Name: Variety Cruises
Address: 214-216 Syngrou Avenue, 214-216 Syngrou Avenue, Athens, Greece
Rating: 4.56

“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

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

“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

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

“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

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

“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

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

“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

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

“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

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

“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

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

“I was on the cruise in Tahiti that began on November 3, 2023. Myself and the other passengers are still waiting for any kind of communication from Variety. There are many concerns with this company. Buyer beware...”

Helpful Report

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

“Nov. 3rd we boarded the motor sailor Panorama II in Tahiti for a 11 day cruise. We motor sailed about 2 hours to near by Moorea Island. The winds were about 10 knots with a beam sea. I was shocked at the poor handling of this vessel. If the Panorama II had a stabilization system it was sure not working. This boat rolled and pitched beyond comfortable. We were told that the next evening we would be motor sailing 18 hours to our next destination. I was concerned as bad weather and higher winds were in the forecast. People in topside staterooms were told the would be moved below were the ships rolling and pitching would not be so valiant. The next morning at 7am we woke up with sore backs due to the 3" thick foam mattress and to find there was no electricity, no lights, no use of toilets and not even any emergency lighting. The lower passageway fire doors were closed and with O visibility. There were no crew to inform passengers and fire doors were not forced open until after 9am when crew informed the passengers that there was a major electrical distribution problem and that parts were a week away. Cruse was cancelled. Then and only then did crew show up below to assist with carrying luggage topside. Passengers were told that Variety Cruises would put us up in a hotel in Pipette for 2 nights at there expense and we would get a full refund. When we got to the hotel we were told that Variety would only pay for one night. I filled a report with the Greek Coast Guard as to how badly the captain and crew performed during the power outage. 3 weeks later we have still not received our refund. The Panorama II is not suited for the Society Islands I do not recommend travelling with Variety Cruises. Check out other passengers reviews on Trip Advisor”

Helpful Report

Dear Steve, 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 worked to address 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

“Update! no one from customer care department is in contact with me.”

Helpful Report

“DO NOT GET FULLED BY THIS COMPANY!!! My attorney is building the case on them already. On September 22nd 2023 we traveled on your Panorama II cruise sailing of Tahiti. The crew didn't take necessary safety precautions and fault to check our kayak. The drain plug on the kayak wasn't securely closed which resulted in drawn water from the ocean. The back of the kayak was completely covered with water. I was able to grab my bag with our documents and cash but my phone went down to the ocean. They refused to reimburse me for my phone! Well, now they will also have to cover any legal fees”

Helpful Report

Dear Paulina, Thank you for your review. Our Customer Care department is in contact with you and we are more than happy to find a mutual solution in your concerns. With warm regards, Variety Cruises team

“Our 24 person Greece tour was spoilt by many ( officer) crew members , all scruffily dressed, occupying two guest breakfast tables, and, often , alfresco tables, smoking, drinking, phoning. Worse, 2 Variety head office employees were also aboard, even having lunch tables moved outside, for their convenience. And turned up at the captains dinner, wearing jogging bottoms. All condoned by a useless captain, and ‘ hotel ‘ manager’. None of this nonsense on Seabourne, or the Royal Clipper. Totally unacceptable.”

Helpful Report

Dear Dr and Mrs Young, We sincerely apologize for any negative experiences that you mentioned in your feedback. While it's important to note that the majority of the group had excellent reviews regarding the cruise experience, including the ship, the route, services, and the crew, we thank you for bringing this particular opinion to our attention. We value every comment we receive and take them into careful consideration for future improvements. It's possible that the Variety Cruises cruising concept appeals more to the casual, adventurous, and relaxed type of travelers, as we strive to create a unique and enjoyable experience for all our guests. However, we acknowledge the need to address and rectify any concerns or incidents that may arise, in order to maintain the high standards we aim to achieve. Once again, we apologize for any disappointment caused and assure you that we will continue working diligently to enhance our services based on valuable feedback from our guests. Sea you soon, Variety Cruises

“Booked the Greece Cruise in September fully paid for. Called me while on way to Airport and cancelled cruise with no feasible options . A totally NIGHTMARE. Took 2 months to get refund. Horrible horrible customer service”

Helpful Report

Dear Ms. Mayakis, we regret to inform you that upon thorough investigation, we have only been able to locate one booking under your name, which was in May 2022. However, if you are referring to a different booking, we kindly request you to reach out to us via email at marketing@varietycruises.com. Our dedicated team will be more than happy to assist you further. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by the delay in processing your refund. It is worth mentioning that refund processes can sometimes take longer, especially considering the involvement of banking procedures. Nonetheless, we assure you that we are actively working towards resolving this matter as swiftly as possible. We would be absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to welcome you on board any of our exceptional cruises. Our aim is to provide our valued guests with unforgettable experiences and create cherished memories. Please do not hesitate to contact us for any additional information or assistance you may require. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

“In March I booked a Variety cruise on Panorama II for September. I was told in July the ship was leaving Greece for Tahiti the following day. In August I contacted Variety to pay the balance & was told the ship had not left Greece. I was not updated & wonder if I had not contacted them if they would have told me.”

Helpful Report

Hello Ms Whitaker. We are very sorry that your cruise was cancelled. We have made you a total refund and our Reservations Department is in contact with you about the rest. We hope to see you on board soon.

“We have travelled with variety many times and cruised on the Harmony G in June 2021. Even allowing for covid it was very sad that this trip failed to meet the high standards of all previous trips. The boat is extremely tired, in poor repair and in places dirty. The food was absolutely not up to the quality of previous trips. The crew, cruise director and captain etc were all excellent and did a good job and given we have had so many great trips I wanted to provide the feedback direct. Whilst their initial response was prompt and they suggested they would revert I’m posting this now as I haven’t heard back which makes more wondered if they have chosen to ignore it”

Helpful Report

Dear Fiona, we are truly sorry for your dissatisfaction. We confirm that the Reservations Department had already emailed you regarding your complaint and its resolution, so please resend us your email at marketing@varietycruises.com to resend the correspondence. Sea you soon!

“I had to cancel a reservation for a trip 8 months in advance of travel. The trip was cancelled on June 18 2019 ( cruise was for 22 FEB 20) I was advised that they would refund the deposit of Euro 400. I have supplied all bank details. However,I have sent follow up emails enquiring about the refund but they all go unanswered. So it appears that the funds are now lost - Anne Weldon Martin”

Helpful Report

Hello Anne, we have tried to contact you in the past but we cannon find your reservation. Maybe you booked through a travel agent. Please send us all the information at marketing@varietycruises.com and we will solve the problem.


Customer Service
Communication Channels	Email, Telephone
Queries Resolved In	6 - 12 Hours

Variety Cruises Reviews