The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection vs Variety Cruises

The core difference

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Variety Cruises both appear in the yacht category, and both carry guests in the dozens rather than the thousands — but the comparison is between products separated by such a vast gulf in luxury level, price point, and philosophy that placing them side by side risks absurdity. And yet the comparison serves a purpose: Australian travellers searching for intimate Mediterranean yacht cruises will encounter both names, and understanding what each delivers — and what each costs — prevents a mismatch that could ruin a holiday or waste a budget.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is Marriott International’s ultra-luxury entry into cruising. Three purpose-built superyachts — Evrima (149 suites, 2022), Ilma (224 suites, 2024), and Luminara (226 suites, 2025) — deliver Ritz-Carlton hotel standards on the water. Five restaurants include S.E.A., serving seven-course tasting menus from Chef Sven Elverfeld of the three-Michelin-star Aqua. Ilma was named Cruise Critic’s Luxury Ship of the Year for 2024 with the highest space-per-guest ratio at sea. All dining, premium beverages, Wi-Fi, and gratuities are included. The guest profile includes roughly half who have never cruised before — luxury hotel guests seeking that standard afloat.

Variety Cruises is a third-generation family-owned Greek company operating eleven motor yachts that carry an average of just 50 passengers each. The ships are compact and unpretentious — comfort and character take priority over glitz. The real draw is the itineraries: shallow-draft vessels slip into tiny harbours, quiet coves, and lesser-known islands that not only mainstream cruise ships but even Ritz-Carlton’s superyachts cannot access. The half-board arrangement is deliberate — breakfast and one main meal included, freeing guests to eat ashore and discover local cuisine in harbourside tavernas. Extended evening stays in port allow guests to experience island life after the day-trippers have gone. The atmosphere is relaxed enough that barefoot is an acceptable dress code on the sun deck.

For Australian travellers, these lines answer different questions. Ritz-Carlton answers: “What is the finest luxury experience I can have at sea?” Variety answers: “What is the most authentic way to experience the Greek islands?” Both questions are legitimate, and both lines deliver excellent answers.

What is actually included

The inclusion models reflect fundamentally different philosophies about how guests should spend their time — and their money.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection operates a comprehensive all-inclusive model. The fare covers all dining across five restaurants, premium beverages including champagne, fine wines, spirits, and cocktails, Wi-Fi, crew gratuities, and the marina watersports platform. Shore excursions and spa treatments are additional. The experience is designed to be cashless from embarkation onward.

Variety Cruises operates a half-board model — breakfast and one main meal (typically lunch or dinner, depending on the itinerary and port schedule) are included. Basic beverages are covered with meals. Alcoholic beverages, premium drinks, Wi-Fi, and gratuities are charged separately. Swim stops, snorkelling gear, and fishing equipment are provided. The half-board model is not a cost-cutting measure but a deliberate philosophy: Variety wants guests to eat ashore, to wander harbour streets, find a taverna, and experience local cuisine on their own terms. Evening stays in port make this practical — the ship does not sail at sunset, so guests have time to explore and dine independently.

The difference in onboard spending is substantial. A Ritz-Carlton guest steps aboard and spends nothing further on food, drink, Wi-Fi, or gratuities. A Variety guest will spend on drinks, onshore dining, Wi-Fi, and tips — perhaps AUD $80 to $150 per person per day, depending on choices. But this comparison misses the point: Variety’s lower fare and half-board model are designed to create a different kind of holiday, where the ports are the experience and the ship is the transport. Ritz-Carlton’s all-inclusive model is designed to make the ship the experience, with ports as pleasant diversions.

Dining and culinary experience

The culinary comparison is not between competing restaurant programmes but between two entirely different approaches to eating on holiday.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection delivers haute cuisine across five venues. S.E.A. serves seven-course tasting menus from a three-Michelin-star culinary director. Additional restaurants span Asian-inspired, casual poolside, grill, and main dining — all included without surcharges. The wine programme is extensive. The culinary ambition is among the highest at sea, and the five-venue variety means guests can dine differently every evening without repeating a setting.

