Royal Caribbean Art Auction

[Aubry1]

Does RC still have Art Auctions?

[dln929]

They had one on the Brilliance of the Seas and it was predictably ugly art.

[TEXASMUNK]

From the Captain of the Rhapsody....a bunch of years ago...When asked who had the easiest and laziest job onboard..He said, with no hesitation..."the guys that run the art auction"

[yogimax]

From the Captain of the Rhapsody....a bunch of years ago...When asked who had the easiest and laziest job onboard..He said, with no hesitation..."the guys that run the art auction"

 

That was also an easy and safe answer since the art auctioneers were employees of an independent company and not RCCL.

[Darkwolfe]

There was one on Mariner when I was aboard in January. I'm happy to report that unlike a few years ago, the art offered appeared to be the real thing.

 

Didn't see fake brush strokes, didn't find printer calibration marks, etc etc.

 

I still ignore them for the most part, but after catching Park West red-handed with fakes on Serenade, I'm keeping at least that much of an eye on what's up for sale. If I save someone from making a big $$ mistake, well, I'll have done my good deed for the cruise. :)

[Sinppu]

Yes they do. I bought something just last month while on the Navigator.

It's a new programme called "Art on Royal".

[Iluvcruising2]

Yeah, we attended an art auction on our recent Voyager cruise.

 

Free champagne!

[Sinppu]

Yeah, we attended an art auction on our recent Voyager cruise.

 

Free champagne!

 

We had four glasses each. Both times :p

[Todd Cruise]

We have friends who will not be persuaded that the art they buy on every cruise is practically worthless. They have been brainwashed by these people so well, they cannot see that the same pieces are sold cruise after cruise after cruise and on multiple lines, multiple ships, etc. They cannot be that valuable from shear numbers alone. In fact, if you take the time to do an online search for them, you will find any number of the same prints available for cheap! When they go to sell their "investment" they will quickly find out just how much they have lost to the schysters. Same for jewelry. Any good gem authority knows that gemstones and jewelry in general is only worth what someone will pay for it, appraisal or not. Diamonds are the only stones that can be counted on unless you have a flawless ruby, emerald or sapphire, and how rare are those! JMHO:cool: BTW, you will also find online, any number of warnings about these companies that prey on cruise line passenger.

Edited July 17, 2012 by Todd Cruise

[TEXASMUNK]

We do not do the art auctions...Just curious, if someone does buy something and they find out it is a fake, do they have any recourse against the auction company? (Not the specific cruise line, but the art dealer)

[Todd Cruise]

I don't think they are all fakes. But I do believe they are copies or prints by a legitimate artist that you can buy for a fraction of the cost they are getting. I know I have seen many pieces on display that I know are not original works and have seen them in print catalogues. As I said, there are many warnings about them online. You just Google the art company or google "Cruise ship art reviews". In fact google this sentence and you should find the article: Michigan jury rules in favor of Fine Art Registry who claims cruise ship art auctioneers have been selling fraudulent works.

Edited July 17, 2012 by Todd Cruise

[yogimax]

I don't think they are all fakes. But I do believe they are copies or prints by a legitimate artist that you can buy for a fraction of the cost they are getting.

 

The vast majority are limited editions, with the actual signature of the artist.

 

If you define a serigraph or lithograph as a "copy" then you are correct.

 

There's a big difference between a signed limited edition (which is most likely what is being sold) and a cheap print you can find in a poster store.

 

For some reason, folks don't understand the difference between a poster and a signed lithograph/serigraph.

 

Really doesn't bother me. But I chuckle at the angst it produces in so many.

 

And please don't attend for the free champagne (four glasses each?) That stuff is the pits!

[Bluekat74]

loved attending the art auction on my recent Voyager cruise. No I didn't buy any, but they had some gorgeous limited editions up for offer, and its interesting looking into the artists post cruise. My favourite were Rob Kaz and Fabio Napoleoni. They did have gorgeous prints by Thomas Kinkaid as well. I dont think I would be buying the art as an investment, over the fact that I actually loved some of the works, and their limited editions looked so much nicer than just poster prints.

