Buying Art on Board Ship

[DannyS]

In my humble opinion, RCCL can and should be responsible for the vendors that they bring into their ships. I think of it in a similar way to the "arrangements" that cruise lines have with certain vendors... The lines give the shops some sort of "preferred" status and then the lines claim that they will stand behind the shop's product (With, I am certain, a small kickback to the cruise line for the advertising)!

 

Why should this be any different? If anything, since it is physically happening on the ship, it should be more closely monitored by the cruise line!

 

Actually, the port and shopping guides are not RCCL employees, and the "reccomended store" program is not run by RCCL either. It is all run by a company called On Board Media. Their website is: http://www.onboard.com

 

Here's how they promote the port shopping program: http://www.onboard.com/products_promotions.asp

 

The ship photographers/video producers are also outside vendors: http://www.image.com/

[suekay]

Slightly off topic, but still related to Parkwest Galleries......we were excited to win a free piece of art on the Splendour last month......and chose a Tarkay with an appraised value said to be over $500. My husband duly paid the "shipping and handling" charge of $75 and we awaited it's arrival at our home in England

When it arrived, the invoice described it as a "poster" with a total value of $5!!

Is this a ploy to circumvent import taxes or have we been conned into paying $75? ( a massive amount for the transportation of a piece of paper)

[superjerryw]

Slightly off topic, but still related to Parkwest Galleries......we were excited to win a free piece of art on the Splendour last month......and chose a Tarkay with an appraised value said to be over $500. My husband duly paid the "shipping and handling" charge of $75 and we awaited it's arrival at our home in England

When it arrived, the invoice described it as a "poster" with a total value of $5!!

Is this a ploy to circumvent import taxes or have we been conned into paying $75? ( a massive amount for the transportation of a piece of paper)

I can't tell you if your artwork has any value or not, but it is very common to put false information on customs declarations to avoid paying duty. I had an expensive Wedgwood vase shipped to me from the U.K. and I think the customs form said it was a plaster container or something similar. Only a reputable art dealer can really tell you what your piece of art is worth.

[MGoBlue2]

I can't tell you if your artwork has any value or not, but it is very common to put false information on customs declarations to avoid paying duty. I had an expensive Wedgwood vase shipped to me from the U.K. and I think the customs form said it was a plaster container or something similar. Only a reputable art dealer can really tell you what your piece of art is worth.

This isn't about false information, but a funny/interesting story about what gets put on international packages:

Shortly after 9/11/2001 ...The marking on a package received from the US by a retiree in Chemnitz, Germany, caused him to call the police, who called experts in chemical and biological hazards. As they examined the package cautiously, it dawned on them that the word GIFT (German for poison) written on the package in large letters was in English.

 

 

 

 

 

[imosoreal]

My husband purchased a signed sports photograph last year on the Triumph and was sent a photo different than what he believed he was buying. After several attempts to speak to someone at Park West by phone he looked up the administration information on the internet and wrote them a letter. He received a phone call shortly thereafter and they finally agreed that he was not sent what he ordered and a promise of a credit back to our account. After about a month we received the credit.

[PAGA]

We have purchased 10 pieces from Park West Galleries 3 different RCCL/Celebrity cruises and have never had a problem. We have also taken advantage of the credit card they offer 2 times (we promptly pay it off and cancel it...we just get apply to get the discounted fees)...anyway, my point is that Park West's credit card is actually backed by a big-name bank -- I think it is Household Bank maybe?? Check the back of your card, as well as the documents that came with your card -- I would be very surprised if you contact the bank that they would not help you in this situation from a fraud standpoint.

 

- PAGA

 

4 Celebrity Cruises

5 RCCL cruises (and 1 more to go in '04)

[wherenext]

I have also purchased several pieces and have fallen in love with art. I buy what I like and if it raises in price all the better. I have researched my prints and have gone to other galleries and almost every piece has gone up in price. Framing and matting is where a major portion of the cost is. I have worked as a fraud investigator and dispute resolution manager for a large credit card company and I can tell you that anytime you pruchase something and you don't get what you paid for you can dispute it. You need to contact the credit card company and request their dispute department, explain the situation and they will help work out the difference. If you don't want the print that you got send it back certified and you will be credited on your credit card.

[sailaway211]

I am a private contractor and I am contracted with the County I reside in. I have a four page legal document signed by the county executive and all the freeholders that outlines the services I have been contracted to provide for the county.

 

I am not an employee of the county but I do represent them and provide services for them. If I acted innapropriately, or didn't do my job, etc. I am sure they would replace me with another contractor. RCCL must contract these vendors. I would be curious to see how these contracts read.

[Ocean Boy]

If you don't want the print that you got send it back certified and you will be credited on your credit card.

However, when you buy aboard ship on your sea pass all that shows up on your credit card is a single charge from RCI for the entire amount of your sea pass balance. So how do you despute a particular portion of that charge?

 

The issue is with something Park West did but there is no charge from them. And that actually makes me wonder if RCI had greater culpability since they actually charge you for the goods that you received. And that is a major difference from the earlier provided example of a shopping mall owner not being liable for goods sold by a retailer renting space.

[ezi-amy]

The prints that you win and parkwest tell you that they are worth $500 is wrong. The prints are signed in-plate, that means that the artist designed the original print and signed it. Parkwest print thousand of them and if they run out of them they can print as many as they want. What makes a print valuable is the actual artist signing each print and the numbered edition which limits the amount of prints.

The prints that you win are worth about $30 to $50 sometime a little more. They are worth more than an average poster because they are higher quality and you can't buy them anywhere.

We have 9 of them still in the tube, they make great gifts. We also rejected a few of them because we didn't want to pay the $35 mailing fee (it cost parkwest less than $7 to mail them, including the tube which cost about $2).

 

Ezi's Art Gallery http://members.aol.com/eziamy

[wherenext]

Ocean Boy, you should have an itemized list of the charges placed on your card by RCCL. Just provide a copy of the itemized charge circling the amount your are disputing and send that with the written letter the dispute department should have requested you send them. When using a credit card you have consumer rights and one of them is if you do not receive the item you paid for you are not liable. When sending the print back to Park West include the same itemized list and request that they refund RCCL. I believe in the contract you sign with Park West for the prints there is a clause that says that if at any time you are not satisfied with the print you can sell it back to them for the cost that you paid. I hope this helps.