As well as the very big players in the international travel industry, there are many smaller companies that have carved out a niche and served it well, often for decades. One of those is Variety Cruises, which traces its history in Greece back to 1949.

On a recent trip to Tahiti, TravelPulse Canada Editor-in-Chief John Kirk ran into Filippos Venetopoulos, the CEO of Variety Cruises, and sat down for quick but fascinating chat.

Venetopoulos told Kirk that his grandfather founded what became Variety Cruises in 1949 as a land tour operator showcasing the Greek Islands. The company started building its first ships in the 1960s – in the style of the classic wooden sailing vessels known as gulets.

The business was known as Zeus Cruises and Zeus Tours until 2006, when Variety Cruises was chosen as the new brand. Today, the Athens-based company operates a fleet of eight ships cruising in 16 countries on four continents. The largest has just 36 cabins, the smallest 17, and the average is 25.

From Greece to West Africa, Egypt to French Polynesia, the Seychelles to the Red Sea and beyond, Variety Cruises promises that guests will discover authentic local and indigenous cultures, regional cuisine, ancient sites, remote villages and natural wonders that only small ships can reach. The company’s marketing tagline is ‘Go Deeper.’

Themed cruises are an important part of the portfolio, with History, Nature, Active, Off The Beaten Path, Gastronomy and LQBTQ+ themes among the specialized sailings.

Filippos marks the third generation of the Venetopoulos family to lead the company, but he says some important and distinctive things haven’t changed. “We design the boats, build the boats and operate the boats. It’s a 360-degree vertical company,” Venetopoulos said.

This is the third time he has worked for the family business. Filippos left once to get a Masters degree in Hospitality Administration from New York University and then gained experience with a hotel chain before returning ‘home.’ He left again to spend over three years with Intrepid Travel, helping to launch and manage that company’s cruise operations. He calls that experience “the best school I could ever ask for.”

During his time with Intrepid, Venetopoulos found that he shared that company’s commitment to low-impact and sustainable tourism, and he says that ethos is an essential part of how he wants Variety Cruises to operate.

“We specialize in adventure experiences and going deeper into the destinations. Our vision is to create a better world at sea. We want to have a positive impact in the destinations we visit,” Venetopoulos said.

Among examples of its sustainability efforts, Variety Cruises had its carbon emissions measured last year, and has set a goal of reducing them by 20% this year. It is also using offsets to lower its impact. The company has also built a school in Gambia, one of its West African destinations.

The small ships in the Variety Cruises fleet are available for full charter or individual reservations, and Venetopoulos says 70% of its business comes through travel agents.

“They’re essential to us and we offer excellent commissions and discounted agent rates so they can experience a unique product.”

Asked by Kirk if he would describe the product as “luxury,” Venetopoulos responded: “I wrote a thesis about ‘What Is Luxury.’ If you get onboard one of our ships, it’s a luxury experience because by day two our staff members know what you eat, drink, want. But it’s not white-glove service, it’s more casual. It’s more about the adventure.”

It’s also an adventure that many appreciate. Variety Cruises has earned numerous accolades, including being voted the number one boutique cruise line worldwide by readers of USA TODAY. Others include being named the Best Small Ship Cruise Line in Greece by Conde Nast and Top Small Ship Cruise Line by CruiseCritic.