Art Auctions on board - BE CAREFUL

[sonney]

I don't know if this has been covered before (search function doesn't show anything) but I wanted to warn folks to stay away from buying art at the Art Auctions on board the ships.

I was disappointed that Disney has allowed Park West to do these auctions because they are big RIP OFFS! I guess this is part of DCL's move to milk more $$ from its guests (Internet fee changes, etc.). I love DCL cruises but there are changes afoot.

But I digress... be VERY careful at these art auctions because they have quite a convincing line of hooey! They are great at making you think thesy are offering great investment pieces at great prices but that is simply not the truth. Do your homework ahead of time & I dont think you'll find much worthwhile.

That's just my informed opinion.....

ST

 

[tink1963]

Thank you for the heads up.

I did a google search on Park West and you are coorect with your warning. We attended but did not buy on our first Disney Cruise and did watch with some skepticism. I guess that goes to show you should go with your initial impression. Very happy we were not sucked in by them.

 

["Got Disney"]

I am an avid Art buyer and have bought from Park West from on the cruise and off also with alot of other Art dealers/Gallerys....I have had no trouble with there Art and also have even had quite a few re- essesed(sp)/re-Appraised and the value was similar and had even gone up....

What you also read on line are disgrunted Art buyers that wanted there $$$ back after changing there minds and were refused, unless the Art they recieved were damaged.

Also you will find some prices on the same Art cheeper due to no shipping,framing and insurance costs.

I also do not just buy Art for a profit..I first buy it because I like it. I just bought more ART from them and spent another $7,000 and in all with them have spent over $20,000 also have a friend who buys and sells ART that has bought over $100,000 in Art from them.

Use your best judgement and read through the lines of the bad remarks on Park West...also if you do that and continue to search you will also find that alot of those people came back with a changed statement on after further research found that they were incorrect on what they posted and took back there comments.

However as the OP said ...be carefull with any investment and be sure it is what you want and if not sure than don't buy. Also buy what you like.

Do you honestly think that DCL would set them selves up for a law suit or with a non legit Art Dealership??? I say not...also Park West is a huge Dealership/Gallery and there are bound to be unhappy people.

I will continue to buy from them and have had no problems and my ART has increased over the years. I periodically get a new appraisal for insurance purposes and I use a different company to do that...not Park West....I have the initial Appraisel with them then use the same appraser that I get my "Wyland" Art and "Fonch" appraised by.

This post is by no means to discredit the OP...this is just another opinion...and if you don't want to buy any ART the Auctions are fun to watch

Also go to the "search" above for Art Auctions and Park West and you will see many happy cruisers that have been purchasing there ART for years....

 

[rsschneck]

We have purchased a lot of art from Park West. We have purchased Park West while sailing Carnival, Celebrity and DCL. The thing we like about Park West on the Disney Cruises is that you can purchase Disney art work. DH has collected Disney artwork for years and remembers pricing very well. We have done well purchasing our last few pieces of Disney artwork through Park West.

Know what you are looking for and have an idea of the prices. We do not buy our artwork for an investment. We buy our artwork for the love of the piece and if someday we want to sell it and we make a profit, yeah! Buy what you like and don't spend more than you want to because you will feel cheated in the end.

We had a Belle seri cell that we found a flaw with and called Park West. They shipped a new cell and arranged for pick up of the old cell. Very nice to deal with!

 

[webray]

We have also purchased multiple pieces from Park West on DCL. We have not has one problem with them. We also have purchased artwork from galleries, etc.

As with anything, you have to know what you are buying..do your research.
Many people at the art auctions on the ship, checked out the pieces they liked, then went straight to internet cafe to do the best research they could before bidding.

 

[loucrew]

I won three paintings from Park West on my 1-20-07 cruise. They were shipped to me in a timely manner and I was delighted to have won about $1500 in art for $85 which was the cost of shipping and an appraisal. Although I found the prices high at the auction, I enjoyed looking at the art and watching the auction. I found the auctioneers to be professional. Just remember a lot of the complaints are buyer remorse when the person realizes they spent more that they could afford.

 

[sonney]

The key is do your research & know your art. Also, don't believe everything (perhaps very little) about what PW tells you about the value & collectibility of a piece. PW are very professional, without a doubt. But take most of what they say on value with a grain of salt.

Do your homework; buy art you like, not because you think it is an investment (what you buy from PW is not, generallys peaking).

