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Variety Cruises

Greek-family yacht-cruise specialists — Mediterranean to Seychelles

Athens-based and family-owned since 1949 (originally a Greek shipping family, then yacht cruising from the 1970s), Variety Cruises operates 9 small motor yachts (4-72 guests) across the Greek Cyclades, Mediterranean, Red Sea, Cape Verde, Seychelles, Croatia and Cuba. Among the smallest-scale boutique yacht-cruise operators globally — genuinely intimate sailings.

9
Small yachts
8
Cruise regions
7-14
Night voyages
1949
Family-founded
££
Premium small-yacht
4-72
Guests / yacht
Itineraries

Find a Variety Cruises voyage

Real itineraries, real prices — sourced live. Use the filter inside the widget for dates and length.

Why book Variety Cruises

Why a Variety Cruises voyage?

Six reasons we recommend this line to the right kind of traveller.

Genuinely small-scale yacht cruising

Variety's smallest yachts carry just 4-12 guests; their largest carries 72. This is yacht-charter scale, not cruise-ship scale. The experience is closer to staying on a private yacht with crew than cruising.

Reach Greek islands the big ships can't

Their Cyclades programme calls at tiny harbours that mega-ships physically can't enter — Folegandros, Anafi, Schinoussa, Sikinos, Iraklia. The off-the-beaten-track Greek isles experience that's genuinely hard to access otherwise.

Family-owned since 1949

Three generations of the Stavropoulos family. The brand consistency, supplier relationships and Greek-island operational knowledge run deep. Most guests are repeat — the line has a loyal following.

Eight cruise regions beyond Greece

Greek Cyclades is the headline, but Variety also runs Cuba, Cape Verde, Seychelles, Costa Rica/Panama, Red Sea, Croatia and Mediterranean Adriatic itineraries on their broader yacht fleet. Worth knowing if the destinations interest you.

The honest version

Might not be for you if…

No cruise line is for everyone. Here's where Variety Cruises might not fit. We'll point you elsewhere if so.

You want a big-ship choice

These yachts are TINY. The 4-12 guest sailings have one shared dining table. The 72-guest sailings have one restaurant, one bar, a small lounge. The intimacy is the point but not for everyone.

You want air-conditioning and pools

Yacht cabins are functional but small (some are 12 sq m or under). No pools (you swim off the back of the yacht). The point is the destination and the yacht-lifestyle, not the onboard amenities.

You want full all-inclusive

Drinks with meals are included; outside-meal drinks are extras. Onshore excursions vary by itinerary — some included, some optional. For full all-inclusive, look at SeaDream Yacht Club.

The fleet

Meet the Variety Cruises ships

Showing by default — use the search inside the panel to switch to other ships in the fleet.

Dining

On board

What you actually do all day

No surprises

What's included in your fare

Every Variety Cruises fare bakes these in.

All meals

Greek-influenced cuisine, regional menus matching the cruise destination

Drinks with meals

House wine, beer, soft drinks at lunch and dinner

Snorkelling gear

Loaned on most itineraries (yachts have stern swim platforms)

English-speaking crew

Greek-family ownership, international-language crew

Practical

Good to know

FAQ

Quick answers about Variety Cruises

How small are the yachts really?
Variety's smallest yachts (M/S Galileo, M/S Pegasus) carry 4-12 guests. Their largest (M/S Variety Voyager) carries 72. The Greek Cyclades programme operates the smaller yachts; international itineraries use slightly larger. You can charter the smaller yachts entirely if you have a group.
Is Variety a luxury line?
Premium small-yacht, not ultra-luxury. The experience is the yacht and destinations — not opulent cabins or extensive amenities. For ultra-luxury small-ship, look at SeaDream Yacht Club, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection or Silversea Cruises.
How does Variety compare to Star Clippers in the Med?
Star Clippers are tall sailing ships (227 guests on Royal Clipper). Variety is small motor yachts (12-72 guests). Star Clippers is the sailing experience with more onboard amenities; Variety is the smallest-scale yacht-lifestyle. Same regions, very different products.
Loyalty

Ready to sail with Variety Cruises?

A Travel Designer who knows Variety Cruises will pick the right ship, the right itinerary, and the right cabin tier for you. No call centres.