One of the questions I get from Disney Cruise Line clients is whether the onboard photo package is worth adding to their cruise.
My answer? It really depends on your family and how much you’ll use it.
I think the photo package is a very easy place to cut costs if you’re trying to keep your cruise budget in check. We all have excellent cameras in our pockets these days, and you can certainly come home with plenty of wonderful vacation photos without purchasing it.
That said, if the budget allows, I think the photo package can be such a fun splurge. Disney’s photographers know the ships, the lighting and the best angles, and I’ve noticed a real improvement in the quality of the equipment and photos in recent years. Plus, it’s awfully nice to have an entire collection of vacation pictures where mom is actually in them!
How the Disney Cruise Line Photo Package Works
The unlimited digital photo package is priced based on the length of your cruise and purchased by stateroom. You can purchase it in advance for a discount, which is why I remind my clients about it a few times throughout the planning process. If you think you want it, there is really no reason to wait until you’re onboard and pay more.
The value also depends a bit on how your family is booked. If your immediate family is all staying together in one stateroom, it’s much easier to get your money’s worth from a single package. If you’re traveling with extended family or your group is split among multiple staterooms, the economics can look a little different since the package is tied to the stateroom rather than your entire traveling party. That’s something I always consider when helping clients decide whether it’s a worthwhile addition for their particular family.
Throughout the cruise, you’ll find Disney photographers at character greetings and stationed around the ship for evening portraits and other special photo opportunities. They know exactly where to stand and how to capture the beautiful spaces onboard, which can make a noticeable difference in the finished photos.
Your pictures begin appearing digitally almost immediately, and with the package you can download the included images right to your device. I love being able to save, share and post favorites throughout the cruise rather than waiting until we get home to see everything.
Once you’re home, you’ll have a limited window to make sure you’ve downloaded and saved all of your images. From there, they’re yours to print, frame, add to albums or turn into a photo book from your vacation.
How to Get Your Money’s Worth
Here’s the most important thing I tell my clients: the photo package is only as valuable as the amount of time you’re willing to put into getting pictures taken.
If your family plans to meet lots of characters, take a few minutes before dinner for portraits and stop at the various photo opportunities around the Grand Hall, you can come home with a wonderful collection of professional vacation photos. I especially love taking advantage of the photographers on the evenings when everyone is already dressed for dinner.
You’ll find the photographers sporadically in port, which is always a fun surprise!
Personally, when I purchase the package, I make a point to use it. We’ll stop at several backdrops, take the character photos and get plenty of family pictures because I know that’s ultimately what makes the package worthwhile.
On the other hand, if your family tends to breeze right past photographers, isn’t particularly interested in character greetings and doesn’t enjoy stopping for posed photos, this may be a very easy expense to skip. Buying the package and then realizing at the end of the cruise that you only stopped for six pictures is probably not going to feel like money well spent.
So, Is It Worth It?
I would put the Disney Cruise Line photo package firmly in the “nice to have” rather than “must have” category.
The value is greatest when your family is together in one stateroom and you know you’ll make a point to stop for plenty of pictures. If photos are important to your family and the budget allows, I think it’s a really fun splurge.
If you’re traveling with extended family across several staterooms, you’re not a family that enjoys posed photos or you’re simply looking for places to trim the vacation budget, I’d be more inclined to put those dollars elsewhere.
For us, there is something wonderful about coming home with an entire collection of vacation photos where nobody had to hand Mom a phone, worry about the lighting or figure out how to get the whole family into the frame. And after the cruise, those professional photos tend to be some of the ones I’m happiest we took.
If you’re one of my clients, don’t worry about remembering when to purchase it. I’ll remind you along the way so you can take advantage of the advance-purchase savings if you decide the photo package is right for your family.
Let’s Set Sail
As a Premier Level Advisor with Glass Slipper Concierge, I am recognized for providing the highest level of customer service, experience and knowledge in the industry. I use my personal connections and firsthand expertise to craft bespoke vacations for the most discerning clients. On top of that, travel is expensive and I know how to get the best value for your time and money. Most aspects of planning a family vacation look different and now, more than ever, it is crucial to have the most current, up to date information based on personal experience to plan your vacation!
My family are platinum level cruisers on Disney Cruise Line, having sailed on the most magical ships at sea TWENTY times. Not only that, but you can count on my recent and personal experience sailing two to three times a year. I’ve experienced every stateroom type available, from the inside to a concierge suite across every ship in the fleet. And, I’ve dined in the restaurants, enjoyed the port adventures and done it all so I can best advise YOU!
I offer concierge travel planning for Walt Disney World® Resort, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland® Resort, Adventures by Disney®, Aulani, National Geographic Expeditions, Universal Orlando, Sea World and other delightful destinations around the globe! Let’s go there!
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