Variety CruisesReviews of varietycruises.com

I would give ZERO stars if I could. We paid almost €2,000 PER PERSON for a 7-night cruise aboard the M/S Panorama II, advertised with an itinerary including Moorea, Raiatea, Taha’a, Bora Bora (two nights) and Huahine, with excursions. What did we get? A trip from Papeete to Moorea, where the ship is now expected to remain for essentially the entire cruise, before returning to Papeete. So the cruise we paid for has effectively disappeared. We understand that bad weather can force a captain to change an itinerary for safety reasons. That is NOT our complaint. Our complaint is that Variety Cruises apparently knew well in advance that the weather forecast could prevent the advertised itinerary from being carried out, yet we were only informed on the day the cruise started. Had we been informed BEFORE travelling, we could have cancelled, requested a refund and organised an alternative trip to the islands we had paid to visit. Instead, we travelled all the way from Europe, took time off work and committed almost €4,000 for two people, only to discover at the last minute that almost the entire cruise would not take place. And then comes the worst part: VARIETY CRUISES REFUSES TO REFUND US. No meaningful alternative. No adequate compensation. No possibility to organise another trip before it is too late. We were told that other passengers received an email explaining that there would be no refund. We never received that email. The only information we received came from the Italian operator on the very day the cruise started. This is simply unacceptable. A company cannot sell a very specific 7-night itinerary, take thousands of euros from its customers, drastically reduce what is actually delivered, inform customers only when they are already in the destination and then simply say “NO REFUND.” We feel completely scammed and abandoned as customers. This was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip that we had planned for an entire year. Instead, we are now stuck on a cruise that bears almost no resemblance to what we paid for, with no realistic possibility of arranging an alternative at such short notice. AVOID VARIETY CRUISES LIKE THE PLAGUE. DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY.

Harmony v , du 7 au 14 août 2026 îles ioniennes. Bateaux de plus de 23ans cabines obsolètes et salle de bain horrible. Le personnel est plutôt agréable mais la personne en charge de la communication auprès des clients est juste incompétente, ne connais pas ces sujets de visites et ne donne pas envie d'y participer. Avec variety cruises il faut absolument parler anglais sinon on ne peu rien pour vous mais ça évidemment on ne vous le précise pas lorsque vous réservez ! Sur le site tout semble parfait et maîtrisé mais la réalité est tout autre malheureusement. On a l'impression que ce croisieriste débute mais il n'en est rien avec plus de soixante ans d'expériences. Nous sommes maintenant sur un autre bateau (Galileo) du 14 au 21 août 2026 pour les Cyclades. Le bateau est assez beau avec ces 3 mats et sa couleur bleue. Le niveau général est un peu plus élevé surtout concernant les salles de bains des cabines, le personnel est lui aussi un peu plus professionnel. Nous sommes parti vendredi, aujourd'hui dimanche la navigation à été agitée. J'imagine que le capitaine était informé des prévisions météo. Il aurait été bien et respectueux envers les clients de prévenir des conditions mais une fois encore un manque de communication résultat des personnes malades qui n'ont pas pu déjeuner ou quitter le repas tout comme nous. Je n'en suis pas à ma première croisière que se soit avec des géants des mers ou des catamarans je n'ai jamais été malade, mais aujourd'hui j'ai du moi aussi me réfugier dans ma cabine et prendre des médicaments adéquat. Pour parler de notre cabine variety cruises nous à gâté ! 2 semaines consécutives avec eux et nous nous retrouvons avec ma femme dans une cabine en sous sol au dessus des moteurs qui font un bruit dingue et des vibrations que nous ressentons dans le lit. Même avec les meilleurs boules quies rien n'y fait le bruit est abrutissant. Tout est bon a vendre même le pire. Nous avons fait des concessions pour nous offrir ces vacances alors inutile de vous dire notre déception et grand regret d'avoir choisi variety cruises

