Park West?!?!

We've been to these famous art auctions at sea. The last one they had a drawing and *supposedly* the person who guessed the closest won this piece of art. It was valued around $24,000+. Someone's name was called but we had to leave early due to reservations. Anyone won a high value art and if so what is the catch?!?! This time everything seemed so cheesy...Mystery set of 10 art pieces for $1800..I went on Ebay and see several Park West paintings. LOL

If you google Park West, you'll find a bunch of articles about them/their art/their practices.

Park West never says you win the artwork you are guessing the price on, they say you win "a" piece of art. The art you win is usually poster quality. You end up paying shipping that is higher than the value of the art.

Park West never says you win the artwork you are guessing the price on, they say you win "a" piece of art. The art you win is usually poster quality. You end up paying shipping that is higher than the value of the art.

OH! I knew it was too good to be true! They make it seem like you win that art.... :mad:

It is MIND BOGGLING to me that these auctions still exist on cruises. Park West must have a helluva contract.

It is MIND BOGGLING to me that these auctions still exist on cruises. Park West must have a helluva contract.

The bigger goggle to me is that apparently there are enough people on cruises buying the stuff to keep them in their helluva contract!

I cannot even fathom how they stay in business on the ships! I guess enough people like the art and are willing to buy it. I’ve never really seen anything I’d hang in my own house. Not to mention, I’ve read multiple stories of artwork taking a very, very long time to be delivered.

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....... Not to mention, I’ve read multiple stories of artwork taking a very, very long time to be delivered.

 

 

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For Parkwest it takes a while to reproduce a "genuine original old master"

following

The bigger goggle to me is that apparently there are enough people on cruises buying the stuff to keep them in their helluva contract!

I'm not so sure. On our last cruise (Celebrity Summit this past December), they were relegated to a conference room. We passed through one day, and there were maybe 10 people drinking their bad champagne.

Has anyone here ever purchased anything?

I too on occasion will stroll through on the way to somewhere and have not seen anything that I like or if I do like something I have seen it at the local mall (Ali standing over Foreman).

There is ALOT of space taken up on most ships with the 'art'. It would be great if it was relegated to Day 2 and 3 poolside and available in a back room for those who purchased or wished to bid.

We were on the Escape last month and it was literally mind blowing how many people were sitting down at the tables discussing "art" purchases. Of course I feel the same way about the high dollar jewelry. I am lucky to be an antique dealer who attends a lot of farm auctions and I find beauty in pottery and 30s prints and the like, plus getting a lot of jewelry there, so I have different tastes and motivations. I also think that the happy feelings that the passengers have from the cruise experience (and perhaps the alcohol package) sometimes overcomes them and wham, they have suddenly bought a $300 giant watch or a $500 "painting" to remind them of their fun week. I took phone pics of the Kinkade San Francisco Lombard Street art and texted it to my kids who live there and I was good. All the cruise art I needed.

Has anyone here ever purchased anything?

I too on occasion will stroll through on the way to somewhere and have not seen anything that I like or if I do like something I have seen it at the local mall (Ali standing over Foreman).

There is ALOT of space taken up on most ships with the 'art'. It would be great if it was relegated to Day 2 and 3 poolside and available in a back room for those who purchased or wished to bid.

My husband bought a Hockey jersey. The third time that it arrived at our home in the WRONG frame I cancelled the whole thing. Got all of our money back. DH bought the jersey on ebay for $50. MUCH less than what Park West had charged. We bought a shadow box frame locally and it was EXACTLY what DH wanted.

Another interesting thing is that despite RCCL's desire to "Save the waves", they are CONSTANTLY leaving paper crap in the room promoting those auctions............

Another interesting thing is that despite RCCL's desire to "Save the waves", they are CONSTANTLY leaving paper crap in the room promoting those auctions............

Really, so much waste comes in the the middle of the Compass.

We were on the Escape last month and it was literally mind blowing how many people were sitting down at the tables discussing "art" purchases. Of course I feel the same way about the high dollar jewelry. I am lucky to be an antique dealer who attends a lot of farm auctions and I find beauty in pottery and 30s prints and the like, plus getting a lot of jewelry there, so I have different tastes and motivations. I also think that the happy feelings that the passengers have from the cruise experience (and perhaps the alcohol package) sometimes overcomes them and wham, they have suddenly bought a $300 giant watch or a $500 "painting" to remind them of their fun week. I took phone pics of the Kinkade San Francisco Lombard Street art and texted it to my kids who live there and I was good. All the cruise art I needed.

I agree! My last cruise (05/17) I met a woman who attended ALL of the art auctions. There was more than 1! And she bought at each auction. Her husband was going out of his mind! How do you tell a woman who is convinced she is getting 'quality art' for a good price? It's CRAP ... all of it! One cruise my DH bought something ... a small print he liked. We got a 'free' poster (they called it a lithograph or something) and DH INSISTED on getting it custom framed ... non glare glass .... double matting .... AAAAGGGGHHHHH Drove me NUTS. So all in after tax it was about $400 to frame a stupid poster that I don't even like!

My last cruise (05/17) I attended the auction. I put slips on a few pieces and a woman came over and wrote down the prices .... they ranged from $2,100 to $2,900! I think people would be LUCKY to get out for $500.

