The bedrooms for 3 people are just not big enough. The other people on the boat ruined my experience and expectations. Only good thing to come out of this trip was the bartender who was amazing
- Nathan , 26/08/2024 02:40, Travelled with Friend/s
Dear Nathan, thank you for taking the time to provide us with your review and feedback regarding your recent Sail Croatia Navigator cruise. It is wonderful to hear that your bartender was amazing and he was the highlight of the trip for you! We will be sure to let him know. We clearly advise our travellers when booking a Triple bed cabin that these are the same size as twin share hence why we offer 10% discount when a Triple bed cabin is booked. Thank you again for your feedback.
For the price that you pay which is quite exorbitant I don’t think this experience lives up to the cost or the hype. While the crew and the staff on board as well as the guide are absolutely lovely and the service was great the boat is old, creaky and smelly.. The air-conditioning barely worked and people complained non-stop about the Aircon not working. There were no fans even on deck which are desperately needed to combat the unbearable European summer heat. Unfortunately it did not live up to the expectations and certainly not to the reviews I’ve seen on site. The boats need full renovations and need to be fully updated in order for them to be able to get a higher rating.
- Anonymous, 25/08/2024 14:46, Travelled Solo
Thank you for your review - we’re pleased to hear that you found our crew, staff, and service to be excellent. However, we regret to learn that the boat did not meet your expectations. We maintain a high rating of 4.7/5 stars for this departure, and our internal reports did not indicate any air-conditioning issues raised by yourself or any other guest. We encourage guests to raise any concerns with our Onboard Rep so we can address them swiftly. For transparency, we provide detailed imagery and information about each of our Explorer ships on our website to help guests make an informed decision about their accommodation. We appreciate your input and comments as we continue to enhance our services.
The tour guide needs to be more involved with the people on the boat. I understand that they might have been doing this for weeks already but the guide is the person who drives the moral on the ship, if they don’t want to get involved and leave it up to the group to make our own experience that is poor. Lucky the group of people I went on with was amazing and that alone is what made my trip. Certain experiences were cancelled months before we went on the boat and had no prior warning to these cancelations which for me were the only reasons why I signed up for sail Croatia. If Sail Croatia had known about the issues on Hvaar and Markaska then months before the boat had set sail an email should have been sent out to people and offered refunds for trips. It borderlines on a scam that people were sold an idea that was never going to be delivered.
- Alexander , 23/08/2024 11:11, Travelled with Friend/s
Dear Alexander, thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback on your recent Navigator Cruise. We appreciate hearing about your experience, and we are always striving to improve our services. We welcome your comments regarding our representative, so thank you for this. Please note that bars and nightclubs are not part of our cruise inclusions and are beyond our control. However, your feedback is valuable to us as we continually look to enhance the overall guest experience. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you on board again in the future!
Our boat was a huge let down, we were told when we booked that we would be on a boat with more people than we actually had, we were also shown photos of a boat that was MUCH nicer than the one we were put on. We had no deck chairs/loungers on the top of ours so there wasn’t a space to fully relax an unwind. Almost zero shade on top as well so the only place to lay and relax was in bed which was uncomfortable as well. One shower for 24 people (plus crew), and you had to hold the shower head as it had nothing to mount to. The bed wasn’t big enough for me to lay in so every night while sleeping I had to scrunch my body up, it was also extremely hot below deck while trying to sleep this made it more difficult to get a good nights sleep. Overall it was a let down, if I were to do it again I would want to go on a boat that should actually be in operation, unlike the mala Kate which is what we were on. If it weren’t for the great people I was with then it wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
- Tom, 19/08/2024 07:31, Travelled with Friend/s
Dear Tom, Thank you for your review. We are pleased to hear you met some great people on your cruise and we hope you enjoyed Croatia as a whole. We're sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations. The ship you booked is part of our Standard category, which is our most budget-friendly option. For guests seeking more comfort and amenities, we offer higher-category ships at different price points. We strive to provide clear information on our website, including photos and details for each ship category. We appreciate your comments, thank you.
The bedrooms need a major upgrade they’re a sauna and the boat is in need of maintenance as water leaked through the roof in the dining whilst eating lunch
- Jack, 23/07/2024 11:22, Travelled in a Couple
Dear Jack, Thank you for leaving us with your review. Our Standard Ships are popular with budget conscious, independent travellers on extended travels throughout Europe. Our Premier and Ensuite ships offer the added benefit of air-condtioned cabins compared to our Standard ships which you chose to travel on. We regret any issues experienced during your cruise. It is common for the more traditional, wooden ships, which are full of charm and history, to face occasional leaks during severe weather conditions, which was unfortunately experienced in the small part of the dining room during your week. Your comments help us in our ongoing efforts to maintain and enhance our vessels. Thank you.
I felt throughout the whole trip I was being asked to pay extra for random aspects such as bus transfers, water ferry’s. I feel like I don’t understand where my almost $2000 went. The crew and guide were amazing but all the hidden extra costs are not explained properly. I feel the initial price should be increased or have a lump sum you can do at the start with card instead of having to try get exact cash for everything. We had a ratio of 19 females to 3 males which is just ridiculous. I feel there should be allocated spots for males and females to have an appropriate dynamic. The people I was with were amazing and did save the trip and I really did enjoy myself but the random hassles all throughout the trip really did not make me want to rebook with sail Croatia again.
