Variety Cruises Reviews

Name: Variety Cruises
Address: 214-216 Syngrou Avenue, 214-216 Syngrou Avenue, Athens, Greece
Rating: 4.60

4.6 Rating 288 Reviews

98 %

of reviewers recommend Variety Cruises

Company Reviews

Metrics

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4.6

Based on 288 reviews

Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Postal Service
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Email, Telephone
Queries Resolved In	6 - 12 Hours

About Variety Cruises:

Embracing the philosophy of elegance, intimacy and adventure, Variety Cruises operates 8 state-of-the-art SOLAS certified yachts hosting less than 72 passengers around the world. Each yacht has an intimate ambiance and a community of like-minded fellow travelers. Known for its high passenger-to-crew ratio, averaging 2 passengers to 1
crew, Variety staff offer personal attention to all passengers.

Since 1949, Variety Cruises as a family-owned cruise company has been delivering
cruise experiences that focus on the destination, while guests enjoy unique benefits of what small ships offers. Our ships serve handpicked destinations worldwide including Greece, the Adriatic Sea, Tahiti & French Polynesia, Israel, Egypt & Jordan, the Cape Verde Islands, Gambia and Senegal, the Seychelles, Italy and Malta. Variety Cruises’ ships dock right in the heart of the destination and offer multiple swim stops right off the vessel in secluded bays. To learn more, please visit www.varietycruises.com

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Phone:

+30 210 6919191

Email:

club@varietycruises.com

Location:

214-216 Syngrou Avenue,
214-216 Syngrou Avenue
Athens, Greece
17672

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Variety Cruises 5 star review on 27th July 2025

Debbie

Variety Cruises 5 star review on 13th June 2025

Debbie

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

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“We took the Panorama II for the 10 cruise in French Polynesia. It was fantastic! We had only 13 people on board. The crew went out of their way to take care of each of us. The places we went were just amazing, there is no way you could go to all of them in a large ship. The excursions were just perfect. We all loved swimming off the back of the boat when anchored out. You can’t do that on a big ship. The ship is quite small and a bit old. If you are looking for luxury this isn’t the trip for you. If you are looking for adventure then do this trip. Some tips: bring a dry bag. You will be swimming and snorkeling a lot, you will want dry clothes. The boat is small so it rocks a lot so be ready for that. Don’t bring nice clothes, this trip is very casual. The food is great, the crew is attentive and the islands are amazing. Great trip”

Variety Cruises 4 star review on 20th April 2024

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Guest, Thank you for sharing your experience aboard the Panorama II in French Polynesia! We are delighted to hear that you had a fantastic time and it's wonderful that the smaller size of our ship allowed you to explore unique destinations. While our ship may not offer the luxury amenities of larger vessels, we are grateful that you enjoyed the attentive service and delicious food. Your kind words will be shared with our crew - they will be delighted to know they made your trip so enjoyable! Your tips for future travelers are incredibly valuable. We hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon! Safe Travels, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“Wir hatten vor und nach der Kreuzfahrt jeweils 3 Tage Strandurlaub in Hotels gebucht. Dadurch war die Kreuzfahrt ein wunderschöner Mittelpunkt unseres Urlaubs auf den Seychellen. Das Schiff selbst ist kein Luxus-Schiff, aber sehr gut ausgestattet. Während unseres Ausflugs waren nur 20 Passagiere an Bord. Dadurch war es es eine fast familiäre Atmosphäre. Die Ausflüge waren sehr gut organisiert und wir hatten mit Pietro einen wirklich tollen Guide, der jeden Ausflug zu einem wirklichen Erlebnis gemacht hat. Zu den verschiedenen Inseln muss ich nichts schreiben. Das muss jeder selbst erleben. Für uns sind die Seychellen ein wunderschönes Fleckchen Erde und wir haben den Urlaub genossen. Das Essen auf dem Schiff war wirklich super und hat ein Sonderlob verdient. Wir hatten eine Kabine der Kategorie B gebucht. Sie sind nicht sonderlich groß, aber man findet sich zurecht. Nach 2-3 Tagen hatten wir gar keine Probleme mehr und haben uns sehr wohl gefühlt. Eine kleinere Kabine sollte man aber auf keinen Fall buchen. Zusammengefasst können wir sagen, dass es ein tolles Erlebnis war und wir möchten uns an dieser Stelle noch einmal bei der gesamten Besatzung und dem Team für die wunderbare Betreuung bedanken. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We had booked 3 days beach vacation in hotels before and after the cruise. This made the cruise a wonderful focal point of our vacation in the Seychelles. The ship itself is not a luxury ship, but it is very well equipped. There were only 20 passengers on board during our excursion. This made it an almost family atmosphere. The excursions were very well organized and we had a really great guide in Pietro, who made every excursion a real experience. I don't need to write anything about the various islands. Everyone has to experience that for themselves. For us, the Seychelles are a beautiful place and we enjoyed our vacation. The food on the ship was really great and deserves special praise. We had booked a category B cabin. They are not particularly large, but you can find your way around. After 2-3 days we had no more problems and felt very comfortable. However, you should definitely not book a smaller cabin. To sum up, we can say that it was a great experience and we would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire crew and team once again for the wonderful service.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Mr. Seefeldt, Thank you for sharing your detailed and wonderful experience aboard our cruise in Seychelles! We are delighted to hear that our ship served as an ideal centerpiece for your holiday getaway, surrounded by the beauty of the islands. It's heartening to know that our team, especially Pietro, provided exceptional guidance during your excursions, creating memorable experiences. Your feedback is invaluable and we are grateful for your kind words. We look forward to welcoming you back onboard in the future! Kind Regards, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“All I can say is: unforgettable, memorable, incredible! Trip of a lifetime! Thank you so much!”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Mr. Prior, Your appreciation means the world to us, and we are thrilled to have been a part of creating such special memories. We hope to have the pleasure of hosting you again soon for another remarkable adventure! Sea you soon, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“We had a fantastic one week cruise in the Seychelles. We saw so many different interesting places. The service on board was fantastic. Highly recommended.”

