There isn't one particular thing - the staff, the accommodations, the FOOD (we had to hike or else get fat!), the guides, and the destinations - it was all beyond what I ever expected.
- Lisa, 02/06/2025 17:44, Travelled with Friend/s
We loved our adventure aboard the Salve di Mare and the time spent with new friends. The other passengers were easy to connect with and lots of fun. The crew worked seamlessly to keep the ship sparkling, anticipated our needs, and made everything look effortless and natural. Together they created a fun and relaxed environment. Tour manager Ioana was enthusiastic and upbeat. She ensured we understood the logistics for upcoming activities and provided alternatives for those who needed to skip a hike. Hike leader Mate shared his knowledge about Croatian culture and Island history. As an experienced local hiking guide with a background in Search and Rescue, we knew we were in good hands as he led us to beautiful vistas and interesting historic locations. Sail Croatia was informed of my food allergies in advance. The chef provided creative alternatives and the waitstaff made sure I received the right items. The entire cruise was top notch due to the exceptional staff!
- Aaron & Alice, 02/06/2025 02:25, Travelled with Family
Our guides Mila and Lola were fabulous and passionate about what they do and Croatia. Well organized and ready with an alternative plan when the weather affected the original plans. Learnt a lot about Croatia. Hikes were really enjoyable. I especially loved Biokovo Nature Park. Great crew on our boat Emanuel which was spotless throughout our week.
- Jennifer, 28/05/2025 06:06, Travelled with Family
The small cruise experience was wonderful. We went into small ports that large cruise ships could not go and were able to explore many more fabulous destinations. The food on the ship was plentiful and top notch. The hiking tour was a good mixture of easy walks and challenging hikes. Our guides were well informed and a pleasure to spend time with. My only constructive feedback would be to better describe the terrain and required fitness level for some of the hikes because I feel they were too challenging for a few of our companions and it required that the more able hikers were spending their time assisting rather than enjoying the hike. Thank you for a fabulous vacation!!
- Joy, 27/05/2025 06:15, Travelled with Family
We had a blast, and weren't disappointed
- Katie, 26/05/2025 12:20, Travelled with Friend/s
Enjoyed the scenery and hikes. Enthusiastic and knowledgeable guides.
- Julie, 26/05/2025 12:15, Travelled with Friend/s
This was one of my best vacations ever! A perfect combination of activity, connecting with nature, and relaxation. The itinerary (northern route from Split) was expertly selected and planned, the crew was friendly and attentive, and the guides were knowledgeable and fun. Highly recommend!
- Christine, 26/05/2025 11:00, Travelled with Friend/s
Great guides. Good hikes.
- Anonymous, 26/05/2025 10:57, Travelled with Friend/s
We were a group of twelve family and friends coming from all around the globe. Our two guides Mila and Lola were fantastic. Their knowledge and enthusiasm for their country was to be admired and their sense of humour and their laughter was infectious. We had a great time and I would recommend it to anyone.
- Denise, 26/05/2025 10:46, Travelled with Friend/s
Well organised. Great crew and amazing tour leaders ❤️
- Rosette, 20/05/2025 11:53, Travelled with Friend/s
The crew, guides & boat were fabulous. The pictureques coastline & islands we visitied were asolutely amazing. A fun & engaging time was had with fellow travellers who were from Australia, Canada & USA. The onboard catering was excellent although not sure we needed dessert after every meal. A bowl of fresh fruit would have sufficed. As an Aussie coffee lover, the machine coffee & its cost made be worth some tweaking. A barista style coffee machine would be the only improvement I could recommend on our cruise.
- Miriam, 15/05/2025 09:46, Travelled with Friend/s
The overall experience was outstanding! The tour leaders, Anita and Mate, engaged positively with everyone as they introduced us to beautiful Croatia. The crew of the Salve de Mare were professional, friendly, and contributed to the overall wonderful trip.
- Heather, 14/05/2025 13:28, Travelled with Friend/s
This hike cruise was fabulous! Amazing ship and crew, tasty food and our hiking guides Lola and Ilona were just awesome, the hikes were stunning everyday with optional add on activities if we wanted to do them. The other guests made the cruise so sociable, I have belly laughed a lot! To be honest the whole experience was better than I could have imagined - there’s no doubt I’ll book again! Can’t wait to come back and explore Croatia more! Especially if we can have Lola and Ilona again, they really made the week special!
- Kaye, 12/05/2025 11:32, Travelled with Friend/s
My sister and I spent the week doing to hiking trip. The crew were all fantastic, both of our guides were knowledgeable and fun. The food was amazing. We can’t recommend this enough.