Paradise lost at sea- A cruise best left unbooked. Pegasos once perhaps a proud vessel now a tired old ship clinging to its former glory. Marketed as a mega yacht, its more mega disappointment. From the moment we left port, the ship rocked like a carnaval ride gone rogue. Navigating the decks required balance, bravery, and perhaps divine intervention. Sea-sickness tablets on the bar where peanuts should have been, a telling substitution. The zodiac more patches than a quilt and in need of constant air. The cabins, boasting ocean views, offered them only through rust streamed, fogged up windows. The decor screamed 1970 caravan right down to the brown tap water and threadbare towels and bedding. The zodiac outing ended in full blown disaster. Guests tipped in the sea, belongings floating away. Rescued by sunbathers, then left on the island for 90 minutes. Entertainment onboard. Think towel animals and a half hearted singalong of " if you're happy and you know it" though few clapped along. A snorkelor seeking guidance was simply told "just jump in" Excellent safety briefing that When questioned about the days events, the Captain claimed nothing to do with him. Variety Cruises, the operator behind this nautical nightmare, has admitted to multiple failings, safety among them- but dismissed the capsizing incident as caused by an unexpected wave. Funny, considering the very visible swell that day and the fact we had to trudge back through bushes and rocks before sitting on the zodiac floor like shipwreck survivors. Unexpected wave? Hardly. Their grand gesture of goodwill? A discounted cruise. As they say, insanity is doing the same thing twice and expecting a different result. So no thank you. In fairness, passengers should have the choice between a refund or a discount, depending on their ordeal. The Seychelles remain a dream destination breathtaking and serene. Just don't experience them from the decks of Pegasos

While the crew onboard made visible efforts to assist us, several key issues significantly affected our overall experience and ultimately left us disappointed. Cabin Allocation We were initially assigned Cabin 302, where there was a strong and unpleasant odour present from the moment we boarded. This issue was reported multiple times and raised directly with both the Hotel Manager and the Captain, as it required immediate onboard attention. After repeated complaints, we were eventually moved to Cabin 101, which we accepted and appreciated. That said, a cabin with such a condition should never be allocated to guests in the first place. While cabin assignments may be handled by headquarters, the readiness and condition of cabins are clearly the responsibility of the onboard hotel management. This issue should have been identified and addressed before embarkation. Food & Catering Our concerns regarding the food were not just personal preferences. These issues were openly discussed with other guests onboard, including travelers from Sweden and Portugal, who shared similar disappointment with the dining experience. This suggests the problem was not isolated. Meals were frequently overcooked, particularly fish and meat, resulting in dry and tough dishes. This often points to operational issues such as production pressure, inconsistent cooking skills, ingredient quality, or inadequate temperature control — all of which noticeably affected meal quality throughout the cruise. Itinerary, Weather & Overall Experience We booked and paid for a four-day island-hopping cruise that was advertised to include destinations such as St. Anne, Curieuse, Aride, Anse Lazio, Cousin Island, St. Pierre, and Baie St. Anne. In reality, the experience felt largely like a ferry-style transfer from Victoria to Baie St. Anne, rather than the immersive island cruise that was promised. While safety and weather considerations are understandable, the actual experience delivered was a significant departure from the itinerary advertised and expected, resulting in a clear mismatch between price, promise, and value. Overall This cruise did not meet the standards or expectations set by the marketing and itinerary description. Although individual crew members were polite and tried to help where possible, the combined issues with cabin condition, food quality, and itinerary delivery made this a disappointing holiday. Based on our experience, we would advise future travelers to carefully manage their expectations.