Variety Cruises 5 star review on 13th March 2024

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Mr. Thank you for sharing your fantastic experience aboard our Seychelles cruise! We are thrilled that you enjoyed exploring the diverse and fascinating locations with us. Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and we hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back onboard for more unforgettable journeys in the future, maybe at the Ionian Isles of Greece! Warm Regards, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“Our experience with the Pegasus was excellent both with regard ot the crew of wich everyone was courteous, helpful and effective, and the boat itself. While there may be criticism on the boat's age, my wife and I believe that this is what makes the charm of it - and all devices functioned to the best. We were lucky that we had very nice travel companions. When there is a group, as we had it, of less than 25, it is important that all travellers are on the "same length".”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Mr. Bardy, Thank you for your thoughtful review of your experience aboard the Pegasus. We are delighted to hear that you found our crew to be polite and attentive and that you appreciated the unique charm of our vessel. Hearing that you enjoyed the companionship of your fellow travelers, as they undoubtedly contribute to a positive experience, brings us great joy! We sincerely appreciate your feedback and look forward to the possibility of welcoming you back in the future. Safe travels! Kind Regards, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“We can see this boat now in Papeete very next to us. It's noisy like crazy. They are running some generators almost 24 hours per day and it does more noise than an helicopter. That's literally insane ! It look very old fashion and knowing a bit about sailing, I can bet that this boat will roll-up like crazy at open sea.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Michel, Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us. Could you kindly provide us with additional details about your specific location within Papeete? We have promptly liaised with our Operations department to address the concerns you've raised and we extend our apologies for any inconvenience caused by the disruptive noise levels you encountered. We want to assure you that our fleet strictly adheres to the SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) certification, the highest international safety standard in the maritime industry. Rest assured that we never compromise on the safety of our clients during our voyages. Should you require any further assistance or have additional feedback to share, please do not hesitate to contact us at customercare@varietycruises.com Kind Regards, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“We like the small boat experience you receive with Variety Cruises. The atmosphere on board is always relaxed with a friendly crew. We have sailed with Variety three times now and have loved each trip. The food is good, the excursions are not overly priced, nor are the drinks on board.”

Variety Cruises 5 star review on 5th March 2024

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Susan, Your feedback is valued, and we are delighted that you have thoroughly enjoyed each of the three voyages with us. We are grateful for your kind words and we look forward to welcoming you on board again! Sea you soon! Kind Regards, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“Février 2024 Un grand merci a Variety Cruise pour cette croisière parcourant des îles de la Polynésie française. Parcours effectué selon la brochure dans son intégralité. Repas copieux et de bonne qualité. Equipage aux petits soins (un merci particulier pour Andreas le capitaine d'une disponibilité et gentillesse incomparable et Sephora la meilleure des Cruise director). Ambiance au top et endroits magique. Je ne peux que recommander cette croisière fortement.”

