Questions & answers Cruise FAQs

A small ship cruise is a voyage aboard a vessel carrying a limited number of guests rather than several thousand. Small yachts, motor sailers and tall ships can enter compact harbours and quiet anchorages that big cruise ships cannot reach, so you spend more time ashore and enjoy a relaxed, informal atmosphere on board.

Copy link

Our ships carry between 16 and 227 guests: from a traditional Turkish gulet with eight cabins to the five-masted Royal Clipper, the largest ship we sail. Most of the Variety Cruises yachts carry 34 to 72 guests.

Copy link

Motor yachts are contemporary vessels built for comfort and space, with elegant cabins and generous deck areas. Motor sailers combine traditional lines and sails with modern amenities for a more authentic feel at sea. Tall ships are classic sailing vessels that pair windjammer character with contemporary comfort. All three carry a small number of guests.

Copy link

Choose a mega yacht or motor sailer for relaxed island hopping, a tall ship if you would love to sail under canvas, a coastal yacht or gulet for the most intimate trips in Croatia and Turkey, and a river ship for the temples of the Nile. If you are unsure, call us: we know the ships and will tell you honestly which one suits you.

Copy link

Relaxed and sociable. Days are spent exploring ashore, swimming from the ship or watching the coastline go by, and evenings over dinner with your fellow guests. Each ship has its own character, so ask us which would suit you best.

Copy link

Not in the big-ship sense: there are no casinos, theatres or shopping malls. Days are spent ashore or swimming from the ship, and evenings are about good food, conversation and the harbour lights. Some cruises add expert guides, such as the resident historian on From Antiquity to Byzantium.

Copy link

No. The professional crew sails the ship, and you are free to relax and enjoy the voyage.

Copy link

A smaller vessel can feel the motion of the sea more than a very large one. Island-hopping itineraries tend to sail in shorter stages, with plenty of time in port or at anchor. If you are prone to seasickness, tell us and we will suggest the calmest routes and times of year.

Copy link

Our small ship cruises cover the Mediterranean, including Greece, Croatia, Montenegro, Italy, Malta and Turkey, along with Egypt and the Nile, West Africa and Cape Verde, the Seychelles, the Caribbean, French Polynesia and the Galápagos. Each destination page lists the cruises currently available.

Copy link

It depends on the region. Mediterranean cruising in Greece, Croatia and Italy generally runs from spring through to autumn, while tropical destinations such as the Seychelles, the Caribbean and French Polynesia operate to their own seasons. Our team can advise on the best months for the destination you have in mind.

Copy link

The Greek cruising season generally runs from spring through to autumn. Late spring and early autumn bring warm weather with fewer crowds, while the height of summer is the warmest and busiest period. See our Greek island cruises.

Copy link

The Croatian cruising season generally runs from late spring through to early autumn. May, June and September bring warm weather and quieter harbours, while July and August are the warmest and busiest months along the Dalmatian coast. See our Croatia cruises.

Copy link

Our Italy cruises sail between May and September. May and September bring warm days without the peak summer heat, while June to August is the hottest and sunniest time, ideal for swimming. See our Italy cruises.

Copy link

Our Caribbean tall ship cruises sail between November and March, the most popular time to visit. The dry season runs from December to May, with warm, sunny days of around 22–30°C. See our Caribbean cruises.

Copy link

Our French Polynesia cruises sail all year round. May to October is the cooler, drier season, at around 26–28°C, while November to April is warmer and more humid, at around 25–30°C, with more chance of showers.

Copy link

The Galápagos can be visited all year round. December to May is the warm season, at around 26–30°C, while June to November is cooler, at around 20–26°C.

Copy link

Our Nile cruises run all year round. The Rivers of West Africa cruise sails between January and February and the Cape Verde cruise between November and March, so both make a good winter-sun escape. See our Africa cruises.

Copy link

Most of our cruises are seven nights, as part of a holiday of 8 to 14 days with flights and hotel nights. The longer French Polynesia voyage is 10 or 11 nights and the Galápagos expedition is 4 nights. Extra hotel nights can be added at either end.

Copy link

Call our cruise team on 020 8324 3117 or request a quote online. We check availability for your dates, help you choose the right cabin and send you a confirmation invoice with the payment details. You always speak to a person, never an automated system.

Copy link

A deposit of 25% of the total holiday price confirms your booking, unless we tell you otherwise when you book (a few flight routes need full payment). If you book within ten weeks of departure, the full amount is due at the time of booking.

Copy link

The balance must reach us at least ten weeks before departure. The date is shown on your confirmation invoice. We do not send reminders, so please make a note of it.

Copy link

Yes. Prices are per person, based on two people sharing a cabin. The “from” price on each cruise is the lowest current price, and the cruise page lists the prices for every departure date and cabin category.

