Variety Cruises vs Windstar Cruises

The core difference

Variety Cruises and Windstar Cruises overlap most visibly in the Mediterranean — both carry small guest counts through harbours that the mainstream lines cannot reach, both reject formal dress codes and structured programming, and both attract travellers who value authenticity over spectacle. That Mediterranean overlap is precisely what makes this comparison useful, because the experience aboard is shaped by profoundly different philosophies about what small-ship cruising should deliver, how much it should cost, and where the most memorable moments happen — aboard or ashore.

Variety’s identity is authentic Greek small-yacht exploration. A third-generation family-owned Greek company, Variety operates a fleet of motor yachts averaging around 50 guests per vessel. These are genuine small yachts — compact, unpretentious, and shallow-draft enough to slip into harbours that even Windstar’s smallest vessels cannot enter. The half-board arrangement is central to the philosophy: breakfast and one main meal are included, deliberately freeing guests to dine ashore in harbourside tavernas during extended evening port stays. The Greek crew — warm, informal, deeply knowledgeable about the islands — are not merely staff but hosts in the truest sense, steering guests toward the village restaurant where the fish was caught that morning and the wine comes from the vineyard on the hillside above. The atmosphere is closer to chartering a friend’s yacht than booking a cruise.

Windstar’s identity is sailing romance combined with refined hospitality. Three of its seven ships carry four or five masts of computer-controlled sails that unfurl at every departure — Wind Surf (342 guests), Wind Star (148 guests), and Wind Spirit (148 guests). The Star Plus class motor yachts (Star Breeze, Star Legend, Star Pride, 312 guests each) and new-build Star Seeker (224 guests) round out a diverse fleet that never exceeds 342 guests. The James Beard Foundation culinary partnership anchors a dining programme emphasising chef-driven creativity, and the signature Candles open-air dining under the stars is widely cited as one of the most romantic settings at sea. Owned by Xanterra Parks and Resorts, Windstar covers the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Tahiti year-round, Alaska, Japan, and seasonally Australian waters across seven ships growing to eight.

For Australian travellers, the distinction often crystallises around one question: is the destination the point, or is the ship? Variety makes the Greek Islands the point — the yacht is the enabler, and the best experiences happen ashore. Windstar makes the ship the point — the sailing heritage, the culinary programme, and the onboard atmosphere are the experience, with the destination as an exceptional backdrop.

What is actually included

The inclusion models reflect different philosophies about where guests should spend their money and their evenings.

Variety’s half-board model includes breakfast and one main meal — typically lunch or dinner depending on the itinerary. The other meal is deliberately excluded to encourage shore dining during extended port stays. Alcoholic beverages aboard are purchased separately at modest prices. Snorkelling gear and fishing equipment are provided. Swim stops in open water are complimentary and frequent. Gratuities are discretionary. Wi-Fi availability varies by vessel.

Windstar’s base fare covers all dining across every restaurant without surcharges, 24-hour room service, non-alcoholic beverages, and complimentary watersport marina access. The All-In package — the recommended booking option — bundles unlimited alcoholic beverages, Wi-Fi, and prepaid gratuities for USD $99 per person per day. On Star Plus class and Star Seeker vessels, up to five dining venues are included without surcharges.

The practical cost comparison for Australian travellers reveals the magnitude of the gap. A seven-night Variety Greek Islands cruise might cost AUD $1,800 to $3,400 per person including shore dining, drinks, and gratuities. A seven-night Windstar Mediterranean cruise with All-In might cost AUD $4,500 to $6,500 per person. The difference of roughly AUD $2,500 to $3,500 per person reflects genuinely different products. Windstar includes premium drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities, a James Beard culinary programme, and more refined service. Variety includes the freedom to dine ashore, the most intimate guest count in the yacht category, and a price point that makes yacht-scale cruising sustainable as an annual holiday.

