What Is Up With Those Art Auctions?

Has anyone ever purchased a painting at the art auctions Cunard holds on board? I tried to watch one of these auctions in the Winter Garden one day, and found the event to be kind of cheesey and left early on, without even sitting down. I was wondering why anyone would even buy a painting while on a cruise, especially a crossing.

If anyone on the board bought a painting at one of these auctions, please write in. Did you carry the painting off the ship with you? Did Cunard make arrangements to ship it back to your home? How does that work?

Just curious whether this is some misfit event, or whether they sell all kinds of paintings on these voyages.

Paul

I agree Paul - not my taste at all and seem pretty expensive to me. Why don't they show the type of work we see in decent galleries on shore. Still there must be money it it - but none of mine -so far!!!!

I agree with you both. The collection taste range was all over the place and was weighted primarily in the cheesy zone. It also takes over a fairly nice space, making it inaccessible and looking more like a garage or jumble sale! Perhaps the overall effect would be better if they catalogued the wares.

Oh well... we invested more in the art of the Commodore Club, the champagne bar and the spa. Those Sapphire martinis deserve to be in a gallery of their own.

.... i will be totally honest and say that l usually go a few times during a cruise, early on, enjoy the free drink, ensure l get my bidding paddle and wait for the free prize draw at the end, but have noticed sometimes there are a few nice pics of ocean liners, so far l have restrained myself from bidding.. oh and havent won the draw either!!!! more often than not l end up asleep after the lunch, but hey that the joys of the QE2, or am l just a tight scotsman???

Paul, if you didn't sit down, you obviously had no interest, so, why now the sudden interest as to how you receive your purchase. And, further, why the need to start this thread? It's been done hundreds of times before!

Horses for courses!!

Some people like bridge, some like crafts, some like wine tasting, some can't wait for trivia, and, yes, some appreciate the art auctions.......they do, in fact, usually offer "value" for a knowledgeable purchaser!

An unsigned, unnumbered ocean liner print of unlimited run, with a supposed retail value of $150.00, being sold for $80.00 does not seem to be a good value to me. Atleast that is how I saw a print by James Flood being marketed on the NORWAY by the auction house that used to sell on her. I'll keep on buying my Stobarts and Blasiers through land based galleries! Thank you.

Paul, if you didn't sit down, you obviously had no interest, so, why now the sudden interest as to how you receive your purchase. Horses for courses!! Some people like bridge, some like crafts, some like wine tasting, some can't wait for trivia, and, yes, some appreciate the art auctions.......they do, in fact, usually offer "value" for a knowledgeable purchaser!

I was told the art is shipped from their warehouse(Fort Lauderdale?). Several years ago I had lunch on a Princess cruise with a young couple who bought 8 pieces! I saw them in the bar one night and the autioneer was buying them a drink. I should hope so.

I sat through about 5 min. of one. The art generally isn't to my taste and I find most of the pictures are too large and wouldn't fit my house.

But it's something to do and depending on what you call fun could be entertaining.

Paul

They even have those art auctions on the P & O cruises that I do. I too find a cruise ship a very odd place to have these art auctions. To be honest if I want a painting I tend to go to a gallery here. My son however was taken by a painting when we were on board Aurora at Xmas. He took a note of the painters name and did a search on google when we got home.

I do believe that the paintings are delivered to your home address. I don't think you have to walk off the ship with them under your arm!!!! :)

Elaine

aaannnthony

Like you say it's horses for courses but I too find a cruise ship a very strange place to have these art auctions.

Elaine

It looks like the paintings can be good value if you know what you do.

On my last crossing I met a passenger who financed his trip and even made a lot of money by buying many paintings and reselling them at home for much higher prices. I am talking about five digit purchases every day.

Regarding taking the items home: Of course the auction company will deliver them to you. Back in 2003 shipping price varied between $ 31 and $ 139 depending on size and destination.

The "art auctions" are a Carnival staple. Same exact format seen on the Carnival Holiday on a cheapie to Cozumel from New Orleans as seen on QM2. Could swear even saw some exact same prints. I would have bought if they had Elvis on velvet but, as you say horses for courses. Rather spend my time in the Commodore Club.

Happy cruises.

Jim.

