Croatia

Explore

Departure Information

Meeting Point

From the Airport, there is a regular airport shuttle bus that meets each ﬂight and can take you to the harbour. Top tip: don’t get oﬀ the bus at the Old Town. You should remain onboard until the bus reaches Port Gruz.

The journey time is 45 minutes – 1 hour and the fare is approximately €9. Taxis are available from outside the airport; a typical fare is the equivalent of about €50 - €60. There are ATM machines at the airport if you need Euros.

Check-in is from 10.30am to 12.00pm (midday). Please note your cabin may not be ready until 12:30pm.

As the ships are arranged diﬀerently each week according to directions from the Port Authority, we cannot give you a speciﬁc dock number. Your ship will have its name written on it. Please refer to your Online Account for your ship name and use this to locate your ship in the harbour.

On some rare occasions, your ship may be docked in the extension of Gruz Port. This is located a 10-15 minute walk away (or a one minute taxi) from the main port. If you are unable to locate your ship, please call us on 00385 91 360 3631 for more detailed information.

A check-in representative will meet you at the harbour. They will be wearing a white uniform and will assist you to find your ship's position. You can contact them on 00385 91 360 3631 if you are late or lost. Please only use this mobile number for emergencies.

Once you arrive at your ship you can leave your bags with the onboard crew, relax, grab a drink and get to know your fellow travellers!

The following button will take you to the live check-in map where you can find your ships location:

If your ship doesn't appear in the live map on the day of departure, please proceed to one of our check-in locations highlighted below. A member of our check-in team will be available on the dock.

⁠

⁠

What to Bring

We recommend packing light, and as a general rule, make sure you have the following on your packing list:

swimsuit/swim shorts

a few casual outfits for during the day (t-shirts/shorts, dresses etc.)

smart casual clothes for evenings

clothes in the event of cooler evenings (a tracksuit, ﬂeece, and windbreaker)

sun protection

a beach towel for swimming

toiletries (shampoo & soap aren’t provided onboard)

ear plugs if you are a light sleeper or are easily disturbed

this will ensure you don’t hear passengers passing outside your cabin or between boats

You will be able to store your bags under the bed, however in the case of excess luggage, please ask check-in staff for information about storage (bus station lockers etc.). We recommend bringing as little luggage as possible.

What’s Included

Each cabin is well equipped with clean bed linen.

If you’re booked on an Explorer or Yoga Cruise, a towel for showering will be available in your cabin, and a hairdryer will be available for use onboard (either fixed in your ensuite or available to borrow).

There are power points (European 2-pin plug) in each Ensuite cabin and 1 - 2 power points in the main dining area on the boats. All appliances require a double round pin type plug for 220 volts, AC, 50 hertz.

Dress Code

If you’re joining us on an Explorer or Yoga Cruise, the dress code throughout the week is casual, and we recommend bringing smart casual clothing for the Captain's Dinner evening.

Food & Drink

Please do not bring food and drink onboard, including alcohol, as the ships are licensed. Each boat has its own bar and drinks consumed onboard must be purchased from here. Bar tabs are payable in cash (Euros) at the end of your cruise. You have unlimited access to the onboard water cooler during the salon opening times. We recommend bringing a reusable water bottle with you onboard, and filling this up before the salon closes for the evening.

Breakfast and lunch is included every day. Breakfast is a simple continental-style (bread and spreads). Lunches are usually 3 courses, with a soup/salad starter, meat or fish-based main course and fruit/cake for dessert.

If you’re yet to do so, please advise our Sales Team of any dietary requirements as soon as possible, so that we can accommodate your needs onboard.

Money & Insurance

As of January 2023, the official currency of Croatia is the Euro. You can get a cash advance on your credit card at banks throughout the country, though Visa credit cards are not accepted by all banks. You can pay with Euros for your bar tab on the boat.

