Upon my recent return from Croatia, a friend asked me whether the destination was "still worth going to, now that it's so crowded." Admittedly, Croatia has changed since my first visit a decade or so ago, when you could walk the streets of Dubrovnik unhampered by crowds of tourists, dining was inexpensive and you didn't need a reservation.
All that said, my answer to my friend was a resounding "yes," because this time around we did our touring by sea, opting for a small-ship experience with calls in smaller, less-touristed ports -- although, of course, we also hit the hot spots.
I boarded the Unforgettable Croatia ship Memories in Split for a seven-night sailing with my husband, who had never been to Croatia before and was already astonished by the eye-popping beauty of the ancient city.
"Just you wait," I said, because the Split-to-Dubrovnik itinerary was designed so that each stop is more breathtaking than the last.
We breezed through the check-in/welcome experience with our indefatigably charming cruise director, then set out to explore the vessel.
The ship features 19 staterooms; a combined dining room and bar lounge; a second, screened-in lounge with cozy couches and armchairs; and a sundeck with a bar, hot tub and plenty of lounge chairs.
Our stateroom was on the top deck and offered a terrace; a double bed with side tables; a seating area; a desk with shelving; a closet; and a bathroom with a full range of toiletries and a shower with reliably hot water and strong water pressure.
The sundeck offered shady seating and scenic views. Photo Credit: Felicity Long
Other in-room amenities included air conditioning and WiFi, although the service was stronger in some parts of the vessel than others.
As to dining, the ship offers a breakfast buffet for several hours in the morning and formal seating for lunch. Passengers receive a complimentary glass of wine at lunch, although they can, of course, purchase whatever drinks they like from the bar, including bottles of wine.
Dinners were mostly ashore and on your own; exceptions were the welcome dinner, the Captain's Dinner with live music and a pizza party on the sundeck. The latter is a perk exclusively on Memories, but every one of Unforgettable Croatia's ships offers a different onboard special, including serving ice cream or shots of alcohol at the swim stops.
The rest of the time, we ate at local restaurants, and here the cruise director proved invaluable by making reservations and in some cases even escorting us to hard-to-find restaurants on tiny side streets. A list of restaurant suggestions is in each stateroom, along with a 10% discount card.
"We offer prebooked dining reservations for travel advisors' clients before [they] arrive in Croatia. This is handled by our Client Services team, and they do this for all destinations across Europe," said Graham Carter, co-founder of the Unforgettable Travel Group, who joined us on the cruise.
Daily breakfast on the Unforgettable Croatia ship Memories included hot and cold options as well as plenty of fresh fruit. Photo Credit: Felicity Long
Swim and sail
A typical day aboard started with breakfast, some scenic sailing, then a stop at a remote cove for a spot of swimming, lazing on floats, stand-up paddleboarding or simply floating on noodles. It took me a couple of days to work up to the Seabob (a motorized gadget used to zip along underwater), and on another day I hopped on the back of a personal watercraft piloted by a crew member.
After lunch, we would typically sail to the port of the day -- Trogir, Hvar, Vis, Korcula, Slano and finally Dubrovnik, the Unesco World Heritage Site-designated walled city that is especially beautiful when seen from the water.
Guided tours were available at port stops, often with local guides and whisper audio devices.
Sampling multiple varietals, including this summery rosé, at the Tomic winery in Jelsa. Photo Credit: Felicity Long
Excursions included a hike in Krka National Park and one in Mljet National Park, where bikes and swimming were available; a wine tasting at the family-owned Tomic winery in Jelsa; and a first-rate transfer to the island of Ston for a look at oyster and mussel farming and tastings of both.
Unlike a river cruise, which tends to skew older, the demographics onboard ranged widely in age. We sailed with several family groups traveling with young-adult children, for example, along with a few friend groups comprising multiple couples.
The passenger makeup can change from sailing to sailing, according to Carter, and there's no question that watersports play a role in attracting younger cruisers, although nearly everyone took a dip at one time or another, regardless of age.
Advisors should be sure that clients are comfortable walking up and down stairs to reach their staterooms and other venues.
Onboard activities included wine and olive oil tastings as well as lectures about the complicated history of the Yugoslav Wars of 1990s and the local culture and customs.
The excursion to Ston for oysters was a highlight of the cruise. Photo Credit: Felicity Long
An optional excursion to the Blue Cave on the island of Bisevo is not included in the cruise price, Carter said, because "it's a 50/50 chance of getting in," given the narrow cave entrance. Another optional excursion is an all-terrain vehicle tour in Vis.
The cruise price includes all other excursions and airport and hotel transfers; passengers pay $77 per person for docking fees, payable in cash.
The company uses the Axus Travel App, which keeps cruisers' personalized itinerary, including flight information, updated and accessible.
Unforgettable Croatia privately operates five vessels: Memories, Bellissima and My Wish in the Signature Class and Phoenix 72 and Adris in the Deluxe Class.