Breakfast hours to be extended with better coffee, too weak! Shouldn’t have to purchase at ar to get good coffee. Overall the food needs improvement, meat was overcooked & repetitive. Also need to provide water in the cabins to be readily available especially through the night. Cabins could use updating, get rid of carpeting. Also replace lumpy pillows & improve mattress. Also provide snacks outside of meal hours or to purchase at bar. Lastly Captain’s dinner is nice idea but the entertainment overtook everything & too long, people couldn’t socialize as a result of being too loud. Our cruise Director & staff were good to us
- Erin & John, 29/09/2024 18:29, Travelled in a Couple
Boat was fantastic Route and swim stops great Food was excessive at lunch time. Would have preferred a lite lunch with more fresh salads and sandwich type options. Breakfast were good, but coffee service could have been better. I got food poisoning from the captains dinner and missed a day of the trip. Staff made no apology or did not check on my health. That was disappointing and really didn’t end my trip well. I also think six nights would have been better and we should have finished when we arrived in Dubrovnik. Thanks
- Marisa, 05/09/2023 12:10, Travelled with Friend/s
Hi Marisa,Thank you for your review. It's great to hear you enjoyed the boat, route and swim stops. All cruises include 3-course lunches which is usually a starter, main and dessert - I'm sorry to hear you were unhappy with the lunches served, our chefs aim to provide a variety of meals using fresh, local produce. Thank you for your comments on the breakfasts you enjoyed, and we appreciate your comments regarding the coffee. Our chefs and kitchen staff follow strict food hygiene and cleanliness protocols to ensure the safety and quality of the meals we serve on board. Upon checking our internal reports we can confirm that there have been no reported cases among our passengers or crew during the period of your cruise. From our reports I can see that our Waiter offered help, and our Rep checked in with you when you were feeling unwell and offered medical assistance however, we didn't receive a response. From the feedback you provided at the end of your cruise, we're pleased you enjoyed other aspects of the cruise and would recommend us to others. Thank you.
We felt the boat needed maintenance. The bathroom sink leaked and the shower sprayed water everywhere but on your body. Apart from that it was amazing. thank you
- Arlene, 05/09/2023 06:27, Travelled with Friend/s
Hi Arlene, Thank you for taking the time to review your cruise with us this summer. We are so pleased to hear you had an amazing time on board, this is wonderful! I will be sure to pass your comments regarding maintenance on to the Operations Manager as I can see from our internal reporting system these were not raised whilst you were on board, so thank you for bringing this to our attention now so that the crew can fix these issues immediately. Many thanks for a fantastic week on board!
The food was not that appetising - less boat group meals preferred- would like more solo/ on shore time for meals
- Louise, 27/08/2023 06:53, Travelled in a Couple
The food quality and choice needs to improve. Some staff need further training to be client facing - ***** in particular needs to better understand and demonstrate basic customer service etiquette. Mia - the tour guide was outstanding and is the reason for the 3rd star. We met some delightful people and formed what be expect to be lasting friendships with other passengers.
- Leanne, 23/08/2023 13:44, Travelled in a Couple
Hi Leanne, Thank you for taking the time to review your experience with us this season. We are pleased to read you formed some special connections with your fellow travellers and I am sure these will last a lifetime, how wonderful to read. Please rest assured we do appreciate your feedback and I will be sure to pass your comments on to the relevant teams. Many thanks for joining us this season.
We loved the cruise but what brought the star rating down for us was the daily smell of sewage in our cabin. We complained twice daily about the smell. Going to our cabin was not a pleasure. Certain cabins were worse off than others. AUD $7,500 for a week to cruise and smell waste in your sleeping area is poor!
- Felicity, 18/08/2023 17:32, Travelled in a Couple
Dear Felicity, thank you for your review and for joining us this summer in Croatia. We are so pleased to read you had a wonderful time with us on board. I'm sorry to hear this, so I did investigate this further for you and can see the issue was resolved swiftly by the crew that same day, which is great. I understand your Rep Boris explained, at times if there is bad weather, smell can occur in the bathroom emitting from the shower drains. This is due to the movement of the ships on the water whereby this movement opens up airflow at the back of the pipe and into the bathroom. We are sorry about this and wish to thank you for joining us for a fantastic week on board!
We though sail Croatia was good value for money but later found better boats for way cheaper. Disappointed in the service, cleanliness and food . Room floor was not washed once, luckily small and washed ourself. , The shower not cleaned once. Had to ask to change the linen, when we were informed that it will be changed on the Wednesday. It was eventually done on Thursday. Food quality of an old age home. Asked for double bed slept on two single beds. Later found that owner of ship children work on the boat. Thats maybe why! Stops on islands was however amazing and Boris / tour operator working for the boat was very helpful and assisting us with places to visit and Restaurants suggestions on the islands. The boat was way more expensive that a big cruise liner and does not justify the cost of this small boat travelling. When we got of the boat there was no farewell greeting by the staff or someone helping with the luggage. 😪😢.
- Pierre, 08/08/2023 15:47, Travelled with Friend/s
Hi Pierre, thank you so much for taking the time to review your cruise with us this summer in Croatia. I am quite disappointed to read your review, especially as I can see guests from your week on board provided both positive reviews and feedback of their experience. In saying this, we do appreciate you taking the time to provide us with your feedback and this will be passed on to our Operations Manager in Split, thank you for your points raised.
Direction and information from tour director Service and attitude of staff on board Not being rushed at every meal Not removing the breakfast buffet at exactly 9am every morning and then asking everyone to leave the area immediately. Extending the bar closing hours and if it is to close so early allow guests to bring alcohol on board Would have liked to see the director and crew on our final morning to bid us farewell. Felt like a very cold exit.
- Serge , 08/08/2023 06:15, Travelled in a Couple
Dear Serge, thank you for taking the time to review your cruise with us this season, it was a pleasure to have you join us. I am disappointed to read your review as I can see we received positive feedback from other guests during your cruise with us. Feedback is very important to us at Sail Croatia, as it enables us to make improvements to our services where necessary. Please rest assured, your feedback is well received and will be passed over to the Operations Manager in Split so that this can be communicated with the right Team. Thank you for a fantastic week on board exploring Croatia with us and we look forward to welcoming you back in the future.
