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Why I Chose Sail Croatia
As a solo traveler, I look for locations and adventures where I can meet new people, enjoy activities I like, and explore new cities/towns. In the past, I have made the mistake of booking a tour where everyone was over the age of 60, and I at the time was 25, so I am sensitive to ensuring the group is AROUND my age. Sail Croatia was a perfect blend of all of these things for me. When I researched the company online, they had raving reviews so two weeks before I arrived in Croatia, I booked the under 40 Navigator Cruise. They were very quick to respond to my inquiry and the booking process was smooth.
The Boat
Our boat, Tuna, was where we lived during the week. Each cabin was made up of a bunk bed (two singles), a dresser for clothes, and an ensuite – with toilette, shower, and sink. My cabin was on the upper level beside the main area, which could be louder at some point. I was happy to have had the entire cabin to myself (an end-of-season perk!) as it was tiny and I like to have my own space. The shared areas of the boat included:
- An upper deck (perfect for tanning or napping)
- A middle-covered deck with a bar (our main partying area)
- Main floor kitchen with indoor seating
The captain of our boat added AC into all the cabins, which was much appreciated during those hot days.
The Itinerary
The cruise covers a lot of ground in 7 days. The typical day was cruise to the new location in the morning hours, arriving at the swim spot of the day, 3-course lunch at 1pm, arriving at the new port between 2pm and 3pm, checking out the town, have dinner, and party!
- Day 1: Split – Hvar
- Day 2: Hvar – Korcula
- Day 3: Korvula – Dubrovnik
- Day 4: Dubrovnik
- Day 5: Dubrovnik – Mljet
- Day 6: Mljet – Makarska
- Day 7: Makarska – Split
- Day 8: Split (leave boat by 9am)
How to Budget this Trip
When budgeting for this trip, the initial cost of the trip (959 pounds) is one part, but you need to account for a few extras:
- On Boat Bar Tab: 1250 kunas = $250 Canadian
- Dinner Nightly: 100-200 kunas = $20-$40 Canadian
- Partying: 400 kunas to pay entry into nightclubs + drinks = $300 Canadian
- Excursions: walking tour (30 kuna) + canyoning (500 kuna) = $110 Canadian
- Tips to Staff and Crew: 400 kunas = $80 Canadian
My total expenditure: ~$2500 Canadian. In my opinion, I experienced, ate/drank, and enjoyed on this budget. It was money well spent.
My Experience
It’s hard for me to put into words how much I loved this past week. I book these tours with a bit of anxiety as I never know the types of people that are going to be on these tours. Will there be a lot of couples? Will it all be a group of friends who already know each other? When I arrived on the boat and started to meet the group, everyone was very friendly and chatting with each other. There were 19 of us in total, one couple, a few groups of friends from Britain, and a few solo travelers. Literally from the moment we met on that day, until the end of the tour, our group basically was together 24-7. We woke up and hung out on the deck awaiting our swim spots, we played on the standup paddle boards and swam at all the swim spots, we ate lunch together, we spent time in the city together and we partied together every single night. Were we all really similar? No. Were we all-inclusive and wanted to make the most of the trip – 100%. Every day I spent time with different people, getting to know them, having interesting conversations, and laughing. There was lots of laughter!
Our Community Coordinator, Mia, started a WhatsApp group for us during our first lunch and it was ACTIVE. I probably have 500 unwatched videos and pictures that I am still going through, re-living the small moments of each day that made me laugh. I am not a typical partier. When I am in Toronto, I like to go out and enjoy a couple of cocktails, and some delicious food, and then be in bed between 10 pm-midnight. I will guarantee that you are going to party on this boat. I did not sleep before 2am any night and that was an early night! I will look back on this week with joy and love for all the new friends I have made, the new sights I saw, the beautiful swim spots we stopped at, and the overall experience of again, trying something new that scared me a little, but ultimately made my life richer.
Did you get a Croatian SIM, or was wifi readily available for WhatsApp?
Heading on Sail Croatia from Canada in a few days and deciding what’s best
I just used wifi! They have wifi on the boat and in most towns its easily accessible!