"We have four boys, aged 17-18-21-22, and we have been taking yearly cruises since 2003. This year, my three older boys took their girlfriends. We went on a Princess cruise instead of Royal Caribbean, with whom we had been traveling since 2003 – because Royal Caribbean chose to take the position that they cannot do anything to help us with regard to Park West and the art we bought from them on board Royal Caribbean ships, I have taken the position that I will not travel with them, which is their loss. This year with my family alone we were eleven people and with friends, we were over thirty."

"Most of the sales were at the onboard auctions, with the exception of 7/22/06, if I remember correctly, this was prearranged prices before the auction on the two Dalis and the Goya.

"I took the auctioneers' word for everything. As far as I was concerned, I was traveling with a reputable cruise line (Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.) and I thought at the time Park West Gallery was a reputable art gallery who represented themselves as the world's largest.

"I was told that the purchases were at least 20-25% cheaper on board than I would find at any gallery on land, plus I was also saving the sales tax. It was suggested, by the auctioneer, that I collect the whole "Millennium Edition" of Rembrandt etchings (which I did over a period of time) because, in addition to the 20% each etching would increase per year individually, it would be worth that much more as a collection. I was also told that St. George and the Dragon, by Dali would increase at least 25% per year, due to the fact that there are so few in existence. I was told that all the pieces I bought were good investment pieces, with a minimum of a 20% increase per year. I used my two youngest childrenis college funds to purchase these pieces.

"On the 2006 cruise, they offered us a Park West Galleries credit card with a $40-50,000 line of credit, with no interest if it was paid by a certain date.

"During every auction you were fed one drink after another while they continued to assure you that you are making a good, sound investment and try to push additional pieces of art work on you. This past year they offered us an all-expenses-paid weekend in NYC, limo to pick us up, stay at a hotel, and dinner with Peter Max, in addition to a paid-in-full cruise for my wife and me, to the Caribbean. We turned it down, because of the problems we were having with Park West Gallery.

"Looking back, I would consider their sales practice as high pressure and deceptive."

"This past year I contacted Park West Gallery with the intention of selling some of the art to pay for my sons' college. They put me in touch with Caroline Ashleigh Associates (auctionyourart.com). Park West Gallery said that they refer all of their clients who want to resell their art work to this group and I should have no problem selling through her organization. What they didn't tell me is that I would get a fraction of what I paid for it. After speaking to an employee of Caroline's, I was informed that they only take your art on consignment, it goes to auction on their web site, they take their commission, and they cannot guarantee what it will bring.

"They did tell me not to expect anywhere near what it is appraised for or even what I paid for it. They explained to me the difference between fair market value and replacement value, fair market value being the real market value (nothing), replacement value being the overpriced appraisal that PWG supplies you with.

"From that point I started checking with local galleries. They weren't interested in the art at any price and most of them were familiar with the situation Park West has created in the art world with overpriced and fake works of art. I started checking out the internet, on the advice of some of the gallery owners. This is when I noticed all of the articles about Park West Galleries, from the New York Times to Inside Edition to the countless blogs and class action lawsuits.

"What I don't understand is how and why they pick and choose who they refund their money to - it's all the same pieces of fakes and overpricing, and so why is it that they will pay some and not all?"