Cuba

Variety Voyager

At just 223 feet with 36 passenger cabins, the Variety Voyager is classified as a Mega-Yacht rather than cruise ship. With a maximum of 72 passengers and a crew of 31, it feels more yacht than ship. The Variety fleet operates a number of these small crafts all over the world. In our case, the VV was chartered by Arrangements Abroad in New York City and offered to those affiliated with Queens University of Charlotte, Yale and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. Our group was 45 or so; every passenger list had a different number. There were thirteen of us with a Queens connection, the rest divided between Yalies and Manhattanites. (Georgia? Now that’s south of Manhattan isn’t it?)

I’d read some comments on Cruise Critic that the boat was shabby and in need of sprucing up so I was more than wary. Much to my surprise, it’s quite handsome.

Except for a few larger suites up top, the staterooms are compact. Well fitted, but not much room to maneuver. Our bathroom was relatively large with a walk-in shower and plenty of hot water. We had a large window that brought in plenty of light and killer air conditioning.

There is a large common area on the second deck with plenty of arm chairs, couches, low tables and a bar. Tucked in one corner is the hotel managers desk and another for the tour guides to use. The dining room is on the third deck, large enough to seat everyone at the same time at a tables sized for two up to eight. It was always set with fresh linens, china, silver and glassware. Up another deck was the outside lounge, protected by a roof and furnished with the all-weather rattan couches and chairs that you’d find in upscale hotels and a larger bar. Up one more deck to the bridge level was the sun deck, up forward with a dozen or more chaise lounges for anyone ignoring their dermatologist’s advice.

The captain, hotel manager and dining room manager are Greek. The dining room staff and room stewards come from all over including Cuba and Odessa. The deck crew? Who knows but congenial and always working around us to keep everything outside clean and ship-shape. And a first: Captain Cristo has an open bridge policy. We’re welcome to come visit anytime except when the ship is arriving or leaving dock or anchor.

The staff is very accommodating, answering questions or solving problems immediately. A word to Stefanos the hotel manager about any cabin issue and someone was there, seeing to it almost before you finished your conversation with him. The laundry service wasn’t cheap, but it was fast says she who must have cleared her closet of short sleeved tops last fall and only had three to choose from and so spent the 31 Euros to have them washed and pressed. Do not judge.

The food was a bit uneven. Breakfast was a triumph with a selection to appeal to Americans, British and European. One of the chefs operated a great omelet station actually asking if you wanted it soft, medium or hard. There was always a platter of tropical fruits allowing me my daily papaya fix. And the baked goods. Oh, my. A variety of freshly baked breads, croissants and pastries every morning. We soon learned that down in the galley was an Egyptian baker who is a wizard. One night he fixed up his version of a midnight buffet: pizza and baklava. The pizza was tasty, but that baklava? From the gods.

We were rarely on the boat at lunchtime, but if you were, the kitchen provided at least three courses to help keep your strength up. Dinner was prix fixe for appetizer, starter and desert with a selection of three different entrées, one always vegetarian. Don’t like that, can’t eat this? The chef always whipped up a substitution. Wine, beer and soft drinks were complementary with lunch and dinner, but any other time it went on your tab. Ditto for cocktails. On a couple of nights the captain hosted a cocktail party up top with cocktails and passed canapes and then was joined by a select few at the Captain’s Table for dinner. Jim and I did not make that cut but in general the passengers were grand company; well-traveled, curious and fun.

We were able to dock a few times, otherwise we anchored beyond the ever-present reefs and relied on local "tenders." These are 30 ft long diving/fishing  boats with a small cabin and large open area aft with benches on either side and air tank holders above the benches. Cuba is a mecca for diving.. Millions come from Canada and Europe to snorkle and scuba dive. Americans are restricted to certain visa requirements such as our People to People: Education visas. "Sun and Rum" is not on the approved list. However, Americans can rent cars or motor bikes, travel about, stay in air b & b's, and do a little diving but "recreation" is not a approved reason to visit. But I digress...The air tanks are much more secure than the passengers. You can sit in the cabin or on a bench or the occasional plastic chair, but you're on your own to hang on. I did see one life jacket, vintage 1957. The Variety Voyager has the typical covered life boats, but uses Zodiacs to transfer passengers when required. When in the Zodiac everyone wears a life jacket.

This was a very nice diving boat that took us ashore and back. The VV has a diving dock on the stern. One walks down an exterior stairway to the dock and then you relax and let the VV crew grabs your arms and transfer you to the waiting diving boat crew. Your basic leap of faith.