We enjoyed our 7 nights on Olimp but a few changes could improve our experience More water toys needed ie kayaks, paddle boards, snorkel gear and floats. Non alcoholic beer would be nice for those who can’t have alcohol. Noticed other boats had umbrellas for rainy days. 7 days of exactly the same breakfast was boring. Our waiters and guide were excellent.
- Anonymous, 28/06/2023 03:20, Travelled in a Couple
The cruise director was not as informative or involved as the cruise guide we had on our previous Elegance Cruise (Olimp) in 2018. He did not accompany us in any of the towns, rather just pointed us in the direction of the buildings of significance. Our previous guide, Ana, was excellent. On our previous cruise, a glass of wine or beer was included with lunch. This has been discontinued. I had specifically asked in advance, about paying by credit or debit card and was told that we could via an email response. Day one, our cruise director informs us that the port fee of 30E each and the bar tab had to be paid in cash. I would recommend that people choose either Dubrovnik to Split/Split to Dubrovnik rather than Split to Split (north). More to see and enjoy. Croatia has become very expensive after changing to the Euro.
- Amanda , 22/06/2023 07:58, Travelled in a Couple
Hi Amanda - thank you for your review. We are sorry to hear you were disappointed with some aspects of your cruise, especially as a valued past client. Having a look through our internal reports, the majority of guests on your ship provided five-star feedback for the cruise and the exceptional service provided by our onboard Rep. We are disappointed to learn that your experience did not align with the rest of the group's positive feedback. We are sorry about the misinformation regarding the bar tab payment and this will be followed up via our Operations Team. In regards to the City Walks, our reps are no longer allowed to do this as this is all monitored by local authorities. Your feedback is very important to us and the points raised will be passed over to the relevant departments where improvements will be made where possible. Thanks again for joining us this season!
The collection from the airport on arrival was somewhat disorganised - but we were dropped off at our hotel eventually. Unfortunately, on the 5th day, my wife and I were violently sick along with several others on the boat at the same time. The tour manager thought it must be a bug as they had a similar problem the previous week, however, as 8 people came down at the same time, we felt it was possibly food poisoning. Unfortunately it ruined the holiday and made our journey home quite difficult. We were told that breakfast on the day of departure would be starting at 7am, but none was available by 7:20am when we left for our bus to the airport. We were hoping for some toast.
- Chris, 20/06/2023 13:21, Travelled in a Couple
Thank you for sharing your feedback Chris. It is disappointing to hear you were unsatisfied with some aspects of the cruise, and we would like to provide clarification. While we were eventually able to drop you off at your hotel, we understand the importance of a smooth and efficient transfer process. There were many flight delays that day, which may have contributed to this. With regards to the illness experienced, our tour manager initially attributed it to possible effects of the weather conditions experienced previously, and upon checking our internal records, there are no reports of bugs from previous weeks. We regret that breakfast was not available at the specified time on the day of your departure. We will address this issue with our team to avoid such delays in the future - thank you for bringing this to our attention. We hope these issues didn't detract from your overall experience. Thank you.
Compared to recent cruises in the region, the food quality and choice offered was poor and repetitive. Bar closed too early in the evening. Pillows in the room were substandard and uncomfortable. Often had bad drain smell in cabin. The Tour Guide, Stjephan, was outstanding and the rest of the crew very good.
- Brian, 13/06/2023 06:23, Travelled with Friend/s
Hi Brian, thank you for your review and for joining us in Croatia this season. I am sorry to hear we did not meet your expectations on this occasion. Please be assured that your feedback is very important to us and your remarks will be passed onto the relevant team so that improvements can be made. Thank you for this and also for your kind words on Stjepan, I will be sure to pass this along to him. Thank you!
I would not sail when places on the islands are not open. Or at least tell your customers that most shops and tourist places are not open yet and let them decide to sail or not. Staff on you ship need to understand English and also speak it. Also the bartenders should know how to make all types of drinks that are available
- Kaz, 21/05/2023 06:25, Travelled with Friend/s
Hi Kaz, thank you for joining us this season and also for your review. Feedback is important to us and we appreciate that you have taken the time to write to us with your recommendations. There are many benefits to travelling to Croatia outside of peak season, including cheaper cruise and flight prices, as well as fewer crowds of tourists. I will be sure to pass your comments and suggestions onto the correct teams so that we can make improvements where possible, thank you for bringing this to our attention and for sharing your experience with us.
I would like to suggest that you don’t start your cruise season while the islands are still closed and not much open. The bar staff should also understand how to make drinks if have them on the list of drinks. May yea and coffee should be free all day ( not a big cost to you )We had a good cruise besides these minor things.
- Martin, 20/05/2023 13:00, Travelled with Friend/s
Hi Martin, thank you for taking the time to review your Elegance cruise with us this season. Your feedback is very important to us, so we appreciate that you have taken the time to write to us with your suggestions. There are many benefits to travelling to Croatia outside of peak season in April and May, including cheaper cruise and flight prices, as well as fewer crowds of tourists - this is usually down to personal preference. I will be sure to pass your comments regarding drinks onto the relevant team, thank you for bringing this to our attention and we are pleased that you had a good time. Thank you!
We travelled on the New Ship Roko. It was beautiful, Croatia was beautiful but this was not what I would consider an Elegance Cruise. We were expecting exceptional service. It was mediocre. The staff was informative but not polite, smiling or happy. They were robotic, dismissive, aloof, going through the motions. The captain never smiled, greeted people, not even a courteous wave when walking past you. He did his job, nothing else. The food at breakfast was good, nice variety but ran out of fresh fruit every day. Lunch was a sub par version of English cooking. We were expecting Authentic Croatian cuisine. I only ate 50 % off them. They ran out of fresh lettuce every day. The rooms were straightened up each day with fresh towels. They were not cleaned. Every day there was dust/hair etc on the bathroom floor. I would clean up every morning after the cabin maid left. This is what I would expect from a Navigator, or Explorer Cruise. I didn't consider it an Elegance Cruise at all!