Variety Cruises offers onboard dining that is fresh, Greek-influenced, and unpretentious. The single dining room serves meals with an emphasis on regional ingredients — olive oil, fresh fish, local cheeses, seasonal vegetables. The cooking is honest and good rather than gastronomically ambitious. Table wine is reasonably priced. But the real Variety dining experience happens ashore — finding a waterfront taverna in a village where tourists rarely venture, ordering grilled octopus and a carafe of local wine, and watching the sun set over the harbour while the yacht waits in the cove below. This is the experience Variety’s half-board model is designed to facilitate, and loyal guests cite it consistently as the highlight of every voyage.

The comparison is not about quality but about philosophy. Ritz-Carlton guests dine superbly aboard and step ashore for sightseeing. Variety guests eat simply aboard and dine memorably ashore. Both approaches work beautifully for their respective audiences. Food-obsessed travellers who want Michelin-level tasting menus will choose Ritz-Carlton. Travellers who want to eat where the locals eat, in harbours the big ships never reach, will choose Variety.

Suites and accommodation

The accommodation gap is the widest in any yacht-category comparison, reflecting the different price points and purposes of each line.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection offers all-suite accommodation designed by Tillberg Design. Entry-level Terrace Suites on Evrima start at approximately 300 square feet with private terraces. Ilma and Luminara offer more generous proportions, with top categories exceeding 1,000 square feet. Every suite features a private outdoor space, marble bathroom, and residential design. The space-per-guest ratio on Ilma is the highest at sea.

Variety Cruises accommodation is functional rather than luxurious. Cabins across the fleet are compact — typically 100 to 180 square feet — with basic furnishings, modest bathrooms, and limited storage. The ships show their age in places. There are no suites, no balconies, and no room service. Cabins are clean, comfortable, and well-maintained, but prospective guests should calibrate expectations accordingly. The advisory is straightforward: think of it as chartering a friend’s yacht, not booking a luxury hotel room.

The gap is immense and intentional. Ritz-Carlton’s suites are designed as primary living spaces where guests spend significant time. Variety’s cabins are designed as sleeping quarters on a vessel where the real experience happens on deck, in the water, and ashore. If accommodation quality matters deeply, Ritz-Carlton is the only choice. If the cabin is merely where you sleep between days spent exploring Greek islands on foot, Variety’s modest quarters are entirely adequate.

Pricing and value

The pricing comparison reveals the most dramatic gap in the yacht-category series — and both lines deliver genuine value within their respective markets.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection prices seven-night Mediterranean voyages from approximately USD $5,000 to $8,000 per person for entry-level suites. The per-diem works out to roughly AUD $1,200 to $2,000 per person per night with dining, premium beverages, Wi-Fi, and gratuities included. Higher categories escalate substantially.

Variety Cruises prices seven-night Greek island voyages from approximately EUR $1,000 to $2,500 per person. The per-diem works out to roughly AUD $150 to $350 per person per night with half-board included. Adding drinks, onshore dining, Wi-Fi, and gratuities brings the total to approximately AUD $250 to $500 per person per night.

The total-cost difference for a seven-night Mediterranean voyage is stark. A Ritz-Carlton week costs roughly AUD $8,400 to $14,000 per person before flights. A Variety week costs roughly AUD $1,750 to $3,500 per person before flights. Including return flights from Australia (AUD $2,000 to $4,000 per person to Europe), the Ritz-Carlton holiday totals AUD $10,000 to $18,000 per person, while the Variety holiday totals AUD $4,000 to $7,500 per person. The gap is five to ten times at the base fare level, narrowing to roughly two to four times at the total-cost level once flights are factored in.

Both represent fair value. Ritz-Carlton delivers ultra-luxury that competes with the world’s finest hotels. Variety delivers authentic island-hopping that competes with private yacht charters at a fraction of the charter price. The comparison is between a Rolls-Royce and a well-maintained Land Rover — both excellent at what they do, neither attempting what the other does.

