I booked the Hiking Split Return South route for my 50th birthday and it exceeded all of my expectations. My husband and I were on the Columbo and our guides Mate and Karla were awesome. They were knowledgeable and fun and you could tell that they were passionate about Croatia and hiking. The food was great, the swim stops were fun and I haven't laughed that much on a trip ever. We had a great group of like minded people from around the world who made every day fun. From the captain to the crew and especially our guides Mate and Karla, we all felt very well taken care of onboard and off. I would highly recommend Sail Croatia and will definitely book another trip with them in the future. Lindsie & Curtis (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
- Lindsie, 10/10/2024 17:10, Travelled in a Couple
The Sail Croatia hike week gave us exactly what we were hoping for and more. A week sailing between beautiful islands (on Columbo), interesting hikes each day, like-minded people on the trip (some of which will become life-long friends), good food and local tips for each island, regular swim stops and a whole lot of fun and laughter. Our tour guides Mate and Karla provided expert guidance, fun and constant enthusiasm. Their passion for their country was truly infectious. We have fallen in love with Croatia. Thank you, Jill and Rich (UK)
- Jill, 09/10/2024 20:29, Travelled in a Couple
The tour guide Karla and hike guide Mate were really amazing. We feel so lucky to have had them with us.. Really knowledgeable and friendly people who helped bring a group of strangers together to be friends by the end of the week. Thanks too to Bruno and the captain and crew on Columbo for taking such good care of us. The hikes were beautiful. Sometimes they were challenging but not so difficult that we were not able to enjoy the scenery and get to know each other on the way. Our favourite hike was in Makarska, where the views were stunning. Our weather was mixed with some unexpected heavy rain at times but the itinerary was adapted well to suit sailing conditions. The boat was full of like-minded travellers from all over the world and we had a really fun-filled week with the best people.
- Anonymous, 08/10/2024 08:33, Travelled in a Couple
Mate & Karla created an atmosphere that was joyous, fascinating, physically challenging (what we'd hoped for), historically relevant, whilst oozing their love of their gorgeous homeland, nature, fun facts, & always with a smile & belly laughs! They were the reason 30 people came together as strangers & left wanting (& hoping) to stay in touch with them all!! Very organised, very safe, & inspirational. The crew were also a huge part of making this trip as perfect as it was as well. Thank you to all who played a part. We sure love Mate & Karla!!
- Ellen, 07/10/2024 16:57, Travelled in a Couple
This cruise/hike was the most amazing trip!!! Our guides- Mate and Karla made it even better as they planned our daily hikes, kept in contact with us, shared their local knowledge, protected us, and had fun with us!!! They were perfect and we couldn’t have asked for anything or anyone more! Bruno worked hard to keep us hydrated and fed and the sailors, cooks, and Captain of Colombo ship were perfect. The itinerary was so fun! Everyone on the ship bonded and loved the experience!!! We were all sad to say goodbye! Thank you!!!
- Linda, 07/10/2024 16:39, Travelled in a Couple
The trip was amazing from the fantastic crew, to great food and meeting a lovely group of like minded people., Anita the sail Cristian rep was fabulous with a wealth of knowledge on each area and always updated us on what was available at port stops by what’s app. Mika our hiking rep was competent with great knowledge of the terrain and our safety was paramount to her. Her daily updates were very informative. Her passion for the environment and her country was impressive.. I loved the daily sea swim stops . The hikes were challenging at times for me but with Mila and Anita encouragement I completed all of them. I would highly recommend this holiday.
- Liz, 05/10/2024 16:02, Travelled in a Couple
Comraderie, top professionalism and best exposure to the delights of Croatia for. Sea to land
- Jaslovelin , 05/09/2024 06:51, Travelled in a Couple
Great team , food was amazing and the hikes were tough but awesome !
- Barbara de Kock , 01/07/2024 06:02, Travelled in a Couple
The logistics were spot on making this a super easy trip. The hikes were clearly explained in advance and our guides, Mate and Marija, were fantastic - their local knowledge and skill made all the difference. Swim spots along the way were a welcome opportunity to relax and the variety of hikes meant we saw diverse terrains, flora and fauna. Highly recommended!
