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Princess fine art no more !

curiouscat

By curiouscat,
in Princess Cruises

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thinfool

thinfool

Posted
Posted
Hi Caroline!

Park West is based here and I'll tell you privately later what a good friend who is familiar with them said about them - it wasn't good.

I don't get why Princess would do this. :confused:

 

Why? Is it a classified matter subject to sanctions by DHS?

 

Tell us all. They doubtless earned the report.

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Hlitner "Live from...." Rare

Hlitner

Posted
Posted (edited)

When it comes to the cruise lines, profit seems to trump all! There has been much written about the art auctions (not much of it good) and one could just Google "cruise ship art auction scams" and spend some time reading the many tales. But, as others have said, the art auctions generate a nice profit for the cruise line, and allowing Park West to operate onboard involves little extra cost for the cruise line (they do give some staff support) and guarantees extra income. When we think of cruise line art auctions what comes to mind are the famous words attributed (inaccurately) to P.T. Barnum (There is a sucker born every minute).

 

Hank

Edited by Hlitner
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Holomoku

Holomoku

Posted
Posted (edited)
When it comes to the cruise lines, profit seems to trump all! There has been much written about the art auctions (not much of it good) and one could just Google "cruise ship art auction scams" and spend some time reading the many tales. But, as others have said, the art auctions generate a nice profit for the cruise line, and allowing Park West to operate onboard involves little extra cost for the cruise line (they do give some staff support) and guarantees extra income. When we think of cruise line art auctions what comes to mind are the famous words attributed (inaccurately) to P.T. Barnum (There is a sucker born every minute).

 

Hank

 

Hank,

I do take exception to being called a "sucker" for enjoying something and getting a good deal on it. I have looked up some of the items we have purchased online prior to the auction and found the price they go for on board to be quite a bit lower. Then I found one in a port gallery once that was 5 times the price it went for on board and it also was a print. We do enjoy them every time we walk through and see them on the walls. We also have originals from galleries and from artists and purchased an original on our last cruise. The auctions are enjoyable and that is what cruising is all about, so no need to slander those that find a part of a cruise, that you don't, enjoyable.

 

Herb

Edited by Holomoku
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Hlitner "Live from...." Rare

Hlitner

Posted
Posted (edited)

Herb, Perhaps I owe you an apology.....,or then again perhaps not! You might to do some online research about cruise line art auctions, You can read articles in publications such as the New York Times, US Today, NBC News reports, etc... which will all add to the "slander" you have mentioned.

 

To be really honest, our goal of posting this info is not to hurt those who have made purchases and love their art...but rather to inform potential future customers that caveat emptor certainly applies when it comes to cruise line art auctions. We also sometimes get enjoyment out of attending cruise line art auctions and have a friend who used to run some of these auctions on Princess ships (he is a retired professional athlete who made a very nice living as an auctioneer). On some cruises, with a skilled auctioneer, the auctions can become the best entertainment on the ship. That being said, you will not find us bidding,,,,just watching, enjoying, and sipping the cheap champagne :)

 

By the way, one interesting facet is that some folks think that Princess took their art auctions "in house" in order to avoid some of the problems reported on cruise lines who out sourced their art auctions to other companies (Park West would be one of the largest of these out source companies). And now we hear that Princess is going to outsource their art program to Park West. Go figure.

 

Hank

Edited by Hlitner
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Times Prince

Times Prince

Posted
Posted
Herb, Perhaps I owe you an apology.....,or then again perhaps not! You might to do some online research about cruise line art auctions, You can read articles in publications such as the New York Times, US Today, NBC News reports, etc... which will all add to the "slander" you have mentioned.

 

To be really honest, our goal of posting this info is not to hurt those who have made purchases and love their art...but rather to inform potential future customers that caveat emptor certainly applies when it comes to cruise line art auctions. We also sometimes get enjoyment out of attending cruise line art auctions and have a friend who used to run some of these auctions on Princess ships (he is a retired professional athlete who made a very nice living as an auctioneer). On some cruises, with a skilled auctioneer, the auctions can become the best entertainment on the ship. That being said, you will not find us bidding,,,,just watching, enjoying, and sipping the cheap champagne :)

 

By the way, one interesting facet is that some folks think that Princess took their art auctions "in house" in order to avoid some of the problems reported on cruise lines who out sourced their art auctions to other companies (Park West would be one of the largest of these out source companies). And now we hear that Princess is going to outsource their art program to Park West. Go figure.

 

Hank

Invariably the news reporting on questionable (using a kindly adjective) practices can be found to relate to Park West, not Princess Fine Arts, which is what makes a move to outsource to Park West really strange.

That is what I tried to note earlier by pointing out the positives of the in-house art auction integrity.

 

Anything is caveat emptor, from t-shirts to jewelry. Princess Fine Arts however has had products with good value compared with reliable dealers. I will be much more skeptical about Park West because of their history.

