Cruise on the Cheap: Deal Offers Money for Airfare, On Board
By Paul Motter for Fox Business
...Cruise Headlines
Many attractions on board cruise ships are operated by outside companies, not the cruise lines. One of these vendors is currently embroiled in controversy, Park West Gallery of Southfield, Mich.,the purveyor of many cruise ship art auctions.
Among the allegations: Park West owns the artwork it auctions rather than representing third parties. The gallery writes its own appraisals, a practice not sanctioned by reputable art dealers or the IRS. Independent investigators report that Park West appraisals average five times higher than real-world prices. Most egregious, Park West is accused of selling Salvador Dali prints with forged signatures.
These very serious charges were leveled by an Arizona-based business and art advocacy group, Fine Art Registry, after they were contacted by several cruisers with buyer’s remorse. Last month Park West tried suing FAR for defamation, asking for an incredible $46-million in damages, and the jury awarded Fine Art $500,000 for trademark infringement by Park West. The allegations have now sparked six class action lawsuits and two cruise lines have recently discontinued Park West art auctions– a decision that is playing well with the cruising public... read more
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