Cruise Photographer

[Gizmo]

Has anyone used a cruise photographer for your wedding photos? If so, were you happy with the results? I would like some artistic/editorial photos for my wedding however most cruise line's policy does not allow you to bring your own photographer.

 

I would love to hear you feedback. Tks

[KimmyG]

Also, If you use the cruise line photographer will you still have to pay their standard $20/photo or do you get specialized packages?

[Banana11]

I have heard that you shouldn't mention you are bringing your own photographer. And if asked, it's just a friend with photo skills!

[michaelwachniak]

I worked Jan 2006 to April 2007 as a Photographer on a major cruise line... I can honestly tell you this: Bring your own photographer. There are so many positive aspects of using the cruise ship photographer, but in the end (at least for this situation) they are very limited (time, locations, etc). When I shot my only wedding as a cruise ship photographer, I was only allowed (as per the wedding package) to shoot the ceremony, 1 hour of formal photos (on the ship only, as we were at sea, but i dont think i would have gotten off if we were docked), and then 3 photos in the steakhouse at night when they were having dinner (oh ya and 1 with their wedding cake after the steakhouse). Then there are the packages... X number of dollars gets you the 'coverage only' then you pay for the photos you want and the remaining ones literally get 'recycled' at the end of the cruise...

 

I would give anything to be a REAL wedding photographer on a cruise, there is so much potential!

 

In the end, I really do think people would be much happier with a full time wedding photographer. Having said that, most of the photographers on the ships have some insane talent and would knock your socks off... its just the packages and policies that diminish the WOW factor.

 

Thats my 2 CDN cents! If anyone has any cruise ship related questions, please don't hesitate to ask away! I am more than happy to help out! Besides, it gives the ol' nostalgia a kickstart

 

Michael

[TammyB]

My suggestion is to "invite" a photographer as a guest and just tell them they are friends of yours. You should be ok that way.

[Prettyhazardous]

Yea from what I hear as long as the cruiseline thinks the person is just a friend its ok. On my last cruise we were with a big CC group and this guy in the group was a photographer. He was sooooo funny, he took great pics of us the entire trip then put them on a site for us and everything (I digress...) But anyway the thing that cracked me and my FI up was that when the Carnival photographers set up their areas he would take is daughter (she was like 2 and is prolly the most photographed child on earth lol) and put her in their area and take pics. He kept getting in trouble the entire cruise he had us all cracking up. As long as ur photographer stays away from the cruiselines set ups you should be fine.

[Natural]

I have a cousin who loves to takes pictures and he volunteered his services once we announced our engagement. So he will be my main photog.

[Miss Mojo]

I've been facing the same question and also came up with the solution of "inviting" the photographer as a guest for my cruise wedding this October. Glad to see I'm not the only one!

[Lesli127T]

Do you have any samples of professional cruise photos?

I would love to see them. 

[Banana11]

I don't because we used the photographer hired by the little hotel we were married at.  I highly recommend bringing your own photographer.  It's my biggest regret!  I would have skimped on other things just to have the money to make it work.  I've seen cruise ship photographer pictures on another website and IMHO they don't even come close to being as amazing as what you see from the BDW photographers.  Probably because they are so limited in what they can shoot.