Art Auctions on Silversea?

[dwelsh]

I have searched for a thread on ths Silversea forum but havn't found one.

I just read on another lines pages of the problems of the principal cruise ship art dealer. are the Silversea ships "plagued" with this problem?:confused::confused:

[Keith1010]

On our recent Silver Shadow cruise there was an are extert on board the ship and there was various pieces of art for sale. But it is not done as an auction. And it is very low key with absolutely no hard sell. We went to most of the talks which were done mainly by meeting and walking an area of the deck and having a nice interactive talk about the art.

 

Keith

[spook1]

Let's hope Silversea stays clear of art auctions and blaring PA sustems. Our last (rerally last) cruise on RCI was so bad you had to get out on deck to find a quiet spot to read during the two/three hours auction. Princess is a bit better, and quieter, but the art still litters the public space near Explorer's Lounge where it is held. But this is only a part of the sad state cruising has envolved from the days we went to sea to enjoy a different lifestyle than what could be found at home. And it will only get worse.

[Susan07470]

I go on lines like Silversea because there are no auctions or photographers intruding.

[billcrooz]

there were NO art auctions aboard tho they did have artwork for sale; extremely expensive,picasso ,matisse, prices some as high as 250,000 $. also limited photos of Marilyn Momroe and they had some artist on board with very expensive modern art (not my taste)

[dwelsh]

Thanks for the information I requested. I will have to carry some "pocket change" in case i see a "bauble!!" :):):)

[TLCOhio]

I go on lines like Silversea because there are no auctions or photographers intruding.

 

Good news on both counts. Don't like being subject to "commercial hustles".

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[spook1]

I go on lines like Silversea because there are no auctions or photographers intruding.

Ahh, how can we forget the photographers. I am not a rude person, but I did lose it for a second when walking down the gangplank on our last Princess cruise in Alaska after having a camera stuck in my face. And embarking we walked around the "trap line" only to get hailed as if we'd broken the law.

[billcrooz]

you will NEVER see the paparazzi on Silversea !

[wripro]

For the life of me, with digital cameras today, I can't see why anyone would spend $25 to buy a photo taken by a stranger on any cruise line. Billcorooz is right. It will never happen on SS, along with art auctions and gold by the inch sales.

[spook1]

For the life of me, with digital cameras today, I can't see why anyone would spend $25 to buy a photo taken by a stranger on any cruise line. Billcorooz is right. It will never happen on SS, along with art auctions and gold by the inch sales.

Does this mean no $39 watch sales? Gee. What do we do for excitement? But this is all give and take. Obviously the vast majority of the cruising public love art auctions and photographers; otherwise, you wouldn't need a traffic cop to guide you past the crowds where the 'most wanted' photos are displayed. I agree $25 is a lofty price for an item that once-upon-a-time ran in the $7 range. I will find it of interest to compare the Shadow gift shops with those of the mass market breed.

[avalon1025]

There are art sales on board Silversea, not auctions. On our Shadow sailing there were many Picasso ceramics in the stairwells and Lobby in the $12-$20K range, plus some excellent photography (Hurrel celebrity stuff).

 

There is an art "expert" on board. A funny (in hindsight) warning, there is SOUND and video security around all the art as its in the stairwells of the ship. Up on arrival in Ketchican some passengers were congregated in the stairwell waiting for clearance. I made a comment about the art and about why the cruise line was not concerned about theft or damage (one good swing of an overnight bag and wham, or what would prevent someone from touching and breaking such an expensive piece), and the next day was visited/confronted by the art dealer saying I was overhead by security putting thoughts in peoples minds.

 

Eventually I received an apology from the cruise director once the story got out. Also I happened to be with a very nice celebrity at the time who also was overheard with me and the accusations were absurd (especially since I had been on the ship 7 months ago and the art dealer was one of the few who I did not know)

 

I rather have some nice simple art, rather than worry about some on board concession.

 

The Shadow continues to be a wonderful ship, but if you are a serious art collector, find a reputable dealer and build a relationship.

[Keith1010]

There is absolutely no pressure to purchase any art on the ship. We spent time with the art expert and attended all of his sessions. With the exception of one, they were held in the area(s) where the art was displayed. His time was spent talking about the artists and the art and in some cases where he obtained the art. I would say that we the sessions we attended totaled around five hours and maybe there was twenty seconds about discussion of purchasing any of it. We found it very educational. We didn't attend to purchase any art. Others who attended the sessions (and most were attended by 10 or less people) with the exception of the last session which was attended by maybe 75 people attended for the same reason we did. Simply, they enjoy art and wanted to increase their education. That was it. Very simple.

 

If one doesn't want to attend then they can skip it as is the case with everything that is offered except for say the lifeboat drill. :)

 

We appreciated the fact that Silversea offered a greater number of activiities than we thought would be available on this size ship which I think was very nice.