I didn't buy anything ... I've never bought anything. I do drink the free champagne. It's just fun.

One Park West auction ... it was raining and cold, so the auction was crowded. The auctioneer was putting out CRAZY prices .... like $25,000 - $50,000 for a piece! NO ONE was bidding and the auctioneer YELLED at everyone saying if no one buys anything he will close up the auction and it'll be OVER. We applauded and drank up our cheap champagne.

Really, so much waste comes in the the middle of the Compass.

Oh, man, you sure got that right. Our trash basket is filled every day mostly with the "inserts" from the Compass. Kind of annoying not to mention environmentally unfriendly!

Has anyone here ever purchased anything?

Yes - I have. I love the purchases (yes, plural) I've made with them. As for the person who said they "heard" that purchases take a long time - that depends on what you consider "long". My purchases have typically taken about 6-8 weeks to get. That's not bad at all imo, and it's ALWAYS come in excellent condition, as I ordered it. Don't assume what you "hear" as always the truth. The thing about Park West is that you're mostly going to hear from the people who have something bad to say (and many times, uninformed opinions), and not hear from the people happy with their purchases. As I always tell people - buy what you like, don't buy something because you think it's going to be valuable some day (or today, for that matter). If you paid good money for something you aren't thrilled to hang in your home, you not only threw your money away, you're a fool for doing so. And just remember, the next time you want to knock those people at the auctions for "sipping the bad champagne", remember - some of them (us) are members of this message board, too. By the way - I've never seen a single person forced to buy something they didn't want.

Oh, man, you sure got that right. Our trash basket is filled every day mostly with the "inserts" from the Compass. Kind of annoying not to mention environmentally unfriendly!

What does this have to do with Park West auctions?

:confused:

Our first experience with them was in the early 1990's on board Celebrity ships.

I don't recommend making these types of purchases on Cruise Ships and most of what you see you can purchase on land.

Keith

What does this have to do with Park West auctions?

:confused:

Just a comment and reply to Host Clarea's post about the excess of flyers in the Compass, many of which are about the Art Auctions. Are we having a bad day???:rolleyes:

No, not at all. Just comments about the newsletter & enclosures came out of left field. Was just wondering why it was in the middle of the Park West thread.

As I always tell people - buy what you like, don't buy something because you think it's going to be valuable some day (or today, for that matter).

This is the approach we take when my wife buys stuff, which have included Park West and various jewelry buys while on cruises. If I'm buying something as an investment to make more money off of later, I'm gonna do a hell of a lot more research than listening to some suited-up goober on a cruise ship. If I'm buying something because I like it and intend to keep it, then I decide if whatever they want for it is worth it to me.

I do think it's funny that people rag on cruise ship purchases, which, yes, are vastly overpriced, but a lot of them are walking around with diamond rings on their fingers. Ever try to sell a diamond back to a jewelry store? You're amazingly lucky if you get 25% of what you paid for it -- and you know the store is gonna turn right back around and sell it for 400% more than they paid you. We all buy things that aren't really worth what's on the price tag from time to time. As long as we're happy with the item and it doesn't put us into financial distress, then there's no need to fret about whether it's overpriced or not.

The important part is that you be *aware* of what you're getting into when you buy stuff on a ship. Be aware that the 75% off watches are 75% off of a price that's marked up at least that much from what you can get them on shore for. Be aware that the amazing jewelry in the promenade store is probably more than you'd spend for a similar ring at a land-based jewelry store, and be aware that that "flawless" diamond might not actually be so flawless. And, of course, be aware that duty free purchases exempt you from taxes at the time of purchase, not when you re-enter the country at the end of the cruise. But none of those things are reasons to automatically feel like a sucker if you buy something on a ship.

As I always tell people - buy what you like, don't buy something because you think it's going to be valuable some day (or today, for that matter). If you paid good money for something you aren't thrilled to hang in your home, you not only threw your money away, you're a fool for doing so..

Best advice I think. If I did ever see something I felt I had to have would probably do a quick check and see if it was available anywhere else.

I guess I wondered aloud if someone had purchased something if they were happy with the whole process and you would be a definite yes.

I attend the art auctions on occasion...if nothing else is going on or if the weather is bad. And yes, I have bought "art" from Park West. But I have learned their sales tactics and know what I am getting. I only buy what I really like and after I have gone back to my cabin and did some research on it. Most of the pieces I have bought have been different and unique (at least to me) and something that I really like.

I usually walk through the auctions and see if there is something I like and would be interested in. I then go back to my cabin and research the piece. If I can find it on the internet, I make notes about it including the price, shipping, condition etc... If I really want the piece, I then go back to the auction crew, away from the auction, and discuss the price. If they get close to the price I want, then I consider it. I have found that if you show interest in a piece and then walk away, they will deal with you. I have several pieces in my home now that I bought on my last cruise and have no regrets. Everything arrived very quickly, in great condition and exactly what I wanted.

Auctions can be fun and entertaining....if you go in with the right frame of mind. I enjoy watching the crowd and the staff. Have seen people spend thousands at a time with no regrets. To each their own!