Saturday, April 2, 2011

21 DAYS TO GO . . .

     SATURDAY APRIL 2, 2011

     PHOTOGRAPHS ON-BOARD YOUR DISNEY CRUISE ARE DONE BY "SHUTTERS".  UNLIKE THE DISNEY PARKS, THERE IS NO PHOTOPASS ON THE DISNEY CRUISE LINE SHIPS.  THERE ARE PHOTOGRAPHERS ALL OVER TAKING PICTURES, BOTH IMPROMPTU AND STAGED, WITH CHARACTERS AND WITHOUT, BUT SHUTTERS IS A PRIVATE COMPANY, NOT DISNEY, SO IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
     YOU WILL SEE YOUR FIRST PHOTOGRAPHER AS SOON AS YOU START TO BOARD.  THIS IS THE ONE PHOTOGRAPH THAT IS MANDATORY.  IT'S A NICE JUST ON-BOARD PHOTO, BUT THE PICTURE ITSELF IS USED FOR DISNEY'S FACIAL RECOGNITION SOFTWARE THAT'S BUILT RIGHT INTO YOUR KEY TO THE WORLD CARD.  WHAT IS IT?  WELL EVERY TIME YOUR PICTURE IS TAKEN AGAIN BY THE SAME PHOTOGRAPHERS THEY'RE LOADED INTO A COMPUTER.  THAT COMPUTER USES YOUR ORIGINAL BOARDING PHOTOS TO MATCH UP YOUR FACES AND STORE ALL PICTURES OF YOU TOGETHER.  PRETTY COOL HUH?  I KNOW THIS RAISES ALL KINDS OF "BUT WHAT IF" QUESTIONS.  AND YOU'RE RIGHT.  THERE'S NO WAY FOR THIS TO BE A PERFECT SYSTEM.  SOME PHOTOS OF YOU WILL OBVIOUSLY BE MISPLACED OR LOST AND YOU WILL NEVER SEE THEM, BUT MOST SO FAR ARE FINDING THEIR WAY TO YOUR PORTFOLIO.  SO THE SYSTEM IS WORKING PRETTY WELL.
     SHUTTERS IS ALSO THE NAME OF THE PHOTO SHOP ON BOARD WHERE YOU CAN PURCHASE ANY PHOTO SUPPLIES AND YOUR ACTUAL PHOTOGRAPHS AS WELL.  THEY COME IN TWO SIZES, 6"X8" & 8"X10".  THEY ARE $10 AND $20 PER PRINT RESPECTIVELY.  THERE ARE BUNDLED PACKAGES AVAILABLE AS WELL WHERE YOU CAN SAVE ON THE PER PRINT PRICE, OR A PHOTO CD OF EVERY PICTURE TAKEN OF YOU OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR CRUISE THAT RANGES FROM LIKE $200 - $400 DEPENDING ON THE LENGTH OF YOUR CRUISE.  SHUTTERS PHOTO PRICES ARE RIDICULOUS.  YOU WILL SCARCELY GO ANYWHERE ON EARTH WHERE YOU WILL BE CHARGED MORE FOR A SINGLE PHOTOGRAPH. 
     THE PLUS IS THAT SHUTTERS PHOTOGRAPHERS WILL TAKE PICTURES OF THEIR OWN AND SOME WITH YOUR CAMERA AS WELL WHEN POSING.  SO AT LEAST YOU HAVE THE CHOICE.  IF MONEY IS NO OBJECT THEN THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE WELL WORTH IT.  THEY TAKE LOTS OF THEM AND THEY'RE ALMOST ALWAYS REPORTED AS BEING EXCELLENT.
     THIS IS A HUGE MONEY MAKER FOR DISNEY BECAUSE OF THE INFLATED PRICES, THE NUMBER OF PICTURES TAKEN TO CHOOSE FROM, AND THE FACT THAT THEY ARE SO WELL DONE THAT IT'S OFTEN HARD TO SAY NO TO ALL OF THEM.  DO THE MATH.  IF 4,000 CRUISERS ON-BOARD ONLY BOUGHT ONE 6"X8" AT $10, THAT'S $40,000 RIGHT THERE.  YOU CAN SEE WHERE MULTIPLES, $100 & $200 PACKAGES OR $300 CD's REALLY UP THE PROFIT FAST.  SO BE SMART ABOUT WHAT YOU CHOOSE.  IF YOU PURCHASE A PIC YOU CAN ALWAYS EXCHANGE IT BEFORE THE END OF YOUR CRUISE IF YOU LIKE ONE BETTER.  YOU CAN DOWNGRADE OR UPGRADE YOUR PACKAGE IF YOU'VE PURCHASED ONE OR WOULD LIKE TO BASED ON WHAT YOU WANT TO GET.  THEY'RE VERY FLEXIBLE ABOUT TAKING YOUR MONEY.  REMEMBER, SOME IS BETTER THAN NONE, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TAUGHT.  AS LONG AS YOU'RE PURCHASING SOMETHING IT'S A WIN/WIN.  HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK IT COSTS TO PRINT AN ENTIRE ROLL OF PHOTOS OF YOU?  IF YOU PURCHASE ONE, THEY PAID FOR IT.  SO ENJOY . . . AND SMILE FOR THE CAMERA!
     SEA YA REAL SOON!   ºOº
TONIGHT'S MOVIE IS "THE RESCUERS DOWN UNDER".  THIS WAS THE FIRST DISNEY ANIMATED FILM TO USE NEW CAMERA TECHNIQUES GIVING 2D ANIMATION A 3D FEEL.  GREAT VISUAL FILM.  WE ALSO MANAGED "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST", WHICH ABSOLUTELY DESERVED A BEST PICTURE NOMINATION; PHENOMENAL, AND "ALADDIN" WHICH MY SON COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER.  ROBIN WILLIAMS AS THE GENIE MAY BE HIS BEST ROLL EVER.

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