5 Camera Tips for Cruise Ship Vacations

After all the perfume is used, the candies or coffee have been enjoyed, and the suntans have faded, the photographs from a cruise ship vacation take on additional value. Photos are powerful mementos of great trips gone by and can take you back to that moment – on the beach, at a local festival, or watching your child try an exotic dish for the first time – instantly. Here’s how to ensure you’re camera-ready at all times.

1. Don’t bring a camera you’re not experienced in using. Things can move fast when you’re in the middle of the action and want to snap a few photos. It’s really not the time to be fiddling with adjustments and settings. That being said, bring the instruction book for the camera. If something goes wrong, you want to be able to troubleshoot it right away, and the instructions can provide the necessary guidance.

2. Pack extra batteries and a charging cord if your camera has one. Buying batteries on board a cruise ship is expensive, so be sure to pack your own, and extra if you can. Don’t forget to add those batteries to your day bag when heading off-ship for excursions.

3. Understand what kind of file format your camera uses for storing photos. For example, if using a DSLR camera, the options are usually RAW or JPG, and the choice of which to use can have a big effect on how quickly you fill a memory card.

4. Always be ready. You never know when a great opportunity will pop up for that perfect shot, so do take your camera everywhere (taking into account safety, of course!). And sometimes you won’t even know what the perfect shot is until afterward so don’t be afraid to grab a few shots you might not otherwise take. Take a picture of that gorgeously plated meal. Or how big your cruise ship looks compared to the small tug next to it.

5. And you. Don’t forget yourself. Don’t be so busy as a photographer trying to catch every amazing moment that you forget to ever get yourself into a photo with your family. Because as much as a vacation is about the destination, it’s really about the people. That’s why we travel with our friends and family. So hand over the camera at least one time, and let someone else take the photo. Many years from now, you’ll be glad you did.