4.8 from 11812 reviews
Good

Travelled with a group of 12. Overall a great experience,. Although, we all felt rushed when riding , I can appreciate that when on a boat there are things we don’t know that may cause the riding time to be rushed, like having to deal with weather and docking times. These things should be taken in to consideration when choosing routes and times of riding. More time for sightseeing and swimming would have made my experience a lot better. The crew and guides did an amazing job. Would definitely refer friends to Sail Croatia.

- Debbie, 30/09/2024 07:30, Travelled with Friend/s

Cycle and Sail

More info ahead of time about boarding place and process. Better communication about the agenda, activities etc. Maybe a "white board" with cycling distances, times, degree of difficulty, planned stops etc. Also, more info ahead for non cyclists and which stops we were having dinner on our own. Announcements were not made ahead of time and were difficult to hear with engines running. More time to explore port towns. Especially Brac....no time after the ride to see the port. Food and crew were fantastic. Trip was fantastic and the rides were great

- merci, 13/09/2024 10:25, Travelled with Friend/s

Poor execution

At the end of our trip we were told that they had to hire two extra boats as they had over booked on yacht’s. The boat we were provided with did not have glass doors at the entrance which meant that the aircon did not stay indoors where as in the other non hired boats the air would be trapped in. This meant that it was very hot at night which was very annoying as we had paid extra for the aircon. It was also tricky having the skipper sleep in the lounge room as we couldn’t use that space later for group activities where light was required. Upstairs, there was no light on the deck table on our boat unlike the other boats, so it made playing card games with the group tricky and harder to bond with the others in the group. As soon as we entered the boat there was this smell of sewerage that did not leave the boat the entire trip to the point that the skipper had to buy spray to cover the smell.

- Sarah, 28/08/2024 18:41, Travelled with Friend/s

Holly, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2024-09-05:

Dear Sarah, Thank you for sharing your feedback on your recent Flotilla Tour with us. We’d like to confirm that the yachts used during your tour had been in operation throughout the season and were not added at the last minute. It is quite common in Croatia and across the sailing industry for skippers to sleep in the salon area on these types of yacht tours. We also appreciate your suggestions regarding the air conditioning and the need for additional lighting in the cockpit area. Your feedback is invaluable as we continually seek to improve our guests' experience. Thank you once again, and we hope to welcome you aboard for another memorable trip in the future. Kind regards,

Not enough time to explore the islands

I would’ve liked more opportunity on land to explore the islands, especially when we were docked at a port that was not in the town. Or the opportunity to get a water taxi in to explore i.e. Stari Grad.

- Anonymous, 05/07/2024 01:00, Travelled with Friend/s

Marijana, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2024-07-15:

Thank you for taking the time to review your recent Sail Croatia Navigator cruise. We truly appreciate your feedback and are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your experience with us. We understand that having more opportunities to explore the beautiful islands is important to you. Our team is always striving to enhance our itineraries, ensuring that our guests have ample time to discover the unique charm and beauty of each destination. We value your input and hope to welcome you back on board soon. Your insights help us to create unforgettable experiences for all our guests. Thank you once again for your valuable feedback.

Impossible not to love sailing the Adriatic Sea, if you’re willing to spend the money.

Overall we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves sailing through the open water and swimming in the most beautiful spots. The boat was charming and the cabins (and en-suite) were clean and spacious enough. We went on numerous excursions (top 3 - canyoning, wine tasting and bike ride) but thought most were overpriced (€20-80) and could have gotten cheaper local deals. Additionally, there were a number of unexpected and unavoidable transfers, taxis/buses to pay for (€6-10 each). Meals on board were tasty, except if you were vegetarian (don’t expect any variety). The crew was polite, yet did not engage with us. The owner, Marjan warmly welcomed us on his ship, made the best pina-coladas & was a sniper at beer pong. Our rep Luiis was the friendliest and funniest guide who made sure we enjoyed ourselves every step of the way. He excels at relating to people and trying to meet guest expectations. Would sail with Marijan and Luiis again, but not convinced of the benefit of the Sail Croatia brand.

- Michaela, 19/06/2024 17:04, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2024-06-20:

Hi Michael,a, thank you for your detailed feedback and for sharing your positive experiences on our trip. We're delighted that you enjoyed sailing around the Adriatic, swimming, the excursions, and the hospitality of Marjan and Luiis. Our Navigator cruises are aimed at those aged 18-39 years, so there will be travellers onboard within this age range. We aim to ensure a good mix on all our ships, athough it depends on who has booked any given date, taking into consideration solo travellers, genders, groups, and couples. Details about excursions are found on our website and the inclusions and further information are provided in our pre-departure materials. Our Sales Team is always available to answer any questions you may have to help with budgeting purposes. We thank you for your comments and we hope that you were able to enjoy your time overall.

Convenient, but over priced

A number of the excursions were cancelled and there was no replacements or suggestions to do. This was very disappointing as we specifically booked the trip for the excursions. The limited excursions that were offered were very disappointing.

- Kate, 17/06/2024 11:26, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2024-06-20:

Hi Kate, Thank you for sharing your feedback with us and for providing 5-star ratings for the crew and boat in general, it is appreciated. The excursions offered are through 3rd party providers and changes can occur at any time. We understand that excursions are a significant part of the experience, and we regret any inconvenience caused by their cancellation. It's great to see from your feedback you were able to enjoy other aspects of the cruise.

Poor communication from company

I had friends who previously did sail Croatia and told me about all these amazing parties and events . When I got on board and asked my host about these she informed me that the Cave Party in Makasaka wasn’t open and wouldn’t be happening (this was one of the reasons I booked with this company) there was no communication from the company prior to our trip to inform us of this. Even though they knew it wasn’t open as it was start of season. There also was no theme night on board the ship which we were under the impression there would be since it is quite commonly posted on social media amongst participants. We didn’t know anything that was happening until the day of which was stressful and made taking money out become a daily task. I do not like the fact that everything had to be in cash and there was all these extra hidden charges on excursions that were not explained before we left! Overall pretty disappointed in the sail Croatia company. Enjoyed my time but wasn’t as much fun.

- Chloe, 13/06/2024 08:15, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2024-06-20:

Hi Chloe, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback and we appreciate your 5-star rating for the Rep, Boat in General, Meals served and Crew. We are pleased to hear you enjoyed your time on the cruise. We are disheartened to hear of your disappointment regarding the Cave Party and theme night. As the themed parties are through external providers, we do not have control over their operating times or schedules as these can change at any time. We understand that dealing with daily cash requirements can be frustrating, and we will strive to provide clear communication and transparency in these areas by highlighting additional costs on our website and in our pre-departure information.Your feedback is valuable to us, and we will use it to enhance our services and ensure a better experience for future travelers. We appreciate your understanding and are glad to hear that you still enjoyed your time despite any issues experienced.

Sail Croatia

Great group of people and some awesome experiences. Not all of them were running as it wasn't peak season and we weren't notified about this until the day of. In a whole it was a good time but communication could have been improved

- Victoria, 04/06/2024 09:12, Travelled with Friend/s

Fun time on Afrodita!

Rooms could be updated with fresh paint and new beds. Bedding and towels need replacing. The bike tour guide should have more small bike tools that riders could use to adjust to their own bike to suit size rather than waiting for guide to do. I felt lunch was too big as it was dinner style. most people preferred lighter food for lunch.