- Jessica, 19/06/2024 09:19, Travelled Solo
Hi Jessica, thank you for your feedback and for providing us with 5-star feedback. We're pleased to hear that you enjoyed the crew, guide, and fellow travelers. We aim to ensure a good mix of people on all our ships, however it does heavily rely on who has booked taking into consideration solo travellers, groups, friends, and couples. Our pre-departure information and website outline the inclusions and our Sales Team are available to answer any questions you may have around budgeting for your cruise. We appreciate your suggestions and will consider them as we strive to improve our services.
Tour guides were really great. Rides were awesome. Food was mediocre, but the rooms could be GREATLY improved for little cost. A thicker mattress, better sheets and a nicer comforter goes a long way. Also, we believe the pictures on your website were misleading for the accommodations.
- Anonymous, 27/05/2024 08:20, Travelled in a Couple
Hi there, thank you for your review. We are pleased to hear that the Tour guides were really great and that the rides were awesome. We are disappointed to hear that your view of the cabins did not match those of your fellow travellers onboard. I have checked the feedback collected for this departure and the cabins received an average score of 4.73 out of 5, however we appreciate your suggestion for improvements which we have shared with our Operations team. Once again thank you for joining us this spring.
Was a fun trip and weather was fantastic. Only down side was the quality of the boat and the quality of the food. Food was bland, stodgy and without any vegetables or salad. Boat had many issues including no hot water, door handle fell off and air conditioning didn’t work. However the crew was genuine and friendly.
- Phillip, 13/05/2024 06:49, Travelled in a Couple
Hello Phillip, we wish to thank you for taking the time to review your Cycle cruise with us this season. We are very happy to read you had a fun trip and the weather was on your side, this is great! We are also pleased that you found the crew to be genuine and friendly. We are sorry to hear that you found the food bland and we will make sure that this feedback is passed onto our Operations team for improvement. Thank you for a wonderful week on board exploring Croatia with us.
Different crew, more organisation, better food and to actually go to the planned destinations. Not be lied to by the captain and made to pay for the bbq when told there is no restaurants and then when we arrive at the destination there were a lot of restaurants. Drink prices are too high as well. Cleaner rooms and the air cons need to be cleaned out
- Lachlan, 11/09/2023 08:08, Travelled with Friend/s
Hi Lachlan, thank you for taking the time to review your cruise with us this season. Feedback is important to us, so I will be sure to pass on the comments you have raised, thank you for this. I understand it can be frustrating when there are changes to an itinerary, however this is at the Captain's discretion and usually due to safety reasons, which is our number one priority. Thank you for joining us.
Croatia as a country was amazing and beautiful. However, the sail was disappointing. Our representative was not very engaging and for the price you pay, you don’t get a lot for it. Considering you pay prior, the drinks at the bar are expensive and ‘happy hour’ is only 10% off which isn’t worth it. They offered limited water and if you wanted a bottle of water you had to pay. Even when unwell, there is no bottled water that is accessible and you are not able to bring bottles from off the boat. As a couple, we were given two single beds and other groups of friends that requested single beds were in rooms with doubles. Overall, not worth the price you pay and we weren’t very satisfied and actually left the boat early due to being unwell and not being able to access cold water.
- Nikita, 04/09/2023 05:18, Travelled in a Couple
Hi Nikita, thank you for your review. We are pleased to hear you enjoyed your time in Croatia and its beautiful coastline. However, we are disappointed to learn of your lack of enjoyment onboard. The drinks prices are set per ship and an estimated price list is available for your perusal via our website. The bedding configurations onboard our Navigator cruises are not confirmed until 1 week prior to departure, and these can either be made up of; bunk bed, twin bed or double bed configurations. I can see that a double bed wasn't requested in this instance. In regards to the water cooler, water is available onboard this boat 24/7 from outside the saloon area and you are welcome to re-use your own water bottle. Upon checking our internal reports, I can see that our Onboard representative had tried to make you as comfortable as possible whilst your partner was unwell by bringing tea and water to your cabin, and even offering further medical assistance - we hope that he has made a full recovery.
Aircon was not working properly and the bedroom fascilities were terrible. No changing of sheets, towels or pillows when we were in a HEAT WAVE and many on board were sick was not good. Whole experience was uncomfortable. Chef also prepared wintery hot meals when we were in a HEAT WAVE. Very disspointed with the experience.
- A, 03/09/2023 14:02, Travelled in a Couple
Hi A, thank you for your review. We are disheartened to hear of your experience and we hope that you were able to enjoy other aspects of your cruise. Our Premier ships include a mid-week cabin service which includes rubbish removal, floor and bathroom cleaned and a bed linen change. Additional towels can be provided upon request. All cruises include 3-course lunches which is usually a starter, main and dessert - I'm sorry to hear you were unhappy with the meals served, our chefs aim to provide a variety of meals using fresh, local produce and we are pleased to see that the overall feedback rating for the meals served during your week was rated 4.6 out of 5 stars. We understand that there was another group onboard who experienced sickness for less than 24 hours, due to reasons not relating to the cruise. Upon checking our internal reports, there were no reports of issues with the air-conditioning onboard. We have a rigorous process in place for any issues that arise onboard, which is outlined in your pre-departure information. Following this process ensures that no incident is left unreported and gives us the best chance to resolve this during the cruise for you. Again we thank you for your feedback, and we hope you enjoyed your time in Croatia as a whole.
