Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Variety Cruises


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review).  No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was keep. Ritchie333 (talk) (cont)  11:42, 4 September 2018 (UTC)

Variety Cruises

 * – ( View AfD View log  Stats )

Fails WP:GNG and WP:ORG. Essentially all sources are passing mentions, commercial listings, or press releases. -- Patar knight - chat/contributions 01:32, 20 August 2018 (UTC)
 * Note: This discussion has been included in the list of Companies-related deletion discussions. Baby miss  fortune 02:56, 20 August 2018 (UTC)
 * Note: This discussion has been included in the list of Greece-related deletion discussions. Baby miss  fortune 02:56, 20 August 2018 (UTC)


 * Delete No reliable third-party sources on the company and its activities; moslty listings of commercial nature, and references to the company's own website. ——Chalk19 (talk) 11:53, 23 August 2018 (UTC)

Keep per the significant coverage in multiple independent reliable sources.  The article notes: "That said, Variety Cruises, a family-owned small-ship line in Greece, is starting to market its weeklong Greek island and Red Sea cruises to North Americans and, while the fares are not as cheap as a Western Caribbean cruise on Carnival, most are a bargain considering the region and size of ship. Variety, started in 1949 as an 'educational ferry' by the father of the current owner, now runs more than a dozen ships on more than a dozen itineraries through the Aegean and Ionian seas. (Also, starting last month, the 32-passenger Harmony V began sailing up the Red Sea with stops in Aqaba, Jordan; Taba and Sharm el Sheikh, Sinai; and Safaga and Hurghada, Egypt.) Most notable about the service (other than the prices) is that the ships arrive later and stay longer in the ports, giving passengers an opportunity to experience the culture at night - often when the real culture is thriving and after the oppressive hordes from the other ships have sailed off. (Passengers get breakfast and one other daily meal, which is Variety's not-so-subtle way of encouraging you to get out, explore and discover local cuisine at a chic restaurant or funky taverna - arguably one of the most fun ways to experience local culture.) The company's bread and butter is visiting iconic Greek fishing villages, Roman ruins, volcanic islands, Medieval towns and impossibly scenic and secluded beaches typically available only to small-ship cruises. The main routes are Aegean Odyssey (with stops in Marina Zea, Kea, Folegandros, Samos, Patmos, Santorini and Mykonos, as well as Kusadasi in Turkey), and the Classical Greece trip, with some of the same stops, as well as Nafplio, Spetses, Monemvasia, Rethymno and Heraklion."  The article notes: "New York-based Variety Cruises is expanding its offerings to the gay community and to cruisers interested in yoga. Variety operates a fleet of 11 megayachts, sail cruisers and private luxury yachts that accommodate between 12 and 75 passengers. ... In addition to gay-focused itineraries, Variety is widening its theme and custom group charter offerings to include interests such as archaeology, food and wine, history and yoga. ... Variety Cruises was established in 2006 following the merger of Zeus Tours & Yacht Cruises and Hellas Yachts. Zeus Tours & Yacht Cruises was a unit of Zeus Tours, which was founded in 1949 by Diogenis Venetopoulos, who owned a Greek travel agency."  The article notes: "Piräus - Die Show auf der 'Galileo' beginnt nach dem Frühstück. Zwei Matrosen ziehen an den Tauen, das Großsegel bläht sich im Wind auf. Die Urlauber überhören gerne, dass der Motor weiterbrummt. 'Auf diesem Schiff sind die Segel nur zum Angucken', gibt Diogenis Venetopoulos zu. 'Der Motor bleibt immer an.' Der 34-Jährige ist der Chef von Variety Cruises. Sein Großvater gründete die Reederei. Er übersetzte erst griechische Bücher ins Deutsche und brachte ab 1949 deutsche Urlauber nach Griechenland. 1968 baute er ein Fischerboot um und schipperte Gäste zu den Inseln. 'Es war chaotisch', sagt Venetopoulos. 'Mal lief die Maschine, dann wieder nicht.' Den Deutschen gefiel es. An der Route hat sich bis heute nicht viel geändert. 'Die Schiffe damals waren aus Holz und sehr einfach', sagt Venetopoulos. Verglichen mit modernen Kreuzfahrtschiffen ist auch die 'Galileo', 1992 gebaut, rustikal. Aber sie hat einen Vorteil: Sie ist klein, 48 Meter lang, zehn Meter breit, für maximal 49 Passagiere. Damit kann sie auf den einwöchigen Rundfahrten zwischen April und Oktober auch Inseln anlaufen, deren Häfen für andere Schiffe zu seicht und eng sind." From Google Translate: "Piraeus - The show on the 'Galileo' starts after breakfast. Two sailors pull on the ropes, the mainsail inflates in the wind. The tourists like to ignore that the engine keeps on humming. 'On this ship, the sails are only to watch,' admits Diogenis Venetopoulos. 'The engine always stays on.' The 34-year-old is the boss of Variety Cruises. His grandfather founded the shipping company. He first translated Greek books into German and from 1949 brought German tourists to Greece. In 1968 he rebuilt a fishing boat and sailed guests to the islands. 'It was chaotic,' says Venetopoulos. 'The machine ran once, then not again.' The Germans liked it. The route has not changed much today. 'The ships were made of wood and very simple,' says Venetopoulos. Compared to modern cruise ships, the 'Galileo', built in 1992, is rustic. But it has one advantage: It is small, 48 meters long, ten meters wide, for a maximum of 49 passengers. This means that on the one-week cruises between April and October, it can also sail to islands whose harbors are too shallow and narrow for other ships." <li> The book notes: "Variety Cruises. This Greek company is one of the largest operators of small cruise ships worldwide. The 15 vessels in the fleet all vary in size and style. Some of the ships deployed are sailing ships. On board, passengers enjoy locally flavored cuisine and itineraries that blend well-known ports with the hidden gems of the Mediterranean. The company was the result of a merger in 2006 between the two companies Zeus Tours & Yacht Cruises and Hellas Yachts."</li> <li> The book notes: "Zeus Tours and Cruises The Zeus Group, which will mark its fiftieth year in operation in 1998, operates programs in the eastern Mediterranean and South America and wears other hats as well. In addition to chartering other vessels, it has some of its own, Zeus I–III (24/48; Greek/European, American; 174 ft.), which sail on seven-day cruises in the Mediterranean in summer and are often chartered for other cruises. Galileo Cruises, another member of the group, offers seven-day Greek Isles cruises aboard the sail-cruiser Galileo Sun. Built in 1994, the yacht has a bar-lounge and 18 air-conditioned cabins with private bath and telephone. It carries windsurfers and snorkeling and fishing equipment."