In his blog, Royal Caribbean President Adam Goldstein made a quick note announcing the line has ended its relationship with onboard art auction provider Park West. He stated that Park West employees currently onboard their ships would remain there until the end of their contracts, and in the meantime the line would be re-evaluating its onboard art-related programming.
If you've taken a cruise before, you know how these art auctions work: artwork is piled high in a public room, usually spilling into the corridors in the process. Sometimes these events are billed as "preview" auctions, with the main auction to follow later. Of course, during this time, cheap, watery champagne is dolled out liberally and free of charge to passengers. Naturally, there's always a deal to to be had; an incredible buy that passengers just shouldn't miss. Maybe now is the time to walk away with two, three, even four pieces of art, all delivered with showman-like atmosphere.
Surprisingly, this actually works. Auctions are usually well attended, and a surprising amount of cash is injected into the cruise line this way, despite the fact that Park West itself takes a cut. On some ships, the art auctions perform better than the casino or shore excursion department.
Park West, though, has been embroiled in more than its fair share of controversy, and has recently been the subject of four class-action lawsuits, including one in which Royal Caribbean is listed as a co-defendant. A Phoenix-based company called Fine Art Registry was even sued by Park West for the very thing many experienced cruise passengers have long thought: Fine Arts Registry publicly stated that Park West was selling fraudulent Salvador Dali prints, and that they had the proof to back it up.
Park West was so incensed by these public articles that they sued Fine Arts Registry for a whopping $46-million dollars.
In the end, Park West was awarded nothing, while Fine Arts Registry walked away with $500,000 as it was alleged Park West used their trademark and website to make a duplicate Fine Arts Registry site - but without the accusations against Park West.
So is Park West selling authentic artwork? All their website says about the matter is that yes, they are.
Have they responded to their dismissal by one of their largest clients? For the moment, no. Their website does have a short, tersely-worded press release stating repeatedly that these "so-called class action suits" have no merit. It alleges the suits have been brought forward purely by money-grubbing lawyers who lack anything better to do with their time.
Curiously, it does not offer any facts to refute the allegations made against the organization.
What's the best advice? If you're out for original, authentic artwork, guaranteed to appreciate in value, a cruise is not the place to buy it.
As with many things in life: buyer beware.
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