Spa and wellness

The wellness comparison highlights the widest amenity gap in this pairing.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection provides full-service spas across all three yachts — treatment rooms, saunas, steam rooms, and modern fitness centres. The marina platform provides kayaking, paddleboarding, and swimming. The standard is consistent with Ritz-Carlton hotel properties.

Variety Cruises has no spa facilities in any conventional sense. Wellness comes from the active nature of the itineraries — swim stops in open water, snorkelling, walking ashore through hillside villages, and the simple restoration of warm sun, salt water, and fresh air. Some vessels have small sun decks for lounging. The physical activity is organic rather than programmed.

For travellers who expect treatment rooms and fitness centres, Ritz-Carlton is the only option. For travellers whose wellness comes from swimming off the back of a yacht in a secluded Greek cove, walking through villages, and eating fresh Mediterranean food, Variety provides a different but genuinely restorative experience.

Entertainment and enrichment

Neither line offers production shows or conventional cruise entertainment — and both attract travellers who consider that an advantage.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection provides sophisticated, low-key entertainment — live musicians, pianists, and small ensembles in a luxury lounge atmosphere. No casino, no cruise director, no production shows. Enrichment is destination-focused. The social energy is polished and understated.

Variety Cruises makes the destination the entertainment. Extended evening stays in port mean guests explore ashore rather than sitting in a lounge. The conversation of fellow passengers and the warmth of the Greek crew create a convivial, house-party atmosphere. On sea days, the sun deck, the swimming platform, and a good book are the programme. Entertainment is whatever the harbour, the sunset, and your fellow guests provide.

The distinction is between curated sophistication and organic simplicity. Ritz-Carlton polishes the evening. Variety leaves the evening to you — and to the harbour town waiting just down the gangway.

Fleet and destination coverage

The fleets differ dramatically in size, purpose, and geographic reach.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection operates three superyachts covering the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Northern Europe, Central America, and Alaska (2026). The fleet is young, modern, and expanding. Itineraries favour quieter harbours over congested terminals, but the superyachts’ size limits access to the smallest ports.

Variety Cruises operates eleven motor yachts — the largest fleet by vessel count in this comparison — averaging just 50 guests each. The fleet sails primarily in the Greek Islands, with additional programmes covering the broader Mediterranean, West Africa, and the Seychelles. The shallow-draft vessels access harbours, coves, and island anchorages that are physically impossible for any purpose-built superyacht to enter. Itineraries include the Classical Greece route through the Cyclades, the Jewels of the Cyclades, the Ionian Odyssey, and extended programmes to lesser-known islands.

For Australian travellers, Ritz-Carlton’s broader destination range — Mediterranean, Caribbean, Northern Europe, Alaska — provides more variety across a cruising career. Variety’s unmatched depth in the Greek islands delivers the definitive Greek cruising experience. The Seychelles programme may appeal to Australians with relatively straightforward routing from Perth or Melbourne via Mauritius or Dubai.

Where each line excels

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection excels in:

• Ultra-luxury standards. Purpose-built superyachts with the highest space-per-guest ratio at sea, all-suite accommodation with private terraces, and five-star residential design. The physical product is unmatched in yacht-category cruising.
• Culinary ambition. Five restaurants with a three-Michelin-star culinary director. The dining programme rivals the finest restaurants ashore.
• All-inclusive completeness. Dining, premium beverages, Wi-Fi, and gratuities included without surcharges. Genuinely cashless voyaging.
• Marriott Bonvoy integration. Points, elite nights, and status recognition for Australian Marriott loyalists.
• Brand confidence. For first-time cruisers from the luxury hotel world, the Ritz-Carlton name provides assurance that standards will be met.

