Beware of art auctions

Please beware of buying any art on board. In no way am I blaming P&O but I have suggested that they remove themselves from this company.

My mother and I purchased over $7000 dollars worth of art which has not been delivered! I have tried for 2 weeks to get my money back - which I was told would be fine when they could not provide any information as to where exactly the pieces were, however, it would have to be via cheque from P&O.

I have been given the run around, from being given the wrong number for P&O to chase up the information - to being told I would be called back by Renee (several times) who was in charge of refunds. Even the girls at British Australian Art advised that they could not contact Renee directly and could not give me anyone that she reported to. They even told me that if I tried to contact her, the emails would go to them and that Renee was in another area that they did not know of. Scary... fraudulent? I don't know - I'm about to look into them now.

I can confirm that Colin from P&O has contacted me and told me that he is in the process of organising a refund cheque.

These art 'companies' are on most ships worldwide. Before considering puchasing any art on board, I would strongly suggest you search using the words cruise ships art auctions - and then go to the article headed scams frauds or bargains. Read the article before you consider purchasing any art.

I have noticed in Cruise Critic that a lot of people are having the same sort of problem with a company with a similar name, just substitute Australian with American - bit suss - I think so...

Royal Caribbean severed their connections with Park West over a year ago so the only are they have now is not for sale!

Most of these paintings are simply copies - numbered copies in a supposedly limited number - but copies nevertheless. Yaers ago, they used to be called just "prints" - but now they are called "Limited Edition " prints. :p

On our last cruise (British ship), I was surprised to see that they had numbered "Limited Edition" oil paintings. Now I always understood sort of how "prints" would be manufactured - but not for oil paintings. So I asked the "Art Director" :p - he used some fancy words like "hand embellished" and "subject to artistic inspection" - but basically what they are, are prints which are then (in some factory somewhere -China??) overpainted here and there, by hand, to give the appearance that they are actually oil paintings. They are printed on cloth backing - used in real hand painted oil paintings, but printed they are.

They look pretty - hang them on your wall by all means - but please don't call them works of art!!

Barry

They look pretty - hang them on your wall by all means -

but please don't call them works of art!!Barry

...or investments:rolleyes::rolleyes:

I think its an old-fashioned scam that in these modern times of everyone being more aware of scams that they should think about flogging something else or getting rid of them.

liz

I agree. There are far too many of them and they are far too noisy. :( Especially when they're held by the Purser's and Tours Desks.)

They great if you are able to sit and wait for the right painting to come up under the hammer

They great if you are able to sit and wait for the right painting to come up under the hammer

Yes, we only cruise to add to our Art collection.

Yes, we only cruise to add to our Art collection.

Loving you guys! So on the mark it's not even funny - next art auction will be - drink the champagne and run away!

Loving you guys! So on the mark it's not even funny - next art auction will be - drink the champagne and run away!

Yep, that's the best advice!!! :rolleyes:

Our son "won" a beautiful limited edition print at a poker tournament on board a ship.

I think it was probably like most of their stuff, just worth the paper it is printed on.

It did come with a letter saying how great it was and how great the artist was so suppose it was worth double the cost of the paper.

We filed it where it belonged...in the bin..(the recycling one of course).

I suggest buying a print if you truly like it and think the price is worth it and you can afford it as a memento of your trip, but DO NOT think you are making an investment.

There must be a lot of very innocent gullible people out there as they seem to be on every ship.

They even had an art gallery on the QM2 but never saw an art aution. Guess they would be genuine van gogh prints.

Please beware of buying any art on board. In no way am I blaming P&O but I have suggested that they remove themselves from this company.

My mother and I purchased over $7000 dollars worth of art which has not been delivered! I have tried for 2 weeks to get my money back - which I was told would be fine when they could not provide any information as to where exactly the pieces were, however, it would have to be via cheque from P&O.

I have been given the run around, from being given the wrong number for P&O to chase up the information - to being told I would be called back by Renee (several times) who was in charge of refunds. Even the girls at British Australian Art advised that they could not contact Renee directly and could not give me anyone that she reported to. They even told me that if I tried to contact her, the emails would go to them and that Renee was in another area that they did not know of. Scary... fraudulent? I don't know - I'm about to look into them now.

I can confirm that Colin from P&O has contacted me and told me that he is in the process of organising a refund cheque.

These art 'companies' are on most ships worldwide. Before considering puchasing any art on board, I would strongly suggest you search using the words cruise ships art auctions - and then go to the article headed scams frauds or bargains. Read the article before you consider purchasing any art.

I have noticed in Cruise Critic that a lot of people are having the same sort of problem with a company with a similar name, just substitute Australian with American - bit suss - I think so...

I am very sorry you are going through this. It is not a good reminder of your trip.

I hope you manage to get some sort of help with your problem and get your money back. I think most of them do come from the US so maybe it is just taking longer or stuck at customs.

Thanks also for the reminder for new cruisers who do not know about this

Loving you guys! So on the mark it's not even funny - next art auction will be - drink the champagne and run away!