Dining and culinary experience

The dining comparison reveals the widest philosophical gap in this pairing — one line investing heavily in the shipboard kitchen, the other investing deliberately in the destination’s food culture.

Variety’s dining philosophy is that the best Greek food is found in Greece. Meals aboard are honest, well-prepared Greek and Mediterranean cuisine — fresh salads, grilled fish, regional specialities prepared by the Greek galley crew. The quality is genuine and satisfying, built around fresh ingredients sourced at each port. But the real culinary highlight happens ashore. The half-board model, combined with extended evening stays in port, creates the opportunity to dine in the harbourside tavernas that guidebooks miss — the places where the fisherman delivers the catch, where the owner pours local wine from an unmarked bottle, where the sunset over a Cycladic harbour is all the ambiance required. Variety’s crew know exactly where to send you, and their recommendations are personal, specific, and consistently excellent.

Windstar’s culinary programme is the strongest in small-ship sailing. The James Beard Foundation partnership, spanning more than a decade, places award-recognised chefs aboard select sailings for cooking demonstrations, hosted dinners with wine pairings, and local market tours. On every sailing, the dinner menu features a “Signature Recipe” from a James Beard Foundation-affiliated chef. Candles, the open-air restaurant where guests dine under the stars with masted sails silhouetted above, is widely regarded as one of the most romantic dining experiences at sea. On Star Plus class and Star Seeker, additional venues — including Cuadro 44 (transitioning to Basil + Bamboo), Stella Bistro, and the Veranda — bring the total to five dining options, all included without surcharges.

The comparison is not about quality but about philosophy. Windstar delivers the more refined, more prestigious, and more varied onboard culinary experience — the James Beard partnership, Candles, and multiple venue choices on newer ships. Variety delivers the more authentic overall food experience when shore dining is included — but that authenticity happens in village tavernas rather than aboard the ship. For travellers who want the ship’s kitchen to be a highlight, Windstar wins decisively. For those who believe the best Mediterranean food is found at a table overlooking the harbour where the fishing boats are moored, Variety’s half-board model is an inspired design choice rather than a compromise.

Suites and accommodation

The accommodation comparison spans the widest range in the yacht category — from Variety’s functional small-yacht cabins to Windstar’s modern suites with private verandas.

Variety’s cabins are compact, functional, and honest. Cabins vary by vessel but typically measure 90 to 140 square feet with portholes, simple maritime furnishings, and ensuite bathrooms. The ships show their age in places — interiors are functional rather than luxurious. Some vessels offer a small number of larger cabins or a modest suite option. Air conditioning is standard. The cabins are clean and comfortable for sleeping — which is largely their purpose when the alternative is the sun deck, the swim platform, or a village taverna.

Windstar’s accommodation varies significantly by ship class. Wind Star and Wind Spirit carry staterooms of approximately 188 square feet with portholes. Wind Surf offers deluxe suites at 376 square feet with two bathrooms. The Star Plus class motor yachts are all-suite vessels: entry-level suites from 277 square feet, Classic Suites at 400 square feet, and Owner’s Suites spanning 820 square feet with separate bedroom, living, and dining areas. Star Seeker introduces twelve suite categories with private verandas, from Oceanview Suites to Horizon Owner’s Suites at 796 square feet with wrap-around verandahs.

The accommodation gap is significant and visible. Even Windstar’s oldest sailing yachts offer modestly more spacious and more polished cabins than Variety’s fleet. On the Star Plus class and Star Seeker, the gap is enormous — modern suites with verandas, separate living areas, and contemporary finishes that represent a fundamentally different category of accommodation. For travellers who value cabin comfort and private outdoor space, Windstar’s newer vessels deliver at a level Variety’s fleet cannot approach. For those who view the cabin purely as sleeping quarters, Variety’s cabins are adequate — and the price difference funds future voyages.

Pricing and value

The pricing gap between these lines is substantial and reflects different market positions — Variety as the most accessible yacht-category line, Windstar as a refined premium small-ship experience.

