The beauty of the islands/locations we visited/hiked, the delicious Croatian dishes we enjoyed and the intimate nature of our ship Columbo all lived up to our high expectations. What we did not foresee was even more significant in making this a most memorable journey: the wonderful camaraderie that quickly developed amongst our fellow marauders, the warmth and capable leadership of our incredible guides (Mate and Karla), and the ,world class professionalism of Captain Antonio, Bruno and the rest of the crew,, We came in search of some adventure and left with new friends, an immense fondness for Croatia and its proud people. For this , we owe tremendous thanks to Mate and Karla who were the orchestra leaders who helped us all make music. Unforgettable!
- Terry, 09/10/2024 08:44, Travelled in a Couple
We sailed on the Colombo last week. It was glorious. Though the weather was changeable, the atmosphere on board remained fun loving. Credit must go to the superb captain and crew for safe sailing and adaptability. Swim stops, meals and wonderful evenings will remain in the memory. Special mention must be made, though, of our two wonderful guides: Mate and Karla, not just because they were instructive experts in their hiking field, but also unifying us as a group. They were special and charmed us all. We were all sad to say goodbye at the end of the tour. We are now looking forward to our next Sail Croatia trip in 2025
- Anonymous, 07/10/2024 17:18, Travelled in a Couple
The sail and hike experience was a great combination! The hikes were reasonably challenging but worth the views at the top and each one was unique. The hiking guides were so enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The boat was in impeccable condition and the crew members went out of their way to make the sailing a memorable experience. My wife needed a gluten free menu which was no trouble whatsoever.
- Jeremy, 30/09/2024 05:55, Travelled in a Couple
The boat and crew were fantastic as was the scenery of the islands and coastline of Croatia. The best part was being able to get off the boat and hike to peaks or points of interest every day. We saw so much more of Croatia than we would have had we not selected the Sail & Hike trip with Sail Croatia. Thoroughly recommended!!
- Mark, 03/09/2024 07:58, Travelled in a Couple
We really enjoyed the hiking with sail Croatia. With only 30 passengers on board, there is ample opportunity to meet everyone. The staff and crew were excellent and our guides were so helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. We thoroughly enjoyed this experience. Would definitely recommend this holiday.
- Jenny, 01/07/2024 18:51, Travelled in a Couple
Both guides and all crew were great, the other guests were good fun to be with and the hikes, swimming, food and all the locations were all great. So good we are considering doing the Dubrovnik trip next year 👍😀
- Nigel, 17/06/2024 14:16, Travelled in a Couple
I am a 17 year old non-speaking autistic who loves the sea and mountains. I had one of the best holidays ever, hiking on different islands everyday, whilst travelling & staying on a boat. The staff were exceptional, they were always fully inclusive and presumed competence in me. They gave me all the support I needed without patronising me, I felt empowered and leave this week with a wonderful sense of achievement and even more confidence in my abilities. I spell on letter boards to communicate, I am a ‘Speller’, I love travel and meeting new people, this holiday was so wonderful and so were all the remarkable others I spent the week with.❤️😎❤️ Thank you so much!
- George , 03/06/2024 06:40, Travelled with Family
Just back from a Sail Croatia Hike/Sail week. Was a great time. The vessel was very comfortable, the meals were super, and the guides did all they could to ensure that everyone in the group had an excellent time. This was a super week and would easily do this holiday again.
- Andrew, 16/05/2024 17:05, Travelled in a Couple
First impression on boarding our allocated ship Eos, a three masted motor sailer, was we had drawn the short straw. It wasn’t as modern or sleek as most of the cruisers around us in Split harbour and our below deck cabin was tiny and cramped. However what followed was a week of brilliant fun and adventure that made the shortcomings of the accommodation seem a minor point. A new picture postcard location every day, beautiful ports, swim stops in secluded bays and a great group of fellow travellers from around the globe who we got to know on our daily hikes and evenings in the local bars cafes and restaurants. Our guides Mate and Lola were knowledgeable, responsible but also fun. The crew were great and the food on board was varied and tasty. The hikes were challenging but rewarding too, though I personally would have preferred more climbs with a bar at the top! We made some great friends and have fabulous memories of our week around the Islands of Croatia. Thanks to all.