- Anonymous, 21/09/2022 11:13, Travelled with Friend/s
Thank you so much for your review. We are so pleased to hear you enjoyed your time onboard Roko and found it beautiful, much like the country. We are sorry to hear you did not receive our high levels of customer service that is expected from all members of staff - we thank you for making us aware. We do have a process in place for any issues that may arise onboard and if we are made aware at the time, we can quickly resolve these matters. I have checked our reports and cannot see that any issues were raised with the Onboard Rep. Thank you for your comments regarding the meals served, it's great to hear that you found breakfasts enjoyable. Upon request the chef will of course provide you with more servings and is always open to suggestions. We offer daily cabin cleaning and a mid-week thorough cleaning service with linen and towel change. If our crew members were made aware of the dust/hair, this would have been resolved immediately to ensure this does not happen again. We thank you for voicing your concerns here, and we do hope that you were able to enjoy all other aspects of the cruise.
the food, too well done. our room smelled quite often. it wasn’t from the bathroom. it was when the captain left port, and right after
- Sue, 20/09/2022 09:57, Travelled in a Couple
Thank you for your review - we are pleased that you enjoyed your time in Croatia and we hope that the issues onboard didn't detract from your overall experience.
The ship staff and quality of service is not what we experienced on our period 2 trips with sail croatia. 1. Rooms, bed comforters were just placed on beds. There were never completely done up with pillows, 2 of the days we’re not even done, mirror was dirty for the week. 2. Bar service was poor, common drinks were never made properly. Previous trips with sail croatia, a glass of wine was served with lunch. 3. We received a nice bottle of champagne since it was out 3 rd trip. We don’t drink champagne so we asked them to deliver it to a newlywed couple on the boat. It was never done. We asked what happened to the bottle, it was then delivered 4 days later. 4. Food quantity and quality was poor, always ran out of fruit for breakfast and salad for lunch. When asked if they had any more salad they said it was all gone, 5. Final Bill, They added a $200 kuna ($30Us) charge to reprogram the key that never worked. After arguing with them they reversed it.
- Stan, 16/09/2022 08:47, Travelled with Friend/s
Thank you for your review Stan, we value your feedback as a 3rd time devoted Sail Croatia guest. On our Elegance cruises we offer daily cabin service with mid-weekly linen change. If you ever need any additional cleaning, the crew are always more than accommodating. I have checked our internal reports and can't see that this was raised with any of our crew members or Onboard Representative to get this resolved for you. In regards to the meals, the chef is more than happy to provide more servings upon request. We are pleased to hear that the key was resolved and that the bottle of champagne was gifted to the newly wedded couple. We appreciate all your comments here Stan and we hope that these issues didn't detract from your overall enjoyment onboard. Thank you.
This is our 3rd time travelling with Sail Croatia and yet again we had the most fantastic time, however, we did notice a few things that we feel needed to be addressed. 1) The cleanliness of the ship overall was not good and the 'sun' deck was not cleaned in the whole week we were on board (I spilt a coke and the stained remained all week). The bar deck was the same and sometimes the tables were still covered in the empty glasses from the night before. 2) The route was changed with no apparent reason and therefore I spent the first day changing booked trips. 3) The captains night was the 1st night (usually the 2nd to last) and most passengers were tired and retired before the entertainment finished). 4) Smoking was allowed pretty much anywhere on outside decks and although I am a smoker, this was not welcomed by most of the passengers. 5) The cushion covers on the sun loungers were not cleaned in time and we therefore spent the first day and half without cushions. run out!
- Heidi, 16/09/2022 08:16, Travelled with Friend/s
Hi Heidi - Thank you for your review. We are pleased to hear you had a fantastic time with us, however we are disappointed that as a valued 3rd time returning customer of ours, you found there was a difference in standards. In regards to the cleanliness onboard, the crew are always on hand to assist wherever possible and if they are made aware, any spills will be cleaned up immediately. The ship goes through a thorough cleaning regime prior to your sail and during the week we complete daily cabin cleaning services plus a mid-weekly thorough clean throughout the cabin including linen change. We will pass your comments regarding the glasses on tables to the captain via our Operations Team. I can see from our internal records that there was a slight change in itinerary due to strong winds and for the safety of guests, the captain decided to change this slightly. This can happen as explained in your pre-departure information. The original itinerary was as follows: Dubrovnik, Mljet, Hvar, Stari Grad, Split, Makarska, Korcula, Dubrovnik. The adjusted itinerary was as follows: Mljet, Makarska,Split, Stari Grad, Hvar , Korcula, Dubrovnik. I understand the Onboard Rep had communicated this to all guests, so they were made aware.Smoking onboard is permitted in open areas of the ship. I understand that the cushion covers were being prepared and were not ready until the 2nd day of the cruise, this was explained to all guests onboard also. We do thank you for all your comments here Heidi, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your review with us. We hope to have you back with us again in the near future.
First May I say the concept of the holiday and the boat are fantastic but for it to achieve a 4 or 5 star rating a lot of areas need to improve, I will list my constructive criticism points below All dayTea and coffee should be included with the package Need to improve breakfast, hit water wasn’t hot and we always had to ask to get it replaced so you were left waiting for ages Bacon and hot food not very attractive Food overall not too a high standard For such a luxurious ship, where were the padded sun beds shown on the promotional video!!!! Sun beds very uncomfortable Sheets should be changed during week Very noisy cabin, cabin 9, constant sound of large motor combined with air conditioning was extremely unpleasant No long hanging space Bar bill at end not itemised, written on scrappy but of paper. I didn’t like the way envelopes were left on your bed on last day for tips!!!! No facility for card payment on. Transport to Dubrovnik should have been provided on last
- Claire Batcheler , 09/09/2022 05:08, Travelled in a Couple
Thank you for your 3 star review Claire, we appreciate all your comments here and we will take these onboard. In regards to the meals served, our chefs aim to provide delicious meals using fresh,local produce. They prepare all the meals out of their small gulley's and we understand that this may not be to everyone's taste. Your comments will be passed on, thank you. Onboard your ship there is a daily cabin cleaning servie and mid-week linen change. We are sorry to hear of the noise you experienced - we have a rigorous process in place for any issues that may arise and this gives us the opportunity to resolve any issues if we are made aware. I have checked our internal reports but cannot see that this was raised with our onboard Representative. Furthermore, upon checking our feedback for your week onboard, we have received 4-5 stars. The bar bills are settled at the end of the week in cash, this is mentioned on our website, in your pre-departure and explained in the Welcome Speech. Guests are welcome to request a daily receipt for their records. Tipping is optional and we have passed your comments on to our Operations Team - thank you for letting us know. There are no card facilities onboard. Airport transfers are provided pre/post cruise, on the last day we can provide this from the harbour to the airport only on the last day of the cruise. We do hope that you enjoyed your time in Croatia Claire and again, we appreciate your constructive comments.