Copy link

Yes. On most ships a single supplement applies when you have a cabin to yourself, typically 50% to 75% of the shared price depending on the cabin category, and some ships have single cabins. We also publish solo traveller offers when they are available, so ask us for the best option.

Copy link

On some ships, yes. Certain cabin categories take a third guest, usually at a 30% reduction for the third person. Each cruise page shows which categories are suitable.

Copy link

Yes. Most of our cruises can be booked as cruise only, so you can make your own travel arrangements. A few holidays, such as Sea Cloud Caribbean, are sold as a complete package.

Copy link

Small ships have only a few cabins, so popular summer dates and the best cabins can sell out many months ahead. Call us for current availability.

Copy link

Yes. Current offers are listed on our Special Offers page and shown on each cruise page when they apply. Early booking offers are often available for the following season, so it is always worth asking.

Copy link

Most of our holidays are packages that include return flights from the UK, transfers and hotel nights before or after the cruise; each cruise page lists exactly what is included. You can also book most cruises as cruise only and make your own travel plans.

Copy link

Most packages include flights from London or Manchester. On many routes we can also arrange flights from regional airports such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Birmingham, Bristol and Newcastle. Flight supplements may apply for regional flights.

Copy link

Yes, on our flight-inclusive holidays: transfers between the airport, your hotel and the ship are included, as listed on each cruise page. If you book cruise only, we can add transfers for you.

Copy link

Yes. Most of our cruises can be combined with hotel nights before or after sailing, and extra nights can be arranged on request.

Copy link

Yes. We can add extra nights, arrange different flights, combine more than one destination or build a longer trip around your cruise, such as Peru and Machu Picchu with the Galápagos. See Tailor-made Holidays for how it works.

Copy link

Yes. Meals are included on every cruise, on a full-board or half-board basis depending on the ship; each cruise page shows which. Some cruises also include wine with meals or wine tastings on board.

Copy link

Usually alcoholic drinks, optional shore excursions, gratuities and personal expenses. Some itineraries have local port fees or tourist tax payable on board, such as €60 per person on our Croatian coastal cruises. Each cruise page has a full list of what is included and what is extra.

Copy link

Gratuities are optional and entirely at your discretion. On the Variety Cruises yachts the recommended amount is €10–14 per guest per day. On some ships, such as Sea Cloud, gratuities are already included in the price; the cruise page will tell you.

Copy link

Most ships have Wi-Fi. It is available for a charge on the Variety Cruises yachts, complimentary on our Croatian coastal yachts and about £10 per device per week on the Turkish gulet. The signal can be limited at sea and in remote anchorages.

Copy link

Cabins are compact but comfortable, with a private en-suite bathroom, and are graded by deck, size and position. Most cruise pages include deck plans, cabin photos and the price for each category, and we are happy to recommend a cabin.

Copy link

In many ports the ship ties up right on the waterfront and you simply walk off. At some ports and anchorages guests go ashore by the ship’s tender, so a reasonable level of fitness and mobility is needed; the crew are always on hand to help.

Copy link

Dress on board is relaxed and informal. Pack light, comfortable clothes, swimwear, a layer for breezy evenings and flat shoes with non-slip soles for the deck. For visits to churches and monasteries, cover your shoulders and knees.

Copy link

Occasionally. The captain may vary the route because of weather or operating conditions, in the interests of guests’ comfort and safety. The captain and cruise director keep you briefed on the daily programme.

Copy link

British citizens need a full British passport that is valid for at least six months after the date you return home. Other nationalities should check with the relevant embassy or consulate when booking. Please make sure the names on your booking match your passports exactly.

Copy link

British citizens do not currently need a visa or health certificate for our Mediterranean cruises, although the EU’s ETIAS travel authorisation is due to be introduced for UK visitors. Long-haul destinations have their own entry rules, so ask us when you book and check the latest GOV.UK foreign travel advice before you travel.

Copy link

Yes. It is a condition of booking that everyone in your party has valid travel insurance covering at least medical expenses. We strongly recommend cover for cancellation as well, as cancellation charges may then be reclaimable.

Copy link

Please tell us before you confirm your booking so we can advise on the most suitable ship and itinerary. Small ships have stairs between decks and some ports are reached by tender, so a reasonable level of fitness and mobility is needed. We will always tell you honestly what each cruise involves.

Copy link

Tell us about any special request, such as a dietary requirement or a celebration, when you book and we will pass it on to the ship or hotel. We always do our best, but we cannot guarantee that a request, including a particular cabin, will be met.

Copy link

The euro covers Greece, Croatia, Italy, Malta and Montenegro. French Polynesia uses the CFP franc, which is fixed against the euro. For other destinations, ask us and we will advise.

Copy link

Yes. Every payment you make to us is financially protected, from deposit to balance. Seafarer is licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority under ATOL 9511, so flight-inclusive holidays are ATOL protected, and we are members of ABTOT (membership 5660), which protects bookings without flights.