- Shirley, 27/09/2023 19:30, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-10-02:

Hi Shirley! Thank you for your 3-star review. It's great to see from the feedback you provided, that you enjoyed other aspects of the cruise and would recommend us, that's wonderful, thank you! There is a mid-weekly cleaning service where towels and bedding are changed, and rubbish is removed. If guests are in need of further towels, these can be provided upon request. Prior to your cruise, we request height details and each bicycle is adjusted and tailored to match your height. In regards to the bike tools, our guides will have these available if needed and they can be requested for personal use. As for the meals, we understand that strenuous cycling each day requires proper nourishment, due to this we offer hearty 3-course lunches to fuel you for your cycling adventures. In saying this, we appreciate your comments and suggestions, and these will be shared with the relevant team for continual improvements.

Good experience

Had a good time on sail and enjoyed my time sailing through Croatia. Had a great group on board and an amazing sail crew on the boat. However, we got unlucky with wind and rain while sailing which limited swimming and excursions. Also got unlucky with a tour guide who showed little interest in making it a good time on the boat. He had no sense of fun and poor organisation and communication of daily activities. In my time travelling through Europe being on several short and long tours, he was the most disappointing tour guide I’ve ever had. Overall, I was very thankful to have a great group of other travellers on board who were keen to have fun and make best of an average situation.

- Courtney , 06/09/2023 11:01, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-09-08:

Hi Courtney, thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are pleased to know you enjoyed your time in Croatia with your fellow travellers and amazing crew. The safety and well-being of our customers is important to us, and we understand that weather-related itinerary changes are made at times, which can result in limited swimming time - we do hope you were able to enjoy some of the amazing local beaches during the week. We are disheartened to read your comments regarding your Rep as we pride ourselves on having the best local and experienced Reps that provide helpful information and recommendations to enhance your journey, and we are pleased your rep was rated 4.4 out of 5 stars for your week. We thank you for all your comments and we hope that you will consider giving us another opportunity to provide you with a more enjoyable cruise experience in the future.

Esperanza 25 August

Boat was fantastic Route and swim stops great Food was excessive at lunch time. Would have preferred a lite lunch with more fresh salads and sandwich type options. Breakfast were good, but coffee service could have been better. I got food poisoning from the captains dinner and missed a day of the trip. Staff made no apology or did not check on my health. That was disappointing and really didn’t end my trip well. I also think six nights would have been better and we should have finished when we arrived in Dubrovnik. Thanks

- Marisa, 05/09/2023 12:10, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-09-08:

Hi Marisa,Thank you for your review. It's great to hear you enjoyed the boat, route and swim stops. All cruises include 3-course lunches which is usually a starter, main and dessert - I'm sorry to hear you were unhappy with the lunches served, our chefs aim to provide a variety of meals using fresh, local produce. Thank you for your comments on the breakfasts you enjoyed, and we appreciate your comments regarding the coffee. Our chefs and kitchen staff follow strict food hygiene and cleanliness protocols to ensure the safety and quality of the meals we serve on board. Upon checking our internal reports we can confirm that there have been no reported cases among our passengers or crew during the period of your cruise. From our reports I can see that our Waiter offered help, and our Rep checked in with you when you were feeling unwell and offered medical assistance however, we didn't receive a response. From the feedback you provided at the end of your cruise, we're pleased you enjoyed other aspects of the cruise and would recommend us to others. Thank you.

Kraljca Jelena Maintenance

We felt the boat needed maintenance. The bathroom sink leaked and the shower sprayed water everywhere but on your body. Apart from that it was amazing. thank you

- Arlene, 05/09/2023 06:27, Travelled with Friend/s

Cayley, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-09-05:

Hi Arlene, Thank you for taking the time to review your cruise with us this summer. We are so pleased to hear you had an amazing time on board, this is wonderful! I will be sure to pass your comments regarding maintenance on to the Operations Manager as I can see from our internal reporting system these were not raised whilst you were on board, so thank you for bringing this to our attention now so that the crew can fix these issues immediately. Many thanks for a fantastic week on board!

A lot of room for improvement

Whilst Croatia is absolutely beautiful, prepare yourself for the low quality of the boat and the extremely tiny confines of your room. Our shower, if you could call it that, didn’t even have a holder on the wall, you had to hold it yourself like a tap and shower on top of the toilet. The smell in the bathroom was horrific and with three people crammed in a room hardly fit for one person, it was certainly an experience. The tour leader and crew however were absolutely lovely and made the experience more bareable. If you’re not into budget travelling, sail Croatia is not for you.

- Keiran, 14/08/2023 13:10, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-08-14:

Thank you for your review. We appreciate your kind words about the tour leader and crew, and we're glad they were able to enhance your journey. We are disheartened to hear of your disappointment with the accommodation. It's important to us that our guests have a comfortable stay. We would like to mention that our Ensuite cabins are of a similar size to the Standard cabins, and our website provides images that depict the layout of the bathrooms, including the shower over the sink. We regret that you didn't have an optimal experience, but we encourage guests to notify us of any issues during their cruise, as our team is always ready to address concerns promptly. Our resolution process aims to ensure guest satisfaction, and had we been informed during your cruise, we would have taken immediate steps to find a suitable solution. Thank you for all your comments and thank you for travelling with us this season.

Almissa Review

Loves the boat and the crew and our host, Ivanna, was amazing, however food overall, cabin service change over, and upfrontness about our cabin, specifically, could be much improved. Pleasantly surprised at breakfast as more options than we were expecting, however, lunch service was very hit or miss. More vegetables at each meal, ability to know what the meal was ahead of time, in order to decide if we wanted to partake, as well as more snack options available through swim stops. Advised to not bring food on board but ledt hungry with no options until port. Enjoyed captains dinner but wished it had been during a different port that had limited dining. Stari Grad had great options we wanted to enjoy but due to planned dinner, missed, while other ports, such as Pomena, had very limited options. As for cabin, size, privacy, ensuite bathroom, and bed were great, but dealt with such heavy fumes with no way to air out and then had terrible pipe issue that could be proactively managed.

- Britney, 14/08/2023 10:01, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-08-14:

Hi Britney, thank you for your review. We greatly appreciate your positive feedback about the boat, cabin, crew, and Ivanna, our wonderful host. We're glad to hear you enjoyed your daily breakfasts, and upon checking our internal records, I can see that the fumes issue was resolved promptly after following our resolution process - thank you for following this process. We are also pleased to acknowledge your valuable feedback on our food service, Captain's Dinner and cabin experience. Your suggestions about meal options, and snack availability are noted, and we'll consider these for future improvements. The location of the Captain's dinner can vary as there are a number of factors that contribute to the location however, you will always be updated by your Onboard Representative once the location is confirmed. Your insights are important to us, and we're committed to enhancing your overall experience. We hope to welcome you back aboard in the future, providing you with an even more enjoyable journey.

The people make this trip worth it, not the company itself

Im just curious where my $1700AUD actually went. I understand maintenance, docking, wages etc of the ship is probably more than I anticipate. But the rooms were tiny, no space for luggage. Food was atrocious, i didnt bother eating it half the time. It would Not have Been Hard to offer a shower towel, or spare linen. I slept in my own sweat, salt and dirt for 7 days. We also had to pay for all transfers (water taxi, buses etc) even when I saw they were affiliated with Sail Croatia. Don’t get me wrong, I had an amazing week that I will never forget - but it’s the other customers on the boat that have made the trip memorable, not the company Sail Croatia itself. If all 30 people on that boat paid $1700AUD, that is over $50,000 AUD, which you are making every week. And for what? We still had to tip all the staff on the boat After as well because they rely on Tips. Like I said, the people on this trip made it worth it, not the company. Thanks for a fun week, lots to be improved on though

- Erica, 07/08/2023 09:51, Travelled with Friend/s

Cayley, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-08-07:

Hi Erica, thank you for taking the time to review your cruise with us this summer. It is wonderful to read you had an amazing week on board and made some friends for life! I am quite disappointed to see some points did not live up to your expectations. Inclusions and any additional costs can be found on the Navigator cruise page, your pre-departure information and the FAQs section on the website to allow guests to budget ahead of time. You joined us on board a Standard ship which is our most budget-friendly option for a Navigator cruise and it is the cheapest price in the market. Our Standard ships offer shared bathroom facilities, so showering towels are not provided. We have our 'ship types' displayed via our website so guests can view images and details about each ship category. This gives in-depth information of the amenities to ensure that our advertising accurately represents the accommodations provided. Our higher category ships such as the Premier and VIP Navigator ships provide more space onboard, ensuite bathrooms and AC, so we highly recommend checking this prior to booking your cabin to avoid disappointment. Thank you again for joining is in Croatia Erica and we would love to welcome you on board again soon.