[smoosh21]

I don't think they are all fakes. But I do believe they are copies or prints by a legitimate artist that you can buy for a fraction of the cost they are getting. I know I have seen many pieces on display that I know are not original works and have seen them in print catalogues. As I said, there are many warnings about them online. You just Google the art company or google "Cruise ship art reviews". In fact google this sentence and you should find the article: Michigan jury rules in favor of Fine Art Registry who claims cruise ship art auctioneers have been selling fraudulent works.

 

I have never bought on Royal, but I did by on Princess. Of course they are all copies and not originals, but I also know that an original should start in the thousands and not the hundreds.

I bought a giclee that was signed and numbered and I did get it for a few hundred less than I saw in a gallery (a different painting from the same set).

 

Anyway, I bought it because I liked it, not because I saw it as any kind of investment. I would never buy art as an investment.

[eigig]

We have attended art auctions when available on our cruises. We have never cruised with RCI so this will be our first experience with art auctions with them.

 

We have bought three original works (Gogli, Shavaiko and Behrens) and love seeing them each day in our home. I met Shavaiko at the NYC art fair and he knew his original "Wine Cellar" had sold on the QM2. I also emailed Howard Behrens wife Judy to inquire about correcting a bubble in the painting and she insisted that the QV ship it to their studio to be fixed first. Therefore, I am fairly certain that these are indeed originals.

 

We were a bit confused at our first auction because we did not know the terminology. Once we made the smallest inquiry, we gained an enormous amount of information and decided on original only.

 

We missed not having the art auctions when we cruised with Celebrity this past January and are happy to hear they have returned to RCI.

This time I may go for a Giclee for the basement--don't want an original down there :eek:

 

So I vote for art auctions and for becoming knowledgeable before buying.

happy cruising

[yogimax]

 

Anyway, I bought it because I liked it, not because I saw it as any kind of investment.

 

And that is the key!

 

We actually did get some good deals with the old Park West. They had what is known as take-offs, where you would carry the art off the ship, frame included. We were able to get some really nice pieces of art, some with new frames for $80-$100. Not bad at all!

[elizabethbp]

On the Oasis in March, and I ended up buying a Britto that I really loved. (I had gotten a signed poster from him for my daughter almost 20 yrs prior) I got the piece that is the one with a heart. I priced it online before I bought it, and got a fair price. (Plus lots of free champagne). Anyhow, the print arrived when I got out of the hospital after a very serious and unexpected illness. I hung it up when I got home from the hospital and it really perks me up when I look at it.

The auctioneers were a married couple from Florida and were very nice. I thought a lot of the art was reasonably priced as well.

[Todd Cruise]

The vast majority are limited editions, with the actual signature of the artist.

 

!

 

And some have absolutely been proven in a court of law are totally forged signatures. Yogi, you really should read the articles published by Fine Art Registry. In fact, anyone who has bought or could buy something from Park West should read them. Why RCI is still letting them on their ships is a complete mystery after reading the articles. There is even a video interview with a former employee of RCI about her efforts to help guests resolve a complaint. She was ultimately fired after that. Now I wonder if my revelations will incurr any negative ramifications.:confused:

[yogimax]

 

you really should read the articles published by Fine Art Registry.

 

I did some quick research into "Fine Arts Registry" and discovered they are a relatively new, internet based, registry site.

 

As such, it is totally to their advantage to disparage the competition and gain customers. And who would be the biggest competition? PW.

 

I also discovered that the two companies have dueling lawsuits, both attacking the other.

 

Perhaps, you should take what Fine Arts Registry says with a grain of salt. Not saying who is right or wrong, just that FAR does have a material conflict of interest.

Edited July 17, 2012 by yogimax

[bbbearden]

And that is the key!

 

We actually did get some good deals with the old Park West. They had what is known as take-offs, where you would carry the art off the ship, frame included. We were able to get some really nice pieces of art, some with new frames for $80-$100. Not bad at all!

 

And that is the key, buy it because it is a good deal and you like it. If you want to buy art as in investment, do your due diligence just as you should any other type of investment. A spur of the moment inpulse buy on a cruise ship is not the way to purchase art as an investment.

