My Cruising Holidays in Dalmatia

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I had never been on a cruise ship before, nor had I thought about taking a holiday on one, as I imagined they were for rich people, or for the older generation. My imagination led me to believe that the cabins would be claustrophobic and my days would be boring, how wrong I was! I booked my holiday reservation and prepared to set sail on the cruise ship around Dalmatia on the Croatian coastline.

Boarding in Dubrovnik

Once aboard in Dubrovnik , the adventure began, with a welcome drink, introductions to the Captain, my tour guide and members of the ship’s staff, as well as an explanation of the safety measures.

I was then shown to my cabin, and from the moment I entered the lift, I was in awe of how huge the ship was, never seeing anything so immense. Lunch was amazing, three courses with a choice of beverages, with very attentive waiters.

Dubrovnik to Korcula

While sailing to the island of Korcula, I started to mingle with my fellow ship mates, and also exploring what this fantastic cruise ship had to offer in the way of recreational facilities. The gym was well equipped with various exercise classes on offer, I even thought about booking for Yoga on the top deck at some point. Anyway, we arrived in the port of Korcula in the early evening, a small, medieval town on the north east end of the island. Inhabited by around 3000 people, with the town centre overlooked by the splendid St Mark’s Cathedral . After exploring this old town, I returned to the ship which stayed in port overnight, where I enjoyed some of the on-board entertainment in the cabaret area.

Korcula to Hvar

After a delicious buffet breakfast on board, we were taken on a walking tour of Korcula town, before returning to the ship to set sail for Hvar, a Mediterranean type island, rich in local heritage and culture. Apparently the island gained power and glory during the Middle Ages, by becoming an important port for the Venetian naval empire.

Here in Hvar, a local guide took several of us from the cruise ship on a walking tour, ending up at an oil factory, where the smells of lavender still linger with me.

Hvar to Mljet

Upon arrival at the island of Mljet, where we boarded a coach for onward travel, we were pointed in the direction of the National Park area , where we were served with an incredible lunch of the local produce, before I decided to be adventurous, and hired a bike for a couple of hours cycling around the woods. Some of my fellow holidaymakers were more thrill-seeking, and took to the rivers in kayaks.

Returning to the cruise ship I decided to spend the late afternoon lazing by the swimming pool on a lounger, a drink by my side and a book in my hand for a few hours of relaxation.

Mljet to Elafiti Islands

The Elafiti islands consist of several smaller islands lying to the north west of Dubrovnik. We dropped anchor here for several hours, which enabled us to go swimming in the ocean, an unbelievable, incredible experience for me.

And return to Dubrovnik

My final stop off tour in this beautiful city, where we took a tour bus to the Old Town, taking many photographs, to remember my excellent holiday. A group of us then wandered around at our leisure, taking in the atmosphere, and drinking several cups of coffee in the cafes that line the characteristic streets and talked about what we liked the most on the Dalmatia cruise and which places took our breath away.

I have many memorable moments from this Dalmatian cruise holiday and I will hopefully make a point of returning one day soon.

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