Not what we paid for

Firstly we were one guy one girl FRIENDS only travelling and we booked two single beds. A week before going on the cruise we were told that there were to many solo travellers on the boat so we had to share a double bed. If we knew this could happen before booking then we wouldn't of chosen this cruise. When we got onthe boat we found out that there was only one solo traveller out of the 36 of us..A group of 8 girls all had separate beds and said if they were asked to share then they would of been more than happy too. It made the trip not so pleasant sleeping next to someone of the opposite sex that you are not in a relationship with. Secondly our host/guide or whatever you call him was useless. He was unapproachable, unfriendly, not helpful, grumpy alot of the time and wouldn't cater to everyone. Would say comments like "I'm the guide, you do it my way" All and all I didn't enjoy this and wouldnt recommend it

- Jess, 01/08/2023 07:29, Travelled with Friend/s

Cayley, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-08-02:

Hi Jess, thank you for taking the time to review your cruise with us this season. We are sad to read this as we receive such high rated feedback from other travellers for your cruise and ship throughout the season, so this is a shame. It is not possible to pre-book twin or double bedding on the Navigator cruise type Jess, so I can confirm you did not book for two single beds, I'm afraid. Our ships can be twin, bunk, or double bed cabins as stated in the FAQS, and also on the Premier Ship page. Feedback is very important to us and I will be sure to pass your comments on to the relevant teams. Thank you for joining us this season in Croatia.

Underwhelming experience

The toilet was broken on lower deck which meant we had to constantly walk upstairs. This was inconvenient and not what we were promised for what we paid. We also paid for air conditioning which often turned off, meaning we woke up extremely hot. We wouldn’t have bought it if we had known it would randomly stop working. We didn’t have access to any tissues/toilet paper downstairs which was also frustrating as we had nothing to wipe things up with. When we arrived home from clubs we had been taken to the water was always empty which meant we had to ask other boats for water. When I called our representative he said all the deck crew were asleep and to buy it. This was completely unacceptable as we were meant to be supplied water. On our last night we didn’t get a family dinner or barbecue or cocktail which was on our itinerary. Often weren’t told about happy hour on the boat. It was not worth the amount money we paid.

- Ruby, 24/07/2023 14:39, Travelled with Friend/s

Cayley, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-07-26:

Hi Ruby, thank you for taking the time to write your review and provide us with your feedback. It is a shame to read you were unhappy with certain aspects of your cruise, especially as I can see we received a lot of positive feedback from guests during your cruise and for this ship and throughout the season in general. We do understand it is very hot in Croatia during the summer, especially when you joined up which can make it difficult to sleep. We have our 'ship types' displayed via our website so guests can view images and details about each ship category. This gives in-depth information of the amenities to ensure that our advertising accurately represents the accommodations provided. We highly recommend checking this prior to booking your cabin to avoid disappointment. You booked and were accommodated on one of our Standard ships where cabins are with shared facilities and don't have air conditioning as advertised. I would recommend booking next time accommodation onboard a Premier ship where cabins have private ensuite facilities and air conditioning as advertised. As feedback is very important to us, I will be sure to pass your comments onto the relevant teams. Thank you for joining us.

Slightly disappointed

Same bedding and towels for the entire week. Horrible smell in bathrooms. Tasks appeared to be too difficult for crew members, e.g my friend reached out to staff after collision with a sea urchin and they bluntly suggested to pee on it. They should’ve looked at it, tried to assist, help make a doctors appointment, discuss possible options. Rafting excursion was cancelled, no one was advised. Staff expected a tip despite average service and when being tipped there was no appreciation demonstrated, no ‘thank you’, but a careful eye was watching the amount tipped. Our boat leader didn’t make an effort to hype everyone up, it resulted in a mellow experience unlike what was advertised and expected when travelling with the navigator cruise. The itinerary suggests that there should be a group dinner followed by cocktails on our final night, but after money was collected earlier in the day, all staff were unreachable. No one organised a group dinner and our group felt disassembled.

- Anonymous, 24/07/2023 09:11, Travelled with Friend/s

Marijana, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-07-26:

Thank you for taking the time to write your review and provide us with your feedback. It is a shame to read you were unhappy with certain aspects of your cruise, especially as I can see we received a lot of positive feedback from guests during your cruise and for your ship throughout the season in general. We have a rigorous process in place for handling any issues that may arise whilst you are on the sail, which is included in the Pre-departure information emailed to you before the tour. It can be found under ‘Resolving Problems Onboard’. As you have provided your review anonymously I am unable to check if you have raised any of the issues mentioned in your review with your representative onboard. I have however checked with our Operations Manager and no issue has been raised with him on your departure which is an action required if you are unhappy with the actions of your representative and their service. We do thank you for your feedback and thank you for joining us.

Sail Croatia week

The people and staff on boat made my experience one of the best weeks of my life the activity’s were so much fun and the islands and towns we went into were beautiful even the group dinners were amazing but the only let down was the rooms on boat I’m not sure if all rooms were like that but to even class it as a room was ridiculous me and my sister could barely walk into our room before hitting the bunk beds, the so called “on suite” we paid extra for was a shower head over the toilet, it was so gross, the pipe works in the bathroom smelt so bad we tried to create airflow by opening the door but then the aircon we paid 50 euro for would turn off as soon as the door opened we had no space to open our suit cases let alone go climb onto the top bunk. After talking to people on board learning what we paid for a room like that I’m so disappointed. this is sail Croatias fault for false advertising you show the big white boat with so much space but that’s not what we got

- Jade, 17/07/2023 07:46, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-07-19:

Thank you for sharing your feedback about your recent cruise experience. We appreciate your positive comments about the activities, destinations, and group dinners. It's also great to see from your feedback rating that your overall experience was 5-stars and that you would also recommend us to others. However, we are disheartened to read of your disappointment caused by the room you were assigned. We have our 'ship types' displayed via our website so guests can view images and details about each ship category. This gives indepth information on the amenities to ensure that our advertising accurately represents the accommodations provided. Your feedback is important to us so thank you for all your input.

Food and skipper

Ricardo our sail Croatia rep was an absolute legend and you never would have known it was his first week of he had not told us. I was on the tuna boat and in regards to the food, shocking. Staff were so concerned with making money from the bar but could not fork out the money to cook us proper edible food. I was sick almost everyday from the food. In regards to our skipper, never for his name, however he was one of the rudest men I have ever met. Did not appreciate his tone or attitude at all throughout the trip and I know a lot of the people on our boat felt the same. For someone who was being paid for his services he was extremely unwilling to help and spoke down on us. I hope that future people on this boat do not have to deal with the behaviour that we did from this man.

- Bronte , 13/07/2023 20:41, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-07-19:

Thank you for your review - we are pleased to hear your onboard Rep was legendary, especially as this was his first week. It's also great to see from feedback provided, you both enjoyed every other aspect of the cruise, rating them all 5 stars and would recommend us! We are however disappointed to read your comments about the food. Our chefs aim to provide a selection of meals using fresh, local produce. We understand that at times this is not to everyone's taste, so we will highlight this to the appropriate department and we thank you for bringing this to our attention. In regards to the Captain, I have been advised that the levels of service were no different this week than previously - we have taken your comments onboard and appreciate them. Thank you for choosing to travel with Sail Croatia.