- Tony, 26/09/2023 06:21, Travelled in a Couple
Hi Tony! Thank you for your 4-star review! We loved reading about your adventures on our Hike cruise and we are really happy to hear you had a wonderful time onboard. We appreciate all your comments regarding the destinations, delicious meals served, daily hikes and swimming out at sea in lovely secluded bays, thank you. Your kind comments will be passed on to the crew to enjoy also. I see you booked a Premier ship, which are more traditional in style. We have a wide range of ships in our fleet and the ships you refer to in the harbour, were likely to be a higher category ship such as Premier Plus ships, as these are more modern in style. We are thrilled to know you enjoyed your cruise overall, and you had a week full of fun and adventure and also made some new friends on your cruise - we're sure memories to last a lifetime! We hope to welcome you back for another Active Adventure soon!
Our trip was amazing, Mate and Lola were great guides and the hikes were always fun!
- Theo, 25/09/2023 11:04, Travelled with Family
Friendly and helpful staff, clean and comfortable boat, good weather and challenging hiking with great views and countryside.
- Philipp, 25/09/2023 09:01, Travelled in a Couple
Hikes, sightseeing and fellowship. And food.
- Tom, 25/09/2023 05:18, Travelled in a Couple
We booked the seven night sail and hike trip, and it exceeded expectations. A wonderful way to visit new and interesting places, and get to see more than the main areas of each town. It also took us to places we wouldn’t have had time to visit on a regular trip. A special mention to the great crew of Eos, our ship for the stay. And to the Sail Croatia reps Ioana and Mate who were enthusiastic and energetic through the week and mate each day lots of fun. Looking forward to out next trip already.
- Stuart, 19/09/2023 20:23, Travelled in a Couple
The crew looked after us so well. A bad storm meant reconfiguring the route. Very grateful to our captain’s wisdom in keeping us safe and our hike leaders for making sure we got in a hike every day despite the itinerary change. The staff were professional, pleasant, and caring. Food was excellent and varied. I required gluten free accommodation and it was taken care of. I will say that for me, the hikes were too rigorous; all involved a 1+ hour of unremitting climbing on rocky terrain. But I was in the minority. Most found the hikes perfect.
- Mary Jane, 23/05/2023 19:42, Travelled in a Couple
Lovely boat, in great condition, beautiful islands and fantastic walks, but even better were the friendly and helpful crew and guides who couldn't do enough for us and genuinely cared about making guests have the best experience. We had a spacious above deck room which was larger than expected and the rest of the boat was just the right size - big enough to be comfortable without feeling we were on a massive ship. Good food and super service. We didn't get the chance to use the sundeck as much as we would have liked as the weather was patchy with some strong rain storms – however, I believe this is rare for Croatia. And the crew and guides adapted the itinerary so that we had hikes (and other activities) every day - they really did all they could to make us have a good time. The group bonded and when the sun came out we were all the happier for it. Thanks Sail Croatia - we'd love to return!
- Paul, 22/05/2023 18:20, Travelled in a Couple
We had an amazing week hiking through the Dalmatian Islands. Weather was not always on our side but the Sail Croatia team modified our itinerary to suit and we managed to get in a hike every day. The food on board was excellent. Our fellow passengers were also amazing. Huge thanks to Captain Vlado, and hike guides Mila and Mare.
- John, 22/05/2023 05:28, Travelled in a Couple
Hi John, this is wonderful - thank you so much for your review and for joining us this season.
The Sail and Hike Croatia cruise exceeded all my expectations. The room was exactly the right size, everything was clean and we'll maintained, and the food was delicious. The crew and staff were friendly and supportive and the hikes were challenging and beautiful. Thank you, Sail Croatia!
- Russell, 12/10/2022 06:23, Travelled with Family
We had a great time joining a hike cruise with Sail Croatia! We booked last minute, near the end of the season in October, and had a fantastic time! The crew and guides be were experienced, friendly, and knowledgeable. The other guests were a good mix of ages and nationalities. Everyone on the Hike cruise wanted to explore but also socialize, some good nights but no crazy partying. Matched exactly what we were looking for! The islands were exceptionally beautiful and all the stops were enjoyable. The hikes were good but sightly shorter than we would have liked, but that left lots of time to explore, and eat! The food was amazing, on the ship and on shore. It would be impossible to do this on your own at a similar price point, in a similar amount of time. We visited so many spots, with food, lodging, transport, and guides all rolled into one great week! Would highly recommend!