Variety Cruises 5 star review on 3rd March 2024

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Posted 1 year ago

Bonjour Andrea, Nous vous remercions d'avoir partagé votre expérience de croisière! Nous apprécions vos aimables paroles à l'égard de notre équipage. Votre retour positif nous motive à continuer à offrir des expériences exceptionnelles. Nous sommes impatients de vous accueillir à nouveau à bord ! Bien Cordialement, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“Both our cruises were s special experience - interesting itinerary, a small group that allows spontaneous socializing, and excellent staff to provide comfort.”

Variety Cruises 5 star review on 29th February 2024

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Alenka, It brings us great joy to learn that the crew and itinerary met your expectations. We appreciate your trust in us for your journey and look forward to welcoming you on board once again, this time in Greece! Best Regards, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“Excellent support staff, itineraries and food! Nice group of travelers. The tour director on our cruise, Georgia Kokkori, which departed October 6, 2023 from Piraeus, was wonderful! We would love to cruise with 24Georgia again We will definitely return!”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Marsena, Thank you for sharing your cruise experience with us! We're thrilled that our helpful crew, food, and itinerary exceeded your expectations. Your positive feedback motivates us to keep delivering exceptional experiences. Hope to see you onboard again soon! Kind Regards, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“They are very proffesional and polite the people working at this company”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Jenny, Your kind words are truly appreciated. Thank you for choosing us for your cruise adventures, and we eagerly anticipate welcoming you back onboard! Kind Regards, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“Es la primera vez que viaja en un barco y la experiencia me ha encantado. El barco y la tripulación excelentes.”

