Have you ever purchased art on board?

[GottaCruz]

I've attended a few of the art auctions but never purchased anything. I always wonder if the art is really a good deal to buy on the ship. I have to admit , it's a bit overwhelming with art that has to be shipped to you, art that you must carry off, then if it doesn't come with the frame, is the onboard framing reasonable. Lots of questions about the whole experience. I 'm just wondering if any Crazies have purchased art on board and if you were happy with your purchase afterward?

[JoeyandDavid]

yes as a matter of fact .. we have a couple originals of Linda LeKniff... and Marcus Glenn.. a couple of hand embelished pieces... but the great thing about art .. you enjoy what you enjoy

[Joanandjoe]

We bought some art from Park West 4 or 5 years ago, but wouldn't do it again. Back then Park West accepted bids of $40 or $50; so who cared if the art was worth it? We had great souvenirs. Now the minimum bid is much higher, and we wouldn't bid without first doing some intenet research into the value of pieces by artists we like.

[Dan]

I think it is overpriced, just like almost everything else on board LOL. They say the prices are 30-40% of what you'd see on land, but how do you know? It's not like you have time to find a piece you like, then go on the net to research it.

Our friends that went with us in January bought a few pieces on Sapphire, and had them shipped home. Not sure what they paid, but they are happy with them and they look nice in their home, so I guess that's what matters.

[GottaCruz]

When I started cruising, I assumed everything on board would be more expensive than at home but I wanted some Swarovski crystal for a souvenir. For the first several cruises, I bought one piece each cruise, came home and priced the exact piece. Every time, it was exactly the same price. That's why I wonder about the art. Especially, when they do those mystery pieces when they sometimes throw in another. I guess if you just love the art, then it's worth the price. The best prices are those that are called TO, take off the ship yourself. Personally, I would probably just buy framed pieces because framing is so expensive that the art would probably sit someplace in my house and I'd procrastinate framing it. I'd love to hear from others who purchased art on board to see what kind of experiences you've had .

[Brady121291]

I was on the NCL Dawn, which has a lot of "nice" art, and I bought this bugs bunny picture, a bit abstract, for $495 American, and I love it, so as far as I know the deals are pretty good if you like what you are getting! :grin:

[KeithnRita]

On our Alaska cruise in 2001, we bought a painting from the art auction on the Statendam. It was kind of a spur of the moment deal, as we both just loved it. When they displayed it a few days before the auction we both stared at it for a while and it must have been flashing BUY ME because we did. Can't even tell you who the artist is unless I take down from wall. We spent more having it framed than what it cost. The certificate with the artist's name is attached in a pocket on the back of the framing.

[Joanandjoe]

We are "museum lovers" who "collect" art by looking at it in museums. How many people go to Orlando and go to the art museum? How many people can give you a detailed description of the art musuem in Lubbok, Texas? How many people visit Luxembourg and go to the state museum (BOTH floors!) twice? Who organizes a decent tour of the Bermuda Heritage Museum and gets a group of six to spend an entire morning there? WE DO!

If you want a reminder of your trip, a bit of art from a local artist may be a better bet than the on-board auctions. We bought four prints at the Bishop Museum in Alaska for $20.00 (total for four). We carried them home, and had them framed with the descriptive paragraphs on the back. They grace our home, and I remember Alaska each time I look at them. In Bermuda, we found a portfolio of 8 prints, replicas of sketches done in the 1800's. The $10.00 we paid the museum for the 8 prints helped enrich the museum, and I believe we will enjoy some of the prints for a long time. A local artist was having a "relocation sale" at her studio, and we bought two prints for $15.00. The bright colors and native scenes will light up any room. I framed a hand-woven item we bought in Mexico, and the donkey still seems to bray.

I'm skeptical about tying up large sums of money in art ...

[Joanandjoe]

I'd like to add a few words to my post yesterday, and Joan's today. As much as I like seeing the three Park West lithos on our walls (and, as was the case with Keith and Rita, they did cost more to frame than to buy), the local art work we've bought in several places is much more memorable, and is a wonderful reminder of trips to Alaska, Bermuda, Dublin, Paris, DC, Philadelphia, Mexico, and other places. It's hard to remember the cruise on which we bought the Park West pieces (was it the Rotterdam or the Horizon?), but it's very clear where we bought the local art work. Just the ones I mentioned above bring back memories of seven different trips. Joe

[sailingrose]

We have several pieces of art from Park West. We never by for the collectibility but for the memories. I have several of the cartoon cels. My favorite is Tweety Bird with streamers wearing a sailor's cap waving "Bon Voyage." It was one of our first pieces. At Christmas we bought Snoopy as the Red Baron which is a very special piece to our family. We also have local art in our home from Alaska as well as several caribbean islands. Our favorite pieces are by an artist named Chen. He's done many cities but we own many of his NY pieces, especially any with the World Trade Center in them. As former NYers we truly feel that lose deeply.

We don't buy for the investment, we buy for the love. Art should be loved and enjoyed not collected!