By Karen Quinn-Panzer
Travel Matters
Karen Quinn-Panzer
While many people ask for the Greek Islands, there is another alternative: Croatia, with over 1,000 islands, 50 of which are inhabited.
There are fleets of large yachts that take 30-36 guests all over the Adriatic throughout the best of these islands. You can book these yachts as individuals or families or go with a chartered group.
Our chartered group just enjoyed this fabulous experience, leaving from Split, Croatia. The old town is a living museum located within the walls of the 3rd century Diocletian palace. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, this is one of the most impressive Roman ruins in the world. Staying a day or two in Split is a must.
What is this cruise like, and how is it different from a regular cruise ship like Royal Caribbean or even a smaller ship like Seabourn?
First, the captain and the crew of seven sailors, chef, cruise manager and bar staff are an integral part of your daily experience onboard the ship. With a ship this size, they know your first name by the second day, if not the first. On a deluxe premium ship like the MS Rhapsody, you have 14 VIP balcony cabins and four cabins below deck with portholes.
The ship sails only during the day from around 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. depending on the next destination. Typically, you have your breakfast and lunch onboard the ship – which is excellent – and tour the islands in the afternoon and evening. This gave us opportunity to experience the local restaurants, shops and cafes on the island three different nights on this particular sailing. On two days we had a swim stop in the morning or afternoon, where we could swim off the back platform with paddleboards and noodles. It was a great way to enjoy the turquoise waters of the Adriatic right from the ship.
Our itinerary included Korcula (where Marco Polo was born), Mljet National Park, Hvar, Bol (famous for the Golden Unicorn Beach), Milna (part of Brac), Ston and Mali Ston and the coastal gem of Dubrovnik – where we were docked for two nights, giving us the best time to experience that city when the rest of the cruise ships have departed.
My favorite highlights include Hvar, the island made popular by the Austrian Empress Elizabeth (“Sisi”) who was the patron of the first curative spa hotel in 1899, and is today known as Palace Elizabeth. Hvar is the largest of all the islands and a great place to explore with its 13th century fortress, lively beach clubs and artisan shopping.
My other “can’t miss” experience is in Mali Ston, where we took a small skiff over to an island with oysters and mussels with Croatian white wine – perfectly prepared and fresh from the sea in an exclusive setting just for our guests. If you love authentic experiences, it just doesn’t get better than this.
Karen Quinn-Panzer is the owner and vacation specialist at Dream Vacations Quinn Panzer Travel in Milford.