- Sam, 05/05/2025 05:53, Travelled with Family
Our plan was to do the E-bike trip but it was full so we decided to jump on the hike trip! We definitely made a good decision!! Mate and Karla did such an amazing job accommodating everyone! They both really love their country and love to share it with everyone!! We were able to go off on our own and rent bikes/mopeds if we chose to change things up a bit! We met so many great people from all over the world! We highly recommend sailing with this group!
- Carol, 08/10/2024 10:02, Travelled with Family
We were on the Colombo boat with Bruno and an excellent crew. They were polite, efficient, hard working, friendly and very good at their jobs. Our guides Mate and Karla were fantastic! They were knowledgeable, fun, interesting and dealt with our group exceedingly well. They were motivating and lovely. They really made the trip special. We also had a group of wonderful like minded people taking the tour which made it even more fun. Thank you Sail Croatia for a very memorable holiday. 🤗🙏
- Sue, 07/10/2024 19:18, Travelled with Family
Our sail/hike trip will be remembered as a favourite because of the people. Our two guides, Karla and Mate, shared their knowledge and passion for Croatia helping passengers appreciate the living history all around us. We sailed on the ship Columbo which was extremely well run by captain and crew. Thank you all!
- Cynthia, 07/10/2024 07:40, Travelled with Friend/s
Had the best week ever. Perfect in all ways. Guides were so friendly and passionate and knowledgeable about their country. The crew of “Emmanuel “ were amazing as well, with a clean well equipped boat and friendly and helpful at all times. Food was fabulous. Amazing trip and can’t recommend highly enough.
- Hazel, 06/10/2024 11:54, Travelled with Friend/s
We had a fantastic time, met great new people and felt good getting in a bit of walking and swimming whilst still having some time to explore the towns we stopped in. Many thanks to the staff who were all so friendly, helpful, great guides and of course fabulous cooks. We highly recommend sailing on the Emanuel with Sail Croatia.
- Kirsten, 01/10/2024 19:55, Travelled with Friend/s
Thus was one of the best holidays that I have ever had and I have traveled expensively in my life to all continents. The organizing of the hikes was especially impressive. Dealing with various levels of fitness and skill would have made this a challenging task but Mate chose hikes that could appeal to all levels and mixed the intensity each day giving those who needed a rest. There was plenty of opportunity to swim creating the perfect fitness balance. I especially loved the carefree and historical stories told by Andro that displayed his passion for country. The boat was beautiful and very clean, the service top notch and attentive. The food was tasty, plentiful and creative. We had one bad day of weather and I truly appreciated the choice made by the captain to come in a day early, I felt safe in his hands. Because of this experience we are planning to book another Sail Croatia from Split for next year. We started searching for a similar trip when we returned but Sail Croatia wins
- Sharon , 30/09/2024 15:50, Travelled with Friend/s
What a great way to see the islands and learn so much about the history and geography of the area. The Emmanuel is a great ship to travel on with great , friendly and helpful staff. Food was excellent and plentiful and the twin bedded cabin we had was more roomy that I expected Our guides Mila and Anita are so knowledgeable and shared many facts along the hikes . The hikes were a all manageable length and the ascents worth it , for the amazing views. I loved being able.to swimming the ship daily, what a great holiday. Mila's enthusiasm and passion for her country , traditions and history and love of walking in nature is contagious. Thank you
- Ruth, 30/09/2024 05:31, Travelled with Friend/s
We did the sailing/hiking tour around the south islands of Split and every day got better and better! The scenery is spectacular, the water is amazing to look at and even better to swim in! The hikes were such a wonderful way to see the country. Mila and Lola were our fantastic guides and they made every hike incredible. We learned so much and got a great workout in each day. The crew is superb! We had some weather but the Captain did everything he could to avoid it and get us to our next destination. Every other crew member made sure our accommodations, food and drinks were great! ! I would definitely go back and sail/hike with this group of people any day!
- Tracey, 18/09/2024 20:23, Travelled with Friend/s
Excellent staff and very clean boat. Itinerary was great despite changes due to weather. (The only thing I would change is to have more salads and fish at lunch - too much heavy meat). Wonderful week!
- Joanne, 16/09/2024 00:37, Travelled with Friend/s
Really well organised from start to finish. Maria our Sail Croatia rep was friendly and helpful nothing too much trouble. Mate our hiking guide was also fab sharing his passion for his homeland on our hikes. The boat was comfortable, food excellent and our swim stops one of the highlights. We met some amazing people from around the globe we had plenty of laughs and each day we discovered another gem of an island. Croatia is truly beautiful I would recommend this holiday to all my hiking loving friends.
- Sharon , 24/06/2024 16:14, Travelled with Friend/s
The staff made our trip a dream come true. They were very attentive to the guests, helping to solve challenge when luggage was delayed. Enjoyed the food, activities, swimming and company of other guests. It was a great way to see lovely Croatia. Highly recommend.
