Our Marketing Coordinator, Marc, recently had the pleasure of cruising across the coast of Croatia (From Dubrovnik to Split) on an 8-day adventure with Beyond Travel. From Blue Cave visits to Half New Year Celebrations to insightful, history-rich tours. This dreamy itinerary swept passengers from island to island for unique experiences in off-the-beaten-track destinations such as Korčula, Vis, Hvar, and more.
Do you have Croatia on your holiday wishlist? Have you been dreaming of a European summer? Beyond Travel can breathe life into any Mediterranean holiday with ocean swims, winery visits, sunbed leisure and more experiences befitting the small ship cruising they’re known for.
For those who would like to learn more about this incredible itinerary or other adventures offered from Beyond Travel… Read about it on the Best of Dalmatia info page or Reach out to a Tour + Cruise Specialist today! Continue to read and learn more about Marc’s time on the Croatian coast.
The Pre-Cruise Process
Beyond Travel was incredibly informative in the weeks before my departure and the cruise’s commencement. I was in frequent email communication with the team. When I had questions (about the cruise’s general demographic, for example), they were quick to call and discuss the cruise in detail.
About a week or so before the cruise, Beyond Travel provided me with a document which included a day-to-day breakdown of the itinerary as well as a ton of additional information. Such as advice on Croatian tipping, items to pack, and more. While this might’ve been useful to receive a little sooner, it was still incredibly useful and left me with more than enough time to prepare for my trip.
Embarkation
The embarkation process was relatively seamless as transfers between my stay and the ship were included in the cruise. Now, while other passengers stayed at hotels, I was at an Airbnb – and my stay wasn’t directly accessible from a street. Nevertheless, the company had no problem accommodating and establishing a nearby pickup point. They even communicated with me a day before to confirm the details. From here, they were incredibly timely and helpful with luggage as well.
Once I arrived at the ship, I was able to leave my bags while they cleaned and prepared our cabins. This did take some time (around 4 hours or so), however, this left me with the opportunity to explore Dubrovnik a little more. Once passengers were given the go ahead to return to the ship, we had more than enough time to settle in and freshen up before our very first dinner on the ship!
Cabin First Impressions
Once I was able to see my cabin, it immediately struck me as both modern and comfortable, albeit somewhat small for two people. I was in the Twin Share Cabin on the ship’s Main Deck. The size became a minor problem when we tried to place our suitcases on the floor next to the bed as it was notably difficult to open two suitcases at a time – However, this was quickly resolved as there was quite a bit of storage provided in the cabin. It was easy for me to unpack my luggage and live out of the cupboards provided.
Another thing which highlighted the cabin’s size was the fact the bed only had enough space for one bedside table. The second could only fit under the room’s desk space. This meant I was unable to charge my phone beside the bed without it hanging from the wall outlet.
There were many details I could appreciate about the cabin’s overall ambience. The room had a lovely feature wall which also acted as a bedhead. The wall had the ship’s name, Suzana, imprinted on it as well as reading lights attached to the outlets. Meanwhile, the quilts also had the ship’s name tastefully stitched into the fabric, which was a nice touch.
Moving into the bathroom, the space was surprisingly spacious, particularly the shower – which I was pleased to discover had great pressure and more than enough heat! The shower also had a safety rail, which would be great for accessibility – as well as for rough days at sea.
The Dining & Bar Experience
The food on the MS Suzana included breakfast and lunch almost every single day onboard (minus the last day, which only included breakfast). Whilst dinner was only provided twice.
Lunch and dinner were both served over three courses – with an entree, main, and dessert. Breakfast was a buffet that included various components such as eggs, bacon, yogurt, and more. Each of these meals was incredibly well presented. It’s worth noting that many were seafood dishes – which isn’t my favourite cuisine, however, I’m always eager to try something new when on holiday. Whilst each tasted relatively distinct and well prepared… I do feel these dishes could’ve been a little more diverse in this regard. Personally, my favourite meal from the cruise would have to be the Truffle Gnocchi, which had incredibly rich flavours and was cooked to perfection.
The bartenders were always in high spirits (pun intended) and were trained to make a wide variety of cocktails. There was an occasion or two where I wanted a drink made from the menu and they didn’t have the ingredients to do so – though they were thoughtful enough to leave the drink we settled on off the tab as an apology. Tabs were settled at the very end of the cruise in cash.
Deck Layouts
The MS Suzana was a small yacht, therefore, it was incredibly easy to navigate as it only consisted of four levels in total. Each level served a different purpose…
The Sun Deck
At the very top of the cruise ship, you’ll find enough sunbeds to accommodate every passenger onboard. This is hands down the perfect place to settle in and relax under the Mediterranean sun. I was completely engrossed in the sounds of the ocean whilst basking in some much-needed Vitamin D.
Though breaks from the sun are important! So, this level also had a shaded area and lounge – this was a great spot to take a break from the heat, relax, and chat with other passengers. It’s worth mentioning that The Sun Deck also had a hot tub for those brave enough to take a dip despite the heat… though it may be a little more fitting for other destinations and itineraries.