We originally booked the trip on Alfa Mario for very specific reasons (There is a pool on board and access to swimming spots is from the back platform). the boat was changed and we had no choice in the matter. We could either change our dates or get a refund, BUT we had already booked and paid for flights, so actually had no choice. On board the Queen Jelena there are a few small things that would have made a big difference. A turn down service would add a nice touch. On the top deck the barman was on duty some of the time, he could perhaps have walked around and taken drink orders. A few floating toys would also have been nice during swim stops.
- Anonymous, 19/07/2022 08:59, Travelled in a Couple
Thank you for your feedback - we understand that you had booked Alfa Mario and due to an operational change since your original booking with us in 2020 allowing you to then join us on Queen Jelena in 2022. That's correct, we did offer either a full refund or alternative solution. We offer a daily cabin cleaning service and provide a mid-week thorough cleaning service and linen change. We thank you for your recommendation of having someone take drinks orders on the top deck - we will pass this on to our Operations Manager. Floating devices are not included on our cruises however, some past guests may leave their floaties onboard. Floaties can also be bought at local markets. We do hope you enjoyed your time overall and we thank you for joining us this year after a 2 year wait due to Covid.
Being the last week of the season the staff were clearly worn down and voiced this. They were very efficient but disconnected from guests. The spa was never hot enough and when asked it was never addressed...the spa needed to be on and hot and ready to go at all times.
- Sue, 22/10/2019 05:16, Travelled with Friend/s
Hi Sue, thank you for your review. We are pleased to hear that you had a wonderful experience overall, enjoying some of the best locations with your fellow travellers. However, we are disappointed to read of your comments about the staff and the spa, your comments will be highlighted to our Operations Team, thank you for making us aware. We do hope that this didn't detract from your overall enjoyment onboard and in Croatia as a whole.
The food was average , only 2 meals on the boat were of the quality I accept when traveling internationally ,not a choice of fish or meat and 2 of the meat coarse served I would had sent back if served to me in a average restaurant in the world. Having a window of 1 hour to have breakfast is unacceptable by any standards of any hotel cruise line in the world 8 to 9 and if you arrived at 855 they started to pack away as if the were still in a communist country no Tea or coffee making facilities before 8 am which is absolutely not acceptable by any standards in the world The tour guide was average,a poor communicator spoke too long on ever Occassion ,boat was nice and clean staff were pleasant .We enjoyed ourselves because of the company we met . this trip we visited London,New York ,Santorini,Athens now France I Am 60 years travelled the world annually you requested a critique so I have taken the time hope you improve ,there is a lot of scope in food ,guide, done 4
- Peter , 15/10/2019 14:02, Travelled in a Couple
Hi Peter, thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback. I am sorry to read you were unhappy with some aspects of the cruise. It's a shame to read you were not pleased with the meals served on board. I understand you brought this to your Representatives attention during lunch on the second day of your cruise. Your Representative advised that if you were unhappy during your first lunch on board we could have asked the chef to prepare you an alternative meal. Once your Representative was made aware you were unhappy with the meals served it is noted that you and your wife went on to enjoy the cruise and the meals were better for the remainder of your week on board with us. I'll be sure to pass your comments onto our Operations Manager in Split to make him aware of the issues raised in your review regarding the coffee and breakfast being packed away before 9am. Thank you for your feedback regarding this. It is only with such feedback we can improve our services, so thank you for bringing this to our attention. I do hope the issues raised did not deter you from enjoying your time in Croatia. It is wonderful to read that you enjoyed your time with your fellow travellers. Thank you for joining us this season.
The breakfast is very repetitive with limited choice. Fresh milk would certainly help improve the tea,coffee and breakfast experience. More fresh towels should be made available especially deck towels as the loungers were constantly wet. No attempt was made to cover them or stack them overnight. The standard of the cabin cleaning was poor and on one of the days no one on the boat had their rooms cleaned. The itinerary needs a lot of improvement you are often sitting off shore from the Islands waiting for a docking time. This can be very late in the afternoon. Water taxis should be offered to those guests who would like to go ashore and explore. The communication between the cruise director was poor and we often second guessing amongst ourselves what might be happening next. If definitely felt like the end of the season and everyone except the guests were looking forward to it being over and this was reflected in the service we recieved from some of the crew.
- Karen-Anne, 09/10/2019 13:29, Travelled in a Couple
Hi Karen-Anne, Thank you for your review - it is appreciated. We are sorry to hear that the breakfasts became repetitive, this is certainly invaluable information that will be passed on to our Operations Team for quality purposes, thank you. We really like the suggestion of having deck chair covers and I have forwarded this on to the relevant team for future improvements. Additional towels can be provided upon request. The cabins are cleaned mid-week and not daily, I'm sorry if this was not clearly communicated. At times, there may be delays in to port, especially into the more busier locations such as Hvar. However, this will always be communicated to guests with alternative options provided. We will be looking into this further and we thank you for highlighting this to us. We hope that these issues didn't detract from your overall enjoyment in Croatia and again, we thank you for taking the time to review us!
The food needs to be upgraded. Breakfast was very bland and old.
- John, 08/10/2019 20:08, Travelled in a Couple
Hi John, Thank you for your review. We appreciate your 4-star feedback rating for the food, and we appreciate your comments to improve the breakfasts which will be passed on to the Operations team. We hope you enjoyed all other aspects of the cruise and we thank you for rating the ship and crew 5-stars. Thank you.
I think bottled water should be put in the room daily as you can't drink the water in the cabin (which was very small when you put suitcases inside). Not being able to access coffee or tea until 8am is a bit of a bug bear if you are an early riser. Could move the coffee/tea facilities onto the undercover deck area which would also help with the congestion around the breakfast bar, Arriving in the ports in the afternoons means you miss most of the day on the islands. Rafting up in rough weather is difficult if you are a bit older. Could have a few activities on the ship for the days you don't get to port till late afternoon, basically nothing to do on board.