Jim, the art auctions are not a Carnival staple, they are a staple of all cruise lines, except lines with "small" ships, such as Seabourn. You'll see art auctions on Royal Carib. & Celebrity, NCL, even Radisson and Crystal. So, don't label it a "Carnival staple".

The cruiselines do them because there's enough interest to warrant doing them, and, they also profit from it. They are most particularly happy to see "dealers" aboard who make multiple purchases. About three years ago, I chatted with a dealer who made about 20 purchases, on Celebrity, mostly the Disney cartoon type items, and, she opined that she would easily resell all her purchases at double plus.

Usually attend at least one on each voyage and have won some of the drawings. While onboard the QM2 on its maiden caribbean voyage, I did buy one of the framed, signed and numbered Flood prints of the QM2. the $150. I paid for it was well worth it. The frame would have cost that much alone, and it has a plate on it about the inaugural season. It is hanging in my family room and I enjoy it every day.

I have bought a couple inexpensive art works because I liked them and they were not available in our art galleries.

They are almost always mailed to your home with a few exceptions.

I mainly go to learn about art and the salesman always gives a lot of information about each artist.

Has anyone ever purchased a painting at the art auctions Cunard holds on board? I tried to watch one of these auctions in the Winter Garden one day, and found the event to be kind of cheesey and left early on, without even sitting down. I was wondering why anyone would even buy a painting while on a cruise, especially a crossing.

 

If anyone on the board bought a painting at one of these auctions, please write in. Did you carry the painting off the ship with you? Did Cunard make arrangements to ship it back to your home? How does that work?

 

Just curious whether this is some misfit event, or whether they sell all kinds of paintings on these voyages.

 

Paul

You know, I'd have to totally agree with you. I thought that sailing on Cunard meant that it was a little more classy but instead we got gold by the inch and art auctions!! I have never been tempted to go to any art auctions on any cruise I've been on!!

Brad

This is the thing. I have purchased art onboard and offboard through local galleries. You pay for what you love and you pay what you think is fair. If someone told me that the piece I absolutely love and am currently salivating went up to $20,000 instead of $5,000 I'd just wait longer to buy it or something similar because I love the artist and his work and it appeals to me on an emotional level. Don't buy art EVER for the investment value alone. Although you can get lucky. We purchased a few very small limited edition Tarkay's a few years back on a cruise ship and surprise surprise, they actually increased/doubled in value over the past six years. We bought older pieces and knew what we were doing. Even if they had decreased in value, I would have still bought them, as I LOVED the pieces. I recently purchased a De Rubeis original on a cruise ship, because I loved the piece and had seen something similar at our local gallery which I couldn't afford. The fact that I could afford what I got made me happy and maybe one day I will trade up. I recently read " The Longest Ride" by Nicholas Sparks and the art collection of the main character sums up why we collect art....because we love it. We are addicted to creating it and having it in our homes. I have the typical Cruise ship buys from Luongo, Tarkay, Thomas Tribby, and yes even Peter Max, but we also have items from lesser and greater known artists, originals and limited ( small editions). All the art we have purchased with the exception of one Peter Max is worth the same to resale as when we bought it and about 30% is higher. Don't pay full price. Do, take your phone and google the art you are looking at and then literally show them the value and they won't even blink twice to offer for the same price. If you love something, pay whatever your heart tells you, especially if it's an original. The Peter Max I bought is an original and I LOVE it and would have paid the same value for it all over again, even if it takes my children 50 years post his death to see a "return on my investment".

This is the thing. I have purchased art onboard and offboard through local galleries. You pay for what you love and you pay what you think is fair. If someone told me that the piece I absolutely love and am currently salivating went up to $20,000 instead of $5,000 I'd just wait longer to buy it or something similar because I love the artist and his work and it appeals to me on an emotional level. Don't buy art EVER for the investment value alone. Although you can get lucky. We purchased a few very small limited edition Tarkay's a few years back on a cruise ship and surprise surprise, they actually increased/doubled in value over the past six years. We bought older pieces and knew what we were doing. Even if they had decreased in value, I would have still bought them, as I LOVED the pieces. I recently purchased a De Rubeis original on a cruise ship, because I loved the piece and had seen something similar at our local gallery which I couldn't afford. The fact that I could afford what I got made me happy and maybe one day I will trade up. I recently read " The Longest Ride" by Nicholas Sparks and the art collection of the main character sums up why we collect art....because we love it. We are addicted to creating it and having it in our homes. I have the typical Cruise ship buys from Luongo, Tarkay, Thomas Tribby, and yes even Peter Max, but we also have items from lesser and greater known artists, originals and limited ( small editions). All the art we have purchased with the exception of one Peter Max is worth the same to resale as when we bought it and about 30% is higher. Don't pay full price. Do, take your phone and google the art you are looking at and then literally show them the value and they won't even blink twice to offer for the same price. If you love something, pay whatever your heart tells you, especially if it's an original. The Peter Max I bought is an original and I LOVE it and would have paid the same value for it all over again, even if it takes my children 50 years post his death to see a "return on my investment".