“Tuna” itself was really good, the aircon worked and the chef was fantastic. It was quite spacious for an ensuite boat. A few notes on this trip- the Tour guide was very unenthusiastic from check in on day 1. This was in regards to everything from excursions, to pub crawls. The pub crawls were very unorganised and communication overall could have been better. Restaurants for dinner were very average. Although Excursions were fun, they were well overpriced. The breakfast advertised was a buffet with an assortment of sausages/meat, eggs, pastries, cereal, fruit etc. The breakfast provided was continental style with one type of egg, toast, cereal and fruit, which was a bit of a let down.
- Sarah, 16/08/2023 00:37, Travelled Solo
Hello Sarah, thank you for your review and feedback of your cruise with us this summer. I'm very pleased to see you enjoyed the quality of your ship Tuna and the fantastic chef on board, thank you for these comments! I'm surprised to see your 2* review as feedback submitted at the end of your cruise was very positive, overall. We're disappointed to hear that the tour guide's enthusiasm and other aspects of the cruise did not meet your expectations, Sarah. We do appreciate your feedback and this will be passed onto our Operations Manager in Split. We do hope to welcome you back on board with us in the future. Thank you!
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
Our tour guide was not involved in the group at all. He did nothing to combine the different groups and so as a solo traveling it was unenjoyable. I feel as though he did the bare minimum, but didn’t even give adequate information. For example, when we went on the buggies there was a 30 mins break where we could have gone swimming but he didn’t mention this to us. So, the whole group missed out and were extremely hot. He never went out of his way to communicate much at all
- Sarah , 24/07/2023 03:29, Travelled Solo
Hi Sarah, thank you for taking the time to write your review. We are pleased to inform you that our internal reporting shows that the majority of guests on your ship provided great feedback for the cruise and the service provided by our onboard Rep. However, we are disappointed to learn that your experience did not align with the rest of the group's positive feedback and this will be passed on. Thank you again for your feedback and we hope to welcome you back at another opportunity.
I enjoyed the Sail Croatia experience, however, do feel that it can be very much luck of the draw when it comes to other boat personnel, which is such a crucial aspect of the week. When there are multiple large groups on each vessel, it can be hard to really get groups interacting all together, especially for solos. The other issue can be around age disparity. Perhaps more transparency over the booking arrangements of each boat could help this.
- Edward, 11/07/2023 14:52, Travelled Solo
Hi Edward, thank you for taking the time to review your Navigator cruise with us this season - it was a pleasure to have you on board. We're very happy reading that you enjoyed your Sail Croatia experience, this is great. With regards to your feedback on fellow travellers, I will be sure to pass this onto the relevant teams. All of our Navigator cruises are open to guests aged between 18 and 39 years old, so the age range is quite wide and our Reps work hard to create a good group dynamic that everyone on board can enjoy. I can see you had other solo guests on your cruise, which is always nice to see. We hope to see you join us again! Thank you.
The advertising for Sail Croatia isn't clear because the Navigator cruise is marketed for ages 18-39 but this blog post from the official website says the cruise is perfect for people under 30: https://www.sail-croatia.com/set-sail/which-ship-type-is-right-for-me-a-navigator-guide Also got food poisoning from the boat so I had to miss an activity I wanted to go to although some activities were overpriced for what they were. For example, the buggying in Korcula cost 60 euros but involved a half an hour break where you just sat around doing nothing. The ziplining involved driving back the way you had just come by boat for 40-60 minutes and then having to wait to be driven all the way back afterwards so it takes up a lot of unnecessary time. Also the bike riding in Mljet is just a bike hire, literally no helmet or anything else so this was expensive for what it was too. On the first day the check in ended up being later (after 12 pm) and we missed the first day swim stop. Refund me.
- Anonymous, 10/07/2023 06:33, Travelled Solo
Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding your Sail Croatia experience. Regarding the age range on board we appreciate you bringing it to our attention. We have the correct age noted on our Navigator pages and will update the link provided. The activities offered are a highlight for many guests and we understand the frustration when activities do not meet expectations. Your feedback regarding the pricing has been noted, and we will pass it on to the appropriate department. In regards to food poisoning, upon checking our internal records I can see on the 3rd July you had notified the onboard representative that you were unwell the night before. The onboard representative assisted immediately and no further issues were reported hereafter. There were also no incidences relating to food poisoning onboard. Regarding the check-in time, we aim for a check-in from 10:30am. Any delays in the process will be communicated to our guests. Thank you for sharing your concerns, and we value your input. If you have any further questions or require additional assistance, please feel free to reach out to us.
As a solo traveller, this experience was very disappointing and I regret my decision to travel with Sail Croatia. There were so few solo travelers and zero effort from anyone to integrate us into the group, so I spent a very lonely week on board.
- Sarah, 28/06/2023 07:14, Travelled Solo
Hi Sarah and thank you for your review. I have checked the details, and your boat had a well-balanced mix of travellers onboard, including 8 solo travellers. We are pleased to inform you that our internal reporting shows that the majority of guests on your ship provided five-star feedback for the cruise and the service provided by our onboard Rep. I have checked your feedback also, and we are pleased to know that you rated us 4-5 stars in other areas and would still recommend us, thank you. We do hope to have you join us again in the future.