Variety’s per-diem sits at roughly AUD $200 to $400 per person per night. Seven-night Greek Islands itineraries start from approximately EUR $1,200 to $2,200 per person. Half-board meals are included. Shore dining, drinks, and gratuities are additional but modestly priced — a taverna dinner ashore might cost EUR $20 to $40 per person with wine.

Windstar’s per-diem with the All-In package typically falls in the AUD $500 to $750 range. Entry-level pricing on the sailing yachts starts from approximately USD $250 to $400 per night before the All-In package. Star Plus class ships command a premium for their all-suite accommodation. A seven-night Mediterranean sailing with All-In costs roughly AUD $4,500 to $6,500 per person.

For a direct Greek Mediterranean comparison: a couple spending a week in the Greek Islands might budget AUD $3,600 to $6,800 for Variety (including flights from Australia, shore dining, and drinks) or AUD $11,000 to $15,000 for Windstar with All-In (including flights). The Variety couple receives around 50 guests, Greek crew, half-board freedom, and harbours too small for any Windstar vessel. The Windstar couple receives the James Beard culinary programme, included premium drinks, sailing heritage on the Wind Class vessels, modern suites if choosing Star Plus class, and potentially 148 guests on Wind Star or Wind Spirit. The question is not which delivers better value — both deliver excellent value for what they provide — but which experience the traveller is seeking.

For Australian travellers, Windstar’s domestic departures from Sydney, Melbourne, and Cairns create a unique advantage. A Star Breeze Australia-New Zealand voyage eliminates the flight cost entirely and offers all-suite accommodation from the home port. No Variety vessel sails in the southern hemisphere. However, Variety’s dramatically lower per-diem means the flight cost to Athens is proportionally larger but the total trip cost remains far below Windstar’s level.

Spa and wellness

The wellness contrast is straightforward — Windstar offers structured spa facilities, Variety offers the sea.

Variety does not operate a spa, fitness centre, or structured wellness programme. The wellness experience is the voyage itself — swimming from the yacht’s platform in secluded Aegean coves, snorkelling in crystal-clear waters, walking through island villages, and the restorative simplicity of a week with fifty people and no agenda. Snorkelling gear and fishing equipment are provided. Swim stops are frequent and are consistently cited as a highlight.

Windstar’s spa offering varies by ship class. Star Plus class ships feature the World Spa with treatment rooms, sauna, steam room, heated loungers, and modern fitness equipment. The sailing yachts carry more compact spas with treatment rooms and basic fitness facilities. Star Seeker introduces a full-service spa with contemporary fitness facilities. The watersport marina provides kayaks, paddleboards, snorkelling, sailing dinghies, and water skiing, with PADI-certified diving in tropical waters.

For structured spa treatments and fitness facilities, Windstar is the only choice. Both lines share the ocean as a wellness resource — Variety through swim stops and snorkelling, Windstar through the watersport marina. For travellers who want massage, sauna, and a gym, Windstar delivers. For those who define wellness as swimming in the Aegean and walking through villages, Variety’s simplicity is sufficient.

Entertainment and enrichment

Neither line caters to travellers seeking conventional cruise entertainment — both attract guests who consider the absence of production shows a feature.

Variety’s enrichment is the port. Extended evening stays — sometimes overnight — mean the experience happens ashore. Wandering village streets, finding a taverna, watching the sunset from a quiet square. On board, the Greek crew set the tone — someone might share island stories, play music, or recommend the best swimming spot for tomorrow. Fellow guests become the evening company. The destination is the entertainment.

Windstar’s enrichment is more structured and culinary-focused. The James Beard Foundation sailings feature cooking demonstrations, market tours, and chef-hosted dinners. The sail-away ceremony on Wind Class vessels — sails unfurling to music — is a moment of genuine maritime theatre. Acoustic musicians, cultural performers, and the deck barbecue provide evening atmosphere. The Candles dining experience under the stars is entertainment, enrichment, and culinary art in a single setting.