- Simone, 21/06/2024 15:20, Travelled in a Couple
Superb holiday guides. Great boat and wonderful staff. The hikes were incredible. A holiday I will always remember
- Teresa, 18/06/2024 11:54, Travelled in a Couple
From start to finish we had a great holiday. The boat was gleaming throughout, the crew were friendly and the food was excellent. Just what we needed to fuel up for the hikes. Our guides (Mate and Andro) were kind, helpful, informative and both had a great sense of humour. The hikes were good fun and the views were spectacular! We met lovely people from around the world. We would definitely do this again.
- Claire , 13/10/2023 07:51, Travelled in a Couple
WOW. The guides and crew of our hiking trip made our experience so fun and easy. The hikes were calibrated to the group's preferences, so they were just challenging enough to keep it fun and provided great views of the islands. Breakfasts and lunches on board were delicious. And I can't say enough good things about our guides and crew - so kind, thoughtful, and detail-oriented. This trip was the perfect way to unwind while not just sitting in a beach chair for a week. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a mix of relaxation and adventure.
- Anonymous, 10/10/2023 13:05, Travelled in a Couple
We loved the hiking cruise! You could swim and walk everyday, and we saw islands/ parts of Croatia we never would have visited otherwise. Everyone on the boat was great. We were recommended by friends, and we will continue to highly recommend too! Thanks Sail Croatia
- Amanda , 26/09/2023 08:37, Travelled in a Couple
Mate and Lola gave lots of info and were always concerned about our safety.
- Kirti, 25/09/2023 18:33, Travelled in a Couple
The organisation, the friendly crew, the varied and well paced hikes. Mate and Lola made a great team leading the hikes and providing information about each location and they had some great restaurant recommendations. Must also mention Lucy who did a great job serving the meals each day as well as making a delicious Aperol Spritz . Each day was varied but with plenty of time to relax or explore each town. Never having cruised before we were not too sure what to expect but loved it and would not hesitate to recommend the trip and sail croatia. We have already told many of our friends.
- Joanne, 25/09/2023 15:20, Travelled in a Couple
Beautiful coves where anchor was dropped to allow us to swim off the swimming deck in crystal clear sea. Towns and villages were fantastic, each had a unique charm and some had summer music concerts to entertain. Hikes were enjoyable if challenging in the humidity. Whilst short in distance they all involved walking up steep and rugged terrain, do pack hiking poles! Mate was our experienced and very knowledgeable guide, we had complete trust in him. Decks were kept clean and tidy, there was always space to sunbathe. Meals onboard were tasty and well presented, a captain’s dinner was provided free one evening. Not rated 5 stars as our ship EOS (21 cabins) was tired and a little “crusty” in places, we were expecting a higher standard and more spacious accommodation. A good mix of English speaking passengers onboard, all respectful to each other and we made new friends for life.
- Carol, 25/09/2023 06:02, Travelled in a Couple
Hi Carol, thank you for your 4-star review! We are really happy to hear you had a wonderful time onboard our Hike cruise, and appreciate all your comments regarding the boat cleanliness, delicious meals onboard, daily hikes, destinations and swimming out at sea in lovely secluded bays, thank you. It sounds like you were able to fully immerse yourself in the country and culture, which we love hearing about! Your kind comments will be passed on to Mate and the rest of the crew. All Premier ships include ensuite bathrooms and air-conditioning, and each of our ships are unique in style. We aim to provide transparency for all ship types offered, and you will find the ship options outlined on our website under the Hike page. We are thrilled to know you have made life-long friends Carol, and we hope to welcome you back for another Active Adventure soon!
The tour manager, hiking guide and crew were all so friendly and helpful. Made the cruise relaxing and fun. They made sure we knew what was happening and any changes as soon as possible.
- Rose, 18/09/2023 16:02, Travelled in a Couple
Fantastic places to swim and hike to view points. Had a fabulous holiday with like minded people.