The bar service needs changing, I was charged for drinks that I know I didnt not consume. There were extra soft drinks and cocktails on my bill that I simply never ordered. The bar staff refused to returnn my passport unless I paid the bill, and could not explain these extra drinks which totalled to an extra 100 euro than what I actually ordered. Dissapointing way to end a fun week.
- Benjamin, 26/06/2023 10:31, Travelled with Friend/s
Hi Benjamin, Thank you for taking the time to write your review. It is fantastic to hear you had a fun week onboard! Regarding transparency, we strive to ensure accurate and transparent billing for all our guests. You are welcome to ask for a daily tally of your bar tab to be able to keep track of what was consumed during the cruise. It is easy to lose track of these as the week goes on so it is always good to check daily. We do appreciate your feedback and any suggestions are always welcome as we are always looking to make improvements. Please rest assured your feedback has been passed on to the relevant departments. Thank you again and we do hope to see you with us again!
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
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.
We still had fun on this trip because of the people we met and places we went, but there were a lot of let downs. We sailed on a premier ship and paid extra for the accommodations. In Sail Croatia's mind, this meant we should pay more for everything. Our drinks were 75% more expensive then the other sail croatia boat and the crew squeezed us for money. Designated dinners were to expensive, poor quality restaurants with commish going to the guide. Guide said there was no way to get food in Mljet for under $25 and pushed everyone to pay $25 to eat on the boat (Food in Mljet was $10). Crew was not aware of the upcoming excursion details and refused to provide any day plans until 10am the day of so everyone would be on the ship longer. Guide left me on the side of a road to wait for an excursion van for 20 min because the ship was leaving early. Cruise was for 7 nights, but the last day had no activities or places planned and guide/crew just docked and left us. Rooms were constantly wet.
- Conor, 14/06/2023 17:33, Travelled in a Couple
Hi Conor, Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on your recent trip with us. We are glad to hear that you were still able to enjoy your trip, thanks to the people you met and the places you visited. However, we understand some aspects didn't meet your expectations. Regarding the pricing of drinks, we would like to clarify that the prices may vary between ships and information about this can be found on our website under our 'Travel Resources'. We want to assure you that our crew and representative on board work diligently to facilitate a great week for all our guests and that our crew's intention is to enhance your experience. Furthermore, the feedback we received from your departure week was predominantly positive. However, we take all feedback seriously and are committed to addressing any concerns raised. We appreciate your feedback and if there is anything else you would like to discuss, please feel free to reach out to our customer support team directly.
Better cleaning, more friendly, variety with the food, in rainy days have some entertaining even border games or something, the cruise itself is not cheap and of top of that we have to pay more more, a lot of my travellers wee really dissatisfied!!! Never ever will Travel again with you guys I will not recommended neither to my friends!!!!
- Marta, 22/05/2023 14:29, Travelled in a Couple
Dear Marta, thank you for taking the time to review your cruise with us this season. I am very sorry to hear you felt this way about your experience. Unfortunately we are unable to guarantee the weather, so it is a shame that you did not have the best weather during your time with us. Overall for your departure I can see most guests that joined the cruise have said in feedback that they would recommend us, so I am sorry to hear this is not the case for you. Thank you for joining us Marta and for taking the time to review your experience.
The food was super disappointing, the cabin bathrooms had zero amenities, the wifi was spotty at best, and the service provided from most of the crew was minimal. There are a lot of places where minimal effort and money could be spent to make the guest experience so much better. I don't feel like we received what we were sold and I could not recommend this to others.
- Tammy, 03/10/2022 01:33, Travelled in a Couple
We appreciate your review Tammy, thank you. We are so disappointed to read your comments. Some ships provide amenities however, this is unique to each ship and to avoid disappointment, we encourage guests to bring their own. Wifi is subject to download limits and coverage. We have taken all your comments into consideration and we appreciate you taking the time to share this with us.
The best part of the trip was the company of others who attended the same week, but everything else about the trip that was handled by Sail Croatia was pitiful. Horrible food, poor planning, disgusting cabins, and more than evident cost-cutting. The wifi was nonexistent and no soap, shampoo, or conditioner was provided. The bath towels provided were dirty and disgusting. I signed for a triple occupancy cabin and it ended up being a mattress on the floor. That is unacceptable. The other participants bonded on the boat over Sail Croatia's failings as a cruise liner. If I knew the lack of amenities provided and the poor organizing, I would not attend.
- Kalee, 01/10/2022 18:52, Travelled with Family
Thank you for your review Kalee. We are sorry to hear you were unhappy with your cabin arrangements and boat in general. I have gone through all the feedback ratings and we were given 4 stars for the 'boat overall'. Our chefs prepare all meals in their small gulleys located onboard the boat, aiming to provide a variety of meals however we understand that this is not always to everyone's taste. Soap, shampoo and conditioning is not included and we advise guests to bring their own onboard to avoid disappointment. Triple cabin consists of a small double bed and single bunk, as advised prior to booking this room type. As they are the same size as a twin share (2 people per cabin) we provide a 10% discount. I understand that you were moved to another cabin free of charge. We hope this was more than suitable. After reviewing the organisation of the cruise by the Onboard Representative, they were rated all 5 stars which includes; destination, organisation and friendliness. We thank you for your review.
