Third-generation Greek shipowner and CEO Filippos Venetopoulos says about the company his late grandfather started in the 1960s, that he is redefining how to travel at sea and that while the company name is Variety Cruises, his product is very much an odyssey, using small vessels to enter small ports around the globe.
He said, “The Caribbean is a region of the world that is magical to see from the sea,” adding, “Further, a Panama Canal crossing is a once-in-a-lifetime experience”, and “We’ve chosen these two itineraries as perfect bucket list trips for today’s modern traveller.”
Although currently, Aussies cannot leave Australia, Variety Cruises’ Caribbean Christmas will sail from Barbados on December 13, 2021, for an exclusive eight-day sailing, the only one of its kind this year, when the Panorama motor sailing yacht heads to the Caribbean Sea where passengers will board in Barbados to discover the hidden gems of The Grenadines including Bequia, Canouan and the Tobago Cays, as well as French island of Martinique, glorious Saint Lucia and its iconic Piton mountains, as well as Grenada, renowned as the Spice Island.
Panorama will sail from Panama to Costa Rica with sail dates between January 22 and March 5, 2022 and from Costa Rica to Panama with sail dates between January 22 and March 11, 2023,
The Costa Rica and Panama Canal cruises are described as one full of adventures, excitement and lifetime memories, with jungles with their spectacular plants and wildlife, the unique white sand beaches and the crossing of the legendary Panama Canal, only some of the myriad treasures this Panama cruise has to offer, with passengers venturing deep into national parks, in the search for macaws, sloths, howler monkey and dolphins along with the line’s on-board naturalist.
This winter season, the 173-foot Panorama, known for her signature trio of white sails, is described as taking passengers on voyages in comfort, with only 25 ocean view cabins and safety classified by the latest International Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) standards.
She sails at 11 knots per hour, in her un-rushed pace, one island or seashore at a time with a crew of 18 to cater to a maximum of 49 guests, with Panorama said to seduces with her classic lines and wood-panelled lounges redefining what yachting was meant to be.
She has a spacious lounge with ample space, dining areas decorated with warm colours, rich library and two decks for sunbathing, shaded areas and outdoor bar and loungers are just some of the elements that define her essence.
Variety Cruises says that sustainability has also been a key pillar of their business for over half a century, from small steps that included protecting cultural heritage and visiting UNESCO sites, to actively engaging with research on biodegradable materials and protecting sea-life while supporting the health of the oceans; efforts have always been proactive.
The company is also the first cruise line worldwide to join TOURISM DECLARES and the company is developing a transparent, practical and functional 12-month plan that will guide the way for lowering carbon emissions, while remaining committed to additional sustainability initiatives including no single use plastic and ethical food sourcing. The aim is to lead by example in the hopes that other operators within the travel industry and beyond will be inspired to follow.
Variety Cruises will be monitoring its impact on the environment with ships running on marine diesel oil, reducing plastic waste and further developing its beach clean-up initiatives while adhering to the most stringent policies on waste management.
A report by John Alwyn-Jones, Cruise Editor, Global Travel Media and Global Cruise News
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