Skip to Content
8 Reasons Why Sail Croatia Are the Best Croatia Cruises

8 Reasons Why Sail Croatia Are the Best Croatia Cruises

Rounding up your list of the best Croatia cruises for an epic time sailing on the Dalmatian Coast? Find out why I believe that Sail Croatia should be on the top of your list.

From idyllic coastlines edged by magnificent sea caves and crystalline waters – to historic old cities lined with cobblestone streets and rustic bars– there are a thousand reasons why cruising Croatia’s coast is the best way to experience a European summer!

However, with so many Croatian cruise options to choose from, how do you narrow it down to choose the best one?

That’s where I can help. I recently embarked on a 7-day Dubrovnik to Split cruise with Sail Croatia. This had been on my bucket list for a while, and I was stoked to tick it off.

In this guide, I’ll give you 8 reasons why I think Sail Croatia provides the best Croatia cruises in the Adriatic Sea!

About Sail Croatia

Founded in 2005 by two passionate travelers, Sail Croatia is one of the longest-running cruise companies in the country!

They operate small ship cruises between popular destinations like Dubrovnik and the town of Split, as well as beautiful islands like Hvar, Mljet, Vis, and many more.

While traditionally catering to the young party crowd, Sail Croatia now has a wide range of small cruise options appealing to every demographic, including luxury boats for couples and families, and small ship adventure cruises.

Small ship cruise boat in Dubrovnik, Croatia

My Sail Croatia Experience

As with most passionate travelers hooked on adventure, exploring the vivid Dalmatian Coast of Croatia has been on my bucket list for several years.

However, due to the vast amount of islands and distance to cover, traditional backpacker island hopping just didn’t seem practical. That’s why I decided to jump on board Sail Croatia’s 7-Day Explorer Cruise.

I wasn’t too interested in partying, so I booked the Explorer option to spend more time exploring all of the medieval towns, vibrant islands, and epic beaches! If this seems like your kind of Croatia cruising experience, then I highly recommend this option.

Tip: If you’d prefer a party cruise, opt for the “Navigator” option (more on this later).

This covered all of the popular destinations, as well as some less-visited islands and secluded coves on the way from Dubrovnik to Split.

Throughout this article, I link to separate blog posts that I’ve written, which cover some of the destinations and unique experiences on this epic journey.

Korcula Island old town Croatia

Why Sail Croatia Is the Best Croatia Cruise

So, now for the reason that you’re here! Let’s dive into 8 reasons why I believe Sail Croatia offers the best Croatia cruises on the Adriatic Coast!

1. The Ships – Small Ship Cruises

I don’t know about you, but huge cruise liners aren’t my thing. Being hoarded into a moving city with thousands of other tourists isn’t really my idea of adventure.

However, small cruise ships offer the exact opposite experience. Travelers can get to know everyone on the ship, and you’re treated like a guest, not a number!

Sail Croatia also has some of the best small cruise boats in the region (with some new vessels). My experience was on the Kleopatra, a spacious, modern, and beautifully finished vessel complete with a huge sun deck and hot tub, a huge dining galley, large rooms with lower and upper deck cabins, and comfortable sitting areas for those days at sea.

Small Ship Cruise Boat in Croatia
cruise boat in harbor at night

2. The Croatia Cruise Options

I touched on this briefly before. But another reason why Sail Croatia offers the best way to experience the Adriatic Coast is that there are so many cruise options to choose from.

Boat options and cruise itineraries include:

  • Navigator – party boat (18-39)
  • Explorer – adventure focused
  • Elegance – luxury cruise with more luxury boats
  • Cycle – explore all of the ports of call on guided bicycle tours
  • Hike – explore the popular islands on foot and climb the spectacular mountain ranges

As you can see, it’s hard to beat this variety. The explorer cruise was perfect for our travel style. It gave us plenty of time to explore all of the beautiful islands and coastal towns but still gave us the flexibility to have a drink in the old town bars and clubs.

Tour Group in Croatia
Croatia cruise boat

3. The Destinations

Sail Croatia has been at this for a long time. Their sailing itineraries are well-selected to cover the best that the Dalmatian Coast has to offer.

Islands and Ports of call on our cruise included:

  • Dubrovnik – an idyllic coastal town famous for its role as Kings Landing in the Game of Thrones franchise
  • Mljet Island (Mljet National Park) – the greenest island with amazing saltwater lakes
  • Korčula – a beautiful old town with fields of vineyards and olive groves
  • Hvar Island – one of the most popular islands with UNESCO World Heritage site
  • Vis Island – a remote island with a rich history, crystal clear waters, beautiful beaches, and great wine tasting
  • Split – beautiful port city famous for medieval ramparts and the Roman era Diocletian Palace

This was an excellent cruise itinerary and offered plenty of time to explore each destination. Furthermore, along the way, each cruise offers daily swim stops in beautiful bays, secluded beaches, and remote, uninhabited Dalmatian Islands.

Vis Port aerial photo, Croatia
Krka Waterfall in Croatia
Girl walking in Old town Hvar

4. The Flexibility

Worried that there won’t be a cruise option for you on your selected dates? Don’t worry, Sail Croatia has weekly Adriatic cruises for each itinerary and option running all through the summer months.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

5. The Staff

Another great thing about this cruise company is that they hire locals for all of their staff. As a result, Sail Croatia is well-regarded in the country for employing hundreds of local people.

The staff onboard our Croatia cruise were very friendly, and professional, and added a local touch to our Dalmatian sailing experience. The food was also excellent, each meal was delicious local cuisine from the Balkans.

Our tour guide Vania spoke excellent fluent English and made the experience such a great time. When booking your cruise, check which boat she’s working on for a great time.

6. Optional Activities

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, then you’ll know that I’m not one for sitting around and lazing my time away. That’s why I was stoked to find out that there were plenty of optional adventure activities on offer.

Some of the experiences I chose on the Croatia cruise include:

  • Krka National Park (from Split)
  • Omiš Zip Lining (from Split)
  • Wine Tasting (Stari Grad on the Island of Hvar)
  • Game of Thrones Walking Tour (Dubrovnik)
  • Buggy Safari (Island of Korčula)
  • Military Tour (Vis Island)

Not to mention, our guide Vania took us on a local walking tour in each coastal town, pointing out all of the local attractions, historical monuments, and places to check out.

Buggy ride in Korcula, Croatia

7. The Value

Of course, when it comes to booking a holiday or vacation trip in Europe, price is one of the most important factors.

Luckily, Sail Croatia is one of the most affordable Croatia cruises. I recommend checking their website for seasonal discounts to get a great deal. In terms of value for money, the Explorer Cruise stood out the most to me.

Croatia cruise boats in Hvar Port

8. Sail Croatia Is Committed to Sustainable Tourism

Investing your hard-earned money into a vacation shouldn’t be a juggle between value and social and environmental sustainability.

Sail Croatia is well-known in Europe as being at the forefront of sustainable tourism. They run a program called Green Sail, which is a hands-on network of partners and members promoting sustainable tourism and education in coastal regions.

I love seeing companies that give back to the oceans that they rely so heavily upon.

Croatian coastline

More Croatia Cruising & Travel Inspiration

Are you ready to set sail on one of the most unforgettable cruises in the Adriatic Sea?

I hope that my experience onboard the Sail Croatia trip has convinced you that this is one of the best Croatia cruises!

While you’re here planning your adventures in Croatia, check out some of my other popular travel guides below. I’m sure you’ll find some unique travel inspiration for the trip of a lifetime!