- Lyn, 29/09/2019 03:44, Travelled in a Couple
Dear Lyn, Thank you for your review. We hope you enjoyed your time in Croatia and we thank you for your comments. Implemented in 2017, we removed all included water bottles from our fleet (prior to 2017, each guest received 2 x water bottles daily), and replaced each ship with water coolers, promoting guests to bring their own reusable water bottle onboard thus reducing plastic waste. Tea and coffee is available during salon opening times. Looking at the feedback provided for your week, the average rating for this was 4 stars. We appreciate your suggestions regarding moving the facilities elsewhere, and we will certainly pass these wonderful suggestions on to our Operations Team, thank you. All our ships aim to get in to port as early as possible generally any time from midday onwards, however this is heavily reliant on port authorities and scheduling of all ships into the same port. Ports such as Hvar are more congested due to the popularity of this island, in saying this, our representative will always keep guests updated if there are any unforeseen delays. Thank you again for taking the time to submit your review, this is appreciated. Kind regards,
Food choice - no choice for lunch and, at times, the menu offered was mediocre. Not particularly tasty or appetising.. Tour guide - much of our on - land time was self - directed with a very limited explanation of what to see and how to get there. Wi - fi - virtually non existent unless very late at night or in the early hours of the morning. I have compared our expereince with those travelling with Katerina who, for a very similar price, experienced an amazing choice of food, including 4 dinners,barista coffee and had a tour guide to assist at all locations explaining and taking them to the points of interest. The ship could not be faulted nor the attentiveness of the crew.
- Anonymous, 24/09/2019 17:06, Travelled with Friend/s
Hi there and thank you for your review. We are pleased to hear that the ship was of a high standard and the crew were a welcomed inclusion on your cruise. However, we are sorry to hear of your disappointments with some aspects of your cruise, mainly with the meals. Our chefs aim to provide delicious, home cooked meals using fresh local produce, so we are sorry to hear that the meals served were not to your taste. Having a look at the feedback received for your departure, the average rating for onboard meals was 4-stars. We pride ourselves on providing the best local, informative and friendly Tour guides so it is disappointing to read that you received limited information. Looking at the feedback received for your rep, he had received all 5-star ratings which is great. However, in light of your review we have highlighted your comments to our Operations Manager, thank you. We do hope that you were able to enjoy all other aspects of your cruise with us - fellow travellers, destinations, organised tours and excursions and that these issues didn't detract from your overall experience in Croatia.
For the price paid, bottled water should be provided in cabins. A few of the lunches were very good but-many of them were not good. the first day’s beef was over cooked & tough. The second day’s fish was over cooked & dry. The captain’ s dinner was excellent. In Hvar we were brought in by water taxi & the yacht stayed out until almost 9 o’clock & had to sit around all day waiting to get back on board. Exhausting sitting waiting after dinner to board. No place to sit if you had already left the restaurant. Just sitting around killing time. We had a below deck cabin, which was recommended by the agent because they are quieter. She did not tell us that we had to climb three flights of stairs every time we wanted to go up to the top deck where everyone congregated. We are both 80 & she should have known that when she made the recommendation. Is it something that I would recommend? Yes! Swimming in the Adriatic every day was wonderful & the islands are beautiful.
- Yolanda, 23/09/2019 12:01, Travelled with Friend/s
Thank you for your review. We appreciate all your comments and have taken these onboard for future improvements. We are really happy to hear you enjoyed your time in Croatia, especially seeing the beautiful islands and daily swimming in secluded bays along the Adriatic - it's just bliss isn't it! Implemented in 2017, we removed all included water bottles from our fleet and replaced each ship with water coolers, promoting guests to bring their own reusable water bottle onboard and doing our part for environmental sustainability. Our chefs aim to provide a variety of meals, using fresh local produce - we are sorry that you didn't enjoy all the meals served, however we are pleased that you found the Captain's dinner enjoyable. We aim to get our guests into Hvar as this is one of the most popular destinations and busiest ports, so we hope you enjoyed your meal in this vibrant town. Next time, we would recommend booking an Above Deck cabin for the ease of having your cabin door opening on to the main deck and avoiding those flights of stairs. Thank you again for your review and for choosing to travel with us!
The boat was very well maintained and the rooms were very clean and functional. The crew were pleasant, attentive and service focussed. Plenty to eat but the food was average at best. Breakfast adequate, lunch well below par taste-wise. Where we were underwhelmed was with the way the itinerary played out with swimming and excursions and with the cruise director. For example, the first day we sailed for an hour and a half to Milna then docked around 2.30pm. Next morning we sailed 100 metres then spent over an hour refuelling - result no swim stop. Why was refuelling not carried out the afternoon before? Another example we sailed to Korcula arriving mid-morning and asked in a channel offshore to have lunch and then get a water taxi late afternoon to the town. Many people would gladly have skipped lunch and gone exploring in the morning give the option. No info given about swim options in Korcula which were far batter than bobbing in a deep channel. Just not up to scratch.
- Ian, 03/09/2019 09:53, Travelled in a Couple
Hi there! Thanks very much for your feedback and review of your Elegance cruise with us this season on board Esperanza. We're pleased to read you were happy with your accommodation on board the ship itself and also with the crew. I have passed your comments onto our Operations Manager in Split, thank you for your feedback here, we do really appreciate this. Thank you for joining us this season.
Too long on tbe boat and unable to leave the boat after lunch... the staff were excellent and polite...the food was okay
- Leslee, 06/08/2019 06:24, Travelled in a Couple
Thank you for your review. We are pleased you found the staff excellent and polite, thank you. Our boats generally set sail during the day and arrive at their next destination anytime from midday - depending on the daily schedule with swim stops, the boats will usually arrive into port after lunch. Our chefs aim to provide meals that cater to all tastes, we understand that at times this may not be possible, however we hope you enjoyed some of the delicious Croatian cuisine.