ST

 

[beachblanket]

With all due respect to the positive reviews here, the heavily negative buzz on Park West -- in particular about how they prey on buyer niavete - is legendary among seasoned cruisers. A few examples:

A classic example of the core Park West "M.O.," which is misrepresenting cheap prints as rare "originals":
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff168310.htm

An excellent professional assessment (by a credible, licensed auctioneer) of how Park West takes advantage of making sales "off-shore," ergo outside U.S. legal regulation, as well as their use of "shill" bidding:
http://www.dba-oracle.com/t_cruise_art_auctions_scam_fraud.htm

A wonderful summary of how Park West passes off fancy prints ("giclée") as original paintings:
http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2006-11-09/news/the-art-of-piracy/2

Bottom line: Some lines have kicked Park West off (NCL was the latest) due to their increasingly bad rep. So BUYER DEFINITELY BEWARE.

 

[loucrew]

Trust me I have read a lot of those reports. I am not saying they are perfect but kep in mind that is a website that collects all of the negative experiences. If you read through them all you will see positive posts too. Bottom line is buyer beware. If you don't know the value or if is gonna harm you financially, don't buy it.

 

[tiggr33]

Loucrew, excellent point in the last sentence of your post. As with any purchase caveat emptor.

PW has some tatics that IMHO promote loose bidding, but on the other hand I have made some purchases (both on land and on DCL) that have appreciated. Buy what you like, and pay what you can afford.

 

["Got Disney"]

With all due respect to the positive reviews here, the heavily negative buzz on Park West -- in particular about how they prey on buyer niavete - is legendary among seasoned cruisers. A few examples:

A classic example of the core Park West "M.O.," which misrepresenting cheap prints as rare "originals":
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff168310.htm

An excellent professional assessment (by a credible, licensed auctioneer) of how Park West takes advantage of making sales "off-shore," ergo outside U.S. legal regulation, as well as their use of "shill" bidding:
http://www.dba-oracle.com/t_cruise_art_auctions_scam_fraud.htm

A wonderful summary of how Park West passes off fancy prints ("giclée") as original paintings:
http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2006-11-09/news/the-art-of-piracy/2

Bottom line: Some lines have kicked Park West off (NCL was the latest) due to their increasingly bad rep. So BUYER DEFINITELY BEWARE.

Here is the rest of the first link....you will find both happy and not happy and also people that posted how disapointed they were only to repost that they changed there mingd after further research...

http://www.ripoffreport.com/view.asp?id=77377

I have always recieved my ART within 3 weeks of buying and one piece came damaged I resent it back and it came back restored and also with a new frame...

You need to decide when purchasing Art that it is something you like. Park West is one of the Largest Galleties in the world....and sells Billions of $$$ in Art...yes Billions...so if they were that bad and there were so many disgrunted buyers than they would be all over the Web...not just a few links...

And when in dought...don't purchase because than you will be unhappy. Also if you can not afford don't buy. My walls look great and get many compliments on my Art and we enjoy them every day...

The OP is right to bring this to your attention...because it will make you think and do research. Also be leary on what you find online about Art. I bought a painting when first collecting from an individual selling on line(my Bad) that was cheeper than an other Gallery had it and When I recieved it it was faded from being in the light from a room....

So only purchase from a ligit gallery that has a long standing. Have fun with your Art....

 

[tvguy]

These art auctions must have started after our cruise.
Is it just me, or is a cruise ship kind of an odd place to be shopping for art?

 

[lindakmonty]

These art auctions must have started after our cruise.
Is it just me, or is a cruise ship kind of an odd place to be shopping for art?

I know... it must be a thing for short cruises. I have friends on a corvette forum that go on Carnival cruises just to buy art I go on a cruise to cruise...not for art... whatever works for you I guess

 

[sonney]

While many people are happy with the art (i.e. they like the art) they bought and satisfied that it was all shipped to them on time, etc. (and that's great), there is no doubt that Park West parctices many shady techniques and misrepresents alot of what they have for sale.

I personally was at auctions they conducted on both DCL (Wonder 10/29/06) and RCCL Mariner (1/21/07) and can tell you first hand they had shills and were stating values for certain pieces (particularly older pieces, hand-signed sports memorabilia and even Disney pieces) that were not reflective of real value (I checked). They misrepresented what a lithograph and what a Giglee are for sure!! They outright lied about a signature on something (saying a "signed in the stone" was as good as hand signed).

I am knowledgable in the art field and can tell you there is no doubt that - while you get some "okay" decorative items and perhaps minor items that will appreciate some - you must be VERY careful in bidding/buying (truly there is rarely an actual "auction" taking place) from Park West. They are NOT there to "educate" you as they state they are!!

Buyer beware is the main thing!!

ST