- Leif, 11/10/2022 13:36, Travelled in a Couple
We experienced great hospitality among staff and tour guides. They were willing to give everything for our enjoyment. The staff on the ship was amazing and the tour guides truly devoted to their job. Mate and Mila went the extra mile for us, each and every day. This trip had everything and more. Our boat Emanuel will be missed and everyone on board. "Get it down'ya"
- Beggi, 05/09/2022 12:34, Travelled in a Couple
Great people Great boat Great walks and scenery
- Stephen, 05/09/2022 07:42, Travelled in a Couple
Fantastic crew on the boat. Very attentive, excellent food and drink..Hiking guides Mate and Marin were very knowledgeable about the areas where we hiked and made sure all levels of walkers were looked after. Plenty of swim stops in beautiful bays and sea. This was our second trip will Sail Croatia and it didn't disappoint.
- Owen, 11/07/2022 07:50, Travelled in a Couple
-1st view of boat was filthy cabins and carpets -no welcome on-board - left to wonder around -1st 2nights no air conditioning -3rd night no hot water -couldn't lock cabin door -no key for internal locker -hostess very rude & didn't know how to work equipment to provide hot water or couldn't be bothered. -Staff underwear hanging outside out cabin door. -bedding not changed until after 5th night even though we were sweating like mad with no air con. -would have been good to have sea toys/paddleboard/laylo type etc. to enjoy. -couldn't buy single glass of wine, had to buy whole bottle. Also fridge was broken so couldn't be kept for next day. -on return from hikes, no staff available to serve drinks. Thankfully our tour guide Mate dealt with these issues as without him it could have been a whole lot worse. Mate deserves full credit for making this an enjoyable trip regardless of the issues we continually faced.
- Anthony, 27/06/2022 12:27, Travelled in a Couple
Hi there Anthony, thank you for your review. We are really pleased to hear that your rep Mate was helpful and professional and made your trip enjoyable. 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. 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, cabin door lock, broken fridge and key for internal locker. I understand that on the 2nd day the Captain was made aware there was no hot water, and this was rectified within 20 minutes. We operate a mid-week cabin service which includes changing of bedding. I'm afraid paddle boards are not included on our cruises however, at times past guest may leave their water toys onboard for others to enjoy. Upon checking the feedback for the week, guests have provided 4-5 star ratings from the meals onboard to the cabins and Tour Guide. We really do hope that your time in Croatia was enjoyable and that the issues experienced didn't detract from your overall enjoyment.
GUIDE AND CREW!
- James , 13/09/2021 15:56, Travelled in a Couple
The Mlini crew and our 2 Sail Croatia guides. And of course the experience of Croatia and the Islands
- Paul, 24/08/2021 12:00, Travelled with Family
We sailed on Milena on hike and sail cruise. Kate and Mate, our cruise and hike representatives were awesome. They were so helpful, friendly and when weather affected plans, between the captain and them they always had an alternate plan. The rest of the crew were great and it was one of the best things I have done on a holiday.
- Wendy, 07/10/2019 05:16, Travelled in a Couple
Thanks for a great review of your Hike cruise Wendy! We are pleased to read you had a wonderful time on board Milena, one of our Premier ships. Thanks for an amazing week :)
Food - consistently good - thanks to Rosa and Marco ehi did a great job Hikes & Information - excellent - (Matè and Kristijan are brilliant and worked well together) Boat - could have been better. Bathrooms need upgrading and/or more frequent cleaning.. Also better deck chairs and sun beds/cushions for sun bathing on the boat. The dining area was lovely and well maintained. The crew were helpful and friendIy.
- Russell, 30/09/2019 12:40, Travelled in a Couple
Hey Russell, Thank you for your review! We're pleased to hear you enjoyed your time on our cruise and found the food to be good quality - what our chefs do within a small space is just amazing! We are pleased that the crew made you feel welcomed and were helpful and friendly. Your comments on the boat itself will be taken onboard for future improvements, we appreciate this. Thank you again and we hope to see you back on another cruise soon!
Limit the group to hikers from one boat. Have hike leaders ensure group stays together and not just hike for their own enjoyment. Provide radio communication between the hike leader and the sweep so when someone is hurt it does not take fifteen minutes for the hike leader to return to the group and provide help. Stick to the itinerary other than weather related issues not just change to suit the next cruise or make it easier for the crew and hike leaders. Try and schedule the hikes in the morning versus mid afternoon in the heat of the day.