Most towns and islands in Croatia have ATMs that are linked to international networks. Credit cards (Visa/MasterCard is most recognised) are accepted in most tourist areas, but if you are travelling off the beaten path, be prepared to use cash. It is difficult to specify the money that you can spend per day; as a general rule €25 –€30 will often cover a meal and a drink.

The following costs are not included in the price of your cruise and are to be paid locally:

Local Payment of €30 (incorporating port fees & tourist taxes)

Local bus or taxi-boat transfers in Dubrovnik, Korcula & Hvar (optional - approximately €2-6 per bus journey)

Transfer with limited departures operates between Domince port and Korcula town for a cost of €2. Alternatively, a taxi ride costs approximately €10 one way.

National Park entrances (optional - approximately €15-25 depending on place/season)

We recommended that all passengers travelling on Sail Croatia trips have personal insurance to cover medical and repatriation costs.

Tipping in Croatia

Tipping is not compulsory in Croatia, however it is customary, and if you are happy with the service onboard, tips are very much appreciated! At the end of the week you'll have the opportunity to tip your Tour Manager and/or crew anonymously. Tips for the crew are evenly spread between crew members, and tips for the Tour Manager are seperate.

If you feel that your Tour Manager and/or the crew onboard your ship have exceeded your expectations then we encourage you to show a token of your appreciation! The average tip ranges between €40 - €105* per guest, per cruise.

*Please note, these figures are calculated from competitor tipping policies.

Passenger Ship Rules

We share our responsibility to protect Croatia's environment and culture with our guests and require that our travellers respect the Captain and have consideration for his boat as it represents his family's livelihood.

Ship rules are to protect our customers onboard and we would like all clients to have consideration for other people. If, in our opinion, any passenger behaves in a way to cause, or likely to cause, danger or distress to any third party we reserve the right to terminate the travel of the person(s) concerned without any refund. Passengers onboard are obliged to abide by the ship rules, as the Captain is responsible for the safety of all passengers and the crew. The Captain has the right to change the itinerary in case of bad weather or similar inappropriate conditions in ports to ensure safety onboard.

Passports are to be handed to the Captain for registration on the first day of the cruise

A 30 Euro Tourist Tax will be added to your bar tab bill, payable at the end of your cruise.

Your bar tab bill is payable at the end of your cruise in cash (Euros) only

Security – please be safe and lock your cabins, especially when in port

Drugs Policy: We have a zero policy toward drugs. Anyone in possession of drugs will be asked to leave the ship immediately and will be reported to the police.

Passengers are not permitted to bring food and drink (including alcohol) on the boat. This includes all drinks and food products purchased on shore. The only exceptions are: personal care products, liquid medicine and food products for special diets. Regional products purchased during visits to the ports will be stored onboard and returned to passengers at the end of the cruise

Noise – please respect the Port Authority noise restrictions in each port

It is forbidden to throw rubbish into the sea

Blockages – do not throw anything in the toilet apart from toilet paper

Portholes – ensure they are closed while sailing to avoid water entering your cabin

Smoking in the salon and cabins is not allowed. Cigarette butts must not be thrown in the sea

Bed linen must not be taken out of the cabins

Please keep high personal hygiene for the duration of your cruise, including frequent hand washing

Guests are obliged to respect meal times onboard, which are placed on the board in the salon, as well as departure times to the next port

Any damage must be compensated to the Captain by the passenger. Lost cabin keys are charged at €20 per key

Water is a problem on every boat; therefore please ration it very carefully. The same applies to the electricity which runs on a generator

Guests are responsible for removing all items for their cabin before the completion of the cruise. Items found in your cabin within 24 hours of your cruise end date will be handed to Lost -Property. Please contact Head Office to report lost property.

Due to health and safety, guests are not permitted to socialise onboard ships other than the ship they are allocated on.

Your onboard representative will be available for any questions or queries and will do their best to make your stay onboard a most pleasurable one.