Variety Cruises 5 star review on 15th December 2023

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Muchas gracias por sus comentarios! Nos complace saber que disfrutó de su tiempo a bordo del Panorama II y esperamos tener el placer de recibirlo en otro crucero en el futuro! Atentamente, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“We were passengers evacuated from the failed 10 night cruise around the islands of Tahiti on Variety’s Panorama II that departed Papeete on the afternoon of Friday 3rd November due to an electrical failure on board. After setting sail from Papeete and mooring overnight at Moorea we, personally, were looking forward to a cruise we had planned and booked 15 months earlier to reunite with friends from across the globe we rarely see. We did not envisage our long anticipated cruise would last less than 24hrs and we’d be dumped back in Papeete and left to scramble to sort out our own accommodation paying inflated prices for what few vacancy options were available. We understand sometimes things go wrong but we were disappointed with the actions of variety cruises for a number of reasons. 1. Setting sail with a vessel that was inadequately equipped for the safety of passengers having no electrical system backup or emergency lighting - some life jackets were faulty and there was no notification by the crew to passengers of the situation. We were forced to navigate dark passageways before we reached crew who could enlighten us to the situation on the Saturday morning. 2. Being disembarked with the advice we would have two full board nights provided while we made alternate arrangements to accommodate ourselves only to be told a few hours later that it was only going to be one night. We all lost the opportunity of beginning our search for a solution to our accommodation dilemma much earlier. This also created a problem for those of us who booked privately or through travel agents in our home countries where it was a weekend and access to assistance was therefore limited. There was limited care for our situations other than the suggestion of finding ourselves a room for the following night urgently due to limited vacancies. 3. Not being provided with suggested alternative itineraries and pricing - most holidays are planned by passengers well in advance and being given only hours to find solutions for ourselves was daunting when we were not familiar with possible alternatives for our holidays. We were familiar with the cruise itinerary and excursions, not accommodation opportunities on the islands included in our itinerary and transport options on how to get to them. 4. Promising our refund would be processed first thing Monday morning and not receiving it until nearly a month later - meanwhile having to fund our accommodations until we were able to fly home. 5. Watching the captain stand speechless on the aft deck “vaping” whilst we digested our dilemma. At least that could have been done more discreetly out of the vision of passengers whose dream holidays were just swept from under them. 6. Continuing to post images and videos on social media of cruising in Tahiti knowing the vessel was docked for repairs and there were 30+ devastated disembarked passengers spending a fortune on last minute accommodations in a very expensive location. Talk about rubbing salt into wounds! 7. The offer of a 20% discount on a future cruise taken in the next 12 months when up to 60% discounts were then advertised to the general public! Given there are no cruise destinations with this company close to Australia, any offer is mute as it involves significant cost to travel to a cruise location. NO consideration was given to us from variety cruises of those significant travel costs we are now out of pocket to get to Tahiti in the first place. We cannot afford to risk that again. We understood Tahiti was a fairly new destination for this Greek cruise company who have been around for 75 years, but it seems that they are not adequately equipped with the type of vessel required for all seasons. Every passenger on our cruise had a story behind why they’d chosen that cruise and destination. For us it was a reunion with friends from the USA who we aren’t see and a celebration of retirement after years of working up to 50 hrs a week in a highly stressful job. What better way to start retirement than cruising the islands of French Polynesia! Fifteen months of planning and waiting for a dream destination holiday snatched away in less than 24hrs. We are thoroughly disappointed.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Mr & Mrs Campbell, We sincerely apologize for the disruptions and inconveniences you faced during your French Polynesia adventure on Panorama II. We understand the frustration caused by the technical problems, and we genuinely regret the impact it had on your once-in-a-lifetime experience. Our customer care team has already provided a detailed response last Monday, outlining the specifics of the disruption. In addition, we have extended our future discount, which is combinable with all offers. While we recognize that this may offer only limited comfort given the nature of your experience, please understand that such incidents are exceptionally rare. If you have any further concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to our customer care team. Thank you for your understanding. Kind Regards, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“I was supposed to be on an eleven day French Polynesian cruise on November 3 2023. What a disaster. Expecting the trip of a lifetime it turned out to be a terrible disappointment. We arrived to a tired boat not suited for the rough seas of the Society Islands. Our safety briefing was incomplete and poorly done My life jacket was broken. We were not told of any life boats or a muster station. Our cabin was subpar. The bed was tiny and super hard with a three inch foam mattress. I was afraid on this boat before we were even out in the open sea. It was NOT equipped for the weather we were to go out in. Our welcome dinner was very good. Sephora our CEO was lovely. We woke the next morning (with very sore backs) to no electricity. This means no toilets. The emergency lighting was not working and the fire doors at the end of the halls were locked shut. We were in the dark (literally) for over an hour before we knew what was going on. The hallway was dark with tripping hazards and no emergency lighting. We were finally informed that the electrical distribution system had failed. The cruise was cancelled. I was relieved in a way. I did not feel safe on Panorama II. We were then told that we would be compensated 2 nights in Tahiti to figure out how to get home or make other plans. We were later told we would get only one night leaving us to scramble to find another hotel. Variety Cruise did not send a representative to help us out with further plans but left us to figure it out on our own. We were promised a refund in 2 days and did receive a refund a month later along with a 20% off our next cruise which was bumped up to 50% after several negative reviews from the passengers involved. I can safely say I will never plan a trip with Variety Cruise and donot recommend it to anyone.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Diane, We sincerely apologize for the challenges you faced during your November 3, 2023 cruise on Panorama II, in French Polynesia. We understand your disappointment and regret any inconvenience caused. Immediate actions have been taken to address your concerns, and we're enhancing communication protocols to provide timely updates. We appreciate the transparency in sharing your experience, as it guides us in identifying areas for improvement. Please be assured that your feedback is taken seriously, and we are dedicated to learning from this situation to enhance the overall cruise experience for all our passengers. As a family-owned cruise company with a rich history dating back to 1949, Variety Cruises has always aimed to deliver exceptional experiences at sea. We sincerely invite you to reconsider us for your future adventures, providing us with the opportunity to showcase the true Variety Cruises experience. To address any remaining concerns or questions you may have, we would like to continue this conversation in a more private setting, respecting your privacy. Our customer care team will be more than happy to assist you further. Once again, we apologize for any inconvenience caused, and we genuinely appreciate your understanding and patience. We look forward to the opportunity to provide you with an exceptional cruise experience in the future. Kind Regards, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“I am an experience mariner and have been on dozens of small group cruises. Also have been designing building vessels for 38 years aswell as a licenced captain. For 13 years I was on the Canadian Marine Advisory Council drafting regulations for passenger vessels On Nov. 3rd we boarded the Pamorama II for a 11 day cruise of the Society Islands with 35 other passengers. The captain and crew gave the worst and incomplete safety briefing I have ever wittinessed and then we set sail for a 2 hour roller coaster ride to our first desination of Moorea Island. There was aboat a 8 to 10 knot wind with a beam sea. We quickly learned what a terrible sea boat we were on. It pitched and rolled so bad that it was next to impossible to walk. Most including myself, sat, held on tight with passengers drinks rolling accross the decks if not held onto including mine. We had a nice dinner and spoke to some passengers who had top side state rooms. They were told by the crew that the next days 18 hour sail to Bora Bora would be rough and they would be moved to the lower level state rooms as it would not be safe for them in there rooms. The next morning