- Alan, 25/09/2019 06:40, Travelled in a Couple
Hi there and thank you for your review. We appreciate all your comments and suggestions, and we think that some of these can be implemented. I have passed your comments on to our Operations Team for suggested improvements, thank you. Generally speaking we have a guide and representative, one at the front, the other at the back of the group who are in constant communication and are able to assist wherever possible. We are also trialling new radio equipment, so all going well, we should see these implemented next season. I understand that on your cruise, there was a deviation from the original itinerary due to adverse weather conditions and due to this, you remained in Vis where our crew had organised a visit to the museum and wine tasting excursion, we hope you enjoyed this! Thank you for choosing to travel with Sail Croatia and we hope you enjoyed your time in Croatia overall.
Visiting different places each day with good mix of group and self-guided activities with excellent staff support
- Lindon, 24/06/2019 19:22, Travelled in a Couple
Thanks for the 5-star review :-)
The staff, the food and the itinerary were simply the best. We had a group of passengers who were fun to be with and the staff were so professional. We loved every minute of it.
- Steven , 28/05/2019 06:18, Travelled with Family
Hi and thank you for your 5-star review! It's great to hear you enjoyed all aspects of your Hike cruise - loving every minute of it! We are pleased to hear the staff, food and fellow passengers were some of the highlights of the cruise. Thanks again!
All around amazing trip The people are very friendly and the food was amazing and the hikes were wonderful I really enjoyed every minute of the trip and would highly recommend to anyone who was thinking of going
- Sam, 28/05/2019 00:56, Travelled in a Couple
Thanks for your review on our Active - Hike cruise. We are so pleased to hear you had an amazing trip and found all aspects of the cruise enjoyable. Thank you for recommending us to others!
The cruise with Sail Croatia far exceeded our expectations. It was truly wonderful. An experience we would recommend. From the booking to the conclusion was seem less with the staff knowing a doing what was expected of them.
- John, 12/10/2018 08:31, Travelled in a Couple
The crew and captain were excellent and spoke English very well. The food was fresh, homemade and delicious. The hikes were fun and rewarding with fantastic views of the Dalmatian coast. We enjoyed both the small villages and bigger towns like Split. Our fellow passengers were friendly and warm (from UK, Canada, Australia - we were only Americans and that was fine.) We highly recommend also visiting Dubrovnik! Wish we would have also gone to Zagreb.
- Tom, 09/10/2018 23:15, Travelled in a Couple
The smaller cruise boat, the crew, the guides, the hiking and smaller ports we were able to visit.
- Ian, 08/10/2018 11:49, Travelled in a Couple
Good food, company and exercise. Well trained staff, beautiful weather.
- Rodney, 18/09/2018 13:24, Travelled in a Couple
- mike, 18/09/2018 09:00, Travelled in a Couple
The people, the scenery and our guides, superb !!!
- Brian, 17/09/2018 07:41, Travelled in a Couple
The Sail Croatia hiking cruise went beyond my expectations, which were high to begin with. The staff worked hard and were professional, but they were also just nice, friendly people and great ambassadors for Croatia. The hikes, meals, and other activities created an atmosphere of conviviality. We made new friends with our group. The hikes were challenging, but doable. (I'm out of shape, but the guides were helpful and patient as I was often the last one to finish the hike). What can I say about the beauty of Croatia that hasn't been said before? The islands and water are stunningly beautiful. The people of Croatia are friendly and rightfully proud of this amazing country. Of course, we had extra fun being there in June and getting to watch the first few games of the World Cup. (But don't wait for the next World Cup to roll around--if you're looking for the perfect way to experience one of the most beautiful places on Earth, Sail Croatia is the way to go).
- David, 17/07/2018 21:36, Travelled in a Couple
Pleasant fellow travellers, enjoyable and sometimes challenging hikes, great weather and wonderful Croatian scenery, tasty breakfasts and lunches, knowledgable and friendly tour and hiking guides made this a memorable week. Ship (The Magellan) was just the right size, not too big and not too small. Dinners ashore generally very good - lots of lovely fresh fish! - in variety of quiet, and sometimes loud (Football World Cup was on!) ports. Would definitely recommend.
- Jonathan, 02/07/2018 06:47, Travelled in a Couple
We have had a fabulous time on the Milena with the island hopping and hiking trip. First of all the staff were so helpful and engaged. It was such a joy to see the islands from the sea and travel on this type of boat. The food, the atmosphere and the hiking trips were all great experiences. The group was well mixed and a real joy to be with. I have already recommended Sail Croatia and the island hopping trips to all and sundry. Thank you to all your staff!!!