Was not as advertised

Quite a few things. The boat was disappointing. It looked nothing like the pictures and when we met people from another navigator boat who paid the same price we found out their boat was as advertised where as ours was not. Our boat was the oldest and was falling apart, the day that it rained, water was leaking through lights. Very concerning. Drinks were more expensive than advertised We also missed out on half of the excursions due to unscheduled changes in the itinerary and missed staying at two locations. We were only made aware this would happen because of weather but this was not the case here. The changes were very sudden and not well communicated and as a result we missed half of the excursions. Quite disappointing. We also found that on some excursions we were charged more than if you booked directly with the company. When we are already paying so much it was very disappointing to find out. The swimming, food and Croatia was beautiful, just unfortunate about the rest.

- Aysha, 05/07/2023 14:28, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-07-07:

Hi Aysha, Thank you for your review. I'm pleased to hear you enjoyed the swimming, food and Croatia as a whole. Upon checking the feedback you submitted, we are pleased to know you would recommend us! However, we are disheartened to hear of your disappointment with some aspects. The boat you were on is advertised on our website and is in the main video for Standard ships. Furthermore, we follow strict Health and Safety procedures and each ship is inspected by the Registry of Shipping and certified each year before the start of the season. Upon checking our internal reports, I couldn't find anything relating to leaks - had we been made aware, this would have been resolved immediately. The drinks prices are estimated only, and up to date prices are available onboard. Our internal reports confirm that all guests were made aware of the slight itinerary change, and the boat had visited all destinations outlined on the itinerary, however Mljet was replaced with Korcula due to port restrictions. Like most travel operators, we include our markup in the overall package to provide a convenient and seamless experience for our guests. We hope that these issues didn't detract from your overall enjoyment.

Needed changes

Much of the trip was fantastic but there are some changes that could improve the experience The food could be better and diners should be told what they are having beforehand. The captain never came to the captains dinner, and although he maneuvered the boat with great skill, he did not interact with passengers at all, even when there were difficulties. Many people had rooms and bathrooms that reeked of sewage. The bar prices were fair, but one of the bartender was completely unskilled and clearly unhappy with his job. The pours were so small we often had to go back or complain. Vishko was very friendly and interacted with the passengers well. The excursions were fun and well timed. The greatest fun was meeting and socializing with others from around the globe. They made the trip fantastic.

- Catherine , 20/06/2023 21:35, Travelled with Friend/s

Cayley, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-06-21:

Hi Catherine, thank you for your review and for taking the time to provide us with further feedback on your cruise. We are so pleased that your cruise was fantastic, we were happy to have you join us for the week in Croatia. I will be sure to pass your kind words and comments onto Vishko, thank you for this. Your feedback is very important to us and the points raised will be passed over to the relevant departments where improvements will be made where possible. Thanks again for joining us this season!

Overhyped with advertising

The website, advertising and itinerary were super different to the experience I had. There was no pirate party or Rave cave. We were unable to go onto the other sail croatia boats at swim stops or at pres. Very dissatisfied and disappointed with the false advertising of events, we wernt notified that they didn’t exist or wernt even happing until day of! The only good thing on the boat was the food.

- Anonymous, 19/06/2023 14:44, Travelled with Friend/s

Cayley, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-06-20:

Hi there! Thank you for taking the time to write your review and share your experience with us. Your positive comments regarding the food is lovely to read and we are so pleased you enjoyed the meals served by our team on board. Your feedback is important to us, so the points you have mentioned will be communicated with the relevant departments. Due to health and safety reasons, it is not permitted for guests to freely socialise between boats at swim stops. Once docked in harbours, or off the ships, guests of course can socialise with lots of different travellers from other boats. The Pirate Party is no longer part of our itineraries and as per our website, this has been replaced with our Blue & White Party in Makarska.

Could definitely have been better

Had 6 days of rain so more could have been done to organise activities suitable for wet weather instead of them all being cancelled and left stuck on the boat

- Sophia, 19/06/2023 07:27, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-06-20:

Thank you for your review. We appreciate your understanding that we have no control over the weather conditions, but we do acknowledge the impact it had on the activities during your trip. We value your feedback, and I will promptly forward your comments to our operations team.

Our guide

I had really high expectations going into this trip, as everyone who I’d spoken to around me who’d been on it had said it is one of the best things they have ever done. The first few days were good we didn’t see heaps and didn’t go out to many places as our guides recommendations weren’t great. Then once we got to Dubrovnik it went down hill. Our guide go angry at us for going out to the same club as them, he was miss treating his trainee. Speaking unprofessional and inappropriately to all members of the sail boat, he apologised for his behaviour but then had to apologise a second time in Dubrovnik again for acting in a similar way. I was extremely upset that I had played close to $2000 aud and the person who is meant to be making this trip amazing has not only apologised twice because of his poor behaviour but also given poor recommendations and service. He didn’t even say goodbye on out last day.

- Anon , 14/06/2023 08:27, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-06-20:

Thank you for your review. We appreciate you taking the time to provide us with information about your experience with us. We pride ourselves on having the best local, knowledgeable and helpful reprentatives and as you had high expectations, we are sorry to hear that our guide did not display the customer service experience that we are proud to maintain. Your feedback regarding your Onboard Representative will be investigated further in light of your review, and I would like to reassure you that our Operations Manager has this to hand. Whilst we are unable to advise on outcomes here, if any further support and training is required to ensure such experiences do not occur, this will be actioned immediately. Again, we thank you for your review and we do hope that you enjoyed all other aspects of your cruise with us.

Not Great

We travelled as 4 singles and all had our own room. One of the room had a disgusting sewerage smell the entire trip. They do not have a maintenance person on the boat. The BBQ meal at €25 was disappointing. The dining room has plastic tables and chairs and is set up like a school event rather than a cruise. Unlike other boats that we could see, you are not allowed to eat outside.

- Therese, 29/05/2023 02:55, Travelled with Friend/s

Marijana, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-05-31:

Hi Therese, Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback. At times if there is bad weather, smell can occur in the bathroom emitting from the shower drains. This is due to the movement of the ships on the water whereby this movement opens up airflow at the back of the pipe and into the bathroom. This is addressed in the Welcome Speech by the Sail Croatia Representative on board. Your points raised regarding BBQ and decor have been noted and this will be communicated with the relevant teams so we can make improvements where possible. Your feedback is very important to us, so we appreciate this and wish to thank you.

Sailing Croatia

I would not sail when places on the islands are not open. Or at least tell your customers that most shops and tourist places are not open yet and let them decide to sail or not. Staff on you ship need to understand English and also speak it. Also the bartenders should know how to make all types of drinks that are available

- Kaz, 21/05/2023 06:25, Travelled with Friend/s

Cayley, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-05-31:

Hi Kaz, thank you for joining us this season and also for your review. Feedback is important to us and we appreciate that you have taken the time to write to us with your recommendations. There are many benefits to travelling to Croatia outside of peak season, including cheaper cruise and flight prices, as well as fewer crowds of tourists. I will be sure to pass your comments and suggestions onto the correct teams so that we can make improvements where possible, thank you for bringing this to our attention and for sharing your experience with us.

sail croatia review

nothing, staff and experience was amazing i just got sick whilst on the boat so couldn’t enjoy the experience like the others.

- charlotte , 17/05/2023 12:44, Travelled with Friend/s

Marijana, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2023-05-18:

Hi Charlotte, thank you for your review! We are so pleased to read that staff and the experience itself were amazing. We are so sorry to hear you were unwell and do hope that you can come with us again to enjoy to the full experience.

