I have to ask, what is up with the Art Auctions and Sales?

[RCmommy]

Do they really sell that much?  It seems like it is on the “what’s happening” everyday.  It’s always using some space or venue up. I ask people we chat with if they ever attend and I’m always told no. So, who is attending and buying this art?

Obviously someone is.

 

Our last sea day I was in the library along with numerous other passengers aboard the Vista. The room was filled with families playing games, some doing crossword puzzles or reading, and a number of groups working on puzzles -myself included. A crew member came in and announced the library was closed. It was about 3:15 and she said it closed at 3:00.  It wasn’t posted, so nobody knew.  She said they had to set up for an art auction. I silently rolled my eyes to myself and thought “another”. Anyway, we all had to leave.  I checked the hub app to see that the auction was at 7:00pm.  4 hours to set up??

Why not have it in the conference room I never saw being used?  I just find it strange.  Am I the only one ?

 

 

 

Edited January 30, 2023 by RCmommy

[knagl]

For it to be a constant thing for years on every ship, they must be making a decent profit on it. If it wasn't making money, it wouldn't be there. Same with the Iffy jewelry.

[sanmarcosman]

On the Panorama cruise of January 14th I saw guests engaged in quiet activities in the library who were informed they had to vacate the room for the "art" auction. That's plain wrong and shouldn't happen. I'd rather Carnival ban the Park West company from their ships. They don't sell original art, they only sell serigraphs that are licensed by the artist. When they say "limited" artworks they are only limited to the amount they can sell. Google Park West Settlement.

 

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I say if I wanted a copy of the painting Dogs Playing Poker I'd shop on Craig's List or go to a garage sale.

[BoozinCroozin]

Think of this as Starving Artist sales where nothing is over $75. Its the same thing. They buy this stuff in bulk from low cost countries to display for about $10 a paining. Then they sell it to travelers for over $200 after drinking all day and get a few more in them.

[shof515]

I found the same pieces of art on multiple ships and on multiple cruise lines. the artwork they sell is not unique

[Jasonsterling]

Those have been a fixture on Carnival in the more than twenty years I've been sailing them and they were firmly established at that point, lol. I can only assume they sell well enough though the whole "investment" "limited printing" "original sold for" nonsense turns me off as does the auction part in general. I think they should take over the library for them when there are other options. They used to be held in the lounge since there's no comedy or anything happening during the day but I'm sure they like the exposure of being on a main route.

[asalligo]

Just prints you could buy on amazon for a quarter of the price in very overpriced frames and insane high mandatory shipping costs. If you like it and think that the final price is reasonable, get it. Just do not fall for their line of this being an investment. 

[Joanne G.]

They are a mystery to me too, but they wouldn't be on all the major cruise lines if they didn't make money.   By the way, when a print is described as "giclee", that's French for "ink jet."   🤣

[asalligo]

Look up the class action lawsuit. They must make amazing money since they survived that and just kept on selling. 

[Amyracecar]

It's been an enigma to me for many years. I actually used to quite enjoy attending when we first started cruising circa 2002, we'd attend and watch the salespeople excitedly telling us how important lots of artists we'd never heard of are, and then shake our heads as people 'bid' in the low thousands for things. (I say 'bid', I don't recall ever seeing a picture get more than a single bid. The term 'auction' is definitely not accurate, haha)

Actually, they rarely received a huge number of sales from what I could tell, I remember it was usually the same family bidding for a couple of things, but on the whole nobody bought anything. Reproduction Disney cels sometimes got a bit of interest, but they were really overpriced so surprised people went for it. 

 

It seemed like they made the bulk of their money on the art 'raffle' or quizzes, where if your ticket was picked out or you answered a question right you 'won' a print. What they didn't tell you was that it was from a small selection of awful prints, you'd have to pay about $100-200 to ship it, and pay an extortianate amount if you wanted a frame. A big con. 

 

It's part of our culture enough that it's even been on the Simpsons, I think in the cruise episode, Bart is holding a Michael Godard print at one point, those ones with olives and cocktail glasses that used to be EVERYWHERE on cruises, and always the star of the show at the auctions! 

[1025cruise]

Just to note that the newer ships don't have the art auctions.

[Theosprey247]

1 hour ago, 1025cruise said:

Just to note that the newer ships don't have the art auctions.

How New? They had them on the Panorama.  

[spleenstomper]

I buy actual paintings from the artist on Etsy or street art etc. This way is better for everyone.

 

Of course, I’m not after a glass of free cheap champagne 

Edited January 30, 2023 by spleenstomper

[CruiserLucas]

My partner and I have gone, but only once to: 1) just look at the art; 2) get free sparkling wine; 3) make fun of the terrible hype and sales pitch from the Park West staff

[RCmommy]

3 hours ago, Amyracecar said:

It's been an enigma to me for many years. I actually used to quite enjoy attending when we first started cruising circa 2002, we'd attend and watch the salespeople excitedly telling us how important lots of artists we'd never heard of are, and then shake our heads as people 'bid' in the low thousands for things. (I say 'bid', I don't recall ever seeing a picture get more than a single bid. The term 'auction' is definitely not accurate, haha)

Actually, they rarely received a huge number of sales from what I could tell, I remember it was usually the same family bidding for a couple of things, but on the whole nobody bought anything. Reproduction Disney cels sometimes got a bit of interest, but they were really overpriced so surprised people went for it. 

