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Copyright 2010 Variety Cruises. All rights reserved | Powered by Nelios.com | advanced Web Development | Country: US
AN INTERVIEW WITH CONSTANTINE VENETOPOULOS (DIRECTOR OF SALES/VARIETYCRUISES)
June 2nd, 2011, by Mailpound
Variety Cruises offers life-enriching journeys for the inquisitive mind. We combine a private yacht/small ship type of on board experience with a complete immersion in the destinations where we cruise and mesmerizing ports of call to offer our guests an authentic and memorable travel experience and become part of the Variety Cruises family. When you visit a destination with Variety Cruises, you can expect a destination-focused journey that is enhanced by our Cruise Leaders, excursions in small numbers and our docking location right in the heart of the port visited. While we earned our reputation with our Greece and the Greek Islands programs, we have expanded our ships deployment to include the Eastern Mediterranean (Syria, Cyprus, Israel & Egypt), West Africa and the Black Sea from Odessa and Istanbul. Last but not least, we have created a collection of Theme Cruises which will certainly tempt our Variety Club Passengers as well as new friends looking to share their passion for History, Food and Wines and other activities with other guests of ours with the same interests.
Constantine, can you explain to those who have never been on a Variety Cruise exactly what the experience is all about?
The Variety Cruises concept dates back to 1949, when we started with our small ship cruises, at that time called Zeus Cruises. The concept is an intimate and casual atmosphere on board small yachts or motor sailors hosting a select 50 guests in 25 staterooms, with a crew of 20. The atmosphere is one of casual elegance, more similar to private yachting than cruising. The day-to-day experience revolves around the sundeck, the dining area and lounges of the yacht. Weather permitting, our yacht will drop anchor daily close to a beach or cove where our guests can enjoy some time to swim directly off our swimming platform. Exactly in the fashion guest of a private yacht would too. We visit sites of historical significance where our guests can enjoy an optional excursion or spend their time at leisure. We dock into the islands later in the afternoon where guests can explore the village ports and the islands. The smaller size of the ships presents opportunities that the larger cruise vessels can never achieve. What we basically try to do here is replicate private yachting in a more affordable way for individuals and small groups.
Tell me something about the destinations Variety visits. How is approaching a port in a small ship different from ports of call visits on larger vessels?
The destinations we are currently sailing through are Greece (with three different itineraries to suit different tastes and requirements), Turkey, The Black Sea (Istanbul to Odessa) and our exciting new Winter cruise in the rivers of West Africa from Dakar (Senegal & the rivers of Gambia). The common thread among all our destinations is to visit the more known ports of call combined with intimate, off-the-beaten-path destinations. For example, in Greece we will visit Santorini and Mykonos but also Monemvasia and Folegandros. Folegandros was voted by Conde Nast as the “Secret Santorini.” So it is these best kept secrets that we reveal on board our yacht cruises in addition to the famed gems. Our ships are small and dock right into the heart of the islands and village ports. Of course, that means we do not have to tender our guests in and out which saves time for the fun stuff! Our itineraries are all full board including breakfast lunch and dinner. The only exception are our Greek itineraries which are half board allowing for one meal ashore to mingle with the locals and experience their cuisine. This has been a policy since our cruise concept was first designed as it allows for an in-depth cultural experience and immersion with the local people, traditions and destination. We don’t offer on board Casino’s we offer the beating heart of the place you visit. This is also one of the reasons alumni such as Smithsonian and non profits such as National Geographic (Lindblad) are some of our major accounts chartering our vessels offering their clients the in-depth experience only small ships as ours can.
You have recently added theme cruises to the mix. Tell us about those.
We think theme cruises are an important element of our future. Adding value to the cruises, providing specific themes offers our guest the opportunity to try something new, have a learning focus and deepen their experiences. Archaeology cruises, Byzantium to Antiquity, body and soul fitness retreats, gay and lesbian journeys are just some of the examples of our theme cruises. We look forward to expanding our theme cruises in the near future.
What is the demographic of your typical passenger?
The demographic consists of the sophisticated mature traveler. People who have been on the larger cruise ships but are interested in trying out something new and more intimate. It’s ideal for honeymoon travelers and extended family reunions. Grandparents with grandchildren are also a great demographic for us as our itineraries immerse guests into the culture and history or our destinations and it is a fun experience but also a very educational one. It is truly a niche cruise and yacht concept that is designed for the sea lover who understands the boating concept and wishes to explore a destination with style and comfort and is more destination driven in their vacation choice.
What do travel consultants need to know to successfully sell your product?
Variety Cruises is a niche cruise product. It is designed for the sophisticated mature traveler seeking a destination-driven experience. The yachts are modern and upscale but still we are in the destination business. Not in the cruise business in the traditional sense. It is not the type of product for someone seeking 24/7 on board entertainment, casinos etc. We try to replicate private yachting in a more affordable fashion with our 8 day scheduled cruises. We offer a destination mix between the famous ports of call and less visited more authentic destinations, which the big cruise ships cannot approach. There are no long lines on board our yachts. Actually, no lines at all!
We currently own a fleet of 6 mega yachts and sail cruisers hosting 50 guests with comfort, style and above all safety (with full SOLAS safety requirements). We furthermore own and charter our fleet of private yachts perfect for the clients seeking the ultimate in luxury and privacy. We are proud to be launching the Harmony Voyager an ultra luxury megayacht for a select 75 guests in April of 2012. This ship will be the best ship worldwide for its size and number of staterooms. We will cruise South Italy in September 2012 like you have never seen it before from Amalfi/Salerno to Capri, Sicily, Malta and the Aeolian Islands and the West Coast of India from November 2012 and Abu Dhabi in March 2013. We will continue expanding both vessel wise as well as new and exciting new destinations.