- Debra, 18/06/2024 13:40, Travelled with Friend/s
The accommodations were better than I expected. Helpful and knowledgeable staff Wonderful guides Would have liked better directions to where the boat was docked, we had to pay a €50 taxi ride to get to the other side of the harbor. We never received the “live feed”, Fortunately they held the boat for the 4 of us.
- Anita, 17/06/2024 18:37, Travelled with Friend/s
Friendly and helpful staff! The chef made the best begie meals for me!!!
- Sandi , 17/06/2024 03:43, Travelled with Friend/s
This is a terrific cruise. Our hiking guide, Mate, was friendly, knowledgeable and willing to work with each person's skill level ensuring everyone had a great time. Our cruise manager was Lucija. She was well-organized, always smiling and very willing to go the extra mile to help passengers arrange tours, transportation, etc. The ship was extremely clean and the crew were outstanding. Highly recommend!
- Anonymous, 06/06/2024 23:36, Travelled with Friend/s
The guides were knowledgeable and fun! Lucy went above and beyond in making arrangements for our group after the trip was completed.
- Kim, 03/06/2024 19:32, Travelled with Friend/s
The team onboard Afrodita made my experience onboard the best I could ask for. Truly an amazing crew which gave the highest of care to everyone on board. Andre the waiter was amazing at making sure I didn't lift a finger to get anything. He reminded me I was on holiday saying I will do it for you. He was truly amazing. They all were to be honest such lovely kind people. Our hike guides Mila and Andro were also amazing, with their amazing guidance they brought the fun factor also which is important when you are on holidays. This has been my best holiday to date and I will forever remember my time and crew onboard Afrodita. Thank you everyone and hope to meet again one day x.
- Mary Hackett, 23/05/2024 10:16, Travelled with Friend/s
The crew were fantastic
- Joan, 14/05/2024 07:06, Travelled with Family
The crew on the Emanuel was terrific. They were attentive and very professional. The ship is kept in tip top shape; everything is very clean. Everything was well-organized and there was a good balance between programmed activities and free time. The maximum capacity for passengers was 30 and we had 27 aboard. It was a very good number. The views were spectacular and all of the places we visited were beautiful and interesting.
- Pam, 13/05/2024 07:36, Travelled with Friend/s
Thankyou everyone I had an amazing time!! The hikes were hard but wonderful. Our guides were so friendly (Ilona and Mila) and helpful and were so happy sharing information about each island and where to visit and eat. Thankyou lovely ladies!! I was happy with the service from all of the guys on the boat too. There was always enough food which I enjoyed. The boat was very clean and you could see the captain really looks after it and has pride in this, thank you boys!!
- Kim, 13/05/2024 04:07, Travelled with Friend/s
Fantastic daily treks with amazing knowledgeable guides Mila and Ilona. Clean boat with plenty of relaxing areas. Nice room. Fabulous attentive staff.
- Susan, 13/05/2024 04:05, Travelled with Friend/s
My trip with Sail Croatia was a wonderful adventure. The staff's exceptional hospitality made the journey truly unforgettable. They were not only knowledgeable but also genuinely cared about our well-being, ensuring we had a fantastic experience. The ship itself was clean and comfortable. It was well-maintained and the food was plentiful and delicious. The hikes in Croatia were nothing short of spectacular, with breathtaking views and diverse terrain. The camaraderie among fellow travelers added an extra layer of enjoyment to the trip, and I made lasting friendships along the way. This sailing and hiking adventure exceeded my expectations. It's a perfect escape for nature lovers, adventure seekers, and anyone looking to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of daily life. I can't recommend it highly enough, and I'm already dreaming of my next journey with this outstanding team.
- Alison, 23/10/2023 01:58, Travelled with Friend/s
I travelled with a friend on the Hike & Swim trip onboard The Emmanuel. All the other guests were a fabulous bunch & very diverse. The hikes were challenging for me - some more than others - however no one is hurrying you & you can choose to sit some out if you need to. I felt a tremendous sense of achievement for managing to complete the majority & of course enjoy the beautiful countryside. Our guides Mila & Maria were just brilliant - knowledgeable, humorous, kind & the crew of the Emmanuel were also the same - it felt like a family. The food was excellent & we particularly appreciated the special efforts made for us as a Vegan & Vegetarian. One thing to note - if you are checking a bag in, bring walking poles - the ascents & descents are steep & rocky. Cabins are very basic & very small but all we did was sleep in them so it was no problem & tbh there is all we need. Definitely would return to some of the islands & would consider a different Sail Croatia trip (different islands).
- Rebecca, 10/10/2023 11:11, Travelled with Friend/s
Our ship’s friendly crew and staff on board the Mail Ante were all wonderful., especially our waiter Mario. He was very welcoming, and helpful.. I had some dietary requirements and he looked after meat every meal. All the food we had on board was delicious. There was so much variety. Our hiking guides Mate and Andro were friendly and very informative. We learned lots about the places we hiked to. The hikes were challenging but doable with amazing views. The swim stops were glorious. We met lovely fellow passengers and we all got along really well. Thank you for a fabulous holiday. We would highly recommend this trip and would love to return to Sail Croatia in the near future.