Paniers on bikes, better quality food and choices, better communications
- Glenn , 26/09/2022 02:25, Travelled with Friend/s
Thank you for your review - we are happy to know you found the crew to be of great value, thank you. We aim to provide a variety of meals suitable for all guests, however we understand that at times this is not to everyone's individual taste. Thanks for all your comments here.
I’m so lucky that I met such an amazing group of people on this sail Croatia because without them I would’ve been very disappointed. The food served on the boat was almost inedible, most people skipped it and ended up buying their own food. The crew on the boat were quite rude and made no effort to remember dietary requirements which almost resulted in some dire situations with multiple members on the boat. The bar on the boat was pretty much always closed which made it difficult at ports where there were no external bars - everyone had a few early night which isn’t exactly what you picture when you sign up for sail Croatia. Although the bar being closed wasn’t all bad as the drinks were so overpriced hardly anyone could afford them. Another issue with the bar being closed is that you’re not allowed to bring any food or drinks onboard - this is inconvenient when you need something to eat or drink and there is no way to purchase anything on board. Thank god I had a good group!
- Chloe, 12/09/2022 10:24, Travelled in a Couple
Thank you for your review Chloe. We are really pleased to hear you met some amazing people on your cruise. We have high expectations and aim to provide our guests with lovely, fresh meals week after week, so we are very disappointed to hear the meals served didn't meet your expectations. Dietary requirements are passed on to the chef, and we encourage guests to introduce yourselves to the chef and discuss any additional requests with them. The bar is open during the day, generally up until midnight unless instructed by the crew - we appreciate you bringing this to our attention and we will discuss further with our Operations Team to ensure our high levels of service are maintained. Thank you.
The boat we booked wasnt the same as the online pictures, Every activity we did had a cost, my mates room had no sheets or blankets or towls and took them four days of asking repeatedly to get them. our host knew very little about anything and put in no effort what soever to help us out when we had questions or needed advice
- Matt, 13/07/2022 07:41, Travelled with Friend/s
Hi Matt, thank you for your review. We hope you enjoyed your time in Croatia overall. We have a variety of Premier ships and each is unique in style, however will include; air-conditioning, ensuite and larger cabins. All our cabins include bedding and a shower towel for your use. Upon checking our reports, I can confirm that this wasn't raised with your Onboard Representative. Having a look at the feedback provided for your Onboard Rep/Host, they had received all 4-5 star ratings, which includes; destination, organisation and friendliness. We are sorry to hear you were disappointed here. Thank you again for your review Matt.
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
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.
-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.
We had a great time, exceeding our expectations. The guides were excellent, knowledgeable and friendly. The only negative was the food. Breakfast was fine but better quality coffee and juice is needed. Unfortunately the other meals can only be described as brutal. There were so many meals not eaten it was a waste of money for the ship. Too much salt and not enough salads. Prior to exercising and just following exercise it is difficult for the body to process such food. We would happily pay double the current food allowance to improve this situation. The cook needs to look at the guest profile and judge the style of food accordingly ( nationality, sex and age ). Is it a case of all ships cook the same meals on the same days , if so maybe this is part of the problem.? Also a daily menu should be displayed on the notice board to enable guests to choose what/how much they eat. I am aware that space is a factor but it would be very easy to improve the quality and reduce the waste. Good luck
- Hilary, 04/10/2021 13:42, Travelled in a Couple
Hi Hilary, Thank you for your review. I'm pleased you had a great time on our cruise and to hear that it exceeded your expectations is just wonderful! We know that your guide Ivana would have provided you with a wealth of knowledge, and detailed history about each destination. It's lovely to hear you had a nice time Hilary and after reading your feedback for breakfasts, you rated this 5- stars, and would highly recommend our cruise to others, thank you. However, we are disappointed to read of your dissatisfaction with the lunches onboard, mainly being too salty or not enough salad. Our chefs generally create a meal plan for the week, and aim to provide meals using fresh local produce, catering to a wide range of palettes and tastes, however we understand that this is not always possible. If our chef is made aware, they will look to make immediate improvements for the overall satisfaction of guests onboard. All your comments have been passed on to the chef via our Operations Manager and we will look to improve our services wherever possible. Thank you.
It took visiting another sail croatia ship to learn what we were missing. We were made acutely aware our voyage was the last of the season by the staff and how much they looked forward to commencing their vacation. We found the excursions to be underwhelming, poorly (even ineptly) lead and over valued. The kitchen staff and Maria are great friendly workers. The captain aloof. Boris and his two helpers, the shipboard lovers, should be marooned. Guest alcohol supplies were low or non-existant and the coffee machine is a bad joke. Being tied up to other vessels, where we were warmly welcomed to tour, made us aware the competition offers an elevated experience and of essentially the same cost as SC. BTW, there is signficiant bruisng on my right buttock and lower back from where I slipped on the wet interior stairs and fell. Boris never thought to follow up on if I needed any help (other then giving me a towel to dry the stairs so I could try and help others avoid a similar fate). Hmmmmm!!?
- Steven, 14/10/2019 07:18, Travelled in a Couple
Hi Steven, Thank you for taking the time to submit your review. We are pleased to hear you enjoyed some aspects of your cruise and we thank you for your comments on the kitchen staff and Maria, however we are sorry to hear of your disappointment in some areas. Our extensive range of excursions are our most popular and have received raving reviews so we are disappointed to hear this. Our ships are equipped with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages , if there is a particular beverage you wish to enjoy then the staff can try to source this for you. We have a vigorous process in place for any issues that may arise on our cruises, upon checking, I am unable to locate any reports for the incident which took place. I have also spoken with your representative Boris, and he has advised that a towel was requested at one of your swim stops, as there was water on the floor but there were no incidences of anyone falling on your cruise. We hope that you enjoyed your time in Croatia overall, and that the issues onboard didn't detract from this.
