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Cutting chemicals and clutter, Image Photo goes all print-on-request aboard Quantum

The Image Group
Quantum's Focus Photo Gallery - no paper, no clutter, compact footprint
In Quantum of the Seas' Focus Photo Gallery, gone are the thousands of prints that cruisers typically have to thumb through to find their pictures aboard a ship. There aren't even print photos placed in personal stateroom folders, as in some vessels' newer or updated galleries.

In a big stride forward to reduce waste and save space while improving customer service, concessionaire Image Photo debuted purely print on request service aboard Quantum, a first.

'This is all print on request using a dry lab with zero chemicals and no paper waste. It's really incredible,' said Emma Graham-Taylor, chief operating officer, The Image Group.

'It's fantastic that we have a relationship with a business partner like Image that continues to think about pollution,' Rich Pruitt, director, environmental and public health programs, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., told Seatrade Insider. 'Everyone wants to reduce waste and pollution. Their technology allows us to have a zero-waste cost process. We no longer have to offload silver recovery units.

'We couldn't be happier,' Pruitt added.

Quantum passengers wave their WOWband wristband or touch their SeaPass card on a photo gallery kiosk to access their digital images. The Image Group's patented 'youFinder' system uses facial recognition technology to link each person's security photo, required at embarkation, with subsequent pictures shot by the Image photographers.

A separate touch-screen photo finder helps people locate lost images by answering a few multiple-choice questions such as time of day the picture was taken and the type of activity.

Customers select the images they want and can order prints and other products and packages, including all their photos via a CD to take home.

'This footprint is much smaller than the photo shop on the [smaller] Sovereign class,' Graham-Taylor noted. 'Our partners at Royal Caribbean challenged us to reduce the space.'

Image has been ramping up to the fully digital system for several years. Besides cutting waste and clutter, and saving space, the digital galleries on newer or retrofitted ships have increased revenue and guest satisfaction because they provide a better customer experience, Image md Brynley Davies has stated in the past.