Would prefer much more time onshore at less tourist ridden stops. Coffee and tea in the evening should be included free of charge. Better communication about stops and options for making the most of e@ch stop
- Beryl, 23/07/2019 19:20, Travelled with Friend/s
Thank you for your review. We aim to get the balance just right which gives our guests the flexibility of visiting both popular and more quieter destinations, as well as ensuring guests have enough time both on land and at sea, with some of our gorgeous swim stops in secluded bays overlooking the Adriatic. Pots of Tea and coffee is available free of charge during saloon opening hours and generally what happens onboard, is the daily schedule is outlined just after lunch, which includes sightseeing recommendations and important information on departure. We will certainly pass your comments regarding better communication channels to our Operations Manager. Thank you.
Get the boat to go faster so we had more time for swimming or exploring towns More time in Dubrovnik Lose the traditional band at the captains dinner, it's not 1975. Last port Marananga was hopeless. Beaches were crowded and no atmosphere. Go to an island instead Food was okay, wine over priced and not good quality. Consider getting wine from other countries Boat was excellent, rooms were well maintained Cruise manager often had inaccurate and out of date information
- Cliff, 23/07/2019 14:38, Travelled with Friend/s
Thank you for your review. It's nice to hear that you found the boat excellent and the rooms well maintained, however we are sorry to hear your disappointment with some aspects. We try to get the balance just right so that all guests are catered for which involves having enough time at both land and sea and giving guests the opportunity to partake in our amazing swim stops. We find that the traditional band has been a welcomed inclusion for past cruises which our guests enjoy. Upon request, our crew can try and source a particular beverage if this is not available onboard. We aim to provide the best Cruise Managers that are informative and friendly, we appreciate your comments here and this will be passed on to the Operations Manager for improvements. Thank you.
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.
Comparing Sail Croatia to 2 other Adriatic cruises on small ships Windstar & Variety at similar cost it would only take a little tweaking to improve “brand” Olimp is a nice new boat with good lower deck cabin size and bathroom. Just 1 hour turnaround between weekly cruises means cleanliness suffers. Acoustics inside dining room had many battling to have a round table conversation and overall food quality competed with onshore Restaurant visits and came second place for most meals unfortunately . Swim stops vs onshore free time compared poorly with Variety cruises program and if I’m being cynical might have something to do with reducing Port Charges and berthing effort same as Windstar. No other cruise at $900/nt fails to put a bottle of water in a cabin with “non potable” sign .Ondeck water cooler ineffective .Toiletries limited to liquid soap pump on wall only . Towels thin scratchy and old . Antonio great - ,issues raised on day 1 Head office ostrich attitude Sad
- Paul , 22/06/2019 13:44, Travelled with Friend/s
I want to thank you for your feedback, we do really appreciate this as this enables us to improve for the future. We're pleased to hear you liked Olimp and were happy with the size of the Lower Deck cabins and the ensuite also. Looking through our cabin feedback for Olimp from your departure I can see here that we have been rated 5 stars throughout for cleanliness. Your comments have been passed onto our Operations manager so that we can make the necessary improvements for the future. As the ships are small with very limited storage space on board it is not possible to have bottled water on board for the cabins, I'm afraid. We are also working towards eliminating single use plastics on board, implemented in 2017, we removed all included water bottles from our fleet (prior to 2017, each guest received 2 x water bottles daily), and replaced each ship with water coolers, promoting guests to bring their own reusable water bottle onboard. For this reason we also have refillable soap dispensers in the bathrooms rather than single use shampoo and conditioner bottles. We try our best to aim for a good balance of relaxing and exploring and a lot of reviews we receive do say that we often get the balance right. I'm sorry to hear you were not happy with the times spent at swim stops versus ashore. I have passed your comments here onto our Operations Manager. We do appreciate you as a valued customer of ours and are glad the issues raised did not deter you from having a great time on board.
Constructive criticism, not sour grapes, these issues damage your brand Water in cabins daily, it’s not potable Shampoo, conditioner and tissues Quality white towels, as they were thin, discoloured and scratchy, changed more than once weekly, as they won’t dry in cabin Shower cleaned to a higher standard on checkin, understand cleaner only has an hour between changeover, ridiculous, get her help, they need bleach and a good scrub to remove obvious black scum. Ice on the table at meals ( which Antonio addressed) as the weather is hot and it’s unpleasant drinking warm water, your self serve outdoor water dispenser needs to be plugged in so it’s cold! These are minor but important. I made Antonio aware of these issues, echoed by the other guests on Day 1, who by the way is a great asset to you, he apparently notified head office., disappointing the simplest request, put water in the cabins didn’t eventuate! Cruise itself, and staff was excellent! The problems easily fixed!
- Sheree, 18/06/2019 07:03, Travelled in a Couple
Thank you for your review and all your comments and suggestions. We are pleased to hear you enjoyed the cruise and that the staff were excellent value. Our captain and crew work tirelessly to ensure all cabins are kept to the highest standards, so we are sorry to hear of the issues onboard. We have a rigorous process in place which ensures that no issues is left unresolved if we are made aware. Having had a look through our internal records, I cannot find any such issues being raised with our crew, representative or Operations Manager. Had we been made aware, the issues would have been resolved instantly. In saying this, we are pleased to know that you addressed the ice on the table with Antonio, and that this was addressed immediately, thank you. In regards to supplying bottled water and bottled amenities; shampoo, conditioner, soap, we try to do our part for the environment as there is certainly issues with environmental sustainability in Croatia, particularly in Dalmatia, and its islands. We have seen this rapid growth of tourism both within our own company and our competitors, which encouraged us to start our Green Sail initiative. Implemented in 2017, we removed all included bottled water from our fleet and replaced each ship with water coolers. At the start of every season, we also run our Green Sail Adventure where we organise beach clean ups, eco tours and education on current local issues. We are also currently trialing reusable water bottles onboard, with hopes that these will be available to purchase in 2020. These water bottles are made from biodegradable sugar cane and will help reduce plastic waste in Croatian waters. All your comments and suggestions will be passed on to our Operations Team as we would like to improve our services wherever possible and again, we thank you for all your comments.
There is no sound proofing outside the cabin so you can hear people talking in the hallways, doors opening, tables being moved above the cabin, made it very difficult to sleep. Very few people swam so stopping for this made the time with nothing to do too long. Other than the walking tour in Dubrovnik no others, would be more interesting to have more walking tours. I was surprised there were not more food options. No drinking water in the rooms was irritating. Only juice option was some kind of adulterated orange. There was too much time confined to the boat. Having people wandering through from other boats was strange and made me feel a little unsafe. If you pay extra to have the upper cabins, half the time your view is blocked and the room is dark because another ship is docked right next to you. There was a jacuzzi but not enough power to heat it and since the boat was docked right next to another boat people would be staring over at you.