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
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.
I came on Sail Croatia alone which was fine since I met tons of nice new friends on the cruise. My issue was with our guide. He was very unenthusiastic the whole time, made sexist comments, and generally made me feel uncomfortable as a solo passenger by making rude comments. I have good things to say about the boat, the captain, and his crew as the boat was always in good condition, and we safely got everywhere we were going, however the bartender was another story. Although he freepoured the drinks, he was unpredictible in his attitude, sometimes being happy and friendly, and sometimes getting angry with passengers for ordering certain drinks or ordering lots of drinks. This made me feel uncomfortable going to the bar to order drinks. Finally, since the whole crew was male and our guide was male, I felt disadvantaged on the boat as a solo woman, since they were all more friendly with the male passengers. Overall, a more friendly, enthusiastic guide would have improved my experience.
- Anonymous, 07/10/2019 14:03, Travelled Solo
Hi there and thank you for your review. We are pleased to hear you enjoyed the company of your fellow travellers and found the captain and crew helpful, and boat to be in good condition, thank you. I can see that we had 20 females and 16 males onboard your cruise, with 5 solo travellers. 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. We are disappointed to read your comments regarding the guide and bartender. We have passed these comments on to the appropriate departments to provide further support and training where required. We are sorry to hear you felt uncomfortable, we encourage guests to notify our Operations Manager for any issues that may arise onboard so that we can resolve them immediately. We hope that overall, you enjoyed most aspects of your cruise and Croatia as a whole. Thank you.
1. The transfer car from the airport at Split dropped us off by the harbour, a long way from our hotel (which we had to locate ourselves). We could have been driven closer or shown where we could hire a 'golf car' to take us to our hotel. 2. On the boat the air conditioning unit drew air from the rear deck where the crew smoked. This made the atmosphere in our cabin very unpleasant. 3. Please supply black-tea (eg. English or Irish Breakfast Tea) on board. It would be much appreciated by British / Australian / New Zealand guests. Other than this we enjoyed the cruise.
- Anonymous, 07/10/2019 11:18, Travelled with Family
Thank you for your review. We are glad to hear you enjoyed your cruise experience overall. However, we are sorry to hear that you were disappointed with some aspects, which I wish to clarify for you. Our airport transfers will collect you from the airport and drop you as close as possible to the hotel. As your hotel was based in central Split, this is a highly pedestrianised area and does not allow vehicle access I'm afraid. We are sorry that this was not made clear prior to your arrival. We have designated smoking areas, generally towards the back of the boat however, we do appreciate your comments on this and we will pass this on to the Operations Team. Thanks for your suggestion of a variety of tea bags, we will pass this on to the relevant team. We appreciate all your suggestions here, thank you!
- 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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
We upgraded to the premier navigator cruise and had a ship that was not nearly up to the standard of the ships depicted in the ‘premier navigator’ video. Our ship was basic only with the added extra of aircon. The crew were fantastic however the group asked for the spa, which was filthy, to be cleaned many times which wasn’t done. The spa was advertised as one of the premier added bonuses and it was extremely disappointing that we couldn’t use it. The food on board exceeded expectation.
- Madeleine, 04/09/2019 14:20, Travelled in a Couple
Hi there and thanks for your review. It's great to hear that the crew were a great inclusion on your cruise. The ships used on our Navigator Premier page vary in style, some more traditional, rustic wooden ships and others more modern steel ships. Our Premier ships offer spacious cabins, (generally 6-8m2) with ensuite and air-conditioning. The jacuzzi may not be available at all times due to conditions such as electricity consumption, fresh water usage onboard and weather conditions however, we will be investigating this further. We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed the food - it's not easy producing great meals for so many people with a limited kitchen but the chefs manage to do that which is amazing. Thanks again.
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
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.
Let me start by saying this was my 3rd trip with Sail Croatia so they do know what they’re doing to keep bringing me back. However, this time was disastrous and much lower quality than I expected: at one of the swim stops the boat left us, the jacuzzi was non-operational for half the trip and cold water for the second half. It was one of the things I was looking forward to is enjoying the jacuzzi on the top deck. The guide and crew only apologized for leaving us in the water and sailing away after an email was sent to the company. They made a good effort by comping the entire bar bill for the week and a bottle of great red wine which was a nice gesture. But not even a hint of apology prior to written communication still left a bad taste in my mouth. This should never have happened. The crew needs to watch their guests in the water very attentively and the guide take responsibility instead of deflecting blame on the passengers themselves.