Variety Cruises excels in:

• Authentic Greek island access. Shallow-draft motor yachts access tiny harbours, quiet coves, and lesser-known islands that no superyacht can enter. The Classical Greece, Cyclades, and Ionian programmes deliver the definitive Greek cruising experience.
• Half-board flexibility. The deliberate model of eating ashore in village tavernas — finding the harbourside restaurant where locals eat, ordering what the fisherman caught that morning — is an experience no onboard restaurant, however Michelin-starred, can replicate.
• Extended evening stays. Ships remain in port through the evening, allowing guests to experience island nightlife, sunset dinners ashore, and the quiet magic of a Greek harbour after the day-trippers depart.
• Value. Per-diem pricing at a fraction of Ritz-Carlton’s rate. The most accessible entry to Greek island yacht cruising available.
• Family warmth. A third-generation Greek family-owned company with hospitality in its DNA. The crew’s warmth and the convivial house-party atmosphere are consistently cited by guests as the highlight.
• Fleet breadth. Eleven motor yachts offer the widest choice of Greek island itineraries available from any single line.

Standout itineraries for Australian travellers

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Ilma: Eastern Mediterranean (7-10 nights, 2026) — The Cruise Critic Luxury Ship of the Year exploring the Greek islands, Dalmatian coast, and Turkish riviera with five dining venues and all-inclusive luxury. For Australian travellers who want Greek islands with ultra-luxury comfort, this is the premium choice. Fly via Singapore, Dubai, or London to Athens or Dubrovnik.

Evrima: Caribbean (7-10 nights, winter season) — The intimate 149-suite yacht in warm Caribbean waters. The marina platform in tropical anchorages, all-inclusive beverages, and superyacht privacy. A winter escape for Australian travellers seeking warmth and luxury. Fly via the United States to San Juan or Barbados.

Luminara: Alaska (2026 inaugural season) — Ultra-luxury in Alaska aboard the newest yacht. Scenic cruising and smaller ports at 226 suites. A genuinely differentiated Alaskan experience. Connect via Vancouver from Australian gateways.

Variety Cruises

Classical Greece: Athens roundtrip (7 nights, multiple departures, spring-autumn) — The signature Variety experience threading through the Cyclades — Santorini, Mykonos, Delos, Monemvasia, and the Peloponnese. Roughly 50 guests on a motor yacht slipping into harbours that Ritz-Carlton’s Ilma could never enter. Extended evening stays allow taverna dinners ashore. Swim stops in crystal-clear Aegean waters. The most authentic Greek island-hopping experience available. Fly to Athens from Australian cities via Singapore, Dubai, or Doha.

Jewels of the Cyclades (7 nights, various departures) — Deeper exploration of the Cycladic islands, visiting smaller and lesser-known islands beyond the Santorini-Mykonos circuit. Koufonisia, Amorgos, Naxos, and Paros in the company of 50 fellow travellers. The itinerary for return visitors who have seen the famous islands and want to discover the hidden ones.

Seychelles (7 nights, seasonal) — Variety’s Indian Ocean programme exploring the inner islands aboard an intimate motor yacht. Snorkelling, beach landings, and wildlife encounters. Accessible from Perth via Mauritius or from Melbourne and Sydney via Dubai. An alternative to Greek island cruising for Australian travellers seeking tropical intimacy.

Ship-by-ship recommendations

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Evrima (149 suites, 2022) — The most intimate yacht. Choose for Caribbean itineraries and the closest-to-personal Ritz-Carlton experience. Upgrade from entry-level Terrace Suites for genuine suite proportions.

Ilma (224 suites, 2024) — The most awarded vessel, highest space-per-guest ratio at sea. Choose for Mediterranean and Greek island itineraries where the ship’s facilities match port-intensive programmes.

Luminara (226 suites, 2025) — The newest yacht, debuting Alaska in 2026. Choose for the latest hardware and the inaugural Alaska season.

Variety Cruises

Variety operates eleven vessels, and the specific ship assigned to each itinerary varies by season. The fleet ranges from the 34-guest Panorama II to the 72-guest Variety Voyager. Rather than choosing by ship, choose by itinerary — the vessels are broadly similar in character, with the larger ships offering marginally more public space and the smaller ships offering greater intimacy. For a first Variety experience, the Classical Greece itinerary on any vessel is the ideal introduction. For repeat guests, the Jewels of the Cyclades or Ionian Odyssey programmes reveal the deeper Greece that only these small ships can access.

