Variety Cruises Launches ‘Boat on a Boat’ in New Destination

Later this month, Variety Cruises’ Panorama II will sail through French Polynesia’s Society Islands for the first time. The 50-meter (164-foot), two-masted motorsailer has an occupancy of just under 50 guests, promising intimate experiences in the South Pacific. 

The Greek cruise company is transporting Panorama II with DYT Super Yacht Transport, which offers a float-on, float-off transfer system for superyachts. Panorama II left Genoa aboard MY Yacht Express on November 23, 2022 and arrived at Papeete on January 6, 2023, ready for her inaugural cruise on January 13, 2023. 

The intricate loading process involves submerging a semisubmersible ship into a floating marina where yachts are moored in position. After the ship’s deck is completely dry, the yachts are then secured and ready for transport. Transporting yachts this way is meant to guarantee a safer ship delivery, but also helps Variety Cruises make good on its mission to reach carbon-neutral status by 2050. 

Variety and Sustainability

Variety Cruises’ three pillars of positive impact are Clean Oceans for All, Gender Equality for All, and Education for All. To fulfill these, the company is taking steps to preserve cultural heritage, visit UNESCO sites, protect sea life, and promote sustainable efforts to support the health of the ocean. 

The cruise line was the first to join the Tourism Declares initiative, developing an effective 12-month plan that will pave the way to eventually neutralize carbon emissions. The company hopes to inspire other cruise lines to follow their lead and discover more sustainable ways to cruise. Variety Cruises will also observe their own impact on the environment while following initiatives to reduce plastic waste, serve ethically sourced local foods, run on marine diesel oil, develop beach clean-up initiatives, and strictly follow rigorous policies on waste management. 

Tahiti Itineraries 

The Tahiti & the Pearls of French Polynesia itinerary is a 7-night cruise with stops in Bora Bora, Huahine, Raiatea, and Moorea, sailing from February 3, 2023, through December 2023. Throughout the cruise, guests can visit the UNESCO-protected marae (open-air temple) of Taputapuatea, feed the blue-eyed eels of Faie Bay, snorkel with sharks and stingrays, and more. 

Launching on January 13, 2023, the Tahiti, the Society & Tuamotu Islands itinerary is a 10-night cruise along the same route as the 7-night cruise but continues onward to the seldom-visited Tuamotu islands of Makatea and Rangiroa, and the Society islands of Tetiaroa and Mo’orea. A highlight of the cruise is Makatea, a raised island filled with coral that’s unlike any other spot in French Polynesia.