Copy link

Please tell us in writing. The cancellation charge depends on when we receive your notice:

• 70 days or more before departure: loss of deposit
• 69 to 43 days: 50% of the total holiday cost
• 42 to 29 days: 70% of the total holiday cost
• Less than 29 days: 100% of the total holiday cost

The 50% and 70% charges are never less than the deposit, and some air fares cannot be refunded once booked. Depending on the reason, you may be able to reclaim cancellation charges through your travel insurance.

Copy link

We will always try to help. An amendment fee of £30 per person applies, plus any costs charged by our suppliers. Airlines may not allow changes to issued tickets, so changing flights can cost up to the full fare.

Copy link

Usually, yes. If you are prevented from travelling, you can transfer your place to someone else, ideally with at least two weeks’ notice. The £30 per person amendment fee and any supplier charges apply, and some airlines do not allow name changes.

Copy link

Only in limited circumstances. If costs rise because of currency fluctuations or fuel prices, we absorb the first 2% of any increase; anything above that may be passed on, up to a maximum of 8% of the holiday cost. Full details are in our booking conditions.

Copy link

Tell the crew, local management or our representative straight away so they can put things right. If it is not resolved, write to our Customer Services team within 28 days of returning home, quoting your booking reference: Seafarer Cruising & Sailing Holidays, 4th Floor, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BB.

Copy link

Yes. Private charters work for groups of two to fifty or more, from sailing yachts and gulets to small ships for 20 to 49 guests and larger vessels. They suit families, groups of friends, special celebrations and company groups. See Private Charter.

Copy link

All eight Variety Cruises yachts are available for private charter:

• Callisto: up to 34 guests in 17 cabins
• Harmony G: up to 44 guests in 21 cabins
• Pegasos: up to 44 guests in 21 cabins
• Galileo: up to 49 guests in 24 cabins
• Panorama: up to 49 guests in 24 cabins
• Harmony V: up to 49 guests in 25 cabins
• Panorama II: up to 49 guests in 25 cabins
• Variety Voyager: up to 72 guests in 36 cabins

Copy link

Charter costs vary considerably depending on vessel size, destination and time of year. A sailing yacht for two to six guests starts from a few thousand pounds per week. Larger vessels and peak season dates will be higher. Call us for a straightforward estimate based on your plans.

Copy link

There is no minimum. Charters work equally well for two people as for twenty. The cost of the vessel is fixed regardless of group size, so larger groups naturally share the cost across more people.

Copy link

The yacht with her full crew, your cabins and an itinerary planned around your group. Meals, drinks, excursions and port charges depend on the charter terms for your dates, and we send a clear breakdown with your quote. We can add flights, transfers and hotel nights too.

Copy link

Yes. Within the cruising area, the weather and the captain’s judgement, you decide where to go, how long to stay and where to stop for a swim. We help you plan the route before you travel.

Copy link

For peak summer dates in the Mediterranean, six to twelve months ahead is advisable for the best availability. Outside peak season there is more flexibility, but earlier is always better, particularly for larger groups or unusual destinations.

Copy link

Yes. Private charters are particularly well suited to families with children. With the whole vessel to yourselves, children can move freely and safely, and the itinerary can be shaped around what works for the family rather than a fixed schedule.

Copy link

A skippered charter includes a qualified captain who handles navigation and sailing. A fully crewed vessel includes a captain, chef and deck crew: meals are cooked for you, the boat is maintained and your only role is to enjoy it.

Copy link

We are an independent, family-run small ship cruise specialist, trading since 1995 and the official UK General Sales Agent for Variety Cruises. We also offer cruises with Star Clippers, Sea Cloud and selected small-ship operators in Croatia, Turkey, Egypt and the Galápagos, so we can recommend the right ship rather than the only one we have.

Copy link

As the official UK General Sales Agent, Seafarer represents Variety Cruises in the United Kingdom. Bookings, tailor-made packages and customer support are handled by our London-based team, and flight-inclusive holidays are ATOL protected under licence 9511. See Mega yacht cruises.

Copy link

Our service is independently reviewed by our guests on Feefo, where 98% say they would book with us again, and we hold Feefo’s Platinum Trusted Service Award. You can read the reviews on every cruise page.

Copy link

Yes. The Yacht Cruise Experience 2026–2027 has all fourteen Variety Cruises itineraries with route maps, prices and the full fleet. Read it on screen or download the PDF.

Copy link

Call 020 8324 3117 (from overseas +44 20 8324 3117), Monday to Friday 09:00–19:00 and Saturday 09:30–17:00, or email [email protected]. You can also request a quote or ask us to call you back.

Copy link

Yes. Travel agents are welcome to contact us for trade rates and availability.

Copy link