Windstar provides more onboard enrichment — the culinary programme, the sail-away ceremony, and the cultural performers. Variety provides more shore enrichment — the extended port stays and the deliberate philosophy of experiencing the destination from within rather than from the ship. For travellers who want curated onboard experiences, Windstar. For those who want the destination to be the experience, Variety.

Fleet and destination coverage

The fleet and destination comparison reveals Windstar’s most commanding advantage — global reach versus regional focus.

Variety operates approximately 10 motor yachts averaging 50 guests, focused on the Greek Islands and eastern Mediterranean. The fleet offers multiple simultaneous departures across different Greek regions — the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, the Ionians, the Peloponnese, Crete. Seasonal programmes extend to West Africa and the Seychelles. The depth of Greek coverage is unmatched by any other line.

Windstar operates seven ships across three classes (growing to eight). The fleet covers the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Tahiti year-round, Alaska, Japan, Southeast Asia, Costa Rica, Canada, and seasonally Australia and New Zealand — visiting over 330 ports worldwide. Three sailing yachts carry the heritage; four motor yachts deliver modern accommodation and broader reach.

For Australian travellers, Windstar’s global reach is decisive for those wanting variety across multiple voyages. Variety is the specialist for Greek Islands. The choice depends on whether your travel goal is to explore Greece deeply (Variety) or to experience intimate cruising across multiple regions (Windstar). Windstar’s seasonal Australian deployment from Sydney, Melbourne, and Cairns — and the year-round Tahiti programme from Papeete — provide Australian accessibility that Variety cannot match.

Where each line excels

Variety excels in:

• Authentic Greek exploration. Third-generation Greek family ownership, crew who know every harbour by name, and itineraries revealing the Greece beyond the postcards. No other line offers deeper or more authentic Greek coverage.
• Shore dining freedom. The half-board model and extended evening port stays create the quintessential Greek dining experience — tavernas, sunsets, local wine, and crew recommendations that are consistently inspired.
• Ultimate intimacy. Around 50 guests per vessel — smaller than any Windstar ship. Everyone knows everyone by the second day, and the atmosphere is a genuine house party.
• Harbour access. Shallow-draft yachts enter harbours too small for any Windstar vessel — the tiny fishing ports and hidden coves of the Cyclades and Ionians.
• Accessibility of price. The most affordable yacht-category line, making yacht-scale cruising achievable as an annual holiday rather than a once-in-a-decade event.

Windstar excels in:

• Sailing heritage. Computer-controlled sails on three vessels — the sail-away ceremony and the sight of masts against the horizon create romance that no motor yacht can replicate.
• Fleet breadth and global destinations. Seven ships covering a dozen regions. Tahiti year-round from Papeete. Alaska. Japan. Australia seasonally. Variety covers one region; Windstar covers the world.
• Australian accessibility. Star Breeze from Sydney, Melbourne, and Cairns. Wind Spirit from Papeete via direct eight-hour flight. No Variety vessel sails within the southern hemisphere.
• The James Beard culinary programme. The strongest culinary programme in small-ship sailing — rotating award-winning chefs, Signature Recipes, and Candles dining under the stars.
• Modern accommodation. Star Plus and Star Seeker suites with private verandas up to 796 square feet — modern design that Variety’s fleet cannot approach.
• Comprehensive inclusions. With the All-In package, Windstar covers all dining, premium drinks, Wi-Fi, and gratuities in a single transparent bundle.

Standout itineraries for Australian travellers

Variety

Variety: Classical Greece (7 nights, roundtrip Athens) — The signature itinerary through the Cyclades — Santorini, Mykonos, Delos — before Monemvasia and the Peloponnese. Extended evening port stays for taverna dining. The definitive authentic Greek island-hopping experience. Fly to Athens from Australian gateways via a single connection in approximately 22 hours.