- Thomas, 26/06/2018 13:14, Travelled with Family
Hi there, and thank you for your 5-star review! We are so pleased to hear you had a lovely time on your Hike cruise and hope you are now well relaxed and rejuvenated after a week onboard! Your feedback regarding the food, service and crew will be passed on to the Captain as I'm sure he will appreciate it. Thank you again and we do hope to see you on board again soon!
- Intermediate level hiking, nice scenery - Free time to explore the towns - Fantastic food on board boat - Helpful and friendly guides
- Linus, 25/06/2018 01:12, Travelled in a Couple
My wife and i had a great time sailing from island to island and hiking at each stop. The crew on-board were fantastic which made our time on the boat most enjoyable, the food was great, and the guides very knowledgeable and helpful. I would recommend to anyone.
- Anonymous, 11/06/2018 19:26, Travelled in a Couple
We can honestly say that this one holiday that is at the top of our list. The walking itinerary was just right, a mixture of easy and more testing walks. The ship is well maintained and the cabins were clean, comfortable and had everything you required, air -conditioning, hairdryer, multiple electric sockets and a safe. The meals were delicious and very welcomed after a day’s hiking. There’s also a well-stocked bar and a water cooler out on the deck. The staff were lovely, always smiling and having a laugh. We’d definitely, do this hiking / cruise holiday again in the future.
- Dianne Venables , 05/06/2018 08:06, Travelled in a Couple
The location, boat, guides, food and the company of the other passengers.
- Anonymous, 23/05/2018 06:13, Travelled in a Couple
We were delighted by the quality of the boat (Magellan), the cabin was fine and the ensuite shower room was larger than we expected. The quality of the food on board also exceeded our expectations. It was the genuine friendliness of the crew, the Sail Croatia rep, and the hiking guide that really made for a great holiday.
- Mike, 21/05/2018 16:45, Travelled in a Couple
Weather was glorious and our engaging hosts looked after us all, right from the first day.. We were pleasantry surprised at the quality of our boat Magellan which was beautiful, fully equipped and obviously well looked after by a competent and friendly boat crew. Our hiking guide and our sail-Croatia host really made us feel welcome and made great efforts to give us a history of the land and culture. They were always willing to help out and to explain or provide anything we needed. We also made a lot of new friends over the week - unsurprising when you are close together with like-minded people.. My over-riding memories will be of the wonderful little fishing villages and island towns along the way, the blue sea and the wonderful weather. We were never bored with such a varied itinerary and plenty of opportunity for sights and swims.. My first taste of Croatia cruising and it will not be my last!
- Peter, 21/05/2018 08:29, Travelled in a Couple
Thank you for your 5 star review. It is great to hear you have enjoyed your experience on our Hike Cruise and on board one of our Premier ships Magellan. We are really pleased to read that you have been looked after, that you have made some new friends and lovely memories. Thank you again for sharing your experience with us.
Being able to have a hot shower once a day. Washing machine and dryer availability. Reported maintenance problems resolved.
- Anonymous, 14/05/2018 17:35, Travelled in a Couple
Hi there and thank you for your review! It is great to hear that any reported problems were resolved. Our guides do mention after the group comes back from hiking that if everyone showers at the same time, water might run cold. Thank you for your feedback in regards to washing machine and dryer availability. We will be sure to look into possibility of adding this on board the ship.
Guides in particular always went the extra mile. Walking was interesting and well balanced, food was way beyond expectations not realizing three course lunches were part of the deal. Highly recommended.
- Steve, 10/10/2017 22:27, Travelled in a Couple
The breakfasts and lunches were very good. The passengers all mixed well. Some of the walks were different from those in the itinerary. Disappointed that we did not stop in Korcula Town as advertised. Most nights were quite noisy so don't expect to get much sleep.
- Anonymous, 27/06/2017 11:33, Travelled in a Couple
Hiking was great, we liked our guides very much. Some problems were with noise in ports specially when our boat was parked my party boats for overnight stay. We could not sleep till 3am. Life hack for next sailors, bring ear plugs with you))). Do not take wine on board it is spoiled by the high temperature on board. Food on board was good. Next tour will be for us bikes)
- Artem, 26/06/2017 21:21, Travelled in a Couple
Beautiful boat, lovely people, scenery spectacular, fab crew, idyllic swim stops. Friendly, helpful crew. Really did not want to leave. It was all just perfect.
- Sally, 22/06/2017 20:27, Travelled in a Couple