Art Auction

What is your experience with the art auction on board. I have read mixed reviews about them. Just want to know what your experience has been. Do you like them??? If you have purchased from them, are you happy with your purchase??? Any other tips you can give would be appreciated.

I only know one of the artists...Agam. They charge 3 times the price for his work compared to what I pay at home (NYC).

I did purchase a print that I really like and won a free print (my choice one of three). It is fun, but honestly I also came home with something I didn't want at all. The dealer hung a print up and then asked what the bidding should start at, no one answered so I blurted out $30.00 and of course the print ended up being mine. It was no big deal, but I really thought she was honestly asking for an opening price.

The auctions are fun, and you might encounter people who actually go in for that stuff. I sat next to a man who must have had a lot of space on his walls for he told me of the many items he had bought over several cruises. The free champagne is worth going for and they do have some really neat things, usually hanging up in one of the deck hallways.

If you are a successful bidder remember that they will charge shipping, as well as for the container and only up to 3 pieces will fit in a tube (what I ended up with anyways). So make sure you ask about ALL the fees before you sit down to watch the auctioneer. :)

If there is nothing going on at the time of the auction that you want to do onboard, then stroll by and see what its all about. You might come home with a rembrandt!

There is a lot of litigation against various cruise lines and a specific art gallery which conducts a lot of these auctions. NCL was not a party to any of the suits the last time I looked.

Some of these suits allege violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Google "art auctions at sea" if you want to read the gory details.

I don't know if NCL uses this specific art gallery any longer - it appears they might have at one time. Be very careful buying at these auctions.

It's been a while since I sat in on one, but from what I recall all of the "nicer" pieces have reserve prices. In other words, they're selling it to you for what they really want and hope the price may increase through bidding.

If I saw something I really wanted, and was confident in it's value and knew what I was willing to pay, I'd just make an offer directly to the art director on board and bypass the auction bit.

What is your experience with the art auction on board. I have read mixed reviews about them. Just want to know what your experience has been. Do you like them??? If you have purchased from them, are you happy with your purchase??? Any other tips you can give would be appreciated.

They take up too much room on the ship. They generate too much paper inserted into the daily newsletter.

But, that aside, we enjoy the free champagne and the raffle drawings.

We enjoy looking at the paintings while drinking the complimentary champagne. We always put our drawing ticket into the box and on two different cruises DH has been a winner of a painting.

One was a large desert landscape, framed. He paid to have it shipped and it now hangs in his 'man cave' (a room built where the carport was). The subject is appropriate since we live in the southwest desert.

The other 'painting' he won was a collage, unframed. DH again paid for the shipping (much cheaper this time since it's in a tube, not framed). It is still in its cardboard tube, on top of our freezer. We don't have wall space for it in this mobile home.

Will we attend the next auction? Yes, probably. It's fun.

Will he again put his ticket in the drawing? Probably. And if he wins, he'll again pay the shipping to get his prize.

We have been to a few and picked some art at them, you need to be careful the prices are not that good. The art we got was because we liked it and not for an investment, you won't get back what you paid. The last two cruises we didn't go to them they were too much money for what you were getting. We came home and got art from a local artist for 1/3rd the cost and it was an orginial. Just becareful of what they offer as real or not. If you like something and like the price then it's up to you to buy or not. The free art really isn't worth the cost of shipping home, we have won some and shipped it home and it's still in the tube. The last ones we won we never picked up. If you have a few hours to spent there you can learn things about the artists.

What is your experience with the art auction on board. I have read mixed reviews about them. Just want to know what your experience has been. Do you like them??? If you have purchased from them, are you happy with your purchase??? Any other tips you can give would be appreciated.

Here is my view not that it is right or wrong: first of all: the most important thing, do you love the art work you purchased? (I should might buy) like jewelry, art is worth the feeling you have for it. Our daughter and sil probably have $10,000 worth of ship auction art work and love every piece. They have given us a couple of pieces, we love what we have. Plus, I have one small piece I bought on a cruise, already framed and was able to take off the ship. Are any of them worth the money who knows? Are they a great deal? Again, who knows but probably not.. Do I love what we have? I sure do.

Nita

It's been a while since I sat in on one, but from what I recall all of the "nicer" pieces have reserve prices. In other words, they're selling it to you for what they really want and hope the price may increase through bidding.

 

If I saw something I really wanted, and was confident in it's value and knew what I was willing to pay, I'd just make an offer directly to the art director on board and bypass the auction bit.

I was on a Princess Cruise and we walked by and saw a couple of things that really caught our eye...we stopped and looked closer when one of the auction folks came by and asked if we liked them. They were both Howard Behrens and we said that they intrigued us...she then said "you have very good taste, these are both originals, would you like to know the starting bid?", of course we did..."$19,000 and $21,000". Back then (and probably now) wouldn't pay that much for any picture...BUT!...thanks to seeing them on a cruise and really liking them, I now have 7 Behrens s/n serigraphs (obviously not originals, but still nice) that I've purchased...3 from eBay that still have the auction at sea certificate attached to the back of the frame...along with the $750 bid paid for each...bought all three for $700! :) Guess it just depends on what you like, right? I bought another Behrens serigraph; think I paid $500 for it...then another $900 for framing! Got in a little trouble for that one.