 

Oh, one final word about the artwork. There were many nice items that we enjoyed looking at from time to time. Did we like them all? No. Do we enjoy all art work? No. Did we enjoy much of it? Yes. Is it like the art work that you typically see at art auctions on some ships? No. Why? Because what you see on many ships is not art but rather items that you can buy at a shopping mall that sells items in the $100.00 range. That is not what this was about.

 

Keith

[dwelsh]

The art dealers do not display their wares for their health!

If there is an "art expert" on board he/she is there to sell. The salespeople have a captive audience of pretty affluent people who do not want to be "sold to" but, if they see something that takes their eye, are easily influenced by a smart "art expert" to make a purchase. I am sure that the prices are really no more realistic than the offerings of the art auctioneers on board the other lines. I am sure that SS receives a commission on sales and provides complementary accommodation for these "art experts."

:confused::confused::confused:

[Keith1010]

The art dealers do not display their wares for their health!

If there is an "art expert" on board he/she is there to sell. The salespeople have a captive audience of pretty affluent people who do not want to be "sold to" but, if they see something that takes their eye, are easily influenced by a smart "art expert" to make a purchase. I am sure that the prices are really no more realistic than the offerings of the art auctioneers on board the other lines. I am sure that SS receives a commission on sales and provides complementary accommodation for these "art experts."

:confused::confused::confused:

 

Yes, the art expert was not there just to cruise for six months. He is there to sell. And I am sure that SS received a commission. No differnt than the fact that SS receives a portion of the proceeds from the stores on board the ship or from the spa/salon.

 

But as I said there was absolutely no pressure on his part to buy anything and in the many hours we spent with him it did not come up. Sure, If I asked for assistance to purchase something he would have gladly done that. But, I didn't ask and he didn't bring it up. That is the difference between this and the so called art auctions on other cruise lines. This was are. I might not have cared for some of it, but it was art. On most of cruise lines it is not true art.

 

For us all of this was purely education.

 

No different in many ways than attending classes on board SS with the person from the fitness center. We attended one where we discussed eating heatlhy. My wife and I already do that so we really don't need anything more on that. While the class was great it was mentioned that we could go for private sessions and there would be a fee.

 

Anyway, I enjoyed the sessions with the art expert. I was not compelled to go. I was not compelled to purchase anything. I came away from the session with no art purchases. But I came away from the session with more knowledge about certain areas of art than before the cruise.

 

Not sure why there is a concern about the art on the ship. It is not your "in your face type of art"

 

As they say, don't worry, be happy. Like is short. If you are on SS and they offer this, just don't go if it does not interest you. We certainly don't go to each and everything on the ship.

 

Keith

[Emtbsam]

There are art sales on board Silversea, not auctions. On our Shadow sailing there were many Picasso ceramics in the stairwells and Lobby in the $12-$20K range, plus some excellent photography (Hurrel celebrity stuff).

 

There is an art "expert" on board. A funny (in hindsight) warning, there is SOUND and video security around all the art as its in the stairwells of the ship. Up on arrival in Ketchican some passengers were congregated in the stairwell waiting for clearance. I made a comment about the art and about why the cruise line was not concerned about theft or damage (one good swing of an overnight bag and wham, or what would prevent someone from touching and breaking such an expensive piece), and the next day was visited/confronted by the art dealer saying I was overhead by security putting thoughts in peoples minds.

 

Eventually I received an apology from the cruise director once the story got out. Also I happened to be with a very nice celebrity at the time who also was overheard with me and the accusations were absurd (especially since I had been on the ship 7 months ago and the art dealer was one of the few who I did not know)

 

I rather have some nice simple art, rather than worry about some on board concession.

 

The Shadow continues to be a wonderful ship, but if you are a serious art collector, find a reputable dealer and build a relationship.

I find it shocking that the art dealer confronted you about such a tongue in cheek comment. I think my reaction would have been considerably stronger than yours, and I applaud you for your restraint! I have to wonder if the art dealer also confronted the celebrity!

[TLCOhio]

there is SOUND and video security around all the art as its in the stairwells of the ship. I made a comment about the art and about why the cruise line was not concerned about theft or damage (one good swing of an overnight bag and wham, or what would prevent someone from touching and breaking such an expensive piece), and the next day was visited/confronted by the art dealer saying I was overhead by security putting thoughts in peoples minds. Eventually I received an apology from the cruise director once the story got out. Also I happened to be with a very nice celebrity at the time who also was overheard with me and the accusations were absurd (especially since I had been on the ship 7 months ago and the art dealer was one of the few who I did not know)

 

I can understand some "security" for the supposedly valuable art on the ship, BUT, who's doing the watching and listening of passengers? This story raises questions about . . . how "private" are things as you walk along halls and up stairs? Who's watching and listening? For what other purposes? Do we have to careful on what we say as we walk along? Am I over-reacting to concerns on passenger privacy?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[Keith1010]

Terry, on all cruise ships they have video of the major areas. I did not realize they could listen though.