Where were the fresh fruit and veggies?

The food on the cruise was terrible. The boat was ok. The crew was awesome but the horrible food turned this from a perfect experience to one where having to eat on board was the low point of each day.

- Anonymous, 05/10/2022 03:26, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2022-10-06:

Thank you for your review. We appreciate your 4 star feedback rating for the boat overall and 5 stars for the crew, thank you. We have high expectations for all our meals served onboard, and our chefs aim to provide guests with lovely meals. We are sorry to hear you did not find the meals enjoyable and we will take your comments onboard for future improvements. We appreciate you taking the time to post your review. Thank you.

Not Elegance

We travelled on the New Ship Roko. It was beautiful, Croatia was beautiful but this was not what I would consider an Elegance Cruise. We were expecting exceptional service. It was mediocre. The staff was informative but not polite, smiling or happy. They were robotic, dismissive, aloof, going through the motions. The captain never smiled, greeted people, not even a courteous wave when walking past you. He did his job, nothing else. The food at breakfast was good, nice variety but ran out of fresh fruit every day. Lunch was a sub par version of English cooking. We were expecting Authentic Croatian cuisine. I only ate 50 % off them. They ran out of fresh lettuce every day. The rooms were straightened up each day with fresh towels. They were not cleaned. Every day there was dust/hair etc on the bathroom floor. I would clean up every morning after the cabin maid left. This is what I would expect from a Navigator, or Explorer Cruise. I didn't consider it an Elegance Cruise at all!

- Anonymous, 21/09/2022 11:13, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2022-10-07:

Thank you so much for your review. We are so pleased to hear you enjoyed your time onboard Roko and found it beautiful, much like the country. We are sorry to hear you did not receive our high levels of customer service that is expected from all members of staff - we thank you for making us aware. We do have a process in place for any issues that may arise onboard and if we are made aware at the time, we can quickly resolve these matters. I have checked our reports and cannot see that any issues were raised with the Onboard Rep. Thank you for your comments regarding the meals served, it's great to hear that you found breakfasts enjoyable. Upon request the chef will of course provide you with more servings and is always open to suggestions. We offer daily cabin cleaning and a mid-week thorough cleaning service with linen and towel change. If our crew members were made aware of the dust/hair, this would have been resolved immediately to ensure this does not happen again. We thank you for voicing your concerns here, and we do hope that you were able to enjoy all other aspects of the cruise.

Ok but could of been better

The bathrooms were smelly and cabins small , food was ok . Bar staff were great and crew very nice

- Paula, 19/09/2022 07:04, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2022-10-06:

Thank you for your review - we are pleased to hear that the bar staff and crew were great. We thank you for your groups 3 and 4 star reviews. However we are sorry to hear of the issues experienced onboard. We would have been able to resolve these issues for you immediately if we were made aware at the time. We thank you for bringing this to our attention and this will be passed on to the Operations Team.

Not the same 'Sail Croatia'

This is our 3rd time travelling with Sail Croatia and yet again we had the most fantastic time, however, we did notice a few things that we feel needed to be addressed. 1) The cleanliness of the ship overall was not good and the 'sun' deck was not cleaned in the whole week we were on board (I spilt a coke and the stained remained all week). The bar deck was the same and sometimes the tables were still covered in the empty glasses from the night before. 2) The route was changed with no apparent reason and therefore I spent the first day changing booked trips. 3) The captains night was the 1st night (usually the 2nd to last) and most passengers were tired and retired before the entertainment finished). 4) Smoking was allowed pretty much anywhere on outside decks and although I am a smoker, this was not welcomed by most of the passengers. 5) The cushion covers on the sun loungers were not cleaned in time and we therefore spent the first day and half without cushions. run out!

- Heidi, 16/09/2022 08:16, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2022-10-07:

Hi Heidi - Thank you for your review. We are pleased to hear you had a fantastic time with us, however we are disappointed that as a valued 3rd time returning customer of ours, you found there was a difference in standards. In regards to the cleanliness onboard, the crew are always on hand to assist wherever possible and if they are made aware, any spills will be cleaned up immediately. The ship goes through a thorough cleaning regime prior to your sail and during the week we complete daily cabin cleaning services plus a mid-weekly thorough clean throughout the cabin including linen change. We will pass your comments regarding the glasses on tables to the captain via our Operations Team. I can see from our internal records that there was a slight change in itinerary due to strong winds and for the safety of guests, the captain decided to change this slightly. This can happen as explained in your pre-departure information. The original itinerary was as follows: Dubrovnik, Mljet, Hvar, Stari Grad, Split, Makarska, Korcula, Dubrovnik. The adjusted itinerary was as follows: Mljet, Makarska,Split, Stari Grad, Hvar , Korcula, Dubrovnik. I understand the Onboard Rep had communicated this to all guests, so they were made aware.Smoking onboard is permitted in open areas of the ship. I understand that the cushion covers were being prepared and were not ready until the 2nd day of the cruise, this was explained to all guests onboard also. We do thank you for all your comments here Heidi, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your review with us. We hope to have you back with us again in the near future.

“Premier” Under 39 “Yacht” tour

I’ll start out with the great, our skipper Ivan was fabulous and knowledgeable. He was a competent and hard worker. He was 5 stars. Everyone on our boat was also amazing. The swim stops are incredible and Croatia in general is phenomenal. The boat is 0 stars, the air con of the “premier” doesn’t work well at all, we would wake up sweating. The cabin sizes are extremely tiny, to the point of not being able to fully lay down on the bunks or sit up to enter or exit the beds. There are 2 bathrooms aboard which you must pump to get to work, so basically you want to hold it until you get to a port to use the public restrooms/showers when available. I wouldn’t call the boat a yacht, it’s a sail boat. There should be more transparency in what to expect, including pictures. It’s similar to camping with much smaller sleeping quarters. This is my second time on a sail Croatia cruise, I likely won’t use them again because I felt the cruise and accommodations were misrepresented.

- Anonymous, 01/08/2022 07:33, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2022-10-03:

Thank you for your review. We are very pleased to hear you found the swim stops incredible and Croatia as a whole, amazing. Thanks for your comments regarding your skipper - we're pleased to hear he was helpful and knowledgeable - we will ensure your comments are passed on to him to enjoy. I have checked and can see that air-conditioning is included in the communal areas. The cabins are suitable for two people sharing. The pump for the bathroom is quite common onboard yachts. We have images on our website for both Premier and Standard options, which include images of the saloon, sleeping area, decking and kitchen, we also have the cabin plans visible for transparency. I'm really sorry to hear that as a past guest you wouldn't recommend us. We do hope that you do join us again so that we can ensure your trip is our expected 5-star service. Thank you.

Third time round but so disappointed

Breakfast - always a limited time of an hour and if you wanted a sleepin you then missed breakfast, if you weren't going on an excursion you still had to get up extra early to get breakfast. Had to ask for butter and jam every day as there was none laid on table. Breakfast and lunch were very poor on the first few day until many people complained - Breakfast was greatly improved but not so much the lunch. Lunch could be simplified with mixed salads and cold meats, Lighter meals not so much three course.The food took a long time to be served in between courses. Swim stops were not fantastic as we have had before. It just felt like the crew were in automatic mode without great thought to what they were doing. This was a trip I have enjoyed immensely in the past and have raved about to many people who have also then taken the trip. We paid a lot more this year but seem to have gotten less. So disappointed.