- Janet, 19/06/2023 18:43, Travelled in a Couple
Location was beautiful Friendly and knowledgeable guides Lovely ship staff nothing was too much trouble Good mix of passengers Great food nicely prepared and plentiful
- Laurie, 19/06/2023 06:16, Travelled in a Couple
You get to see more of islands, the hike were great and not easy so you do need some level of fitness. Food was brilliant as were the crew onboard and guides. Rooms were great only niggle was air con not very cold. All in all a great experience and great way to see Croatia just wish they did this in other countries like Greece as would book again in a heartbeat
- Janet, 19/06/2023 05:06, Travelled in a Couple
The boat was a perfect size, always spotless, the food was delicious, the crew superb, charming and helpful and the organization excellent. Each walk was special, Mila and Mari were a perfect combination of guides and always made a plan with the weather enabling us to hike come what may. In the misty, pouring rain a three hour hike was fortunately reduced to a 1 hour hike. We were all very impressed with our captain, especially with his horizontal parking in a tiny harbour! I would definitely recommend doing this trip but be warned for all types of weather and bring appropriate clothing.
- Karin, 29/05/2023 16:02, Travelled in a Couple
Great captain, Vlado, fabulous guides Mila and Mare, were key to us having a fabulous trip even though our weather was not perfect. The whole crew made our stay on the boat amazing. Clean rooms, hot showers, spectacular destinations! Will definitely be back to Croatia.
- Kim, 22/05/2023 07:22, Travelled in a Couple
Loved the friendliness and openness of the crew and guides - showed us the best of Croatian people. There were a few "buts" - there were tv-s in cabins, but they didn't work, the lock of our cabin broke, took a while to get it sorted. The drinks on board cost twice that on shore - I only had 2 classes of wine during the trip and loads on shore - maybe the price policy needs to be worked on... I did also have a question about the wages of the crew and guides - maybe Sail Croatia should pay them more, add it to the overall cost and not do the whole "usually our guests leave tip that much". If people want to add extra tip, they could but this passive agressive - leaving the envelope and instructions how much people need to tip, is leaving a bit of unpleasant shadow to the trip.
- Anonymous, 22/05/2023 05:17, Travelled in a Couple
Hi there, thank you so much for your 4 star review and for joining us this season. We are so pleased to read how happy you were with the crew and guides on your cruise and I will be sure to pass your kind words on! Please be assured that your feedback is very important to us and has been well received. It is only with such feedback we can improve our services and experience for guests, where possible. The points you have raised will be passed onto the correct teams, so thank you for bringing these to our attention. We do have a blog on tipping available on the website as this is not compulsory in Croatia, so is entirely up to the individual if they wish to leave a tip. We wish to thank you for a pleasant week on board.
The crew of the Emanuel were fantastic and looked after us so well. We also had an excellent hike leader - Mate, who took us on interesting hikes on the various locations - and Sail Croatia rep - Andi, who took care of every detail and possible question from the guests. We were also lucky enough to be sailing with the loveliest group of people, making the week one of our most enjoyable holidays.. A really good way of sampling lots of locations in Croatia in a week.
- Elaine , 10/10/2022 08:56, Travelled in a Couple
Wow! we have just returned from a Sail-Hike week on Emanuel. It was an amazing experience that totally exceeded our expectations. Every aspect was top class, the crew were extremely helpful and friendly - the ship was so clean, the food was amazing. Our schedule was updated daily to take account of the changing weather, we were kept safe and managed to see all the highlights .Our guides Marin and Karolina made it such a memorable trip, the pace was perfect for everyone - we quickly became a big family. Groups, couples and singles boarded as strangers and disembarked as friends. Croatia is a beautiful destination, so much more to explore. Would love to do another sail/hike if you offer a different schedule. Love, love, loved it!!
