank-you." We cruised on four different ships in the past year and I haven't found photographers to be pushy on any of them. Keep in mind that those posting in this thread are a very small percentage of the overall cruising population. I have no doubt that there are some photographers (and other crew members) who annoy passengers by being overly aggressive but I don't think you are going to get a unified revolt pulled together here on Cruise Critic.

 

I really encourage you to report aggressive crew members at the time you are experiencing the situation. It's much easier to get it dealt with immediately.