Thanks all for your responses. Would you agree that cruise art auctions are overpriced??? Or do you believe that the deals are pretty good???

The best values have nothing to do with the art itself. They have specials where you take the framed artwork as-is. Just stick it in your luggage and carry it off the ship. They will also box it up for you if it's too big. When I see one with a frame and matting that I like that is the right size, I buy it for the frame and matte. Got a real nice one last cruise for $30. Would have cost me at least $500 at home. You have to be careful going through customs in some countries (like Argentina), because they don't allow original artwork to leave the country. Make sure you only have prints.

The animation cels sometimes are a bargain. Make sure they come with a LOA, though.

The best values have nothing to do with the art itself. They have specials where you take the framed artwork as-is. Just stick it in your luggage and carry it off the ship. They will also box it up for you if it's too big. When I see one with a frame and matting that I like that is the right size, I buy it for the frame and matte. Got a real nice one last cruise for $30. Would have cost me at least $500 at home. You have to be careful going through customs in some countries (like Argentina), because they don't allow original artwork to leave the country. Make sure you only have prints.

 

The animation cels sometimes are a bargain. Make sure they come with a LOA, though.

thanks for the tips, I think I will try to see what I can come up with next time. Like I said, the only one we ever bought was framed, I gave it to hubby and it is in our office. Well worth the money I spent. I also won tthe raffle that day and got a free one. After it arrived at home, I had it framed (not an expensive frame, but professional) and donated it to a silent auction. I think it went for about $100.00.

Nita

I usually attend the art auctions on a cruise. I enjoy hearing about the artists and some of the specific pieces. If the auctioneer is informative and engaging, it can be a lot of fun. My rule of thumb is to bid only on a piece that I like, that I can envision on my walls, and I set a maximum price that I'm willing to pay. I never bid on something as a possible investment and I never get caught up in the moment (i.e., a bidding war, which doesn't happen very often anyway). Art value is entirely subjective, so buy only if it appeals to you.

Never bought anything, but I found it amusing that some of the ones I liked on the Jade in March last year were still on sale in Dec - same with my two sailings on the Sun... I only noticed ones I liked as I passed through - I have only attended the actual auction once..

Robin

Buying art on a cruise always reminds me of buying a wrist watch at an airport shop -- and not a duty free shop at that.

Buying art on a cruise always reminds me of buying a wrist watch at an airport shop -- and not a duty free shop at that.

I agree, but if it is something you want, go for it. Since when do we have to spend every penny wisely? Most of us, from time to time just do something cause it feels good, to heck with using our brains.

Nita

What is your experience with the art auction on board. I have read mixed reviews about them. Just want to know what your experience has been. Do you like them??? If you have purchased from them, are you happy with your purchase??? Any other tips you can give would be appreciated.

If the auction is run by Park West Gallery, BEWARE. There was a class-action suit against Park West Gallery and the cruise companies that use them on board their ships. Look up Park West Gallery on the internet and you will find many articles of customers complaining of fraud.

If the auction is run by Park West Gallery, BEWARE. There was a class-action suit against Park West Gallery and the cruise companies that use them on board their ships. Look up Park West Gallery on the internet and you will find many articles of customers complaining of fraud.

Last time I was on the Dawn, Park West was running the auction. I did like 1 painting, and the price was right, so I purchased it, and was able to walk it off the ship. I don't regret it now, but thanks for the heads up. I will look up the details of the above.

I remember reading somewhere online a while back that the art on ships is very overpriced, and you can get same or better art on land for a much better price. I vaguely remember something about the authenticity of the art work. I wonder if this is the same issue.

Art auction on-board = Run Forrest, run!

I only know one of the artists...Agam. They charge 3 times the price for his work compared to what I pay at home (NYC).

My DW and I have purchased many prints and canvases on carnival ships art auctions and almost all of them have increased in value. We really enjoy the selection that is offerd from the serious collector pieces to the animation pieces . We have several T Kincade pieses displayed in our home. Even if we dont purchase any its fun to people watch.

I agree, but if it is something you want, go for it. Since when do we have to spend every penny wisely? Most of us, from time to time just do something cause it feels good, to heck with using our brains.

 

Nita

Thank you....good to know I'm not the only one who lets my 'heart' rule when it comes to something I really like.

I have purchased paintings because they appeal to my soul rather than my pocketbook; not always, but sometimes. Makes me happy! lol

We were on the Dawn about 6 years ago an purchased 6 paintings. We LOVE them to this day and the frames alone were worth more than we paid. We will be on the Jewel later this year and hope to pick out some more pieces.