Photo Package worth it?

[lisawalder95]

This is my first time on a Disney cruise. Is it worth it to buy the photo package beforehand? Will the character pictures be included as well as the ones from the settings in the atrium, etc? I'm going on the Halloween on the High Seas one if that makes a difference.

 

[MomOTwins]

Yes character photos are included. I personally think the package is overpriced but only you can say what is worth it to you.

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

It is pricey. If you think you might want a lot of the photos, it can be worth it compared to the individual photo costs. If you don't want a lot of photos or think (or actually do) spend a lot of your cruise time running around to get photos to get your money's worth, it may not be worth it.

 

[Off to Neverland 7]

I think it depends on what "worth it" means to you and your family. You'll probably read a lot of feedback saying that it's super expensive and that's true. The memories are "priceless" but can also be taken with your own camera by the cast members, along with their professional cameras.

For our family's preferences, it is not worth it since we have a really great camera and don't really enjoy waiting in lines for the photographers. We also didn't enjoy the framing and up-closeness of the "professional" photographs.

 

[BarlowFamily]

Yes, very overpriced. On our first cruise last year, I looked into the package before the trip and was shocked at the price (for just 4 days! geeze!) BUT I ended up purchasing on the cruise, and missed out on that pre-cruise discount price. We were traveling with grandparents who live on opposite coasts. They captured great family shots, and some of their character pics were better than the ones I took. After deleting duplicates or bad pics, we ended up with 100 that we love...works out to a few bucks for each picture. We're going on a longer cruise next month and we are pretty sure we'll purchase the package ahead of time.

 

[lisawalder95]

Thanks everyone! I love pictures...best memories to me on a vacation. I guess I just didn't know the cost if you purchased a picture individually so I could compare. Also, I didn't think photographers could use your own phone...as least from my experience on other cruise lines. Is that different for Disney?

 

[SG131]

Thanks everyone! I love pictures...best memories to me on a vacation. I guess I just didn't know the cost if you purchased a picture individually so I could compare. Also, I didn't think photographers could use your own phone...as least from my experience on other cruise lines. Is that different for Disney?

MOST of the photographers would use my phone. There were a couple taking pictures on the stairs during formal night that would not, but then we just asked someone behind us in line to take a picture for us. I'm used to having the photo package because I have an AP at the park and did miss it a little but couldn't justify the price point. Worked out great without it.

 

[jenmiller114]

It is definitely a personal choice. I have been on 15 cruises and did the package for the first time when we went to Alaska in June. I have a nice camera but I enjoyed not lugging it around all night. The photographers use their cameras and the cast members/handlers will use your camera if you ask them to. I think the cast member photos are fine but the photographers are definitely better because they have the lights. etc. After I went through all of the photos, I ended up with about 67 that I thought were worth keeping.

After dinner one night, the photographers weren't very busy so we stopped at all of the different stations. (Normally we just do characters). I think we were having trouble getting one of my kids to smile and this is one of the photos he took. I don't know how he managed to capture it on film but it honestly made the package 100% worth it to me.

 

[deliela999]

It is expensive but I thought it was worth it. We got lots of good pictures, much better than with our phones. We also got family pictures we probably wouldn't have taken ourselves. We chased characters most of the cruise and DD had an autograph book that had a spot for a picture on one side and the autograph on the other for each page. As soon as we got home she loved picking out which picture to print with each character to put by the signatures. My only complaint is that they didn't print right as 4x6 and I had to do a little cropping. I do wish they'd had an option to have pictures taken after the BBB. We walked around and took pictures but they are all dark and not the greatest. By dinner she'd lost interest in the huge glittery dress and changed but her hair was still up.

 

[Calantha]

We did it on our first cruise...one stateroom pre-purchased and the rooms all received a discount. With 12 people between 4 rooms we did lots of different pictures over the 8 days. So it was worth it for sure.

The next time we go there will only be 4 of us on a 5 day cruise and my dad’s girlfriend is a great photographer... so we probably won’t get one.

 

[MichelleCanada]

It is expensive! But at $21 for one picture it doesn’t take many pictures to make it a good deal. We have not got the package for any of our 3 cruises we have been on. But the last two we got the portfolio with 4 pictures for $85! I should just get the pre-paid package!! Some of our best family pictures have been the ones taken by the photographers on the cruises.

 

[squirk]

No, it’s not worth it.

Obviously, just my opinion. But I cherish the candids taken of my wife and kids with my iPhone 100x more than any of the posed pictures we’ve ever taken on a cruise.

 

[tlprice]

I have gotten it on all 6 of our cruises. I think it is worth it. I usually take pictures with my phone too or have the photographers do it, but theirs are always so much better. In many places on the ship the lighting isn't very good for phone pictures. It also allows me to convince my daughter to get a lot more pictures! I tell her I will only buy it if she promises to get a lot of pictures. So far, she has. We always end up with more than 100 pictures. We have also gotten some fabulous pictures of her and the two of us with some of the various backgrounds. I don't think you can take any of those pictures with your own camera/phone.

Also, if you pre-purchase the package, but then decide on the ship that you just didn't get enough pictures or ones you liked, you can cancel it and get your money back as long as you do it before the final night.

 

[Chrislovesdisney]

We did not prepurchase, but when reviewing the photos taken, we got a package while on the ship. The photographers’ photos were better than those we asked people to take with our cameras/phones. The frames they added bothered me; it made it harder to crop the photos into other sizes/shapes when I made our souvenir book and ordered prints. Even though there’s a prepay option, I’d probably wait again and determine at the time if the photos are worth it.

Edited: of course, I just wrote this and then saw another post that you can cancel while onship. That may change things!

 

[Calantha]

Even though there’s a prepay option, I’d probably wait again and determine at the time if the photos are worth it.

Edited: of course, I just wrote this and then saw another post that you can cancel while onship. That may change things!

Yes - pre-order and then you can cancel if you don't like the pictures. Although, if you have the Disney Chase card, you can get a discount too:
10% Off Select Disney Cruise Line Digital Photo Packages: Receive 10% off the non-discounted price of 10-photo, 15-photo, 20-photo and all-inclusive Disney Cruise Line digital photo packages.

 

[ryankski]

My understanding of reading the chase Disney Visa terms is the discount is only on purchased packages on board, correct? Or does it work on prepurchase packages? If you prepurchase what's the discount? Is it comparable to or greater than the Disney Visa 10%? Also is it $21 (as mentioned above) for one digital print? That seems like the cost of one physical picture.

I was just looking at this last night to make a decision on our first DCL coming up in October

 

[tlprice]

My understanding of reading the chase Disney Visa terms is the discount is only on purchased packages on board, correct? Or does it work on prepurchase packages? If you prepurchase what's the discount? Is it comparable to or greater than the Disney Visa 20%? Also is it $21 (as mentioned above) for one digital print? That seems like the cost of one physical picture.

Disney Visa is 10% off. Pre-purchase is 15% off. You cannot combine the two. I don't know the price of individual prints as I have always bought the package.