What's with all these art galleries?

[Canuker]

Why do cruise lines insist on putting art galleries (i.e. art vendors) on their ships?
And why (my pet beef) are these people allowed to commandeer lounges to set put their wares at times when the lounge should be available for guests to use (e.g. daylight in the forward observation lounge).
Example: before taking a Panama Canal trip, I'd want an undertaking from the cruise line that these people will not be allowed anywhere near viewing lounges during daylight hours, while transiting the canal.

Get my drift?

 

 

[OCruisers]

Apparently, the art auction things make money for the cruise lines or they wouldn't have them.   

[GUT2407]

Answer ..... ....... ....... $$$$$.

[vmom]

I have wondered the same thing and chalked it all up to money.   Interestingly, Holland has discontinued having art auctions and Park West (the king of cruise based art auctions) is no longer on the HAL ships.

 

Lead me to wonder if  repeat cruises are getting tired of the art auctions and the cruise companies no longer make as much money from them. 

[wheezedr]

They have always generated a certain amount of income for the cruise line.  If a line finds a better income source for the same space the art will be gone.   Who knows what else might appear.

[fishywood]

1 hour ago, Canuker said:

Example: before taking a Panama Canal trip, I'd want an undertaking from the cruise line that these people will not be allowed anywhere near viewing lounges during daylight hours, while transiting the canal.

Get my drift?

 

Yes I get your drift: you are ready to sic the undertaker 😈 on the art auction staff.

 

Every Panama Canal cruise I have sailed there has always been "limited onboard activities" (per an announcement in the daily schedule) during the hours in the canal, with the narration from the onboard port guide/expert broadcast in most public rooms with a view. You shouldn't have any sea-day sales pitches that day.

[nhsails]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 they make $ for cruise line. Many people enjoy them. A bit triggered by this?/

[MCC retired]

I thought that they would disappear someday . Annoying waste of public space .

I can only hope , hate them .

[SantaFeFan]

3 hours ago, Canuker said:

Why do cruise lines insist on putting art galleries (i.e. art vendors) on their ships?
And why (my pet beef) are these people allowed to commandeer lounges to set put their wares at times when the lounge should be available for guests to use (e.g. daylight in the forward observation lounge)

 

 

 

Some cruise lines are eliminating the forward viewing lounge for non-suite passengers. The five Edge class ships that Celebrity is building have no forward viewing areas for the non-suite passengers other than the fitness center and extra fare spa area. Even the upper level outside forward viewing area is no longer available. That area is taken up by The Retreat, which is exclusively for suite class passengers. 

Edited April 19, 2019 by SantaFeFan

[leaveitallbehind]

2 hours ago, MCC retired said:

I thought that they would disappear someday . Annoying waste of public space .

I can only hope , hate them .

Unfortunately as long as there are passengers who believe they are getting pieces of fine art at value prices they will remain.  The only reason they are there is enough people spend enough money on each cruise to keep it profitable to the cruise lines.  When that changes, they will be gone.

[navybankerteacher]

They are money makers for those cruise lines which cater to the gullible - you know:  the people who believe that pitch about getting “free drinks”,  just because they bought a package which includes either unlimited, or up to a certain number of drinks —- sort of like thinking they got FREE wheels, because they came with the car.

 

Most of what is sold is mass-produced reproductions — and even the pieces sold as “original” works or art are only “original” because - after being run off the press (by the hundreds) they are signed by the artist: a sort of slippery sales pitch rarely seen outside of the “art world”.

 

A number of people seem to leave their brains behind when they travel, the folks at Park West know this and, with the collusion of the lines which partner with them, take advantage of it.

 

I wonder if we will start seeing Three Card Monte dealers setting up on promenade decks.

[evandbob]

Does anyone care to count how many times Park West was sued by irate cruisers?

[Luckiestmanonearth]

The art is generally of no value but when you can get drunk passengers with an illusion it’s priceless pieces of art, you’re bound to make money even if only a few make a purchase

 

Its basically the same philosophy as a time share scheme

[K32682]

The cruise line's main objective is to separate you from as much of you money as possible.  If you can't drink it or eat it during the cruise do not buy anything on the boat unless you have an immediate and pressing need for it (e.g. toiletries.) 

 

I know very little about art but do know not to buy it on a cruise ship.  Jewelry stores are treated the same.  I do know a little about watches and have never seen a reasonable price on a cruise. 

