Really saddened to hear about Erwitt’s passing. His photographs always had a way of capturing life’s quirky moments in such a genuine and heartwarming way. Thanks for sharing.

That’s incredible, congratulations!

1. Register the copyright - ideally this is already done but better now than later if it isn’t
2. Contact a lawyer that deals with copyright. The outcome is going to depend on a variety of factors, but when it comes to dealing with larger entities like this you should use a lawyer rather than sending a demand letter yourself.

On a side note you could run a bulk reverse image search on your images to see if there are other infringements like this on the web (Recommend not using a service like pixsy as then you are forced to use their infringement lawyers and wont be able to pursue it any other way) which might give some idea as to where the image came from. Chances are it isn’t the cruise ship company themself that got it, but rather they purchased it somewhere.

I’ve had similar issues in my earlier days and they’re always a learning curve. Given your relationship with the client and their past satisfaction, it’s worth being transparent with them. Explain the challenges faced during the shoot (late arrival, unavailability of proper food products, unprepared staff, etc.) but do so professionally, without pointing fingers.

Now, about the photos - since you’re not satisfied with the quality, it’s better not to compromise your standard. But also maybe take a step back and re-evaluate the shoot - sometimes we can be a bit harsh on ourselves when coming off a situation like this and you might still have some decent shots you can use. If it’s really not up to par then perhaps offer a re-shoot at a discounted rate, depending on your relationship with the client. This way, you’re not just leaving them high and dry but providing a solution.

Above all else though, you’ve got the right idea about not letting clients dictate unrealistic timelines. Future shoots should have clear time allocations that consider setup, possible delays, and shooting time.