- Anonymous, 28/05/2019 07:30, Travelled with Friend/s
It is wonderful that you enjoyed Croatia and its beautiful scenery and were happy with the service provided by the on board staff. With regards to your comments on cabins not being sound proof, in the Pre-Departure Information we do suggest to bring along a pair of ear plugs so that you won't hear passengers passing outside your cabin or between boats. Your comments have been passed onto our Operations Manager so that we can improve on all of your suggestions for the future, thank you for your comments here. Although there is no drinking water inside your cabin there is a water cooler available for you to use at all times whilst the salon area is open. The tap water on board is not drinkable, I'm afraid. Regarding boats being moored up together, this is standard with most small ship cruises. The ships are smaller than the larger ocean cruise ships and this allows them to visit the smaller more intimate ports not accessible by larger vessels or where sometimes the larger cruise ships have to dock out at sea and use smaller tender boats to get ashore, meaning you would have less time exploring and will need to stick to time schedules. Harbours are therefore a lot smaller with limited space for mooring. We do appreciate you as a valued customer of ours and are glad the issues raised did not deter you from having a great time in Croatia. Thank you!
On the whole my review is very favorable. Comfortable cabins, delightful crew, excellent cruise director. Good facilities (the jacuzzi could have been warmer). A nice ship. What could be improved? The presentation of the food was very good, but the quality was, with a few exceptions quite average and a couple of occasions inedible ie. very over cooked tuna. And I suspect the vegetables were of the frozen variety. Breakfast, although plentiful and tasty was exactly the same for 7 days. No variety at all. The wine offered at lunch was the same everyday and not particularly good and this was a complaint from most of the guests I spoke to. But overall, if you could improve on the food, I could definitely recommend Sail Croatia.
- Steven, 18/05/2019 16:52, Travelled in a Couple
Thank you for taking the time to provide your review. We are pleased to hear you liked the overall look and feel of the ship, the cabins comfortable and the staff to be of great value. We are glad the breakfasts were plentiful and tasty. There is usually a variety of wines available onboard our ships, and if there is a particular wine you would like, the bartender can always try and source this for you. We are happy to hear you found the food presentation very good however, we are sorry to hear you weren't completely satisfied with the meal quality. Our chefs aim to provide a range of meals catering to all tastes, using fresh local produce however we understand that you didn't enjoy some of the meals offered so I have passed your comments to the Operations Manager to discuss further with the onboard chef. Thank you again.
Coffee and tea available for no cost all day. Felt like we were nickel and dime. Ability to get off the boat before mid afternoon when possible. Would have liked to have been told in the beginning that most restaurants don’t take credit cards. Some form of non slip traction in the shower. It was very slippery especially when there was current.
- Anonymous, 17/05/2019 11:44, Travelled in a Couple
Hi there and thank you for your review. We are pleased to know upon reading your onboard review, you found the booking process, crew and excursions all 5-star experiences. In regards to the tea and coffee, this is available onboard our Elegance ships during the day and during saloon opening hours - we are currently following up on your comments here. Our ships generally arrive at their next destination anytime from midday - however at times there may be unforeseen delays and our representative will always keep our guests updated on ETA. Most towns and islands in Croatia have ATMs that are linked to international networks and credit cards (Visa/MasterCard is most recognised) are accepted in most tourist areas and restaurants however, it is advisable to also take cash with you. Thank you for your feedback of non-slip tractions in the shower - this has been passed on to our Operations Team. Thank you!
Meals were not up to my expectations. There were no attempts by staff to help the travellers mingle and get to know each other at the beginning of the cruise. A wine and cheese on the first night would have been good.
- Anonymous, 29/05/2018 13:44, Travelled in a Couple
Thank you for your review. Customer satisfaction is important to us, and we’re sorry to hear that meals didn't meet your expectations. I have looked into all reviews provided for your departure and have found that rating and traveller satisfaction was very high for this week. Thank you for your recommendation in regards to wine and cheese being offered on the first night. We will be sure to pass your feedback to our team. We thank you again for submitting your review and we hope that you enjoyed your time in Croatia overall.
Had a great time on board. Great staff great other guests. Cuisine provided was a total let down unfortunately. Everything else happy with.
- Anonymous, 15/05/2018 11:51, Travelled with Friend/s
Thank you for taking the time to write a review. I'm glad you had a great time and enjoyed the company of the other guests and crew on board. Thank you for your valuable feedback in regards to the cuisine, this will be passed onto the crew on board. We hope to see you on another cruise with us in the future.
During the cruise we struggled to work out what demographics the cruise is catering to. The boat was well set up but still was needing the final touches, well appointed cabins and the staff were great but, was it about the destinations, or getting there? We and others I suspect believed it was about the destinations, the islands of the Croatian coast, the food, etc when we booked? It became obvious it was all about the boat and getting there... Breakfast was great but then another sit down formal lunch was just too much after a few days, especially when we arrived at our next destination port but could not tie up until very late in the day for various reasons. So we just sat and looked at the next port from a distance, having a drink, soaking up the sun and swim off the back of the boat, etc. In the end we did get water taxi to port so we could enjoy the destination. And yes, 1 bottle of drinking water per person per day then buy water at inflated prices.. really.
- Peter, 20/11/2016 22:13, Travelled in a Couple
Hi there, thank you for providing feedback on your Elegance Dubrovnik to Split Cruise. We are pleased to hear you enjoyed the luxurious cabins and thought the buffet breakfasts and staff were great - thank you. Our Elegance cruises are designed for mature travellers and couples looking for luxury and comfort, they are most popular with those aged 50+ years. These cruises provide an even balance of sightseeing, relaxaing, socialising, local cuisine, culture, Croatian coastlines and destinations, all whilst enjoying a luxury cruise. We provide lovely 3-course lunches daily, with fresh quality local produce for our guests to enjoy. In peak season, docking up can be delayed as traffic in the ports can be very busy, however the Captains strive to get to each destination as early as possible to ensure you have the most time in each port. We are really sorry to hear we were unable to get to port earlier on the day mentioned - we will alway try to find an alternative option such as water taxis if the delay is longer than anticipated. Delays can be due to a number of factors including port authorities, delays with other boats and weather. In regards to the drink prices, they range from £18 - £40 (180 - 380 Kunas) for a bottle of wine. We include 2x500ml water bottles daily. In light of your feedback, from next season we will be introducing water coolers as opposed to water bottles on all our cruises. We hope you still enjoyed Croatia as a whole, and we appreciate your feedback. Your comments regarding different meal options have been passed on to our Operations Manager. Thank you again for your feedback.
