Small-ship sailing on APT Travelmarvel’s Princess Eleganza offers a unique look at the Croatian coast, finds Rebecca Barnes
Croatians can’t play cricket – in fact, only around 30 of them know the rules – but they still have a lot of fun wandering around in their cricket whites,” jests our guide Marco, as we look down towards the quirky pitch, flanked by vineyards and vegetable patches. Located alongside a faded airstrip – used in 1944-45 for emergency landings by war-damaged Allied aircraft in distress – the land is now home to Vis Cricket Club, the oldest cricket club in Europe outside the UK to host matches and tournaments.
Taking in the agricultural landscape on unspoilt Vis, said to be Croatia’s greenest island, it’s hard to imagine its Second World War history – the chaos that once ensued and the lives that were lost in between the matches once played here to boost troops’ morale. Another curveball comes 15 minutes’ drive west, in Komiza, a compact harbour town and burgeoning beach resort.
With narrow backstreets and relaxed cafes, I instantly fall in love with the low-key, Bohemian atmosphere, and quietly rejoice when I discover there are still more families here making a living from fishing than tourism. This is small-ship sailing in Croatia with Travelmarvel. And after last year’s sellout maiden season, the line has made this Adriatic Coastal Cruise itinerary its signature Croatian route. With 2024 sailings on sale now, bookings are “keeping pace”, according to the line, as demand for Croatian small-ship cruises remains high.
Delectable dining
Back on board APT Travelmarvel’s yacht Princess Eleganza, we sit down to a buffet lunch. Two Croatian ladies run the kitchen, preparing fresh Mediterranean food with love and attention – one evening out on deck they cook the traditional pork dish kotlovina, which we devour with fine local wine.
The itinerary offers a half-board arrangement, with breakfast and either lunches or dinners on the ship – a bonus for independent travellers looking to enjoy leisurely meals ashore, while making the most of the ship staying in most ports until the early hours. The 36-guest Princess Eleganza was built in 2015 and the public areas, restaurant and exterior underwent a makeover last year. The atmosphere on board is relaxed and convivial, helped along by bubbly cruise director Cheri, a powerhouse of energy and knowledge.
And my cosy en suite cabin does not feel cramped, despite it featuring just two small portholes. There’s plenty of storage for a week and the bathroom feels surprisingly spacious; it’s bigger than some of those on the mega cruise ships I’ve been on. Plus, docking is usually in a prime position, although most days you’ll moor alongside similar-sized yachts that you have to meander through, river cruise style, to get ashore.
While there ends up being only one off-the-ship swim stop during the week, I am more than happy chilling out on the roomy sun deck soaking up the views under a blanket – the late summer northerly wind, Bura, has some bite.
Sun, sailing and Skradinski
Novice sailors will appreciate the generally calm sea on this particular route, although we encounter the full force of Croatia’s famous wind one evening, which delays our arrival into Korcula. But that’s not going to stop our fun. The Massimo cocktail bar is at the top of the Medieval tower, and while -adventurous types can stop and drink on the first level, we put personal liability to one side and climb the steep ladder to the top, to enjoy the far-reaching views and cocktails that arrive by pulley.
A visit to the lush Krka National Park in Sibenik is the perfect antidote to an evening of drinking and dining. We start at the Skradinski Buk waterfall – the longest on the Krka River – before venturing along shaded trails. While we don’t spot any one of the 19 species of resident reptiles, there are plenty of endemic plants to brighten up the walk.
This diverse itinerary keeps on giving and the island of Rab, only accessible by boat or ferry, is a personal favourite. Rab is often lauded as the best tourist destination in the Adriatic, and it’s easy to see why, with its pristine old town, stunning medieval architecture and long, slender coastline. After soaking up the late-summer sun on a tranquil pebble beach, we hole up at a Balearic-style beach bar on the coastal path and sip sundowners before heading back to the ship.
“Zadar has the most beautiful sunset in the world,” proclaimed filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock about the popular Croatian city. This resonates when I see the sultry sky morph from orange to pink for myself one evening from the ship’s top deck – just like a tropical cocktail. But Hitchcock’s favourite sunset isn’t the only impressive aspect of cruising the Adriatic coastline: there’s plenty to stop you in your tracks, and seeing it from the water makes it even more special.
Selling tips
✦ Use small ships to attract first-timers to cruising. Their size makes them more intimate and sailings tend to be less formal than traditional ocean and river journeys.
✦ Smaller ships mean better access to harder-to-reach parts of the Adriatic coast, offering more-authentic, off-the-beaten-track experiences away from the crowds.
✦ Small ships are a great way to meet like-minded people: sell the benefits of making friends for life.
Book it
APT Travelmarvel’s eight-day Adriatic Coastal Cruise itinerary from Zagreb to Dubrovnik, costs from £2,795 per person, based on an April 26, 2024, departure. Price includes return flights from the UK.
aptouring.co.uk
PICTURES: Shutterstock/KellySHUTSTOC
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