- Mark, 13/08/2019 22:24, Travelled in a Couple
Hi there and thank you for your review. We value your comments, especially as this is your 3rd cruise experience with Sail Croatia. We're sorry to hear there were issues with the jacuzzi, at times it may not be available due to conditions such as electricity consumption, fresh water usage onboard and weather conditions. Upon checking our internal reports, I can see that your Representative was in constant communication with you regarding the swim stop rules. We advise all our guests that everyone must stay close to the boat, for health and safety reasons, this is also reiterated in our Pre-departure information, our Sail Croatia App and advised during your welcome speech. We are sorry to hear this had happened - upon checking our records, once the swim stop concluded, the sailor called out to all guests to advise the swim stop was over. As you were further away and behind another boat, our sailor didn't see you, nor did you hear the call out, so the boat had departed. After speaking with your representative, Kate was immediately apologetic and offered to reduce your bar tab and provide a free bottle of wine as a gesture. We will pass your comments on to our Operations Manager to ensure that our sailors reiterate the importance of the swim stop rules. Thank you again for all your comments here and we do hope that the issues onboard didn't detract from your overall experience.
Was not happy with my sail. I was the oldest on my boat I was solo also which is fine. But the oldest boy was 21. Majority were 18-20 year olds. I made friends on another boat Vosica. I wish I was on that boat. Was a bigger boat with people my age doing the same route. Was very dissapointed a shame you couldn’t have put other solo travellers of similar age on the same boat.
- Isabella , 13/08/2019 13:09, Travelled Solo
Thank you for your review. We try to get a good mix on all our boats, taking into consideration a number of factors such as; age, nationality, gender as well as solo travellers, groups and couples to name a few. Having a look at who booked on your boat, we had 6 travellers of similar ages to you. In saying this our travellers are within the 18-35 years age range, the makeup of each boat heavily relys on who has booked. We hope that this didn't detract from your overall experience in Croatia as a whole.
Food on board was average at best,some days great some days terrible. Breakfast needs a rethink and an upgrade to the coffee machine is required. Maybe brunch rather than breakfast and lunch given we all go for dinner in the evening. Staff were great and the boat was brilliant. Menu card and restaurant recommendations at the start of the trip would be helpful rather than when we arrive in port. Overall a great experience and one we would recommend to friends and family.
- Ian , 05/08/2019 18:59, Travelled in a Couple
Thank you for your review - we appreciate all your comments. We are pleased to know that you would recommend us to family and friends and that you enjoyed your accommodation and the inclusion of the lovely staff onboard. Our chefs aim to cater to all tastes and at times, we understand that this may not be possible. However, upon request the chef may be able to provide you with more of the foods you enjoy. We appreciate your comments on the coffee machine and this will be passed on to the captain. We find that having breakfasts and lunches included on our cruises, gives our guests just the one meal to budget for and gives guests the opportunity to go out and try the delicious local cuisine for dinner. Our representatives provide guests with all the information for each port daily as we feel our guests enjoy receiving this information just as you are arriving into port. Thank you for choosing to sail with us!
Before booking my tour I asked to be put in a boat with solo travellers, as I myself was travelling solo and they said it would not be a problem. To my surprise I got put in a boat with couples and and people who knew each other. Careful going on the smaller boat because you might be stuck with people who are close and will be hard to make friends.
- Fatah, 02/08/2019 09:11, Travelled Solo
Hi there. Many thanks for your review. I'm sorry to hear of your disappointment of the tour. I have looked through previous correspondence and can see you were advised we only had availability on our Under 35s Yacht Tours for your requested departure date, so we did not have any other options available for you at the time, I'm afraid. Our Under 35s Yacht Tours consist of a group of usually 6 to 8 yachts sleeping 8 passengers on each sailing together in a flotilla, so it usually a very social experience. I checked and can see your departure had 47 guests across 6 yachts to enjoy the social experience on board. Thank you for joining us this season :)
This product is advertised as a party cruise however our cruise manager was barely seen, we had noise curfews of 10pm in place every night, activities were restricted and also too many people on activities if you do decide to go on them. Barely any communication from cruise manager and boat staff e.g. change of docking location ending in 20km journey to town and not to mention docking at a terrible dock for 2 nights. Very disappointed in Sail Croatia, the only thing that made this Sail good was that we were with 20 of our friends on the cruise. I felt sorry for the people on the cruise who were solo or couple travellers because of the lack of organisation. Definitely wouldn't recommend.
- Milly, 23/07/2019 07:22, Travelled with Friend/s
Thank you for your review. Just a few points I wish to highlight for anyone thinking of joining our cruises, our cruise manager's are available 24/7 and are available to provide you with all the information and assistance you require. We do have strict noise curfews in place which varies from port to port and is outlined in our Ship Rules via your pre-departure information. For the safety of all guests, the captain decided that it was best to dock in Stari Grad (on Hvar Island) for the 2 nights due to severe storm announcements. I understand your cruise manager had organised transfers to and from Hvar. We are really pleased that you enjoyed the company of your fellow travellers and upon checking our feedback for your departure, we are also happy to see that some of the other travellers in your group enjoyed their cruise experience. Thank you again for your review.
- Navigator cruise was advertised for Young Professionals, yet our boat had a vast majority being over 50. Thankfully we (24y/o's) had two other amazing couples to experience it with. I heard the week prior only had 1 couple under 50 (I would of requested a refund if I was them). They need to ensure the weight of ages is reasonable so each generation can experience it their way. - Staff were atrocious. Incredibly rude, dismissive, literally rolled their eyes at all of us when we would enter the salon to get a drink. Had the audacity to leave a tip envelope on our last day (of which we gave nothing). Sail Croatia MUST have involvement in the selection of crew as it knocked 2 stars of our review, easily. - Recommendations for restaurants, bars and the tours offered were way below expectations. Again, this is a cruise for a "Young Professionals", so we want beautiful food, amazing cocktails and awesome experiences. Need to have different recommendations for each cruise type.