at 7 am we woke up to a dead ship. There was no emergency lighting working. The passage way leading to the upper deck was totally black and the fire doors at each end of the passage way had closed. The only light we had was our cell phones I had to push open the heavy fire doors to reach upper deck. I was imformed that the electrical distrubution system had failed, repairs would take at least a week as parts need to be shipped from Europe and the cruise was cancelled. At 8:30 I returned to our state room in the pitch black with fire doors still closed to pack up in the dark. At 9 am we found that the fire doors had been wedged open and some daylight was now present and helped slighty. Later we learned from Variety that the emergency lighting was turned off at day light to conserve battery power. At departure onto a small watertaxi our cruise director read us a memo from head office saying we would refunded our full cost of the cruise 2, 20% off on a future cruise that would not be added to any other discounted sale prices and they would pay for two nights in a hotel in Tahiti. When we arrived at the hotel we were told they would now only pay for one night. There was no comunication at all with a Variety reprsentative in those next few days as we all passengers waited to find flights home. It took a month to get our refund. I saw last week a Black Friday sale with 60% off I now wished that I had of read the reviews on Trip Advisor prior to booking and learned of the terrible reviews this cruise had. I”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Steve, We sincerely apologize for the disruptions and inconveniences you faced during your French Polynesia adventure on Panorama II. We understand the frustration caused by the technical problems, and we genuinely regret the impact it had on your once-in-a-lifetime experience. Our customer care team has already provided a detailed response on Monday, outlining the specifics of the disruption. In addition, we have extended our future discount, which is combinable with all offers. While we recognize that this may offer only limited comfort given the nature of your experience, please understand that such incidents are exceptionally rare. If you have any further concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to our customer care team. Thank you for your understanding. Kind Regards, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“Unexplored Greek Islands was an amazing cruise. Informed each day with our activities, staff so attentive and friendly such a happy cruise so much fun. Food was varied and delicious and in abundance. Accommodation was comfortable and clean. No hesitation in joining Variety cruises again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Joanne, Thank you so much for your review and kind words! We are delighted to hear that you had a fantastic time and that our staff, food, and itinerary exceeded your expectations. Your positive feedback truly encourages and motivates us to continue delivering exceptional experiences to all our guests. Hope to welcome you again on board! Kind Regards, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“We were passengers on the Nov 2023 Tahiti cruise that was cancelled after mechanical failure. Let me first say I can understand incidents can happen. However, the way they handled this is horrible. Most of the crew appeared to be inexperienced with little training with this cruise. I felt like they should have been more present immediately to us. No one with lights in the dark hallway or information was available. Being a weekend is NO excuse. That made the need for assistance from the Cruise Line more necessary. Saying Variety would pay for your room for 2 nights and then changing it to 1 one and then you are on your own to figure out for yourself what to do, is unacceptable. I strongly believe this incident WAS avoidable because lack of preventive maintenance was obvious and became more evident within the short time. The captain and many of the crew were very lackadaisical in this emergency. It appear there wasn't anyone with mechanical expertise even on board. It was the lack of attention and accurate information that is inexcusable. They said we WOULD receive our refund that Monday ( two days later) so naturally we assumed it would be a credit card refund. Since we were all out of the country how would we know it was mailed to us back home. Now 2 weeks later and silence is all we get from them. I'm sure they are just expecting this experience to "go away". NOBODY from the Cruise Line has contacted us as of this date other than a brief letter saying we would get a refund and we can have a 20% credit for a future cruise. You can't imagine the cost of hotels that you are trying to book at the last minute or the expense to change flights just to go home. How would you feel if this happened to you?”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Frank, Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention, and we sincerely apologize for all the inconvenience caused by the recent unfortunate event. We are pleased to inform you that Variety Cruises has proceeded with your refund and your travel agent or Variety Cruises will contact with you. We understand the importance of a timely resolution, and we appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to address further this matter. Our customer support team is working to resolve this issue and will return to you as soon as possible. Kind Regards, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“This review is a warning to any future passengers with Variety Cruises. I was a passenger on the Variety Cruise boat Panorama II to French Polynesia that began in Tahiti on November 3, 2023. This was a much anticipated trip for me. It was to be my first cruise ever. I have been saving for a long time to afford the costs and flights over. This cruise was expected to end in Tahiti on November 13th, 2023. We embarked as promised but we spent only one night on the boat. On the morning of Nov. 4rth, we woke to find there was no electricity. That meant, among other things, that there were no lights, no use of toilets and no water. The generator was not working so there was no emergency lighting. We were informed that to repair the electricity, a mechanical part would be needed. Since we were in the middle of the South Pacific, a parts delivery was many days away. After an hour of this confusion, we were informed that the cruise was canceled. We were told to pack up and disembark immediately. Unfortunately, there were many other safety violations that I learned about later. Several other passengers are experienced sailors so please see other reviews. We were brought back to Tahiti and were told that Variety Cruises would pay for a full refund and would also pay for 2 nights in a hotel while we got our bearings. We were then told that Variety would only pay for one hotel night. This was a very chaotic situation. We had to find our own accommodations on very short notice in a very expensive country during a very busy season. I did not anticipate being financially on the hook for the 9 days that followed. This meant I paid out of pocket for hotels, meals and all costs that were included in the cruise cost. I chose to stay in the islands because changing my flights would have been so pricey and difficult. Plus, I needed to scramble and make some type of plan rather than stay on the phone with the airlines. Neither I or any of the other passengers received direct communication from Variety and they have certainly not put their promises to refund us in writing. All of us passengers are still waiting for any kind of communication from Variety. We also await financial reparation. There are many concerns with this company. This review is provided to the best of my knowledge and recollection.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Ilene, Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by the recent unfortunate event. We are pleased to inform you that Variety Cruises has proceeded with your refund and your travel agent or Variety Cruises will contact with you. We understand the importance of a timely resolution, and we appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to address further this matter. If you have any further inquiries or require additional assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to our customer support team. Kind Regards, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“I have not actually taken a cruise with Variety, although I was very interested in several offered. I have just been repeatedly mis-informed by the US office about their special offers and then about certain cabins, with statements in emails being completely at odds with their own publications. I had to send a screen shot of their own website, and even then, no acknowledgement of error nor hint of apology. To espress my concern directly to Variety, I have sent 3 emails, including to marketing@ (as that is mentioned in several company responses on this site). No response. Perhaps this has just saved me from a much worse experience such as those described by others on this site, though I have little doubt that the trips can be wonderful if all goes well.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Janet, Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We are pleased to inform you that our marketing department has responded to your inquiry and upon thorough investigation, it has come to our attention that there was a misunderstanding with our US office. We sincerely apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused you. If you have any further inquiries or require additional assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to our customer support team. Kind Regards, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

