Art auctions are a mainstay of big-ship cruise lines—and they usually run in a similar format: show up, drink a few glasses of free Champagne, take a numbered bid card, and peruse the artwork to be auctioned off. Make the right bid, and you'll go home with travel memories and a new piece to add to your collection.
On land, art auctions are mainly reserved for seasoned collectors in major cities. But what's extraordinary about a cruise ship is that everyday passengers can access the auction experience, says John Block, the Executive Vice President of Park West. Park West is the first and largest operator of at-sea art auctions aboard lines including Azamara, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian, Princess, Holland America, and Carnival. “The vast majority of our clients don’t live in the population centers where major galleries concentrate–we’re offering an opportunity to choose from a wider selection of art," he says. The artwork auctioned on cruise ships also sells at a variety of price points, creating a broad appeal to travelers, Block notes. You might drop a few hundred dollars, or even hundreds of thousands, depending on the cruise line and destination, which can both factor into the art available for auction.
As for the pieces on display, expect to find artwork across various mediums, and artists that range from the big hitters—WyLand, Peter Max, Pablo Picasso—to more contemporary and even up-and-coming names. Some perennial favorites from Park West’s cruise galleries include Itzchack Tarkay, Anatole Krasnyansky, Chris Derubeis, and Emile Bellet.
Suffice to say, it's a fun way to spend an afternoon at sea, but there are a few things to know before you step up and raise a paddle. Consider this a crash course on participating in art auctions on cruise ships, from suggested etiquette to the fine print.
How it works
At the start of the event, auctioneers will explain the difference in package prices. Some art is handed over on the ship for passengers to take home themselves, while some is sold inclusive of framing and shipping, and others are sold without those inclusions. Usually, they'll try to add to the excitement before things get rolling with giveaways, added-value deals, and—of course—by talking up the art on show. Each auction will also kick off with clear instructions on bidding.
Once the auction is completed, buyers will sit down with art gallery staff to work out delivery details, select a frame (you don’t have to keep the one the art is displayed in), and go over the purchase contract. At auctions run by Park West, sales tax for the passenger’s state of residence applies. For US residents, there’s no import duty levied on artwork imported to the United States.
Staff will also offer an appraisal at a reasonable price for insurance purposes—but keep in mind these appraisals are not third-party, and are retail value appraisals, or a survey of what other galleries and sellers are asking for similar works. The appraisals are not independent estimates of the current fair market value of the art, which are significantly more involved and expensive.
What to look out for
Several cruise lines eschew art auctions, including Oceania, Crystal, Windstar, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Disney Cruises has transitioned to gallery sales—mostly of Disney-themed prints and animation cells—with prices clearly displayed. Many cruise lines, like Celebrity and Holland America Line, have also transitioned to more art appreciation, although they continue to also offer the onboard art auctions.
Why the shift? Over the years, unhappy buyers have filed lawsuits against cruise lines or the onboard art auctioneers, claiming the value of the artworks had been inflated. Other buyers alleged that the artworks they purchased were forgeries, and were ultimately able to get refunds without lawsuits, but only after media coverage.
Most of the legal complaints related to cruise ship art auctions are not recent–previously, expensive telephone service and slow internet on cruise ships made it much harder to research art values before purchasing. But with the advent of faster cruise line WiFi, which is often bundled into cruise fares, there’s been less buzz as of late surrounding unhappy cruise art buyers. Park West has also made changes to their sales process. Onboard art sales used to be final, but the company now allows buyers to cancel their purchases outright with the auctioneer before they disembark at the end of the cruise. Afterwards, buyers have up to 50 months to exchange their art or return it for a credit.
At the end of the day, it’s important for passengers to view onboard art sales as a retail purchase—not an investment piece—and to be wary of auctioneers who focus too much on the resale value of artwork. This is essentially an interactive shopping experience. It’s up to the buyer to perform their due diligence before putting down their money. Prospective buyers can run a quick check on the internet for the work of art they’re considering to see if the same print is being sold at a lower price ashore, or if the artist is known for diluting the value of their works for authorizing too many production runs of a piece.
As long as passengers keep their eyes out for any red flags, cruise art auctions can be a great way to purchase art you may not have access to otherwise. Plus, Park West hosts onboard education and enrichment seminars—naturally focused on the artists and art types available for sale during the auction—so there are chances to learn about what's for sale before you have to make decisions.