[Krazy Kruizers]

We also hate the art auctions.  Before DH's Parkinson's got really bad, he had a hard time getting past all the "junk" in the Atrium on HAL ships where they displayed all the items.  He tripped a couple of times over the ends of the easels  sticking out in the walkway.  We now have to go way out of our way to get from one end of the ship to the other.

[lenquixote66]

13 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Unfortunately as long as there are passengers who believe they are getting pieces of fine art at value prices they will remain.  The only reason they are there is enough people spend enough money on each cruise to keep it profitable to the cruise lines.  When that changes, they will be gone.

It is the same as people who love buying watches on ships thinking they are getting great bargains.

[leaveitallbehind]

15 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

It is the same as people who love buying watches on ships thinking they are getting great bargains.

Depending on brand - and I am referring mainly to the more premium brands - if you know the retail price of the particular watch in the US and use that as a basis for comparison, the pricing can be similar.  And there are times when there will be a discount added that can be favorable.  The primary advantage is no tax paid on board for the purchase, which depending on the watch, can be measurable.

 

But in general for most of the "sale" brands you are correct.

[Velvetwater]

What I want to know is how people can buy the art Park West sell.

 

98% of it is tacky and doesn't seem to change much in style from one year to the next.

 

You are better off going to your local art gallery and supporting your local artists.

[Toofarfromthesea]

3 hours ago, Luckiestmanonearth said:

The art is generally of no value but when you can get drunk passengers with an illusion it’s priceless pieces of art, you’re bound to make money even if only a few make a purchase

 

Its basically the same philosophy as a time share scheme

 

And telemarketing in general.

[Shorex]

Of course, as mentioned, it's a profit center. The art supplier (usually Park West) gets a cut, the cruise line gets a cut, the "auctioneer" gets a cut, and the buyer gets a glass of cheap champagne (or prosecco) and a piece of "art." It's a very lucrative business for everyone in the supply chain.

 

But you do have the choice to patronize a cruise line that doesn't do these silly auctions. And you will pay more for the privilege.

[donaldsc]

1 hour ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Depending on brand - and I am referring mainly to the more premium brands - if you know the retail price of the particular watch in the US and use that as a basis for comparison, the pricing can be similar.  And there are times when there will be a discount added that can be favorable.  The primary advantage is no tax paid on board for the purchase, which depending on the watch, can be measurable.

 

But in general for most of the "sale" brands you are correct.

 

I will add to this that I have bought 3 fairly expensive complicated Citizen watches on cruises that were free.  I had use-it-or-lose-it OBC so I bought watches.  I would never however actually pay for a watch on board.

 

Same thing applies for photo equipment.  Never buy photo equipment on board unless it is free.  One time again I had lots of used OBC.  I texted a friend who was in the market for a new camera and told him what they had.  I also told him that I would sell him what I bought for 25% off the lowest price he could find on land.  Both of us won on that deal.

 

DON

[K32682]

2 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Depending on brand - and I am referring mainly to the more premium brands - if you know the retail price of the particular watch in the US and use that as a basis for comparison, the pricing can be similar.  And there are times when there will be a discount added that can be favorable.  The primary advantage is no tax paid on board for the purchase, which depending on the watch, can be measurable.

 

But in general for most of the "sale" brands you are correct.

 

For a premium watch if you buy on a cruise ship you either pay taxes returning to your own country or risk getting caught smuggling it home.  The penalties for getting caught can also be measurable.  

 

The other issue is warranty service.  If the cruise shop is not an authorized dealer of the brand you are on your own if something goes wrong.  

 

 

[XBGuy]

As multiple posters have stated, cruise lines have art auctions on their ships because it is profitable.

 

I have never attended an art auction.  However, I am very fine with them.  The more money the cruise lines make on art auctions, the less incentive they have to raise passage fares.

[lenquixote66]

One of my neighbors bid on a painting and for $300 got the painting.He was told that it was $100 for the frame but they would send the frame to his residence. Three months later a frame came but it was the wrong size. He is still waiting for a correct frame .

[getting older slowly]

Art auctions..... Yes I think they are a waste,, but they make money... to cover some cost of ship ....

 

But really , we often walk past and I have yet to see something worthy of hanging on my wall.......

 

they couldn't pay me enough to put one of them on my wall.......

 

But want ever floats your boat...

 

Cheers Don