Greece > Jewels of the Cyclades > Galileo > 4 passengers > Oct 18-25 2024 -------------------- Variety Cruise appears to support a culture of safety and comfort violations, false advertising, and doing the bare minimum possible. Specifically, the Galileo ship, Captain Christos, Hotel Manager George and Tour Director Vicky. Our mom’s 80th birthday trip was ruined. -------------------- FALSE: “SAFETY & COMFORT” ********On the sundeck a 2.5 cm thick steel cable stay with steel chain at the end holding the central sailing mast, snapped with sound as loud as a gunshot and nearly took off my sister’s head. It hit the side of the vessel missing her head by a hair. I rushed to her thinking the worst, that she was severely injured. I held the cable down while another passenger went to alert the crew and tie it up. This was life threatening. Clearly the attachment point was rusted beyond its service life and should have been replaced prior to breaking. It was rusted out to approximately 5 mm wide while the other attachment points were 30 mm wide. Clearly indicating the ship has not undergone a safety inspection in many years. ******** Cabin 17 has a horrible moldy smell. I have been complaining to George several times a day, every day and he keeps saying there's nothing he can do to fix it and no empty cabins to move us to. George offered to spray perfume in the room, and I told him not to because I'm allergic. Either George or housekeeping then sprayed my mattress with perfume and I had an allergic reaction, sore throat, headache, and couldn't sleep. The next morning, I dragged the perfumed mattress upstairs and handed it to him because i was so upset. The entire shipboard community saw me dragging the mattress up to him during breakfast. There appears a seawater leak around the porthole as the wood around it is crystallized with salt. Bathroom has stained surfaces and shower grout is cracked and black with mold. Two other passengers had the same complaint to George about black mold in the bathroom also and difficulty getting it cleaned. George lied and said that it was black grout rather than mold. Fridge was broken (it was replaced). When I was complaining about the mold in room 17, George lied that there's a water sensor in each room in case of leaks, Capt Niko confirmed there is no such thing. My allergic reaction to room 17 has subsided but my sister's sore throat and headache continues to bother her. There were 2 other passengers cabins George could have moved us to that had crew in them. Plus 2 reservation agents were on the trip sailing free each with their own rooms who could have been combined. We had planned to abandon the ship in Santorini due to the numerous health and safety concerns. However, the passengers in room 19 ended their trip early due to their dissatisfaction with Variety. George begrudgingly moved us into room 19 as if he was doing us a huge favor. Therefore, we stayed on the ship for the remainder of the voyage. But I had already reached out to corporate about the egregious issues occurring. The boat was not built for the ocean, it is high with a flat bottom and no stabilizers, so it pitches and rolls uncomfortably in 1.5-meter seas, making my sister and a lot of people seasick. Can't sit anywhere near the stern of the boat because the diesel exhaust is so thick one cannot breathe comfortably. Diesel engines so loud and run rough that it shakes your teeth sitting in the aft of the boat. 70db in the staterooms to 100db in the stern, constant sound of the engine’s ranges from annoying to dangerously loud. (Exposure to sound over 85db causes hearing damage.)

I was a passenger on Variety's boat, the PANORAMA II to French Polynesia that began in Tahiti on November 3rd 2023. It's a relatively small ship... maybe 45 capacity and it wasn't full. 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 the flights over from the East Coast, USA. The 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 November 4th, we woke to find there was no electricity. That meant among other things, that there were no lights, no use of toilets, no water and no kitchen services. And we were at sea. After an hour of this confusion, we were informed that the cruise was canceled. We had to pack up and disembark immediately. We were ferried back to Tahiti and were told that Variety would refund us and would also pay for two 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 was a solo traveler and this put me in a very precarious predicament. I did not anticipate being financially on the hook for the nine days that followed. This meant that I paid out of pocket for hotels, meals and all costs that would have been included in the cruise cost. I chose to stay in the islands and try to make the best of a terrible situation. Changing my flights would have been so pricey and difficult. Because I purchased this cruise elsewhere, I was reimbursed immediately for the cost of the actual cruise. I also had expensive and extensive travel insurance and I submitted a claim. To my dismay, it will not cover Panorama's mechanical problems despite there being a massive trip interruption. As of December 9, 2023, Variety has not communicated with me about compensating me for any of my expenses. They are 100% responsible for this trip interruption and it's been radio silence from them. However, not to fear... they have been very forthcoming with promises of discounts on a future cruise with their company. I am not alone with my anger and disappointment. There are many other pasengers who are still extremely distressed by this situation. We are in communication with each other. I cannot speak for anyone else but I am incredibly disappointed with this cruise company. I just want to be reimbursed for my unanticipated costs. If Variety comes forward with a reasonable offer that does not feel dismissive and insulting, I will change my review. But sadly...I am not hopeful.