Variety Voyager Review

Disappointing for the Cost

Review for the Eastern Mediterranean Cruise on Variety Voyager
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Mac2478
2-5 Cruises • Age 60s

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Sail Date: Oct 2015

We travelled on this ship in Oct from Istanbul to Athens. Embarkation was a disaster with no one to meet us, no information about Port process and how to get on the ship and a walk of 500 metres with our luggage. The boat is not the disappointing part- it is well laid out and the meals are above average. The cabins are fine though not all facilities were operating (safe) and some doors were difficult to close/open. I agree with previous commentators- virtually alcohol free cocktails/appalling wine upon arrival as a welcome aboard drink was an insult.

The trip was disappointing because some of the advertised destinations were not reached due to weather and mooring difficulties- not the operators fault-but some people chose the cruise specifically for those ports/sights. It seemed too rushed with the organised tours very expensive and sometimes not seeing the best attributes of the sites visited anyway. A number of passengers complained about being pestered by hawkers/taken to carpet sellers enroute to the tours.

In short I don't think they catered for the background of their clientele. This trip was expensive -over $1500(AUD) per day plus excursion costs. The passengers are largely successful professionals who are prepared to spend, expect value and don't like being shortchanged. The ship sails at night whereas other small ships stay in port at night (this is better) Part of the reason I am harsh here is I don't think this was the trip for us. This is trip for those that are not very active, want to be organised for most of the day. We didn't get to swim enough and some of the moorings in the day were adjacent to industrial wasteland so either go on an organised tour,spend the day in your cabin or somehow manage to get to the closest town. The advantage of a small boat was lost sometimes

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