Marshall Emerson, photo operations manager for Hornblower Cruises, wasn’t on the job very long before he realized a change was in order.  The company – which operates popular tour boats inSan Francisco Bay, San Diego Harbor and other venues on the California coast – was paying too much for the keepsake photos it produced for its passengers.

The answer:  Replace the film-based, chemically processed images produced using a cumbersome mini-lab located on a nearby dock with digital-based, photo-quality images from the Sony SnapLab™ digital photofinishing system.

“We did some very thorough calculations and found that the SnapLab’s per-print cost was much lower than other systems,” Emerson said.  “Once I figured that out, I didn’t know why we weren’t handling our photo service this way.”

The decision was made much easier when Hornblower Cruises considered the other advantages of the SnapLab system – such as its small size and portability, which makes it ideal for on-site and event applications.  Emerson said he regularly moves photographers and SnapLab systems from one cruise boat to another in order to offer guests keepsake photos right after they’re taken – while everyone is still enjoying the cruise.  As a result, purchase rates are very high.

“Customers are always thrilled when we can put a print in their hands right away that they can see and enjoy,” Emerson said.  “It’s far better than sending them home with a CD or a Memory Stick® card.”

Easy to move from place to place and able to fit in small spaces, Sony’s SnapLab system weighs just 24 pounds.  But in that small package are sophisticated editing tools.  Emerson’s team can add borders, text and other digital embellishments to images to reflect each boat tour.  The SnapLab system also can crop images, adjust colors, reduce red-eye and transform photographs to black and white or sepia tones.

“Its editing features, which allow you to sharpen and improve the images, and its customization abilities for a particular type of cruise – from a wedding party, to whale watching, to our harbor tours – are just great,” Emerson said.  “They make our photos really special for our guests in a way we could never do with our previous systems.”

The results are extremely sharp, color-accurate prints – and a lot of them.  In addition to the SnapLab system’s exceptional image quality, it is highly productive.

“In some cases, our boats are running hourly tours for 12 hours a day,” Emerson said.  “One weekend recently, we were printing 105 5 by 7-inch prints every hour from each of our Sony printers.”

Emerson, a former combat photographer who relied on Sony video equipment in the field, said he has confidence not only in Sony equipment but in the company’s commitment to stand behind its products.

“Whenever I needed support then and whenever we need support now, we get what we need,” he said.  “I have never been let down by the technical support that Sony provides.”

This in turn helps Hornblower Cruises never having to let down its passengers who want a quality photo keepsake.