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Public Humiliation Courtesy of Park West Auctions at Sea

mgmigs

By mgmigs,
in Royal Caribbean International

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mgmigs

mgmigs

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ok, here is what just happened on the 9/6/08 explorer sailing. hopefully it will be easy to explain, let me know if i am not clear.

at the last auction of the sailing, Arthur, the auctioneer was selling Peter Max artwork. he asked if anyone in the room had ever purchased Peter Max to which one lady raised her hand and said she had, a Peter Max Mickey Mouse rendition, 2 years ago from Park West at Sea with her Park West credit card.

Arthur asked what she paid to which she replied $500.

Arthur said it was impossible for anyone to get Peter Max for $500 and that he knew the price of every Peter Max.

the lady insisted so and in a very condescending way, he told her that if she could prove she bought a Peter Max for $500, he'd give her his salary!

the lady went off and made phone calls while the auction went on. When she returned, I was surprised to see that Arthur did not ask her if she'd gotten the proof b/c he went out of his way to publicly humiliate and discredit her.

after the show, i saw the lady and asked her what happened. she said she had the purchase on her credit card and they (at the desk when you walk in) even wanted from her the address the artwork was sent to!!! Park West looked it up in their system and sure enough, she did in fact make the $500 purchase. They threatened her and warned her to "shut her mouth" because they "had artwork to sell".

now all my doubts about park west have been solidified and it is crystal clear what they are about. i suggested that the lady let someone at RCCL know but i don't know if she followed up with that. she was very upset with how she was spoken to and that she was humiliated for the benefit of a sale.

by the way, Arthur sold very little artwork during the auction and that which he did was pretty inexpensive, so i guess he got what he deserved.

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marci22

marci22

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It didn't seem like anyone was bidding on our recent Brilliance cruise. They would try to get bids and no one would raise their number so an assistant would quickly whisk the art away and replace it with a new one.

 

There were tons of pictures clogging up the hallway, leaning against the wall. All this art sitting on the floor in the middle of traffic. We got a notice towards the end about a 'sale' with 'multiple works per tube' shipping arrangements. Didn't seem like they were making too many sales.

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CruiseDude_83

CruiseDude_83

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Ya i had an odd experenience with the art auctions. When we sailed on the Freedome we went to the art auction that they gave away "free" art if they did not complete the auction within and hour. Well the auctioner got pissed at about 45 min into the auction and we were not even half way done. There was an emergency of sorts and they kept using the PA system to call for a family. Well that same system took over his mic so that everyone had to hear the announcements. He even went as far as to call someone somewhere to get this area off of the call area. The auctioner even got mad when the captin came over the mic weth important info about the emergency. The company really showed there colors that day.

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mgmigs

mgmigs

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Ya i had an odd experenience with the art auctions. When we sailed on the Freedome we went to the art auction that they gave away "free" art if they did not complete the auction within and hour. Well the auctioner got pissed at about 45 min into the auction and we were not even half way done. There was an emergency of sorts and they kept using the PA system to call for a family. Well that same system took over his mic so that everyone had to hear the announcements. He even went as far as to call someone somewhere to get this area off of the call area. The auctioner even got mad when the captin came over the mic weth important info about the emergency. The company really showed there colors that day.

 

his auctions took 3+ hours.

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mgmigs

mgmigs

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I've never attended the onboard art auctions - even for the free champagne which would usually get me to sit through anything. Now I know I'm not missing out - will use my cruise time in other ways. Thanks for the report!

 

i go to get the free artwork and normally it is pleasant and quick but this guy took 3+ hours. at the second auction, i walked in at the last hour.

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Alexis

Alexis

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ok, here is what just happened on the 9/6/08 explorer sailing. hopefully it will be easy to explain, let me know if i am not clear.

 

at the last auction of the sailing, Arthur, the auctioneer was selling Peter Max artwork. he asked if anyone in the room had ever purchased Peter Max to which one lady raised her hand and said she had, a Peter Max Mickey Mouse rendition, 2 years ago from Park West at Sea with her Park West credit card.