The Upper Deck
This deck consisted of an outdoor seating area, the main dining room (which included the bar), as well as a few more sunbeds on the very front of the ship.
MS Suzana’s outdoor seating area was the ideal place for guests to come together and socialise pre-breakfast for coffee and post-dinner for drinks. It had a lot of space and the perfect view of the ocean from the back of the ship. The main dining area was incredibly spacious and well-decorated. Especially on the night of the captain’s dinner – where napkins were folded intricately and guests were welcomed with complimentary drinks. The bar shared the space with the main dining area, which was perfect for quick access to beers, cocktails, and soft drinks with lunch and dinner.
While certain drinks aren’t as fitting for breakfast… coffee was always on a bench close by and ready to use for the caffeine addicts aboard – it might leave a bit to be desired, but it does the job!
The Main Deck & Lower Deck
Now, the MS Suzana’s two bottom levels is where you’ll find most of the passenger cabins. Relative to their position on the ship, each cabin can be pretty unique and therefore has advantages and disadvantages. The Lower Deck cabins are much larger and hold enough beds for three people. However, these rooms only have portholes rather than windows. On the other end of the spectrum, many of the cabins on the Main Deck have larger windows with fantastic views of the ocean while also being much smaller in size.
Excisions & Entertainment
The cruise itinerary was filled with activities – so much so that there was never a dull moment on the cruise and it felt as though we always had some tour or experience to occupy our time! All these experiences were included in the cruise fare, minus one impromptu tour in Vis which required payment on the day – this was a special case as it was planned by our Cruise Manager whilst on the go.
Tour Guides
Most of the destinations we visited were accompanied by informative tour guides who had an in-depth knowledge of each respective location. In Dubrovnik, I was fascinated to learn about earthquakes that shook the city to rubble. Korčula, we learned all about Marco Polo and his mistress Lady Francesca in a very immersive tour with a guide dressed as Lady Francesca herself. Vis, we were granted a tour of the spots around the island where Mama Mia 2: Here We Go Again was filmed and heard how the island benefited from the production. Lastly, in Hvar we were granted a look into the island’s history and the secrets of agave lace making.
As mentioned, the Mama Mia 2 tour in Vis wasn’t included in the cruise. We didn’t have anything planned, and our Cruise Manager was dedicated enough to go out of his way to make these arrangements for us. Honestly? The tours added so much to my experience as they allowed me to fully appreciate each stop. In fact, there were a few occasions where I wished they lasted longer than an hour, especially in Dubrovnik.
Ship Swims
Something completely unexpected was the opportunity to swim off the side of the boat! Since the ship is so small, it’s incredibly easy for the captain to find a secluded spot and anchor the ship to allow passengers to swim off the back.
The back of the ship is equipped with two ladders as well as space to dive into the ocean – The crew would often bring out pool noodles, paddle boards, and all sorts of swimming equipment, which made for a lot of fun in the ocean If I had to pick one… this might be my highlight from the entire trip. While some areas could get cold and other spots would get rough (to say the least). Most swims were perfect whilst the water was crystal clear. This aspect of the cruise brought the Mediterranean holiday dream to life for me.
Blue Caves
A spectacular trip to the Blue Caves was also included in the cruise itinerary. This. Was. Magical. Whatever you could imagine the Blue Caves to be couldn’t possibly equate to reality – the colours of the cave walls and the ocean below are a beautiful, vibrant blue. Fish fly in and out of rocks and crevices. It’s truly a sight to behold. Look hard enough and you might see a naturally formed rock in the shape of a heart on the cave’s ceiling as well!
Our cave guide tried his best to give background on the caves and their formation, however, he was somewhat hard to understand due to his thick accent and the speed at which he spoke. Nonetheless, it was clear he was quite passionate about the caves.
Cultural Immersion
The ship included many dives into Croatian culture. Namely, through the live Klapa music which was included in the Captain’s Dinner. It sounded beautiful, and the band had the entire room involved and engrossed in their traditional Croatian music.
We also had a fantastic wine tasting experience in Hvar. During which we were served an authentic Croatian dish called peka. The cuisine and the environment (which consisted of lavender fields, which Hvar is known to harvest) made for a truly genuine Croatian experience that I’m sure to remember for years to come.
Final Thoughts
The cruise created the perfect Mediterranean holiday experience. It felt as though I had enough time to settle into the comfort of the ship (With sunbeds, hot tubs, and lounges) and to immerse myself into Croatia and its rich culture (With live music, guided tours, and authentic dishes).
It was fantastic to traverse the coast of Croatia and experience all of the different islands with their differing cultural traditions and histories from Dubrovnik to Split – An experience that I would absolutely recommend to any who wants to experience Europe and the Mediterranean to the fullest.
Get in touch with one of our Tour + Cruise Specialists to organise your Beyond Travel Best of Dalmatia adventure. If you’re after more ideas and inspiration, we recommend you explore the full range of Mediterranean cruise itineraries on our website!