 

P.S. If your athlete friend played basketball and is named Stu then say Hi from me.

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LoveThisCruisingThing

LoveThisCruisingThing

Posted
Posted
I look forward to the fine art auctions and information. But then again I don't like the swimming pools and dripping wet people who walk over the ship after they use them.

 

In complete agreement with both points. I have bought several pieces and have had no problems. Never in my life did I think I would own one let alone two Wyland prints. I hate to see Princess change hands and my art buying days will be gone.

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Hlitner "Live from...." Rare

Hlitner

Posted
Posted (edited)
.

 

P.S. If your athlete friend played basketball and is named Stu then say Hi from me.

 

That would be the man! We actually cruised with him (and his lovely wife) about 18 months ago and they are both doing very well. Hope to see them on a future cruise. He is living a good life thanks, in a large part, to the big profits from the art auctions he ran.

 

Hank

Edited by Hlitner
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sbrown2100

sbrown2100

Posted
Posted

I am going to differ from the majority here. In the past Park West had issues but they seem to have "cleaned up their act." In fact they now have much better value and variety than other cruise ship art auctions. I went to several Park West auctions on the NCL Breakaway this summer. I actually bought a few things (something I had not done in years). In contrast to the Park West art auctions on NCL, I was disappointed at the items for sale at the art auctions on the RCL Allure (which was not Park West) last Christmas.

 

So my humble opinion is that Park West may be an improvement. I think they learned from the lawsuits and bad press. The only thing I was unhappy with relating to my recent Park West purchases were the frames. Next time I will get the art framed on my return. Art Connection in Pompano is great for that

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luv2cruisekc

luv2cruisekc

Posted
Posted
Hank,

I do take exception to being called a "sucker" for enjoying something and getting a good deal on it. I have looked up some of the items we have purchased online prior to the auction and found the price they go for on board to be quite a bit lower. Then I found one in a port gallery once that was 5 times the price it went for on board and it also was a print. We do enjoy them every time we walk through and see them on the walls. We also have originals from galleries and from artists and purchased an original on our last cruise. The auctions are enjoyable and that is what cruising is all about, so no need to slander those that find a part of a cruise, that you don't, enjoyable.

 

Herb

 

DITTO! We also have enjoyed and purchased.

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generichandle

generichandle

Posted
Posted

I must say that while I enjoy the art, I will likely never buy it. How about some more natural art. Wet tee-shirt contest or some such? :p I swear nature is more beautiful than man can imagine.

 

Still, I DO look at it, and think I might miss it if it was gone. Each their own.

 

Doug

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jkadventures

jkadventures

Posted
Posted

We have always enjoyed the art auctions and have purchased many pieces we enjoy everyday. Each one reminds us of a particular cruise and the feeling we had when we bid on it. We have just added to our collection on the Royal and look forward to its arrival. We hope this is just rumor or that it will only effect certain ships. As for our last trip, business at the auctions was booming- a win for the passengers and artist alike!

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jkadventures

jkadventures

Posted
Posted
Hank,

I do take exception to being called a "sucker" for enjoying something and getting a good deal on it. I have looked up some of the items we have purchased online prior to the auction and found the price they go for on board to be quite a bit lower. Then I found one in a port gallery once that was 5 times the price it went for on board and it also was a print. We do enjoy them every time we walk through and see them on the walls. We also have originals from galleries and from artists and purchased an original on our last cruise. The auctions are enjoyable and that is what cruising is all about, so no need to slander those that find a part of a cruise, that you don't, enjoyable.

 

Herb

BRAVO Herb- well said!

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sonic

sonic

Posted
Posted

Have been in touch with a Globel Fine Arts (GFA) on another matter over the weekend, so ask the qustion as to whether there was any truth in this thread and the response was:-

 

'GFA business has been acquired by Park West Galleries. This new operation will continue to be branded as Princess Fine Arts.'

 

I guess we may not be buying any more art whilst crusing with Princess. We shall make a final judgement on our next cruise.

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caribill

caribill

Posted
Posted
Have been in touch with a Globel Fine Arts (GFA) on another matter over the weekend, so ask the qustion as to whether there was any truth in this thread and the response was:-

 

'GFA business has been acquired by Park West Galleries. This new operation will continue to be branded as Princess Fine Arts.'

 

Which means Princess sold it to them.

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sammiedawg

sammiedawg

Posted
Posted (edited)

The art auctions can be entertaining depending on the art director. I can think of a couple who were real showmen, infusing the canned material with real life anecdotes about themselves or the artist. They also have to schmooze passengers who may have been invited to sail for free in return for buying a minimum amount of art. We have talked to people who got free cabins but they were required to spend a couple thousand at the auctions.

Edited by sammiedawg
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