- Nicky, 11/07/2022 08:26, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2022-10-03:

Hi there and thank you for your review. We hope you were able to enjoy Croatia whilst you were there and immerse yourself in the beautiful country and culture. We are sorry to hear of your disappointment with some aspects of your cruise. Breakfasts are offered to all guests and the opening times are advised by the Onboard Representative. The chef will always provide more breakfast options upon request. The chef aims to provide fresh meals using local produce, they operate out of a small kitchen and we understand that not all meals are to everyone's taste. We appreciate your comments here and these will be passed on. Lookng at the meal feedback for your week onboard, the average rating was 4 stars. We are sorry to hear you didn't enjoy the swim stops like you had in the past, our captain aims to provide a good balance between land vs sea, mooring up into secluded bays for all guests to enjoy. We do hope that the issues experience didn't detract from your overall enjoyment, as this is certainly not a reflection of the high standards we expect week after week. We hope that you join us again in the future and we thank you again for your review.

Was amazing however the premium price came with no premium features.

We paid an extra $200AUD for an air-conditioned yacht on which the air-conditioning never worked. It was so hot i could not sleep. Sleeping in a small boat is already difficult. I've received no contact from sail croatia about the broken air con. Not impressed we paid so much extra for nothing.

- Eloise, 26/06/2022 18:07, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2022-10-03:

Hi Eloise, thank you for your review. We are pleased to hear you had an amazing time onboard. There are a couple of points in your review that I just need to clarify for other travellers considering booking with us. We have a rigorous process in place for handling any issues that may arise whilst you are on the sail, which is included in the Pre-departure information emailed to you before the tour. It can be found under ‘Resolving Problems Onboard’. Following this process gives us the opportunity to try to resolve an issue during the trip, and work with you in finding a suitable solution to ensure all parties are happy, if given this opportunity. Guests are encouraged to report incidents themselves to their Onboard Representative, and if they feel no action is taken by their Onboard Representative, you are then welcome to escalate this to our Operations Manager and/or Managing Director. This ensures that no incident is left unreported, especially if we are made aware of the issue, and gives us the best chance to resolve this during the cruise for you. Upon checking our internal records, I could not find any reports raised to your representative regarding the air-conditioning. We thank you for your positive feedback rating provided after your trip with us, and we hope that you enjoyed your time in Croatia overall.

We had a great time but website should set the right expectations

Website should be a little more clear to set expectations right. Website said breakfast is provided but we didn't get breakfast made for us. Our skipper just bought a box of cereal, some ham and cheese and a loaf of bread for the whole week. We had to make breakfast for her every morning instead. We expected floaties to be provided but the only thing that was provided was a stand up paddling board, so we had to buy floaties in one of the islands. Blankets should be washed after every charter. Skipper should be more knowledgeable on itinerary and at the beginning of the charter we should have an idea of what we are doing each day.

- Lucy, 21/06/2022 13:35, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2022-06-24:

Hi Lucy, thanks for your review. That's correct - breakfasts are provided where guests can help themselves to the food onboard. In regards to the breakfasts, we appreciate your comments and this will be passed on to our Operations Manager and Head Skipper. I'm afraid floaties are not included onboard and can be purchased at the local markets. At times past guests may leave theirs onboard. However, there is a Stand Up Paddle board and snorkelling equipment for use. Blankets and linen is changed before every departure. We pride ourselves on providing knowledgeable, friendly and helpful skippers that share their passion for their country and culture, so I'm really sorry to hear that you found that the skipper lacked knowledge. We hope that you enjoyed the trip overall and that the above didn't detract from your overall enjoyment of Croatia as a whole.

Croatian Adventure

A good basic offering from Sail Croatia. We got to see some beautiful islands. Our host, Iona, was fabulous at pulling everything together. For our group, the food and its presentation was an issue. Breakfasts were of poor quality - we gave feedback and for a couple of days it improved slightly. If you have any food intolerances, I believe this would be an issue for them (I am a vegetarian). Simple things like better quality wine on board, water on the table at meal times, side plates for the bread would all help.

- Anonymous, 13/06/2022 07:33, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2022-06-24:

Hi there, thank you for your review - we appreciate it. Thank you for your kind comments regarding your host Iona and the beautiful islands - we agree, they are simply stunning! Thank you for your feedback on the meals provided and this will be passed on to the chef. I have also checked the feedback regarding the meals for all other guests onboard the boat, on your departure date, and the ratings provided were all 4-5 stars for breakfast and lunch. We understand that the meals served are not always to each individual taste. We really do appreciate your comments regarding the wine onboard, water on the table at meal times and side plates which will be passed on to our team, thank you.

Beautiful but unorganised and unprofessional

Skipper made out with his girlfriend in my room, also cave party was closed (sail Croatia company should have checked this) and communication was poor between skippers and guests, on one occasion we were left waiting 3 hours for them only for them to turn up drunk at midnight and say that they “needed some space”. Super unprofessional. The yacht was lovely and kept well by the skippers who were very knowledgeable, and scenery was beautiful. If I were to do again I would use another company

- B, 06/06/2022 13:53, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2022-06-24:

Thank you for your review. I have been in contact with our Operations Team and our Head skipper who have been made aware of your review. I can confirm that the skipper had advised everyone, openly, that his girlfriend was not allowed downstairs. After obtaining information, we understand that you had invited the skippers girlfriend downstairs into your room to change and the skipper came downstairs to check if everyone was ok - he did give her a quick kiss and left to go back upstairs however, his girlfriend remained downstairs with you to get ready. We understand that the Cave Party was closed however, an alternative option was offered and accepted by everyone onboard - you all enjoyed an evening of singing and dancing until the early hours, your skipper also paid your bar tab at the venue as you had left the bar without paying. The head skipper has confirmed that daily briefings were given and that you were always located towards the front of the boat at these times. The skipper has a free day during the week, which was in Hvar where guests were given the option to go out and explore or the skipper would book a table at Carpe Diem at midnight for everyone. This was agreed and the table was booked, however when the skipper returned the group no longer wanted to go which put the skipper in an awkward position. We hope that you still enjoyed your time onboard and got to see some lovely places and met some wonderful people. Thank you again for providing us with our review.

Wonderful Experience Boat Locations Guests

Being the last week of the season the staff were clearly worn down and voiced this. They were very efficient but disconnected from guests. The spa was never hot enough and when asked it was never addressed...the spa needed to be on and hot and ready to go at all times.

- Sue, 22/10/2019 05:16, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2019-10-22:

Hi Sue, thank you for your review. We are pleased to hear that you had a wonderful experience overall, enjoying some of the best locations with your fellow travellers. However, we are disappointed to read of your comments about the staff and the spa, your comments will be highlighted to our Operations Team, thank you for making us aware. We do hope that this didn't detract from your overall enjoyment onboard and in Croatia as a whole.

You get what you pay for!

PROS: The biking and scenery was wonderful. The cook did a nice job specifically with the lunches we had on board. NEUTRAL: As advertised the berths were very small. CONS: There was no WIFI in the lower berths.The crew smoked everywhere on the boat, so you were subjected to secondhand smoke. We had two bike accidents and there was limited access to medical attention. The lack of medical attention is not the fault of Sail Croatia, but it would be good to have this known. The crew should be asked to wear Sail Croatia shirts. On one day a crew member was wearing an offensive T-shirt.Unless you were the first in line for breakfast there was never enough breakfast cereal, coffee or yogurt. And, the crew member responsible for setting out breakfast food did not see it as his job to replenish any of the items.Last, Sail Croatia does their employees a disservice by not giving travelers some idea on the customary range for tipping.

- Karla, 09/10/2019 08:04, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2019-10-09:

Hi Karla, Thanks for taking the time to submit your review. We are really pleased to hear you enjoyed the cycling aspect of the cruise, the beautiful locations and the meals served. I just wanted to clarify a few points raised in your review; WIFI is subject to download limits and coverage. On all our ships there are designated smoking areas, we thank you for making us aware of your experience here and we will be looking into this further. All our ships are equipped with medical supplies and means to get to the nearest hospital if required. We thank you for your suggestion regarding the uniform - this has been passed on to the Operations Manager. Breakfast times are displayed on the board and advised by your representative, upon request, the crew can of course provide you with additional servings. We are sorry to hear the service was not up to standard and we will certainly be highlighting this to the captain for future improvements. Tipping is optional on all our ships and completely at your discretion. We do hope that you enjoyed your time in Croatia and hope that these issues didn't detract from your overall experience.