Is the champagne really champagne and is it really drinkable? :p

Is the champagne really champagne and is it really drinkable? :p

Its called

Cheap Ship Champagne...

(try saying that quickly:D)

I remember on one of our Pac Dawn cruises a couple bought over $10,000 worth of Art. Gobsmacked! and amazed at what people are prepared to pay. We sat through an auction once on the Sun Princess and actually won a 'limited edition print'. It cost us about $70 to even get it posted to us from America, even though we chose it out of three prints they had on the ship. It is still sitting up on the top of the office cupboard in its tube container. The only pictures we like to go and have a look at are the Michael Goddard ones. Would love to have the 'Rehab' one, sitting back on the beach, ship in the distance, throwing the mobile phone away.:D

Is the champagne really champagne and is it really drinkable? :p

They have a certificate in their US office they can post to you for $70 if you wish to confirm. :p

I would strongly suggest you search using the words cruise ships art auctions - and then go to the article headed scams frauds or bargains. Read the article before you consider purchasing any art.

I think this photo taken from a Google link to this type of activity sums it all up.

:D:p

CAVEAT EMPTOR !!

Oh that's priceless, Dennis. :D

I remember on one of our Pac Dawn cruises a couple bought over $10,000 worth of Art. Gobsmacked! and amazed at what people are prepared to pay. We sat through an auction once on the Sun Princess and actually won a 'limited edition print'. It cost us about $70 to even get it posted to us from America, even though we chose it out of three prints they had on the ship. It is still sitting up on the top of the office cupboard in its tube container. The only pictures we like to go and have a look at are the Michael Goddard ones. Would love to have the 'Rehab' one, sitting back on the beach, ship in the distance, throwing the mobile phone away.:D

I agree with you Sailawaysally - Michael Goddard's art is great and we love it. Artwork is what one perceives, regardless of what it's worth. We have bought several pieces on our different cruises and never had a problem with receiving them. Our last cruise (Pearl) we bought four sports pieces which took the full six weeks to arrive but they have and we're happy with them.

We do however agree that the art auctions are very loud:eek:

Cheers

Di

Loving you guys! So on the mark it's not even funny - next art auction will be - drink the champagne and run away!

I was staggered watching the Art Auctions - am with you on this one, drink the champagne (???) and run away. Even the champagne tastes a little cheap and nasty!:eek:

But the best afternoons entertainment:D Could not believe what people took as 'gospel' and how much they spend - obviously not hardworking and underpaid Aussies and Kiwis!! Still it helps keep the cost of the cruise down if nothing else.:rolleyes:

When I first saw an art auction on Princess a few years ago, I was very surprised that people bought these items, and paid a premium just to take them off the ship (in some cases people could walk off with them).

Then I met a friend on board and she said that she goes to all the art auctions - doesn't buy anything but she does drink the free shampoo.

There have been write ups in at least one national newspaper here about the value assigned to the works on offer as opposed to what you'd pay for it on land and whether they really are valuable or collectable.

It's the old story of "buyer beware". But if you like it and you're happy to pay the price, good luck to you.

Yes, I've gotta admit I was pretty disgusted with the art auctions when we went on Pacific Sun. The couple who ran the art "gallery" (and I use that term loosely) and the auctions were very arrogant (and, quite often, just plain rude). I don't think P&O Australia are doing themselves any favours using this company and should sever ties with them. I can understand how the art auctions may appeal to some cruisers but seriously, how many people actually buy anything with those exorbitant prices?

We bought two pieces on Sapphire Princess - Los Angeles to Vancouver.

They had to be shipped home (COSTLY) and then there was extra payments at customs.

We still love them.

Only buy what you like and will enjoy on your wall. If you enjoy the work and don't anticipate making money from it then it's your perogative.

My mother bought a painting on Pacific Sun. She absolutely loves it and it was bought by her on a memorable holiday.

She was able to walk off with it in Auckland (my husband did the carrying as it was quite large)- so no shipping or customs.

I love it too and Mum is eighty and its mine when the time comes.

We also like the Goddard pictures but don't take part in the quizzes anymore as the tubes have to be shipped from US and so they are hardly free- we have about four lots sitting in a corner.

The champagne (albiet cheap) is a ploy to loosen your wallet and encourage a feel good factor. It does work so if drinking sit on your other hand.

On our last cruise we were able to go and drink the champagne but we came away without bidding.Still an entertaining way to fill in an afternoon.

On the Sun last year I bought a large photograph of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffanies. It is the first time I have bought anything at one of those auctions. Now, I know it isn't worth the $200 I paid for it, but I love Audrey Hepburn and had to have it. It sits in the foyer now and is the first thing people see when they walk in. I love it. At Movieworld this trip I bought a make up container with her on it. Again, not worth what I paid for it, made in China I think, but so what.

I think people are percepitble surely to what things are worth. I too am staggered by what people pay for these paintings however I don't consider them dumb or not knowing. If a piece of art makes you happy and you can afford it, why not.