The crew were all excellent, serving breakfast and an evening meal instead of lunch and dinner and having more time at each destination rather than docking at 2pm. Breakfast could be improved by serving fresh juices and fresh fruit salad. But overall it was very enjoyable, the Staff and the hostess were all excellent.
- Shahin, 25/10/2016 16:45, Travelled with Friend/s
Nice boat/ship and cabin very nice apart from being smelly. You do get used to the smell quickly so no big deal. Wifi is close to useless. Patchy and not available in cabins. No tea/coffee available but you can purchase an average way overpriced wine. Lunches were fantastic. Breakfast service average. Often waiting on food or certain things not available. Wine poor quality. And five times retail price. No towels for swimming. Other less commercially focused tours in the area are much better. SC charge premium fee but they penny pinch. Never again. And cash only for bar tab???? It's 2016.
- Fiorenza, 13/09/2016 06:39, Travelled with Friend/s
"Hi, thank you for your feedback on your Elegance cruise. We are happy to hear you enjoyed the boat surroundings, found your cabin to be very nice and enjoyed your 3-course lunches. However, we are sorry to hear there was a smell in your cabin. We have rigorous procedures in place for any issues that arise on-board our cruises, which is included in the pre-departure information emailed to you before the cruise and is outlined at the welcome speech. The first step is to communicate with the crew. If this does not resolve the issue, the second step is to contact our representative in which case we log this in our central reporting and manage the issue onboard until it is fully resolved and customers are happy. We also supply the contact details for our Operations Manager and Managing Director in the unlikely event you are disatisfied with any response from our team members. This procedure does then give us the opportunity to resolve an issue during the trip and follow up or check historical issues. Upon checking our reports, I could not find any notification from you to a member of staff. Had we been made aware of the smelly cabin issue, we would have resolved this immediately for you. The Wi-Fi onboard is subject to data limits and network coverage whilst at sea, however I have passed your comments onto our Operations Team so they can check if additional upgrades are available. Towels for showering are provided in your cabins, however if you require additional towels for swimming these can be requested on-board. With regards to your comment about the drinks prices, these do vary and our prices range from 180-380 Kuna (£18-£40) per bottle of wine. The wines are professionally selected and are also stocked based on the feedback from all guests and local availability. Regarding the cash only bar tab, this is something we are looking into for the future cruises - thank you for your feedback on this.
The food was cold and took too Long to serve. Iit was good food though and the chef is fabulous. There was a young girl on board who appeared to do nothing and could of helped serve the food or collect the dirty plates. The billing system for drinks is very unusual and being cash only seems questionable. The ship and its facilities were first class and the cleanliness of the rooms could not be faulted. The sailors all worked very hard and continued to clean when we were at swim stops (which were also brilliant)). I lived all the ports and staying in port overnight was also excellent. It was a little disappoinring that our hostess wasn't more visual around the ship however she was very helpful when called upon - especially when we had a member of our group who had mobility issues. She made sure the car was nearby at the end of our trip so we didn't have to walk far. These were minor issues that did take the gloss off what was a spectacular cruise.
- Charlie, 06/09/2016 14:26, Travelled with Friend/s
Thank you so much for taking the time to provide feedback regarding your Elegance Split Return South cruise. It is fantastic to hear that you thought the ship was first class, the cabins could not be faulted, the food and chef to be fantastic and found your Representative to be very helpful. It sounds as though you had a lovely time. Your comments regarding the system used for bar tabs has been taken into consideration, and we are implementing a new system next season. I have passed your comments on to our Operations Team about the food being cold and the delay in being served, we understand that food quality whilst you're on holiday is a big factor so I am sorry that this had an impact on your cruise. In saying this, we are pleased to hear it was still enjoyable. Thank you again for your feedback.
The ship was just great. Romantic Star ticked all the boxes for amenities. The ship's captain and his crew were also wonderful. The shortcoming were discussed at length amongst fellow passengers. Expectations were high and in the main met however a few areas diminished things from a five star rating to three stars Marketed as a higher end cruise with a higher end price tag - we were all mystified that we could not get 24/7 coffee or tea, bottled water without additional charge. The food struggled to hit the mark. Too salty, over cooked/tough meat, lack of fresh produce and variety. The best were the deserts - loved the applie pie! A final suggestion is the itinerary. Half a day in Dubrovnik has not sufficient and time at some the other ports such as Mljet could be sacrificed. It should also be noted that passengers felt the ship failed to dock at various ports, causing delays to any visits. The view was Sail Croatia were saving on costs at the expense of passengers
- Tom, 04/08/2016 17:52, Travelled in a Couple
Thank you for your feedback on your Elegance cruise. We are pleased you enjoyed your accommodation on-board Romantic Star and found the captain and crew to be wonderful - your comments will be passed on to them. Tea and coffee is available 24/7 for a small fee. In regards to unlimited water, in 2017 we will be installing water coolers on all our boats which reduces the need for plastic bottles and is more environmentally friendly. We understand that food is an important part of your cruise, and I am sorry that you found the food was salty and overcooked. We aim to provide high quality meals using local, fresh produce and we are always looking to improve our services. Your comments regarding the food have been passed onto our Operations Team to look into further. With the itinerary we try and cover as much of Croatia as possible in the time we have, Mljet is a popular destination due to its national parks and I'm sorry that you felt this could have been missed. Sometimes delays can occur when docking at ports due to traffic, weather and scheduling - the Captains try their very best to ensure they dock up as early as they can and our captain and/or representatives are to keep guests updated arrival times. Thank you again for taking the time to review your cruise.