Spectacular trip - very ordinary staff

Our guide Anna was enthusiastic; warm and helpful. The the other guests were great fun and the islands were nothing short of wonderful Sail Croatia (Cristal) staff did a good job with the food and cleanliness but were not at all friendly or willing to go the extra mile to make our stay enjoyable. This was very disappointing. They did not know our names, smile or ever say hello, and scowled when we asked for something which may have run out or if the coffee was turned off. And the captain only attended the captain’s dinner for ten minutes and did not even say hello. We loved the cruise but for this reason we would be reluctant to recommend this company for fellow travellers. Our only change for the other details was that we would prefer cold lunches such as salads, ham and bread. And we felt it should have finished when we reached Debrovnik as Anna had finished and gone; and it was not nice staying in the port beyond the bridge.

- Jenn, 30/09/2019 14:17, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2019-10-02:

Hi Jen, Thank you for your review. We appreciate all your comments and suggestions. We are pleased to hear that your guide Anna was professional, welcoming and friendly and that the other guests onboard were a wonderful group of people. We are also really pleased to hear that the meals served and cleanliness of the ship were all to a high standard, and we appreciate your suggestion of having cold lunches on some days. However, we are disappointed to read your comments regarding the crew. We are family owned and each of the ships we work with are also family-owned and operated. Together we make up Sail Croatia. Although our Reps are employed and trained by Sail Croatia, our ships and their captains are in charge of employing their own crew, ensuring their staff maintain a high level of service throughout the cruise and we are sorry to hear this was not the case. Having a look at the feedback for your week onboard, the crew have been rated 4-5 stars which includes the captain, chef, waiter and sailor. I have passed your comments on to our Operations Manager to highlight with the captain. Thank you again for making us aware and we hope to have you onboard one of our cruises again, to provide you with a 5-star experience!

Sail Croatia - Split return

Food choice - no choice for lunch and, at times, the menu offered was mediocre. Not particularly tasty or appetising.. Tour guide - much of our on - land time was self - directed with a very limited explanation of what to see and how to get there. Wi - fi - virtually non existent unless very late at night or in the early hours of the morning. I have compared our expereince with those travelling with Katerina who, for a very similar price, experienced an amazing choice of food, including 4 dinners,barista coffee and had a tour guide to assist at all locations explaining and taking them to the points of interest. The ship could not be faulted nor the attentiveness of the crew.

- Anonymous, 24/09/2019 17:06, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2019-10-02:

Hi there and thank you for your review. We are pleased to hear that the ship was of a high standard and the crew were a welcomed inclusion on your cruise. However, we are sorry to hear of your disappointments with some aspects of your cruise, mainly with the meals. Our chefs aim to provide delicious, home cooked meals using fresh local produce, so we are sorry to hear that the meals served were not to your taste. Having a look at the feedback received for your departure, the average rating for onboard meals was 4-stars. We pride ourselves on providing the best local, informative and friendly Tour guides so it is disappointing to read that you received limited information. Looking at the feedback received for your rep, he had received all 5-star ratings which is great. However, in light of your review we have highlighted your comments to our Operations Manager, thank you. We do hope that you were able to enjoy all other aspects of your cruise with us - fellow travellers, destinations, organised tours and excursions and that these issues didn't detract from your overall experience in Croatia.

Not a good value for the money

For the price paid, bottled water should be provided in cabins. A few of the lunches were very good but-many of them were not good. the first day’s beef was over cooked & tough. The second day’s fish was over cooked & dry. The captain’ s dinner was excellent. In Hvar we were brought in by water taxi & the yacht stayed out until almost 9 o’clock & had to sit around all day waiting to get back on board. Exhausting sitting waiting after dinner to board. No place to sit if you had already left the restaurant. Just sitting around killing time. We had a below deck cabin, which was recommended by the agent because they are quieter. She did not tell us that we had to climb three flights of stairs every time we wanted to go up to the top deck where everyone congregated. We are both 80 & she should have known that when she made the recommendation. Is it something that I would recommend? Yes! Swimming in the Adriatic every day was wonderful & the islands are beautiful.

- Yolanda, 23/09/2019 12:01, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2019-09-27:

Thank you for your review. We appreciate all your comments and have taken these onboard for future improvements. We are really happy to hear you enjoyed your time in Croatia, especially seeing the beautiful islands and daily swimming in secluded bays along the Adriatic - it's just bliss isn't it! Implemented in 2017, we removed all included water bottles from our fleet and replaced each ship with water coolers, promoting guests to bring their own reusable water bottle onboard and doing our part for environmental sustainability. Our chefs aim to provide a variety of meals, using fresh local produce - we are sorry that you didn't enjoy all the meals served, however we are pleased that you found the Captain's dinner enjoyable. We aim to get our guests into Hvar as this is one of the most popular destinations and busiest ports, so we hope you enjoyed your meal in this vibrant town. Next time, we would recommend booking an Above Deck cabin for the ease of having your cabin door opening on to the main deck and avoiding those flights of stairs. Thank you again for your review and for choosing to travel with us!

Needs improvement re: rooms & organization

- boat cabins were very damp/musty and particularly the bathrooms smelled very moldy. It made it very unpleasant to be in there, and contributed to a number of us getting sick - the hikes and timelines felt very disorganized with locations changing and guides seeming to not know the route at multiple locations. There was often confusion with timelines where it would be stated different to what was posted or it would change last minute resulting in the need to scramble on or off the boat. - there was no contingency plan or second hike in the case that we were stuck somewhere multiple days or if there was an interest in a different level of hike intensity.

- Anonymous, 16/09/2019 11:36, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2019-09-30:

Hi there and thank you for your review. Upon checking the onboard feedback submitted, we are pleased to see you rated the crew 5 stars, the onboard meals 4 stars and the boat in general 4 stars, thank you. We are sorry to hear of your cabin issues. I have checked our internal records and cannot see that these issues were reported to our onboard rep. Had these issues been raised, we would have resolved them with urgency. We understand that due to strong winds the ship was unable to depart Vis, so for the safety and wellbeing of all guests, the captain decided to remain in Vis where you rep organised a museum visit and wine tasting excursion. We hope that the issues onboard didn't detract from your overall experience onboard and in Croatia as a whole. Thank you again for all your comments.

Needs Improvement

There are areas that need to be improved before I can recommend sailing with Sail Croatia. The cabins weren't very clean. When we checked in, there was hair on the bathroom floor. I also dropped my book under the bed and upon retrieving it found an old condom wrapper on the floor. The lack of proper ventilation in the cabins has led to mold starting to grow. By the end of the week, our entire group was sick from sleeping in the cabins. The entire week was poorly organized. Each day it seemed like the crew was making up the schedule as they went. We understood that weather can be a factor, however there were no contingency plans if the weather was poor. The hikes were also poorly organized. The guide had no idea how to manage the varying abilities of passengers. A couple of times he got lost because he had only done the hike one time before. He kept saying well now I'll know for next time.

