Crusing in Croatia has been on our bucket listing for years. This summer time, three {couples}—together with us—lastly made it occur. We booked a Lagoon 46 catamaran with Silver Sail, set off from Cut up in July, and spent every week exploring among the most lovely islands within the Adriatic.
Earlier than I inform you about dolphins at sundown, unforgettable dinners, and dancing barefoot in Hvar, let’s speak concerning the sensible aspect: how a lot does a visit like this really price?
What We Spent on Our Catamaran Constitution
We knew crusing in Croatia wasn’t going to be the most affordable vacation, however we additionally wished consolation and a stress-free expertise. Right here’s the breakdown of what we spent:
- Catamaran (Lagoon 46): 10,000 EUR
This was the bottom worth for renting the boat for one week in July. The Lagoon 46 is a spacious catamaran with 4 snug cabins, loads of deck house, and a contemporary, luxurious really feel. Excellent for 3 {couples} to share. - Consolation Pack: 500 EUR
This lined necessities like mattress linen, towels, cleansing, and some little extras that made life onboard extra handy. - Skipper Sandro: 1,400 EUR
We opted for a skippered catamaran Croatia expertise, hiring Sandro as our skipper—a call that made the whole journey clean and unforgettable. None of us felt assured sufficient to navigate alone, and in hindsight, having Sandro onboard was among the finest choices we made. - Gasoline: ~400 EUR
Surprisingly, gas didn’t price as a lot as we anticipated. Most days, the sails carried us, and the engine was primarily used for docking or when the wind wasn’t in our favor. - Mooring Charges: ~800 EUR
Now that is the place Croatia can sting your pockets. Mooring charges differ relying on the marina and placement, however we averaged round 100–120 EUR per night time. It provides up shortly, nevertheless it additionally offers you entry to amenities, safety, and infrequently a major spot proper by the guts of the city. - Meals & Wine (Eating places): ~60 EUR per particular person per night time
We determined early on that we’d have dinner out each night as a substitute of cooking onboard. This was partly as a result of Croatian meals is just too good to overlook, and partly as a result of… properly, who needs to prepare dinner once you’re on vacation? For six of us, dinners got here to round 360 EUR per night time. Multiply that by seven nights, and we spent roughly 2,500 EUR on meals and wine.
The Grand Complete
Whenever you add all of it up:
- Catamaran + Consolation Pack + Skipper = 11,900 EUR
- Gasoline + Mooring = 1,200 EUR
- Dinners = ~2,500 EUR
Complete for the week: about 15,600 EUR.
Cut up between three {couples}, that’s round 5,200 EUR per couple for a weeklong luxurious crusing vacation in excessive season. Not precisely a funds break, however for what we skilled, it felt value each cent.
What We Bought: A Week of Pure Crusing Bliss
Now comes the enjoyable half—the expertise itself. As a result of once I look again at what we spent, I don’t simply see numbers. I see dolphins racing alongside our boat, sundown cocktails in Hvar, lazy mornings swimming in turquoise bays, and laughter that carried throughout the deck late into the night time.
Day 1: Setting Sail from Cut up
We met Sandro on the marina in Cut up, the place our Lagoon 46 was ready, gleaming within the sunshine. He welcomed us with a simple smile, and inside minutes it was clear we had been in good fingers. He walked us by way of the boat, defined the fundamentals, and shortly we had been slipping out of the harbor with town fading behind us.
There’s a particular form of pleasure on the primary day—standing on deck, watching the horizon open up, realizing the week forward is nothing however sea and journey.
Brač: The Light Starting
Our first cease was Brač, an island well-known for its olive groves and conventional stone homes. We moored in a quiet bay and spent the afternoon swimming, sunbathing, and slowly settling into boat life. That night, we dined at a seaside konoba (tavern), the place the catch of the day—grilled to perfection—arrived at our desk alongside crisp white wine. Easy, scrumptious, and unforgettable.
The Dolphin Shock
The following morning, as we sailed towards Šolta, one thing magical occurred. A pod of dolphins appeared, darting and leaping alongside the catamaran. For fifteen minutes, we had been youngsters once more, clapping and cheering each time they surfaced. Cameras clicked, however the reality is, the reminiscence feels higher than any picture. That second alone was well worth the worth of admission.
Hvar & the Pakleni Islands: The place Day Turns Into Evening
Hvar was the place the journey shifted gears. By day, Sandro took us by way of the Pakleni archipelago—a sequence of small islands with hidden bays good for swimming and snorkeling. The water there was impossibly clear, and at one level we had been the one boat anchored in a turquoise lagoon.
By night time, Hvar City got here alive. We began at Hula Hula Seashore Bar, cocktails in hand because the solar dipped into the ocean. The vibe was electrical—music, laughter, and the form of golden mild you solely see in summer time. Later, we made our approach to Carpe Diem, the place we danced barefoot below the celebrities, the Adriatic glittering simply past the dance flooring. It felt like a kind of nights you by no means need to finish.
Vis: Serenity and Attraction
After Hvar’s vitality, Vis was a welcome change of tempo. This island is extra distant, with fewer vacationers, and it charmed us instantly. Slender stone streets, family-run konobas, and harbors lined with fishing boats gave it a timeless really feel.
One night, we dined in a tiny restaurant tucked away from the principle promenade. The proprietor proudly served us his do-it-yourself wine and slow-cooked lamb below the normal peka (a bell-shaped lid lined with embers). We lingered there for hours, the desk crowded with empty plates and half-finished glasses of purple. It was the form of dinner that lingers in your reminiscence as a lot as in your style buds.
Life Onboard
After we weren’t exploring islands, life onboard the Lagoon 46 was its personal form of luxurious. Mornings normally began with a swim straight off the strict, adopted by espresso on deck. Afternoons meant lazing with books, chatting within the shade, or studying a factor or two about crusing from Sandro.
Evenings had been about laughter, clinking glasses, and watching the sky change colours. The boat itself was spacious sufficient that everybody had privateness when wanted, but cozy sufficient to deliver us collectively.
Skipper Sandro: The Coronary heart of the Journey
It’s unattainable to speak about this week with out praising Sandro. He wasn’t simply our skipper—he was our information, problem-solver, entertainer, and typically even our photographer. He knew each hidden cove, the perfect occasions to dock, and the eating places value visiting. His calm demeanor stored us relaxed even when the wind picked up, and his tales of life at sea gave the journey an additional layer of magic.
Silver Sail: Skilled from Begin to End
The corporate behind all of it, Silver Sail, among the finest constitution corporations in Croatia, deserves a point out too. From the reserving course of to the ultimate day, every little thing ran easily. The boat was in glorious situation, communication was all the time clear, and we felt supported the entire method by way of. Whenever you’re investing this a lot in a vacation, that peace of thoughts is invaluable.
Was It Price It?
Trying again, the reply is straightforward: completely. Sure, we spent round 15,600 EUR in complete, however what we gained was priceless—freedom, journey, and recollections we’ll be speaking about for years.
We swam in hidden bays, noticed dolphins at sundown, ate among the finest seafood of our lives, danced the night time away in Hvar, and found the quiet great thing about Vis. We laughed till our stomachs harm, toasted to the ocean, and ended every night time below a cover of stars.
And the perfect half? We’re already planning our subsequent journey. As a result of when you’ve skilled crusing Croatia with good mates, a terrific skipper, and a wonderful catamaran, one week won’t ever really feel like sufficient.
