Art afficionatos at sea

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I have a very good friend who teaches art history. She and her husband spend a lot of time and money at the art auctions on board ships. She knows what she's getting and buys accordingly. It was awesome to watch them on one of the cruises. Like anything else in life... everything is a trade off... don't expect to find Picasso for a couple of hundred dollars for auction on a cruise ship. This goes back to the "do your research" idea!

I walk through look at it and keep moving.

The class action suits are brought about by people who bought for investment reasons, the worst reason to buy art. We have bought what we like, and that’s it. I can’t stand Thomas Kincaid, yet people bought his stuff as if it was the best artwork ever. Truth is, he had apprentices do most of the work, and he would come and finish a few steps. It was an assembly line of art.

‘Some of the artists are more famous than you think. Linda LeKniff is world renowned,and we have an original oil by her. Funny thing is, those free pieces, routinely show up on e bay for around $20. We used to make copies onto iron on transfer paper, and make t shirts out of them.

Besides alll of the above, the only people who win in a class action suit are the attorneys. Claimants will receive a coupon good for 15% off a future purchase.

Just got off the Pacific Princess, over three weeks, no art auctions or displays. "The class actions spelt the beginning of the end for the auctions. Cruise lines have either abolished them altogether or told auctioneers to tone down their acts. Good news for their potential victims. So as the cruise ship auctioneer joins the door-to-door encyclopaedia salesman in one of the outer circles of the inferno, one question remains: does anyone want to buy a genuine Poshinsky?"

My wife goes to art auctions to get free champaigne. I go also(boring) so I take different versions of art shown here on Breeze . One of the art sellers co workers

I have a friend whose husband buys a piece of art on almost every cruise. He fills his home with the art. So I guess there are lots of people like him on cruises. We go to the auctions sometimes but have never bought anything at the auctions. We get invited to the previews. If we see something that we like to offer the starting price. This only happened once & we get that price. The champagne is nice, too. Most of the art I don't care for, personally.

We aren't adverse toward art, in Hawaii or Alaska I do like to like to browse art exhibits, unfortunately, like Just Me, our walls already are saturated. Some years ago wife had an interior decorator in, she rearranged things so we have a lot of prints and pictures stored in the attic now, I even have the walls on my wilderness cabin completely covered.

As far as on the ships, if the majority of others enjoy having art auctions and displays, that's fine with me, I'm going to look and enjoy with the rest of em but I'm certainly going to avoid any auctions, particularly after I read my Business Week with the article I posted in it. If I had a vote, I would say the space on board could be put to better use though. I go along with the "Berlitz", not so kind, assessment of this all:

"Beware of these. Aboard most large resort ships intrusive art auctions form part of the "entertainment" program, with flyers, brochures and forceful announcements that almost demand that you attend. They may be fun participation events---though the "free champagne" given to entice you is mostly sparkling wine and not champagne--but don't expect to purchase an heirloom as most of the art pieces (lithographs and seriographs) are rubbish. It's funny how so may identical pieces can be found aboard so many ships. When its delivered to your home and you have it appraised you'll probably find it is not genuine. Forged signatures are not uncommon. If you do something, do so because it will look good on your wall, not as an investment. Remember the cruise line takes absolutely no responsibility for artwork that's worthless, the art auction house is just a concession."

We won two at auction and haven't put them up yet.. Nice to participate but nothing I would miss..