- Anonymous, 16/09/2019 08:06, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2019-09-30:

Hi there and thank you for your review. We really appreciate all your comments and suggestions for improvements. All our ships are thoroughly cleaned prior to the arrival of new guests, so we are sorry to read of your disappointment with the cleanliness. I have checked our internal records, and cannot see any reports of this to our crew. This would have been rectified immediately upon notifying our onboard rep. However, I have highlighted this to the Operations Manager, thank you. We understand that there was a schedule change due to strong winds, and the alternative option was to go back to Vis where museum visit and wine tasting was organised for you. We appreciate your comments on the guide, he has received 4-5 star ratings for this departure so we are disappointed to read your comments and these will be passed on to our Operations Manager for training and quality purposes. Upon checking the onboard feedback you submitted, we are happy to know you enjoyed the lunches and found the crew to be a welcomed inclusion. Thank you again for all your comments, this is appreciated.

Could have been so much better

I booked Sail Croatia expecting a full on cycling tour. I had hoped to be cycling a fair distance everyday and for most of the day. I was disappointed as the week went on that the cycling seem to lessen rather than increase and by the last day we did a mere 11k. With the longest day being around 40K. To me this is not a cycle holiday. I was also disappointed with the standard of the boat which was very old and tired. My cabin was in the basement and was very tatty and rather grubby. The water would not drain from the floor area around the toilet and the smells which came from the bathroom were revolting. These were fixed quickly whenever pointed out but there was a definite problem with the plumbing. The general state of the boat was similar, there was insufficient seating outside and only deckchairs for 10 holding a boat of 22 so nowhere to relax. As it stands I would not book with Sail Croatia again as I feel the standard of accomodation and cycling rather poor.

- Ellen, 16/09/2019 06:49, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2019-09-27:

Hi there and thank you for your review. It was a pleasure having you join our Cycle cruise this season and we hope you enjoyed some aspects of your cruise. However, we are disappointed to read of your disappointment with the cycling and accommodation aspect of your cruise. On our website we display the cycle specifications including the distance, difficulty, max altitude, total ascent/descent and surface levels, this is so that our potential customer's can choose a route that best suits them. Our cycle cruises also offer a balance of relaxation, sightseeing and cycling, and gives our guests the opportunity to see some of the most amazing places. I see that you booked our Ensuite option, I would recommend a Premier cabin in future, as these are much more comfortable offering spacious cabins, ensuite and air-conditioning. We are pleased to hear that the issues were quickly resolved once our representative was made aware, we thank you for following our Resolution Process. We do hope that you join us sometime in the future on a Premier ship and perhaps on one of our more challenging routes, as we are sure you will enjoy yourself! Thanks again.

Mediocre experience

I have done 4other cycling trips. This was my least favorite for 3 reasons:. The very hot uncomfortable bunk room, the short uneventful cycle trips, and the amount of smoking from the crew. This was the smallest room we have ever stayed in. The person on the top bunk did not get any sleep. We have never been given 1 towel,for a week,trip. The smoking was excessive. Because the room was so uncomfortable, you had no choice but to be on deck.. because the cycling time was so short, there was an excessive amount of time on the boat. Smoke came in our front porthole even though smoking was limited to the back. It made my throat burn. I think only 1 other passenger smoked occasionally. On other trips we left after breakfast, packed a lunch and returned some time before dinner. There were places to visit along the bike route. The guides gave tours of the loactions we passed. We had one rain day with no rain, and they cut our last day in 1/2 due other people messed up travel pl

- Pam , 09/09/2019 09:44, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2019-09-27:

Hi there and thank you for your review. We are truly sorry to hear that our Northern route was your least favourite amongst the other cycle trips completed. We offer a range of accommodation styles to suit everyone's requirements and budgets, our Ensuite cabins exclude air-conditioning however, do have a fan for additional comfort. We recommend a Premier ship as these cabins are spacious, include ensuite and air-conditioning, so are perfect for the warmer months. We provide 1x bath towel, however you are welcome to request an additional towel subject to availability. We understand that you were scheduled to join this ship however, as you had friends on another ship, we managed to accommodate your last minute request and moved you from an Ensuite Lower Deck cabin to an Ensuite Above Deck cabin, where you were much more comfortable. On each of our ships there is a designated smoking area which is generally located towards the back of the ship. In saying this, I have highlighted the smoking issue to the Operations Manager to discuss further with the captain. We hope that you enjoyed the meals served, the tours of each location and the bike routes. We hope that overall the issues didn't detract from your overall enjoyment of Croatia. Thank you again!

fine

I find it deceiving that you call it "sail" croatia and they aren't sail boats. We were directed to only the main tourist spots, where nothing was original and everything was overpriced. Each night was clubbing or nothing, and there was never a recommended cool laid back wine night or beer spot or cafe. The crew was great and our guide was awesome... but I think this tour company needs to market themselves more accurately and honestly. Ultimately, it was a disappointment for me and travel time could have been better spent.

- Andrea, 09/09/2019 02:08, Travelled with Friend/s

Cayley, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2019-09-26:

Hi there, thank you for your review and for joining us this season in Croatia. I am sorry to hear you were disappointed with some points of the tour. Our company name is Sail Croatia and we do offer multiple different options to our clients along the Adriatic coast line. We have our Under 39 Yacht Tours on sailing boats, cruises on small motor cruises and also Private Yacht Tours, also on sailing boats. Our website does clearly show the vessels used for each option and on our Navigator cruise page also gives you more information on our Standard ships which is what you booked with us. Thank you for your feedback here and I do hope this did not deter you from having a great time in Croatia. Thank you for joining us.

Lack of Freedom

Overall the boat was good on the marija magdalena. There was no ac so it was impossible to sleep and could be purchased but only if 12 out of the 18 people on the boat agreed to pay. The downside was there was also no freedom during our stops in the towns. Our rep planned 5 of our 7 dinners with many of the food being disapointing. When we requested to do our own thing and meet at the boat for "happy hour" we were made to feel guilty about not going along with what he had planned. I understamd that he eats for free or makes comission by taking us as a large group to these meals which we shouldnt be forced to do as they are not included in the price of the sail. Our rep also spent most nights drinking and on the morning of our departure was too hungover to get up and awnser questions we had that morning which almost resulted in me missing my flight. The only good things were the food on the boat prepared by the cook, which were included in the price and the swim spots.

- Em, 02/09/2019 21:23, Travelled with Friend/s

Cayley, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2019-09-20:

Thank you for taking the time to provide us with this feedback. I am pleased to read overall you did like your ship Marija Magdelena - one of our Ensuite ships. As per our website our Ensuite ships do not have air-conditioning in the cabins included, however our Premier ships do. If you would like air-conditioning we advise booking a Premier ship. Your Representative will provide you with recommendations in each location, however it is entirely up to you how you spend your time in Croatia. You're welcome to eat where you'd like in the evenings. I will however pass this feedback onto our Operations Manager, thank you. I hope this did not deter you from having a great time in Croatia. Thank you for joining us.

Great week, but could do with a few improvements

In all I had a great time on the Split Return - Navigator tour. We chose to go Premier and I was really happy with the boat and accommodation - very clean and spacious. Initially and at times during the week however, I found Sail Croatia staff to be unfriendly and rude. There were times staff burst in on our cabin which I found to be an invasion of privacy. Food was generally okay - would be good to have a menu provided for the week. The onboard BBQ was a highlight though - the food was great!! Should also not that the vast majority of passengers are from Australia (32 of 36 passengers on my boat) - obviously not an issue, just a slight surprise!

- Kate, 19/08/2019 16:34, Travelled with Friend/s

Ceira, Sales Rep at Sail Croatia replied 2019-09-06:

Thank you for your review. We are pleased to hear you enjoyed your time on our Navigator cruise, the accommodation and found the food to be a highlight! However, we are really disappointed to hear that some of the staff were unprofessional at times. This will be passed on to the Operations Manager - thank you for bringing this to our attention. Our cruises are popular with Antipodeans as well as travellers from other parts of the world. Sounds as though your cruise and departure date was well sought after my our Australian travellers😊.