 

Certainly, what happened to Avalon was wrong.

 

In terms of the ceramic pieces that were in various spots, they were all glued down.

 

And I don't think it would be easy to get a painting off the ship. :)

 

Keith

[south seas sue]

I, for one, truly enjoyed the elegant ambiance added to my cruise by the presence of all that beautiful original art! Original etchings or numbered prints and ceramics by Picasso, Miro, Legere, and others only enhanced my happiness at being a part of this wonderful experience. I loved the photographs as well - there were a few photos of Greta Garbo, taken in the late 20s and 30s that were marvelous examples of her lovliness and the beauty of black and white photography.

 

I don't understand the carping about this. The inclusion of this art only added to our luxury experience. We didn't care about buying, and are at the age where we are thinking of giving away, not acquiring more - but the proximity gave us the feeling at being at a wonderful private gallary exhibit, staged just for us...........

 

Lighten up and enjoy! :):):)

[avalon1025]

I did enjoy having the original art on board and for the week was very happy with its presence. I was never even approached to buy anything, in fact I was wondering how you could buy some of the photography

 

I was more concerned that ships staff were listening to private conversation if they were in close proximity to the art, I found it very unsettling. Also, there is no signage as to the extent of the servalence around the art. To be confronted on the last day of the cruise in a public room with others was extremely uncalled for. I did speak with the cruise director who was quite helpful and the art person did come over to explain, regardless it was tacky and uncalled for.

 

Also, I raised suspicion as I seemed to know about the pieces and mentioned seeing some on Ebay (apparently Ebay is a trigger word for their security). I had to explain that I had my own Picasso linocuts at home and knew quite a bit about the artists work (there was a sense of why would YOU know this? , which on a ship like the Shadow, why wouldn't some passengers know about Picasso?)

 

Overall is was a sad ending to a wonderful trip, but in no way had taken away from the true stars in the staff on board the Shadow.

 

The last night, was pure awkward fun as to see passengers and friends speaking into flowers, waving to inanimate objects as it became a joke of when and where you were being filmed and listened to around the ship

 

If there is anyone from Silversea reading this, I would quickly review your policy on this one (it must be new as this art was not on board in December), Silversea gets many highly visible/well known passengers and I am sure they as well as others would not be comfortable having their conversations tapped in public areas without warning. There should be a discreet sign to the effect of the monitoring

[Keith1010]

Avalon, the art work is fairly new. It has only been up for a few months.

 

With or without the art, the monitoring of all of these decks would likely be the same. The art was on many decks and in many areas of the ship. I am sure they are not doing monitoring just for the art.

 

If you think they should let everyone know that they monitor many of the public areas of the ship I think maybe a note in the first days program would make sense because I don't think one sign, that is discreet, would be noticed.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

I, for one, truly enjoyed the elegant ambiance added to my cruise by the presence of all that beautiful original art! Original etchings or numbered prints and ceramics by Picasso, Miro, Legere, and others only enhanced my happiness at being a part of this wonderful experience. I loved the photographs as well - there were a few photos of Greta Garbo, taken in the late 20s and 30s that were marvelous examples of her lovliness and the beauty of black and white photography.

 

I don't understand the carping about this. The inclusion of this art only added to our luxury experience. We didn't care about buying, and are at the age where we are thinking of giving away, not acquiring more - but the proximity gave us the feeling at being at a wonderful private gallary exhibit, staged just for us...........

 

Lighten up and enjoy! :):):)

 

Thank you very much.

 

We found the art work interesting even before we knew there was an art expert on board. Some of it was not our cup of tea but we didn't care because it was still interesting. Many times we might find something interesting even though we would not think of buying it.

 

I also agree with the recommendation to lighten up and enjoy! I am reminded from time to time that life is short. We just look at the half glass as being half full for that reason.

 

Keith

[dwelsh]

I started this thread with a simple question as to whether there were art auctions on SS ships.

 

Believe me as a retired museum docent, I am most interested in the arts and really look forward to observing the exhibits on board the SS Silver Shadow.

On previous cruises with many lines, including RSS and O, the continuous touting by means of direct mail and shipboard announcements of the art auction annoyed me. That is why the initial question was asked.

[Keith1010]

dwelsh, this is what tends to happen with many of the treads on Cruise Critic. Ask a simple question and you don't always get a simple answer.

 

As mentioned, the art on Silversea the Silver Shadow was not sold as part of an art auction. Prices were listed and if one was interested they could talk privately about that with the art expert. Otherwise, they could just enjoy the art without any pressure or prodding to purchase it.

 

Keith

[dwelsh]

Thank you Keith. I do understand having been a regular poster and reader since 2000. Happy sailing. David:):)