- Mandy, 04/10/2022 15:20, Travelled in a Couple
The overall trip was well organised. Great crew. Food delicious. Tour manager and hiking guide excellent. Even when plans had to change because of the weather a good alternative was organised. We made new friends. I would re book in a heart beat. Well done
- Helen, 03/10/2022 13:38, Travelled in a Couple
worry free vacation where the crew takes good care of you onboard, the hiking guide is outstanding, environment is unforgettable. overall perfect vacation with a perfect combination of relaxation, activity, good food and company. I will remember this week always :)
- Dagny, 05/09/2022 10:46, Travelled in a Couple
From the moment we arrived near our ship on the first morning to the moment we departed, our Sail Croatia guide Mate (pronounced Matty) was superb. So knowledgeable about the history behind the islands and was there to look after everyone, every step of the way both on the hikes and on the ship. Every island was so different. I was so excited to wake up every morning knowing I'd be seeing something new to explore. Cabins are clean and as comfortable as they can be for a small ship. Plenty of hot water. Crew were friendly. Definitely looking to book again next year, but for the cycle cruise so that I can see more of these beautiful islands. The Sale Croatia sales team are also fantastic. Quick to respond to any queries I had ahead of our holiday.
- Naomi, 29/06/2022 04:38, Travelled in a Couple
Mein Mann und ich hatten unvergessliche Tage mit einer exzellenten Crew auf dem Boot "Emanuel", tollen Menschen um uns herum in einer familiären Atmosphäre sowie mit beeindruckenden Wanderungen unter der Leitung eines phantastischen Guides! Wir hatten gemeinsam so viel Spaß, dass wir sehr traurig waren beim Abschied. Absolut empfehlenswert!
- Sylke , 04/10/2021 13:57, Travelled in a Couple
Translated: My husband and I had unforgettable days with an excellent crew on the boat "Emanuel", great people around us in a family atmosphere and with impressive hikes under the guidance of a fantastic guide! We had so much fun together that we were very sad when we said goodbye. Highly Recommended! Hi Sylke and thanks for your 5 stars. We are so pleased to hear you enjoyed your time on our Hike cruise with unforgettable experiences, thank you! Emanuel and the crew are one big family, so we are happy to hear you were made to feel welcomed and also part of the wider Emanuel family.
Our guides Mate and Kate were just the best The other staff were also excellent. Tbe meals were fabulous. The waks we did were interesting and challenging and very well led. Kate covered the history and points of inteerest with expertise. We were swimmers and that was caered for very well by the staff A wonderful holiday thankyou!
- Suzie, 07/10/2019 17:20, Travelled in a Couple
Hi Suzie, it is awesome reading what a great time you had on your Hike cruise with us this season! We are pleased to read how happy you were with the level of service provided by Mate, Kate and the rest of the crew on board, I will be sure to pass your kind words onto them. Thank you for joining us!
The whole experience was fantastic. We had a couple of times when, due to weather, our itinerary had to be changed and the alternative offered was great. The boat was very comfortable, the food excellent and I would highly recommend Sail Croatia.
- Karen Burge, 07/10/2019 04:30, Travelled in a Couple
Hi Karen. Thank you for your review! We are so pleased to read you had such a fantastic experience on your Hike cruise with us this season. Thank you for the recommendation and a great review :)
The boat was comfortable
- Anonymous, 04/10/2019 15:59, Travelled in a Couple
Thank you for joining us!
We were well taken care of by the staff of Sail Croatia. Food was great. Scenery was lovely. Suggestions for island restaurants were great. One suggestion: Make sure each level of hikers has an accompanying guide. In several situations the advanced group had two guides and the moderate group had none.
- Jana, 23/09/2019 16:48, Travelled in a Couple
Many thanks for your review of your Hike cruise with us this season on board Milena. We are so pleased to read that the staff really took care of you on board, that you enjoyed the delicious meals served and also that you enjoyed exploring beautiful Croatia with us! I will be sure to pass your further feedback onto our Operations Manager. Thank you for joining us.