</li> <li> The article notes: "Variety is the spice: Greek line Variety Cruises said last month that it will offer gay- and lesbian-themed 'specialty cruises' starting this summer. Variety, which operates small-ship cruises in the Mediterranean, Aegean and the Red Sea, has scheduled a gay cruise for Aug. 21 and another in August 2010; and a lesbian cruise for July 9-16, 2010. Both voyages are aboard the 49-passenger sail-cruiser Panorama. The specific itinerary is at the captain's discretion, but the voyages will probably include stops in Santorini, Mykonos, Folegandros, Poliegos and Kimolos. Activities will include 'lengthy swim stops in selected beaches such as in Mykonos, DJ evenings off-board in specific ports of call,' according to the company."</li> <li> The article notes: "If you want a more intimate cruise experience on your next trip, Variety Cruises next year is launching an eight-day Glories of Spain & Portugal cruise aboard the 25-cabin Panorama II. The cruise will take passengers from Malaga, Spain, to Lisbon, Portugal. Optional excursions include Granada, Ronda, the British colony of Gibraltar, Seville and Jerez de la Frontera, famous for its wines, horse breeding and flamenco music."</li> <li> The article notes: "Looking for a middle ground between deluxe big ship and private charter cruising, I recently asked Zeus Tours if I could sail aboard its 18-cabin Galileo yacht, whose weekly departures from Athens include classic Cycladic islands and off-course ports of call: Santorini, Amorgos, Patmos, Samos, Delos, Mykonos and Kusadasi in Turkey. One is always nervous that, as a guest, you might have to say nice things about a cruise experience that didn't add up; a friend of mine and I got lucky, for the Galileo is a big and comfortable motor yacht staffed by a top-notch crew and has a near-perfect itinerary for the first-time, as well as repeat, Greek Islands cruise client. ... The Zeus Greek Islands Yacht Cruises brochure needs a good rewrite and new photos for agents to sell this program knowledgeably. First, the three Zeus yachts are positioned as 'casual cruises,' and that seemed indeed to be true, for we docked next to two out of the three, and I went aboard both to take a peek."</li> <li> The article notes: "The world's biggest small-ship company, Variety Cruises, has introduced six new itineraries for 2015-16: in the Red Sea, the Greek islands, Turkey, the Canary Islands, the Cape Verde Archipelago and Madagascar. Variety Cruises owns and operates a fleet of 11 boutique ships and motor yachts that carry 44 to 72 guests. The ships offer flexible cruise schedules that allow plenty of time in port, and the itineraries combine well-known destinations with less travelled spots that are inaccessible to bigger vessels. Other destinations Variety Cruises visit are Cuba, the Seychelles and Costa Rica."</li> <li> The article notes: "Variety Cruises has just acquired the 17-cabin motor yacht Callisto, which will operate the company's Classical Greece program in the European summer of 2016 (April to October) and the Costa Rica and Panama cruise between December and March. The classic private yacht is being renovated and rebuilt, with new decking, stabilisers and generators, and structural improvements. Variety Cruises is one of the fastest growing small-ship companies and has cruises in Turkey, the Seychelles, the Red Sea and Cuba. It is launching visits to the Canary and Cape Verde islands."</li> <li> The article notes: "Variety Cruises, based in Greece, is bringing its flagship vessel, The Variety Voyager, to the port as part of a European stopover tour between June and October. Specialising in small ship or ‘mega-yacht’ luxury cruising, Variety is keen to share its ‘small is beautiful’ philosophy for an environmentally friendly impact on ports of call and the ocean. Built in 2012, the new-build 68m/223 ft state of the art mega yacht accommodates 72 passengers in 36 cabins and has a crew of 32."</li> <li> The article notes: "Variety Cruises, which offers an extensive array of scheduled small ship cruises as well as yacht charters, is stressing its products’ ability to take guests to unusual destinations where they can access an authentic, out-of-the-ordinary experience of local culture. ... Variety Cruises owns 13 ships — motor yachts and sailing vessels accommodating anywhere from eight to 60 passengers — deployed on seven-night cruises in the Adriatic and Venice, the Red Sea and Egypt and the Black Sea from Odessa and Istanbul."</li> <li> The article notes: "Miami-based Far & Wide Travel Corp. yesterday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company's subsidiaries include Adventure Center, African Travel, Brian Moore International Tours, Central Holidays, Far & Wide London, Grand European Tours, High Country Passage, Intercontinental Travel Company, IST Cultural Tours, Journeys Unlimited, Lion World Travel, Pacific Bestour, Peter Voll Associates, Prism Holidays, Regina Tours, Spanish Heritage Tours, Zeus Tours & Yacht Cruises, Tourlite, Swain Tours and Downunder Direct."</li> <li> The article notes: "On Jan. 16, 2003, Far & Wide Corp., a high-profile U.S. tour company, gave travel agents a nice surprise: an extra 5-percent commission on European group tours. On Sept. 24, Far & Wide issued another surprise: The company was bankrupt. Far & Wide was one of the largest travel companies in the United States, the holding company for 21 tour operators, including African Travel, Central Holidays, Grand European Tours, IST Cultural Tours, Journeys Unlimited, Zeus Tours & Yacht Cruises, Tourlite, and Swain Tours. Just two years ago, it boasted sales of $350 million. In announcing its bankruptcy, the company said its earnings would have been less than half that amount by the end of this fiscal year."</li> <li> The article notes: "Lakis Venetopoulos has found ways to contain labor costs on his yachts. He is the owner and president of the Zeus Group, which hires out yachts, including the $6 million Galileo Sun, for $10,000-a-day cruises for as many as 36 passengers. When he pilots the Galileo to the Seychelles each winter, he brings on board seven Seychellese deckhands in addition to seven Greek officers."</li> <li> The article notes: "Zeus Tours, 800-447-5667, www.zeustours.com. Open since 1948, this company is for the independent traveler looking for air-inclusive packages to Buenos Aires, ski villages or beach resorts."</li></ol>There is sufficient coverage in reliable sources to allow Variety Cruises to pass Notability, which requires "significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject". Cunard (talk) 21:33, 26 August 2018 (UTC) </li></ul> <div class="xfd_relist" style="border-top: 1px solid #AAA; border-bottom: 1px solid #AAA; padding: 0px 25px;"> Relisted to generate a more thorough discussion and clearer consensus.