 

Arthur asked what she paid to which she replied $500.

 

Arthur said it was impossible for anyone to get Peter Max for $500 and that he knew the price of every Peter Max.

 

the lady insisted so and in a very condescending way, he told her that if she could prove she bought a Peter Max for $500, he'd give her his salary!

 

the lady went off and made phone calls while the auction went on. When she returned, I was surprised to see that Arthur did not ask her if she'd gotten the proof b/c he went out of his way to publicly humiliate and discredit her.

 

after the show, i saw the lady and asked her what happened. she said she had the purchase on her credit card and they (at the desk when you walk in) even wanted from her the address the artwork was sent to!!! Park West looked it up in their system and sure enough, she did in fact make the $500 purchase. They threatened her and warned her to "shut her mouth" because they "had artwork to sell".

 

now all my doubts about park west have been solidified and it is crystal clear what they are about. i suggested that the lady let someone at RCCL know but i don't know if she followed up with that. she was very upset with how she was spoken to and that she was humiliated for the benefit of a sale.

 

by the way, Arthur sold very little artwork during the auction and that which he did was pretty inexpensive, so i guess he got what he deserved.

 

Please read this thread from last night. ;)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=843601

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lysolqn

lysolqn

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after the show, i saw the lady and asked her what happened. she said she had the purchase on her credit card and they (at the desk when you walk in) even wanted from her the address the artwork was sent to!!! Park West looked it up in their system and sure enough, she did in fact make the $500 purchase. They threatened her and warned her to "shut her mouth" because they "had artwork to sell".

 

I'm anything but a fan of onboard art auctions and haven't attended one since our first cruise more years ago than I care to count. Notwithstanding, there are a few more holes in this story than there are in Swiss cheese.

 

If, in fact, the lady in question did purchase a Max for $500 (all you have to go on is her say so), it had to be many, many moons ago. Max hasn't been available for $500, if he ever was, for a long time. And, any auctioneer would have welcomed that price of $500 because it would have proven his claim that art sold by Park West is a good investment because, as one could see just from the $500 Max purchase, it significantly increases in value over time. Additionally, I'm having a hard time accepting that the lady was "threatened" and/or "warned" to shut her mouth. Though I've no doubt she told you she was threatened and warned, I seriously doubt that. Even an onboard art auctioneer looking to make sales isn't THAT stupid! If she were threatened/warned, I've no doubt but that she would not have returned to the auction and sat there quietly after she was proven correct, but rather would have made a bee-line to guest relations to file a complaint.

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mgmigs

mgmigs

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I'm anything but a fan of onboard art auctions and haven't attended one since our first cruise more years ago than I care to count. Notwithstanding, there are a few more holes in this story than there are in Swiss cheese.

 

If, in fact, the lady in question did purchase a Max for $500 (all you have to go on is her say so), it had to be many, many moons ago. Max hasn't been available for $500, if he ever was, for a long time. And, any auctioneer would have welcomed that price of $500 because it would have proven his claim that art sold by Park West is a good investment because, as one could see just from the $500 Max purchase, it significantly increases in value over time. Additionally, I'm having a hard time accepting that the lady was "threatened" and/or "warned" to shut her mouth. Though I've no doubt she told you she was threatened and warned, I seriously doubt that. Even an onboard art auctioneer looking to make sales isn't THAT stupid! If she were threatened/warned, I've no doubt but that she would not have returned to the auction and sat there quietly after she was proven correct, but rather would have made a bee-line to guest relations to file a complaint.

 

 

this is the thing, she said she purchased 2 years ago. also, he made such a big deal to humiliate her in the begining, if he were correct, i find it odd that he did not press her for the evidence when she did finally come back so he could prove "his" point to the audiance. that makes me believe she was telling the truth (i hope that makes sense).