Resolving Problems Onboard

We only wish to have happy customers onboard our boats. Most problems can be resolved quickly and there is no reason to endure ongoing issues on your trip. However, unless we know about a problem, we cannot begin to resolve it. We encourage you to communicate problems immediately.

We have found most issues are often simple language or cultural issues so we have put together this simple step by step guide to help you through this process and make resolutions a breeze:

Step 1: Our Representatives are responsible for resolving problems onboard and will assist wherever they can. Please communicate problems to your onboard representative immediately so they are able to address them.

Step 2: If you feel the issue has not been resolved, then you should escalate it to the Operations Manager by calling or texting +385 (0) 91 360 3631

Step 3: Sometimes it may not be possible to resolve a problem, however we should be given every opportunity during your trip to do this for you. All boats have complaints books onboard for written complaints if you wish for issues to be addressed by the Captain/owner of the boat.

By following the process above we will have a clear record of events from all parties involved and we will have been given every opportunity to resolve problems for you.

If you still wish to make a formal complaint this can be emailed to sales@sail-croatia.com with information on the issue and the steps you took to resolve it onboard.

In any critical situations please contact our Croatian-based Operations Manager, on +385 (0) 91 360 3631, or Grant Seuren, Managing Director – Sail Croatia, on +44(0)7 8151 44 618.

Onboard Safety

We have the following guidelines in place for your safety:

Keep your cabin door locked when not in use

Do not leave valuables on beach or on boat decks

Beware of pickpockets in crowded markets

Avoid discussing the war in sensitive areas

Show respect for other people’s property, feelings and cultural differences

Be aware of slippery decks and be careful when climbing ladders

It is strictly forbidden to jump from the boat whilst sailing

Swimming in the ports is not allowed

Jumping from the main/top deck while at a swim stop is not recommended and is done so at your own risk

Climbing the masts is forbidden

Mind the gap between the boats and don’t step on the boat fenders

Crossing from boat to boat at non-designated places is strictly forbidden

In the case of rough sea please avoid any movement around the boat

During swim stops stay close to the boat and be mindful of currents. If you are a poor swimmer please advise the crew

Beware of sea urchins

Tap water onboard is not suitable for drinking

Make sure you are familiar with the location of your life jacket. We recommend locating and examining your life jacket before departure

In the case of bad weather, the captain may change the original itinerary in the interest of your safety

Always check when the boat will be departing the next day. It is your responsibility to be back onboard before departure. We recommend being back at your boat by 5am daily as your boat may have to leave early due to unforeseen circumstances

In case of anti-social behaviour, you will be issued with an official warning. Should similar behaviour be repeated you will be asked to leave the boat. In events related to aggression, drugs and breaching our Health and Safety rules, you will be asked to leave the boat immediately without warning

If something is stolen, you must report it to the police and obtain a crime report for your insurance company

Public health service standards are similar to those in the rest of Europe. There are hospitals in large towns, and clinics on the islands and in smaller towns. Most doctors speak English

The sun can be quite intense in the Adriatic in summer, so we recommend using a high factor sunscreen, wearing a hat and drinking plenty of water

Your ship may be moored with others and other guests may need to walk from ship to ship to reach the dock. Therefore we recommend locking your cabins when in port.

Optional Activities

We offer a variety of optional activities for you to participate in whilst you're on your cruise. Check out some of the excursions below & view the blog for route specific excursions:

View all excursions

here⁠

Download The Free Sail Croatia App

Access your itinerary, excursions and important information about your cruise!

⁠

⁠

And Finally...

This document covers most of what you will need to know before you depart for Croatia. Don’t forget to email this link on to others who may be a part of your booking! We hope you have an incredible time sailing the Croatian coast with us!

Sretan Put! (bon voyage in Croatian)

Want to print your doc?
This is not the way.

Try clicking the ⋯ next to your doc name or using a keyboard shortcut (

CtrlP

) instead.