- Anonymous, 16/07/2019 22:53, Travelled in a Couple
Hi there, thank you for your review. I've looked further into the ages of the passengers that were on board Cristal with you and around a third of your fellow travellers were in their thirties or under. The rest of the passengers on board were in their forties, fifties and 4 were in their sixties. Our Explorer cruises are designed for young professional and ‘young at heart’ travellers looking to blend socialising, sightseeing and relaxation with an average age on-board from 25-60. In your review you mentioned Navigator cruises which is a different type of cruise to the one you booked which was an Explorer cruise. Our Navigator cruises are for passengers aged 18 to 35 years old looking to party, socialise and explore Croatia. I have passed your comments onto our Operations Manager with regards to the crew on board Cristal. Thank you for brining this to our attention and for joining us this season :)
Excursions were poorly planned with a lot of waiting time and timing did not make sense with the rest of the day scheduled. Swim stops were random in the middle of the sea and not in pretty locations as advertised. Some of the excursions offered were not even possible to complete due to timing constraints. The food was cheap, very small portions, and the drinks were under poured. Our ship was lucky enough to be equipped with AC which we paid for directly to the captain, except it "didn't work" 2/7 nights and we still had to pay for the full 7. The captain was very cheap and would shut it off thinking we wouldn't say anything. We weren't allowed to swim when parked in Port and there mostly wasnt time to beach bc of lunch at 1-230pm. Lunch was way too long for no reason. No snacks provided in between meals. They assumed as budget travelers we wouldn't notice all the corners they cut. Overall very poor. We left the boat 2 nights early. Would not recommend unless you want low class travel.
- Jillian, 01/07/2019 16:24, Travelled in a Couple
Hi there, thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. I'm sorry to hear you were disappointed with some aspects of your Navigator cruise. Excursions are subject to minimum and maximum numbers. Also, due to limited time in each location, some excursions do occur at the same time as others, it's not always possible to take part in more than one excursion at the same destination, I'm afraid. I've looked into your comment regarding the air-conditioning on board and you were booked onto an Ensuite ship where air-conditioning is not included in the cost of the cruise. I've been advised the captain did offer air-conditioning to the whole ship at an additional cost per person, per day and when this was not working for the final 2 days of the cruise this was then refunded back to everyone. It is not possible to swim in the ports as it is not safe to do so. This is a rule on board all of our ships as we would not want you to come into any harm by swimming where the ships are docked. Daily breakfast and a 3 course lunch is included in the cost of your cruise, however snacks between meals are not included. We have a process in place which is shown in your pre-departure information, so if you do have any issues at all on board we hope to resolve them before you disembark. I have looked into this further and I cannot see that you left the cruise early or raised any of these concerns with your on board Representative. We appreciate you taking the time to provide us with this feedback and we hope that you enjoyed other aspects of your cruise and that the issues onboard didn't detract from your overall experience and Croatia as a whole. Thank you.
Awesome people but terribly planned. If someone took maybe 15 mins to use common sense to plan this it would have gone so much smoother. The lack of communication was laughable. Excursions that were offered were decent but nothing I would go out of my way to do. The swim stops were a joke. We would stop the boat in the middle of nowhere overlooking a construction site. Also, pretty lame that once the boat was in port you couldn't go in the water unless you went to beach.
- Anonymous, 01/07/2019 14:04, Travelled in a Couple
Thank you for your review - we appreciate your comments. The excursions offered are optional and we're sorry to hear that none of the excursions appealed to you. Our swim stops generally take place in secluded bays in the middle of the Adriatic Ocean overlooking the coast and the sites are spectacular. Upon speaking with the representative, she confirms that the construction site was near the town centre during the time of sail. In regards to swimming in the port, we mention in our Ship Rules (emailed to you prior to the cruise and available onboard) that swimming at the port is prohibited as a safety precaution as there are generally many ships docking and departing so is not a safe swimming zone. We do hope that you enjoyed other aspects of the cruise and that these issues didn't detract from your overall experience.
Dear Sail Croatia Firstly I want to say Alex and I very much enjoyed the accommodation on the boat and we were very impressed with the helpful friendly staff. Generally we thought the holiday was good value. My only criticism was the quality of the lunches and the repetitive breakfast menu. Cordial substituted for orange juice wasn't appealing. On most days I couldn't eat the main meal. The food offered was poorly cooked. On one occasion the fish was undercooked and covered in a very thick sauce, inedible. The vegetables were often overcooked. The chicken breast was dry and tough.. The entrees and desserts were generally acceptable. Our group of 6 travellers discussed the food and we all agreed a barbecue or smorgasbord of fresh salads could be offered. I understand some guests enjoy a hearty 3 course lunch however I do think there is room for improvement with the food. I'm not sure whether its your budget or the skill of the cook, or both..
- Anonymous, 27/06/2019 06:17, Travelled in a Couple
Hi there, thank you for taking time to leave us a review. We are really pleased to hear that you liked the accommodation on board and that you were impressed with the on board staff. Thank you for your comments on the food. Our chef tries to cater to a wide range of tastes, however at times we understand this is not always possible. We will pass your comments onto the relevant team so we can improve in the future. Thank you.