These was a better than expected adventure. The ship was clean and polished. There was much more deck space with room to sit or lounge outside, while visiting with other guests, sunbathing or relaxing with a good book. Our room and bathroom was bigger than expected. The staff excellent and always available to answer questions. There was always more food than needed and a bowl of fresh fruit out all day. It was a good balance of hiking, boating, relaxing, with lots of opportunity to explore the towns when we were in port. Swimming off the boat was great fun too. We are very happy that we did this cruise and recommend it to like minded enthusiasts.
- Leslie, 17/06/2019 05:31, Travelled in a Couple
Hi there - we are so glad we managed to exceed your expectations! We try very hard to get that balance of hiking, relaxing and sightseeing during the day and socialising at night just right so we are delighted you enjoyed that vibe. Thanks for booking with us, and recommending us to others - we would love to have you onboard again!
The trip was well organised and our downstairs cabin was very spacious. The food was always nice and plenty to go around! Our guide, Ljubo made the trip what it was. His knowledge, passion and experience for hiking in Croatia added so much to our trip. The island stops and hikes were well planned and I was happy with the level of challenge of them. It gave our group freedom being able to choose wether to attend the days hike or explore the town if they didn’t feel up to it. On our last hike we were all so please Ljubo took us to a special wine wasting which was a excellent way to end the week!
- Sarah, 27/05/2019 00:52, Travelled in a Couple
Hi there and thank you for your review. We are pleased to hear you enjoyed your cruise with us and found the trip to be very well organised. Our Lower Deck cabins tend to be a little more spacious than our Above Deck cabins, so we are pleased to hear you enjoyed the additional space. Thank you for your comments on your guide Ljubo, he has a wealth of knowledge and passion for his culture and country as a whole, we are so happy to hear he was an instrumental part of your overall experience. It's good to know you were happy with the challenge levels on your hike cruise and hope to have you back again with us for another challenging adventure!
Cruise guides were so kind and pro. Hikes were beautiful and sailing was great experience. Thanks.
- guy, 08/10/2018 07:19, Travelled in a Couple
Croatia itself is beautiful. Boating to several different islands was the adventure of a lifetime. Our hiking guide was experienced, and shared so much about Croatian people and culture. The food on the boat was plentiful, homemade, traditional food - all healthy and delicious. All the Sail Croatia crew and representatives were professional and personable. We greatly appreciated the carefully thought out itinerary changes to make our experience even better.
- Mindy, 03/10/2018 16:57, Travelled in a Couple
great staff, boat , itinerary, and value for money . fit, relaxed and had a great time by the end ,
- penny, 17/09/2018 09:45, Travelled in a Couple
Everything. Nice mix of hiking and relaxing. Seeing the islands in the Adriatic. Very competent staff snd meeting new people who became goid friends. I would highly recommend this cruise
- Patti, 04/07/2018 04:42, Travelled in a Couple
Thank you for your review. We are really pleased to hear you have enjoyed yourself onboard our Hike Croatia cruise. Thank you for your kind comments in regards to staff, guide and accommodation onboard Magellan. We are very happy that you found the itinerary to be a good balance of hiking and relaxing and that you had time for exploring the destinations visited. Thank you again and do visit with us again!
We had just a wonderful time. Our cabin was comfortable, the boat was beautiful, the crew was super friendly and helpful, the food was excellent, the hiking was challenging and beautiful, swimming in the Adriatic was dazzling, and visiting these Croatian islands was delightful. Our two guides - Ana and Ljubljana - were just great. They were so knowledgeable and really helped the entire group have a good time. Thank you, thank you!
- Sarah, 02/07/2018 15:36, Travelled in a Couple
Activity - the hikes each day were great! We needed them to work off the breakfasts and 3 course lunches provided on the cruise! Discovery - new places, new food, new friends History - lots of background information from our guides about the places we visited.
- Jean, 25/06/2018 04:13, Travelled in a Couple
The hike/sail cruise was a great balance between activity and relaxation. Our boat, the Magellan. was big enough to be comfortable and small enough to promote social interaction. The hikes were hard enough to burn off the massive 3 course meals but easily within the means of most averagely fit people of any age. There was good cameraderie between the guides, the crew and the guests and this is really what made it a great holiday.