Variety: Jewels of the Cyclades (7 nights, roundtrip Athens) — Deeper into the Cyclades beyond the famous names — Paros, Naxos, Koufonisia, Amorgos, Ios. Harbours too small for Windstar, villages untouched by mainstream tourism.

Variety: Ionian Odyssey (7 nights) — The greener, quieter western Greek islands — Corfu, Paxos, Lefkada, Ithaca, Kefalonia. Turquoise bays, swim stops, and evenings in village tavernas far from the Cycladic tourist trail.

Windstar

Wind Spirit: Tahiti and French Polynesia (7 nights, year-round, roundtrip Papeete) — The most compelling Windstar itinerary for Australian travellers. Sailing under canvas through Moorea, Raiatea, Bora Bora. Direct eight-hour Air Tahiti Nui flight from Sydney. Variety has no Pacific presence.

Star Breeze: Australia and New Zealand (various lengths, seasonal) — The all-suite motor yacht from Sydney, Melbourne, and Cairns. The only domestic departure in this pairing. Suites from 277 square feet. No international flight required — a unique advantage for Australians.

Wind Surf: Mediterranean (7 nights, various departures) — The world’s largest motor-sailing yacht exploring the Italian and French Rivieras, Greek islands, and Dalmatian coast under five masts of computer-controlled sails. Candles dining and the sail-away ceremony in Mediterranean waters.

Star Seeker: Alaska or Japan (7-12 nights, 2026) — The new-build vessel with ice-strengthened hull exploring destinations no Variety ship has visited. For Australians seeking yacht-scale cruising beyond the Mediterranean, Windstar’s newer vessels reach regions Variety cannot.

Ship-by-ship recommendations

Variety

Choose by itinerary rather than ship — Variety’s vessels vary but the Greek crew quality and hospitality are consistent. Classical Greece for a first voyage. Jewels of the Cyclades for deeper island exploration. Ionian Odyssey for the western islands. The fleet’s consistency means the itinerary is the primary decision, not the vessel.

Windstar

Wind Spirit (148 guests) — The year-round Tahiti yacht and the most intimate Windstar option. At 148 guests, the closest comparison to Variety’s intimacy levels, though still triple the guest count. Choose for Tahiti and the purest Windstar sailing experience.

Wind Surf (342 guests) — The flagship sailing yacht. Five masts, the Candles restaurant, and broader deck spaces. Choose for the Mediterranean when sailing ambiance and spacious public areas matter.

Star Breeze (312 guests) — The all-suite motor yacht deployed to Australian waters. Suites from 277 square feet to 820 square feet. Choose for the Australian and New Zealand programme — the only domestic yacht-category departure in this pairing.

Star Seeker (224 guests, December 2025) — The purpose-built vessel with twelve suite categories and an ice-strengthened hull. Choose for Alaska and Japan when modern accommodation and expedition capabilities are priorities.

For Australian travellers specifically

The Australian accessibility comparison favours Windstar decisively — but Variety’s value proposition creates its own form of accessibility.

Variety’s Athens embarkation is the primary logistics consideration. Athens is reachable from Sydney or Melbourne in approximately 22 hours via a single connection through Dubai, Doha, or Singapore. The consistency of Athens as a base port simplifies trip planning. Variety does not maintain a dedicated Australian office or sail in the southern hemisphere. However, the dramatically lower cruise cost means the total trip cost — flights plus cruise plus shore dining — remains highly accessible by yacht-category standards: roughly AUD $3,600 to $6,800 per person for a complete Greek Islands week.

Windstar’s Australian presence is the strongest of any line in this comparison. Travel the World Group has served as Australian GSA for over thirty-eight years. Windstar operates an Australian website with AUD pricing. Star Breeze deploys seasonally from Sydney, Melbourne, and Cairns — eliminating the flight cost and offering a domestic yacht-category experience. Wind Spirit sails year-round from Papeete, reachable by direct eight-hour Air Tahiti Nui flight from Sydney. For Australian travellers who value convenience, reduced travel time, and local representation, Windstar’s infrastructure is unmatched.