“Just attempted to take a highly anticipated 11 day cruise of Tahiti on Variety Cruise Panorama II on Nov. 3. After an extremely lax safety meeting (I.e. they did not properly demonstrate how to don life preservers or identify muster points) we completed first day sailing from Papeete to Moorea Island (approximately 2 hours). The sailing was extremely rocky, chairs were tipping over and unsecured items were flying around. Luckily I know of no passengers being hurt. Everyone was very concerned about the rest of the trip. First night at anchor in Moorea, at about 2AM, the power on the boat died. No engine control, no lights or water, pitch black, no emergency lighting, no flashlights supplied, no checking of passengers by crew, and travellers in lower level were impeded by flood control door which was electrically controlled. To me these are all violations of marine safety protocols. That morning we were informed by the captain and excursion coordinator that the cruise was cancelled because a required part needed to be shipped from Europe. We were informed that Variety Cruise would refund our money, they would transport us back to Papeete, and they would cover two nights accommodation and meals in Papeete, time for us to make alternative plans. After one day Variety Cruise rescinded their offer to only one night. During this whole time there was no Variety Cruise representative present, the only person available for information was the excursion coordinator, Sethora (who did an amazing job of organizing our return to Papeete on her own time). Our second day was to have been a 18 hour overnight sailing to Bora Bora. One could only imagine the potential disaster that would have ensued if the power failure had happened at night in open sea. As others have pointed out the Panorama II is not suitable for sailing the rough seas of Tahiti nor does Variety Cruise meet marine safety protocols. Operation of the Panorama II in Tahiti should be shut down immediately. Also I do not feel that Variety Cruise has sufficiently compensated us for our lost vacation time, extensive travel and emotional angst suffered during this failed excursion. For anybody planning on taking Variety Cruise on Panorama II be forewarned.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Roy, Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by the recent unfortunate event. We are pleased to inform you that Variety Cruises has proceeded with your refund and your travel agent or Variety Cruises will contact with you. We understand the importance of a timely resolution, and we appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to address further this matter. If you have any further inquiries or require additional assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to our customer support team. Kind Regards, Variety Cruises

Posted 1 year ago

Variety Cruises is rated 4.6 based on 288 reviews