[chriscross]

There was one on Mariner when I was aboard in January. I'm happy to report that unlike a few years ago, the art offered appeared to be the real thing.

 

Didn't see fake brush strokes, didn't find printer calibration marks, etc etc.

 

I still ignore them for the most part, but after catching Park West red-handed with fakes on Serenade, I'm keeping at least that much of an eye on what's up for sale. If I save someone from making a big $$ mistake, well, I'll have done my good deed for the cruise. :)

Amazing they had the nerves to pull a stunt like that off!

[galavant3]

My husband loves to go to the art auctions. We've even purchased a few items...not for investment, just because we like them. The price has always been good.

 

When you attend the auction you get raffle tickets for drawing of free art work. I'm sure the art that you get is not worth anything but we've ended up with many pieces. Over the years we've had them framed and we enjoy these "memories' from our cruises. We just took the last one in for framing. Sometimes you get a choice and we've had our kids choose something they like and we've framed and given to them as gifts.

 

I agree with the others about buying investment pieces. Unless you are an expert I would think twice.

Edited July 17, 2012 by debmarie

[Todd Cruise]

I did some quick research into "Fine Arts Registry" and discovered they are a relatively new, internet based, registry site.

 

As such, it is totally to their advantage to disparage the competition and gain customers. And who would be the biggest competition? PW.

 

I also discovered that the two companies have dueling lawsuits, both attacking the other.

 

Perhaps, you should take what Fine Arts Registry says with a grain of salt. Not saying who is right or wrong, just that FAR does have a material conflict of interest.

 

 

FAR Aren't that new, have been researching PW since 2006 and they just won the law suite. That is the lead article. And how is wanting to expose art fraud a conflict of interest? If they are offereing legitimate artwork. Is there anyone exposing their artwork as forgeries, or even any complaints out there? No. Maybe you did some research, but its obvious you did not read all the information, actual court witness testimonies and videos from real class action customers on their web site. It took me almost 2 hours.

Edited July 17, 2012 by Todd Cruise

[Todd Cruise]

.

 

When you attend the auction you get raffle tickets for drawing of free art work. I'm sure the art that you get is not worth anything but we've ended up with many pieces. Over the years we've had them framed and we enjoy these "memories' from our cruises. We just took the last one in for framing. Sometimes you get a choice and we've had our kids choose something they like and we've framed and given to them as gifts.

 

I agree with the others about buying investment pieces. Unless you are an expert I would think twice.

 

On the website, they quote a former auctioneer saying that those raffles are even a rigged affair. They are told to "find the money" and after talking with alcohol induced free lipped passengers who divulge that they have the money to "invest" they then rig the drawing. They even told just how they did this and that they are told to "keep the liquor flowing". They put the target ticket under a fold in the bottom of the container. Then when the peep wins they can do the real hard core pressure sales on the side. Of course just repeating the testimony this former employee gave under oath at the court hearing. Caveat Emptor takes on a whole new meaning doesn't it. If you are reeled in by these charletons, then you wear the shoe that fits. If however, you are buying the art because you like it, then the only thing is you are still being fleeced because you can buy the stuff out of a catalogue for much less and have it framed for much less at home. To each his own. If you're happy so be it. When I walk by one of these auctions, I just have to chuckle. But if you had been one of the couples in the class action suit, one of which lost over $400,000 of their money which it is looking like they will never recover, maybe you'd feel differently. Sotheby's appraised the collection of Dali prints they bought from PW, are actually worth $150 a piece and are forgeries. At least the forgeries are worth something! And get this, it is well known in the art business that Dali NEVER signed any of his Divine Comedy illustrations that PW is touting as being signed by the artist. What a scam..........

Edited July 17, 2012 by Todd Cruise

[yogimax]

 

they are told to "keep the liquor flowing".

 

Todd, are you employed by Fine Arts Registry?

 

I find your fixation with this issue to be somewhat bizarre.

 

The above quote shows how ridiculous this is...

 

To my knowledge, PW has NEVER served liquor. Cheap champagne, yes, liquor no.

 

Silly quote!

 

BTW - Paragraphs can be your friend and make for easier reading.

Edited July 17, 2012 by yogimax