The combination strategy is compelling. Variety for the annual Greek island fix — different itinerary each year, sustainable price, ever-deepening knowledge of the islands. Windstar for the broader bucket-list experiences — Tahiti, Alaska, Australia and New Zealand, Japan — with sailing heritage and refined hospitality. At Variety’s pricing, an Australian couple could sail Greece every year and add a Windstar voyage every second or third year, building a portfolio of yacht-scale experiences across both lines.

The onboard atmosphere

The atmospheres aboard these lines share informality and intimacy but differ in texture and cultural identity.

Variety’s atmosphere is the Greek house party. With around fifty guests, anonymity is impossible. The Greek crew are the social catalyst — warm, informal, naturally hospitable in a way that feels familial. The passenger mix is international, varied in age, and united by a love of authentic travel. The dress code is the most relaxed in the yacht category: barefoot on the sun deck, casual everywhere, no pretension. The evening often ends ashore, walking back through a quiet village. The social dynamic is immediate and unforced — by the second day, the ship feels like a community.

Windstar’s atmosphere is romantic elegance. Staff know your name by the second day, your preferences by the third. The passenger mix of couples in their late 40s to early 60s creates a different energy — more romantic, more polished, but equally warm. The dress code is “Yacht Casual” — sundresses, collared shirts, relaxed but intentional. The sail-away ceremony sets the emotional tone. Evenings flow from cocktails watching the sails catch the last light to dinner at Candles under the stars. The atmosphere is intimate but refined — more sailing club than house party.

The distinction is cultural as much as operational. Variety’s atmosphere is shaped by Greek hospitality — direct, warm, unpretentious, and rooted in a tradition of welcoming strangers as friends. Windstar’s atmosphere is shaped by American hospitality — polished, service-oriented, anticipatory, and designed to make guests feel special. Both create deep loyalty. Both reject formality. They simply express informality through different cultural lenses.

The bottom line

Variety Cruises and Windstar Cruises serve different needs within the yacht category — and the comparison is more about identifying which need the traveller has than determining which line is superior. Both deliver intimate small-ship cruising. Both access small harbours. Both reject mainstream conventions. And both have earned the fierce loyalty of travellers who have found in them something the rest of the cruise industry cannot provide.

Choose Variety for the most authentic and most affordable yacht-scale Greek island experience. Choose it for fifty guests, a Greek crew who know every island by name, the half-board freedom to dine in harbourside tavernas, extended evening port stays, and access to harbours smaller than anything Windstar can reach. Choose it for pricing that makes yacht-scale cruising sustainable as an annual tradition. Accept that the ships are functional rather than luxurious, that there is no spa, no sailing heritage, no premium drinks programme, and that entertainment is whatever the islands and the company provide.

Choose Windstar for sailing romance, broader destinations, refined hospitality, and Australian accessibility. Choose it for the sail-away ceremony, the James Beard Foundation culinary programme, Candles dining under the stars, and the broadest destination range in the small-ship segment. Choose it for Australian departures from Sydney and Cairns, for year-round Tahiti, for Alaska and Japan. Choose it for modern suites with private verandas. Accept the higher per-diem, the larger guest counts (148 to 342 versus around 50), and the reality that the motor yachts in the fleet carry no sails at all.

For Australian travellers who love the Mediterranean, both lines deserve a place in the travel calendar. Variety for Greece — annually, affordably, authentically. Windstar for the broader world — Tahiti, Australia, Japan, the Mediterranean under sail — with the refined service and culinary programme that transform a holiday into an occasion. The traveller who experiences both will understand that a fifty-guest Greek motor yacht and a 148-guest sailing yacht under computer-controlled canvas serve different desires — and that both desires are worth satisfying.