- Anonymous, 09/10/2023 20:49, Travelled with Friend/s
I am not a fan of big ship cruising so this was perfect!!! Small boat and small number of passengers with plenty of room to spread out and enjoy the sun, great crew, beautiful food, drinks and service, relaxed schedule with plenty of free time at each port. The other passengers were from all over the world, we got to know everyone and we all got along so well. The destinations were some of the most beautiful places I have ever visited....the islands OMG!! The water is the cleanest and clearest in Europe. Mate, our hiking guide lead us on 7 fabulous hikes, some quite challenging which I was hoping for. All had amazing views and destinations. I am definitely coming back to do the new hiking cruise route. Thank you to everyone and thank you beautiful Croatia xxoo
- Kathleen, 02/10/2023 03:09, Travelled with Family
- travelling with old friends - meeting new people - seeing new beautiful places - discovering that I enjoy cruising - nice staff
- Karen, 25/09/2023 20:12, Travelled with Friend/s
Great value for money and perfectly planned and executed hikes and activities. I will recommend this to anyone. Hiking guide is a gem. Coffee on the boat - perhaps open coffee station 24/7? Even if guests must bring their own ingredients
- Carien Lambert, 18/09/2023 13:50, Travelled with Friend/s
We all had a fantastic week with sail croatia. Food was really good all the staff were lovely and helpful. Hikes were challenging and great. Loved every minute. Thank you. Hope to come again next year.
- Susan, 23/06/2023 08:25, Travelled with Friend/s
Robert our guide. Perfect gentleman, didn't see our age - saw us. Went over and above on every hike helping supporting and encouraging all the way. On board crew felt like family exceptional service night and day.
- Catherine , 19/06/2023 05:01, Travelled with Friend/s
From getting on boat to getting off I had a fantastic time with wonderful people and crew. The guides crew were fantastic food amazing 👏 I challenged myself with the hikes and everyone supported each other I had the time of my life.
- Christine , 19/06/2023 04:45, Travelled with Friend/s
Good accommodations, friendly people. Expert crew and captain.
- Mary, 18/06/2023 17:09, Travelled with Friend/s
Our trip was great because we had excellent guides in Mila and Mare. Rainy weather meant the boat couldn't follow the itinerary but we were still able to hike everyday. The hikes were challenging; the views were spectacular and I noted that the guides were very alert to conditions on the trails so I never felt the hiking was unsafe. I also appreciated that the guides shared the best things to do and places to eat at every port.
- Elizabeth, 23/05/2023 11:42, Travelled with Family
Ahoy there! I went on the hiking week with eight girlfriends, but by the end of the holiday I felt that I was friends with all 32 shipmates, all of the amazing crew and our guides Mali and Marija. From the Captain, to every single member of the crew, they made this week truly awesome. The food onboard was plentiful and delicious. The boat was kept scrupulously clean and tidy. Unfortunately, the weather for the first four days was very wet and windy, causing the Captain to reschedule the original route. Mali had to improvise and make alternative plans for some of our hikes by tweaking the itinerary. Both guides worked very hard at making the holiday a huge success and motivational, enabling me to complete some of the slightly challenging parts of our treks. Thank you! The landscape and views are breathtaking, the people of Croatia are wonderful and I will be returning, In the meantime, I’ll remember with affection the week spent with such wonderful company. Book now!!!
- Fiona, 22/05/2023 06:26, Travelled with Friend/s
Ahoy Fiona! This is fantastic to read - thank you so much for taking the time to leave us with such a brilliant review, we really do appreciate it. It's wonderful reading what a great time you had on board and you were really pleased with all aspects of the cruise, thank you so much for an incredible week on board. We hope we will see you on board again in the future.
All the towns we visited in Croatia were beautiful! The hikes were great fun! The crew were ALL amazing, friendly and knowledgeable! The boat (Milena) was clean, spacious and very comfortable! And we had a wonderful group of people and all became fast friends!
- Diane, 18/05/2023 14:22, Travelled with Friend/s
Hi Diane, We are glad to hear you had such an amazing week! Thank you for your review and we hope to see you again in the future!
- Darlene, 15/05/2023 19:03, Travelled with Friend/s
Thank you Darlene!
Staff, boat, walks, venue
- Chris, 03/10/2022 08:24, Travelled with Friend/s
Lovely small boat able to drop into little bays and harbours. Good food for hungry hikers. Plenty of room on deck to relax while travelling.
- Anonymous, 03/10/2022 06:19, Travelled with Friend/s