Please add new comments below this notice. Thanks, North America1000 12:25, 27 August 2018 (UTC)
 * Keep covered at books and newspapers/magazines. One just needs to make a Google News, Google Books search. one good book mention as an example. -- Gprscrippers (talk) 17:32, 27 August 2018 (UTC)


 * Keep Found tons of coverage and seems to satisfy WP:GNG <b style="color: blue">AmericanAir88</b>(<b style="color: darkred">talk</b>) 23:02, 27 August 2018 (UTC)
 * Delete. If the excerpts above are the best sources, there are no PR-free Reliable sources for an article. Every one of this is the sort of travel writing athat amounts to public relations for the travel companies. The NYT coverage is inot PR, but is incidendal, to a discussion of the financial aspects of the Greek shipping industry as a whole.  DGG ( talk ) 05:33, 3 September 2018 (UTC).
 * Keep Most of Cunard's references are rubbish and often the excerpts omit the bits that confirm the reference is based on a company announcement of fails to be intellectually independent. So while I believe his first reference is good and just about meets the criteria (as it isn't obviously based on the company or an announcement), the second excerpt deceptively omits that the information originates from the company and quotations from a company officer. Either Cunard should simply post the links and their headlines, or be more honest. Leaving that aside, there are enough references (plus I believe the book source mentioned by Gprscrippers is good) to establish notability. <b style="font-family: Courier; color: darkgreen;"> HighKing</b>++ 10:32, 4 September 2018 (UTC)


 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. <b style="color:red">Please do not modify it.</b> Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.