- David, 25/05/2018 09:47, Travelled in a Couple
Hi there and thank you for your review! We are pleased to hear you enjoyed yourself on our Hike cruise. It is good to hear you were comfortable onboard Magellan and that you had a great balance between activity and relaxation. Thanks again and we hope to see you soon on another adventure!
The guides crew and staff were fantastic. Our chef prepared some great dishes and they were all very tasty and hearty. The guides were informative and charming. The hikes varied in difficulty some easy others a bit more challenging. Our fellow travellers were all lovely. We would have preferred it if the walks were in the morning, but I think this was due to travelling to our next ports. Great experience, would do this again.
- Fiona, 27/09/2017 09:14, Travelled in a Couple
The country the sea the guides people on the boat Would have preferred a better boat
- Paul , 11/09/2017 11:25, Travelled in a Couple
I often travel on cruise ships but that small boat was first experience for us. I was surprised with many wonderful things which make great difference: 1. Warm and friendly atmosphere among guests. 2. Attention of our guides to all our needs. 3. Diversity of hiking trails that shows in a best way beautiful nature of Croatia. 4. Plenty of time for other activities. 5. Meals on board was fresh and tasty. Truly said, I was disappointed with cabin: it was quite old, very small, with a worn bed linen and towels and air conditioner that doesn't help at all. But things didn't disturb us much... For sure I will recommend Sail Croatia to my friends and will be happy to sail again.
- Olga, 03/07/2017 06:29, Travelled in a Couple
ANA our Cruise Manager was both professional and efficient. In particular l appreciated she was approachable at any time in a people friendly manner, felt we knew her which was refreshing. The crew were delightful, cook great but more fish would be appreciated. Passengers were a great friendly mix of all ages and a pleasure to be in their company. I would recommend Sail Croatia and wish you well.m
- Anonymous, 19/06/2017 07:51, Travelled in a Couple
Thank you for your review. We are pleased to hear you enjoyed our popular Hike cruise. Thank you for your comments regarding your Cruise Mananger Ana - these will be passed on to her. It's so nice to know you had a good mix of people on your cruise, sounds like you had some great company. Thank you for recommending us to others!
As we discovered, not all footpaths on the maps are actually useable, so an expert guide is a great advantage. Some routes are relatively demanding, but it's 100% OK to opt out of 1 or 2 & relax in a harbour village. Lovely - & very varied - fellow passengers undoubtedly helped make a memorable week : ages from early 20s to late 60s, mainly British & Australian + others. Our 2 outstanding reps (Miranda & Petar) built a great on-board community; they were flexible, knowledgeable, fun. Our boat, "Milena", had just the right level of comfort: compact cabins with good air conditioning, great decks to lounge on, hearty meals for walkers. Itinerary was great: every island/port was different, though we especially liked remote Vis, unspoilt Bol and walking the karst landscape high up on Sv. Jure above Makarska. Swim stops were great too. Thank you for a fantastic week - strongly recommended for fit walkers who are young or (like us) young at heart.
- Richard, 22/05/2017 12:12, Travelled in a Couple
Croatia is a lovely country, we had great weather to enjoy walking in the countryside, swimming in the sea, exploring the islands and relaxing on deck. The boat was comfortable and kept exceptionally clean. The food was good, with plenty of it it and the crew were friendly and helpful. It was a a very mixed and fun group of people to holiday with, we couldn't have wished for better company. The Sail Croatia reps were very genuine, doing thier upmost to ensure that we all had a great time. I'm struggling to find anything to be negative about - perhaps the bad smell in Split should be addressed by the local government . I highly recommend Croatia and particularly Sail Croatia.
- Angela, 22/05/2017 08:15, Travelled in a Couple
The daily hikes were a real challenge,not just a walk in the park but exhilarating. Both of our tour guides were passionate about their roles, they were informative and helpful at all times Lots of fun!!
- Sharon , 22/05/2017 01:17, Travelled in a Couple