Are any of your paintings on offer in cruise ship galleries?

Are any of your paintings on offer in cruise ship galleries?

Touche!

I'm not sure whether the original point was to condemn the time and effort of onboard art auctions, or the general concept of purchasing art while on a cruise. Though the artiste offered a passionate defense of the latter I imagine he also realizes that Cunard has, in the intervening nine and a half years, replaced the despised art auctions with champagne "events" in the gallery where one may directly negotiate a price.

Is there a reason to resurrect this 10 year old thread other than for KAP2014 to inform us of his good fortune and wise investment strategy? I know there can be a lot of snow in Alberta at this time of year but even so, there must be other things to do.

This is the thing. I have purchased art onboard and offboard through local galleries. You pay for what you love and you pay what you think is fair. If someone told me that the piece I absolutely love and am currently salivating went up to $20,000 instead of $5,000 I'd just wait longer to buy it or something similar because I love the artist and his work and it appeals to me on an emotional level. Don't buy art EVER for the investment value alone. Although you can get lucky. We purchased a few very small limited edition Tarkay's a few years back on a cruise ship and surprise surprise, they actually increased/doubled in value over the past six years. We bought older pieces and knew what we were doing. Even if they had decreased in value, I would have still bought them, as I LOVED the pieces. I recently purchased a De Rubeis original on a cruise ship, because I loved the piece and had seen something similar at our local gallery which I couldn't afford. The fact that I could afford what I got made me happy and maybe one day I will trade up. I recently read " The Longest Ride" by Nicholas Sparks and the art collection of the main character sums up why we collect art....because we love it. We are addicted to creating it and having it in our homes. I have the typical Cruise ship buys from Luongo, Tarkay, Thomas Tribby, and yes even Peter Max, but we also have items from lesser and greater known artists, originals and limited ( small editions). All the art we have purchased with the exception of one Peter Max is worth the same to resale as when we bought it and about 30% is higher. Don't pay full price. Do, take your phone and google the art you are looking at and then literally show them the value and they won't even blink twice to offer for the same price. If you love something, pay whatever your heart tells you, especially if it's an original. The Peter Max I bought is an original and I LOVE it and would have paid the same value for it all over again, even if it takes my children 50 years post his death to see a "return on my investment".

^^^^ This

Though it seems the quality on offer is falling on most lines.

But it's pretty simple if you don't like t don't go or go and don't buy.

There are a lot of things on cruises that I have no interest in, so I stay away.

I've never taken much interst in the art on offer, you would need to pay me for hangingthe vast majority on display at home. One thing I remember about the faintly rediculous auctions was that someone would make a request for a particulate piece to be featured and then when it duly arrived it did not get a bid.

Good riddance to the auctions then but otherwise the display does raise the occasional chuckle.

David.

Be fair, there's massive entertainment in the art auctions. I've only been to one which I stumbled on by chance as I was just wondering round the ship and there it was.

I saw some bloke standing up in front of people and saying "This painting is worth $5,000 but today we are selling it for $250. Who'll bid me $250 ?" and as soon as some fool stuck their hand up he cried "sold to the simpleton for $250" before they had chance to change their mind.

It's an exercise in greed, and by that I mean the greed of the people who are buying the garbage they are punting out.

There are no more art auctions on QM2. The "gallery" is now on the starboard side passage to the Queens Room. Get a free glass of Pol Acher at the "presentation".

At least it got the auctions out of the Winter Garden. And nobody is threated to be made to walk the plank if they don't visit.

Why do cruise lines do this? It makes money. And on some ships the art dealer makes more money than the captain.