For Australian travellers specifically

Neither line has a significant Australian presence, and both require international flights — but the practical implications differ given the dramatic price-point gap.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection benefits from the broader Marriott infrastructure. Australian Bonvoy members receive loyalty recognition at sea. The global reservations system simplifies booking. The brand name provides confidence for first-time cruisers. The guest mix is international and English is the primary language aboard.

Variety Cruises is a Greek family company with limited Australian representation. Booking through specialist cruise agents — including Pan Australian Travel — is strongly recommended. The passenger mix is international but with a European emphasis, and the Greek crew’s warmth transcends language barriers. English is widely spoken aboard but the atmosphere is distinctly Mediterranean rather than Anglophone.

The value calculation differs fundamentally. A Variety seven-night Greek island cruise plus flights from Australia totals roughly AUD $4,000 to $7,500 per person — comparable to a domestic luxury lodge holiday. A Ritz-Carlton seven-night voyage plus flights totals AUD $10,000 to $18,000 per person — comparable to a month at a luxury resort. For Australian travellers seeking an intimate Mediterranean experience without the ultra-luxury price tag, Variety represents remarkable value. For those who want no compromise on luxury standards, Ritz-Carlton justifies the premium.

The onboard atmosphere

The atmospheric difference between these lines reflects their fundamentally different markets and purposes.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection delivers the atmosphere of a floating five-star hotel. Wide corridors, hushed spaces, superyacht design, and anticipatory service. The guest profile is younger than expected for ultra-luxury — couples in their 40s and 50s — with many first-time cruisers. The dress code is casually elegant. The social energy is polished and private.

Variety Cruises delivers the atmosphere of a private yacht charter with friends you have not yet met. Fifty guests on a compact motor yacht creates immediate familiarity — everyone knows everyone by the second day. The crew is Greek, warm, and genuinely hospitable in the way that Greek hospitality is famous for. The dress code is casual to the point of barefoot on the sun deck. Shared tables at meals encourage conversation. The atmosphere is often described as a house party — unpretentious, convivial, and warm.

The choice is between polished privacy and convivial intimacy. Ritz-Carlton guests value their personal space and the ability to retreat into a world of quiet luxury. Variety guests value the social dynamic of a small group sharing an adventure. Both atmospheres are genuine — and both work brilliantly for their respective audiences.

The bottom line

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Variety Cruises occupy opposite ends of the yacht-cruising spectrum — and both excel at what they do. The comparison is not between a superior and inferior product but between two entirely different philosophies of travel, two different price points, and two different definitions of what makes a Mediterranean cruise memorable.

Choose The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection for the finest ultra-luxury yacht experience at sea. Choose it for purpose-built superyachts, suites with private terraces, five restaurants with a three-Michelin-star culinary director, and an all-inclusive fare that eliminates every spending decision. Choose it for Marriott Bonvoy loyalty integration and the confidence of a brand that defines luxury hospitality worldwide. Choose it if your Mediterranean cruise should feel like a floating Ritz-Carlton with ports as pleasant diversions from the onboard experience. Accept the ultra-luxury pricing and the fact that the superyachts, however intimate, cannot access the smallest Greek harbours.

Choose Variety Cruises for the most authentic Greek island experience available by sea. Choose it for motor yachts carrying 50 guests into tiny harbours no superyacht can enter, for half-board flexibility that lets you discover the village taverna the locals love, for extended evening stays that reveal the islands after dark, and for the warmth of a third-generation Greek family company with hospitality in its DNA. Choose it for remarkable value — a week of Greek island yacht cruising for roughly what one night costs on Ritz-Carlton. Accept that cabins are functional rather than luxurious, that the ships show their age, that the cuisine is honest rather than ambitious, and that entertainment is conversation and sunset rather than musicians and cocktail lounges. For travellers who measure a voyage by the authenticity of its ports and the quality of its company rather than the thread count of its sheets, Variety Cruises offers an experience that is genuinely difficult to replicate at any price.