 

It seemed like they made the bulk of their money on the art 'raffle' or quizzes, where if your ticket was picked out or you answered a question right you 'won' a print. What they didn't tell you was that it was from a small selection of awful prints, you'd have to pay about $100-200 to ship it, and pay an extortianate amount if you wanted a frame. A big con. 

 

It's part of our culture enough that it's even been on the Simpsons, I think in the cruise episode, Bart is holding a Michael Godard print at one point, those ones with olives and cocktail glasses that used to be EVERYWHERE on cruises, and always the star of the show at the auctions! 

I totally have to look up that episode and watch it.

[Essiesmom]

When you ‘win’ something, whether it is in the auction, or a raffle, you can’t take it with you, because the one they send you comes from a shore warehouse.  Someone wrote that they won something in a drawing, and when they were told they couldn’t take it with them, had to pay for shipping, they told them to keep it.  EM

[RCmommy]

Out of the many, MANY, I have asked, one couple knew friends of friends that had bought a piece of art on a cruise ship years ago.  The couple said they only bought the art for the free cruise.  My reply was "well it wasn't exactly a free cruise now was it?"  Apparently the art was destined for the summer yard sale line-up. 

 

On the Vista, the line up for the comedy show in the Limelight lounge is outside where the walls are lined with various art selections.  I wish I could repeat some of the art 'interpretations' I heard by some of the passengers waiting in line.  It could have become a third act in the comedy line-up.

[1025cruise]

2 hours ago, Theosprey247 said:

How New? They had them on the Panorama.  

Mardi Gras and Celebration.

[reeinaz]

Let me tell you, the vendors on the Caribbean beaches have NOTHING on the pushy sales tactics that the art auctioneers have. There was a part where they suggest that you walk around and look at all the items and put a little post-it on ones that you'd like to see put up for bid. Well, one of the salespeople came up to me later and asked about one of the ones I put a sticky one. How did he know it was me?? So he's asking me what I like about it and giving me information about the artist and asks me to name a price that I'd be willing to pay to take it home. I gave him what I thought was a low-ball price and he had to go to his supervisor to get it approved and surprise, surprise, it was. I just needed to make an appointment to come back later to complete the paperwork. Yeah sure ok. Well it was then that I realized the PRIME location those guys are in. I couldn't go anywhere without passing though that little hallway. Not just him, but the other salespeople kept trying to flag me down to complete the purchase. I started to use other floors to avoid walking through the hall. Then I started getting voicemails and notes left in my cabin. It was really ridiculous. When I explained that I changed my mind, they still wanted to talk to me about it and kept adding more pieces that I had shown interest into the deal. I think with shipping and frames, the total price for everything came up to about $6000. I told them that I would need to sign up for their credit account for that amount, knowing that I had an active credit freeze. Once the credit wasn't able to be approved, I didn't hear another peep from them. I think they even avoided making eye contact with me after that. lol

[RCmommy]

It is like time-share tactical warfare. 😁

[ultrafighter]

11 hours ago, knagl said:

Same with the Iffy jewelry.

😆

[Out of Iowa]

If you aren't a buyer of artistic works on land, at home....why would a person on a vacation start spending money on something they know nothing/little about?

 

It doesn't take most people long to figure out what Park West is (and is not). 

 

As for the others, as PT Barnum is often quoted...."there is one born every minute...

Edited January 30, 2023 by Out of Iowa
spelling

[RCmommy]

If people want to attend and buy the stuff, knock yourself out. I don’t think they should be kicking people out of venues that are being used however. Ah, nobody is paying for anything in the library so let’s kick them out and use that room.  I was about halfway through a 500 piece puzzle so I’m a little salty.  
 

There was a group of four ladies working on another that had to break it all up and box it as well.

[ProgRockCruiser]

7 hours ago, Amyracecar said:

Bart is holding a Michael Godard print at one point, those ones with olives and cocktail glasses

Lol.  I have one of those "prints" - got it for free from a furniture retailer when I bought something and they were refreshing their décor and giving away the old stuff.  I said "sure, why not?"  Still hanging up in a bonus room because, again, "why not?"

[hillbillycruisers]

One of my pet peeves with the Dream is they have an art gallery where the Red Frog Pub is located on other Carnival ships. We love the Red Frog...and I have asked the question on other post " Who exactly goes on a cruise to hang out in an art gallery?? ". When I asked this, I had several peeps express their opinions as to why an art gallery is important to Carnival. Bottom line...it's money. Everyone has their thing....apparently some people's thing is spending a lot of money for a little art. And...I'm even an artist!