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lysolqn

lysolqn

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this is the thing, she said she purchased 2 years ago. also, he made such a big deal to humiliate her in the begining, if he were correct, i find it odd that he did not press her for the evidence when she did finally come back so he could prove "his" point to the audiance. that makes me believe she was telling the truth (i hope that makes sense).

 

And if SHE were correct, I find it odd that she would simply ignore public humiliation, threats and warnings, and instead choose to return to the auction and sit silently through its end with nare a word about her "proof" - not to mention the threats and warnings she received. Would you ignore that and then return for what might possibly be more of the same? Would you not consider reporting to the Hotel Manager that you were threatened by an onboard vendor and then warned to keep silent? Besides, exactly what was she threatened with? Walking the plank? Solitary in the brig? Being put off at the next port of call? In addition to the aforementioned, $500 for a Max TWO years ago? Extremely unlikely - ESPECIALLY from Park West! Perhaps the lady in question is far better at "selling" than is the auctioneer - it appears she may have successfully "sold" you a bill of goods. No offense meant; just MHO.

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mgmigs

mgmigs

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And if SHE were correct, I find it odd that she would simply ignore public humiliation, threats and warnings, and instead choose to return to the auction and sit silently through its end with nare a word about her "proof" - not to mention the threats and warnings she received. Would you ignore that and then return for what might possibly be more of the same? Would you not consider reporting to the Hotel Manager that you were threatened by an onboard vendor and then warned to keep silent? Besides, exactly what was she threatened with? Walking the plank? Solitary in the brig? Being put off at the next port of call? In addition to the aforementioned, $500 for a Max TWO years ago? Extremely unlikely - ESPECIALLY from Park West! Perhaps the lady in question is far better at "selling" than is the auctioneer - it appears she may have successfully "sold" you a bill of goods. No offense meant; just MHO.

 

the lady came back to sit with her friends. like i said, if she were wrong, i would be certain that the auctioneer would have made a big point to prove his theory. if that were me and i were threatened i would not come in waving my arms and telling everyone i was threatened at the front door but afterwards i would definately have gone to rccl management to let them know, but thats just me. i don't know what she ever did afterwards. i really am not a fan of peter max so i have no idea what she could have purchased. i did not even know he did mickey mouse's. i saw with my own eyes how this guy belittled her and he would have loved to prove her wrong once and for all in front of everyone, i do believe the lady.

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Lionesss "Live from...." Rare

Lionesss

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I learned before I boarded thanks to cruise critic.

When we arrived in our grand suite last month, along with our concienage key was a fancy personal invitation to the art action. Had I not read the threads on the rip-offs from these auctions I would have thought this was a perk to a suite. We knew better, oh it was fancy and offerred the free champagne, but we new better.

Thank you all, for saving me my time and money. Need I say we did not attend, and yes the art work did start to clogg the Promenade as the cruise went on.

 

Later

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English_in_Spain

English_in_Spain

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Why would anyone want to spend precious time on a cruise going to an art auction? Why should they sell paintings on a cruise? Why not Persian or Turkish carpets? English antique furniture? Chinese porcelaine?

 

I have been on 18 cruises and have never been tempted yet. Nor am I ever likely to be.

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Esmerelda

Esmerelda

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I've always said these "art auctions" were a scam from day one! I think we have attended one in 6 cruises or so. I agree with the other poster who posted that to google search them...its amazing what has happened with folks.

 

Besides...who the HELL goes on a cruise wanting to purchase art...? not this ole broad or anyone I've ever cruised with...

 

just a few readings for anyone interested..

 

http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=15134

 

http://www.ripoffreport.com/searchresults.asp?q1=ALL&q2=&q3=&q4=&q5=&q7=&q6=pa

 

http://www2.fineartregistry.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=95&highlight=&sid=c92e0c838267bad505a4e3f12f3c5c31

 

Mind you there are hundreds of more articles online..this was just 3 that I had read in the last few months. I feel very sorry for these folks getting roped into this.

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