Croatia/Montenegro
The Best of Croatia: A Coastal Voyage
Program No. 20118RJ
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The Best of Croatia: A Coastal Voyage
The Best of Croatia: A Coastal Voyage
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Participant Reviews
Based on 199 Reviews
SHOWING
This was a fabulous trip because of not only the destinations....
1. Our guide, Biba, was full of energy and very knowledgeable, could not have had a better guide
2. Everyone in our group was so fun and represented the traveler we expect to find on a Road Scholar trip
3. The staff on the MV Vapor ship were the best. They were professional while also managing to be personal and fun. The food was excellently done for our group needs.
The only negative was our stateroom. We were supposed to have two beds. Instead we had a full bed which could only be accessed from one side. It was in a corner with a closet covering most of the foot of the bed. I had to climb over my husband's feet to get into the bed, awkward. The aisle area around the bed was 2 feet at the foot and and 21" at the side. It was a room for one person. Puzzling as there were single people on the trip in a room with two beds. A second couple had the same dilemna we had with their room. In talking with the crew we discussed that 28 people really stetched the limits of the ship. They are thinking of taking less people in the future. 28 people was the largest Road Scholar group we have been on, a bit unwieldly, but Biba managed the size well and as noted we all got along. Otherwise it could have been a disaster.
Its always the people that make the trip.
— Review left February 23, 2026
I can't say enough good things about the Croatia Cruise trip. We had a wonderful group leader in Bashkim, with great fellow travelers and crew. I really feel I had a exceptional learning experience while visiting the remarkably beautiful Dalmatian coast.I would do another Road Scholar trip in a heartbeat!
— Review left November 18, 2025
The best word I can find for this trip is "Exceptional". It was truly exceptional in every way. It will be an experience I will long remember. Road Scholar went above and beyond my expectations. The itinerary, tours, the ship, the excursions, the lectures, the accommodations, the food could not have been better. Darko was the perfect leader. He was so knowledgeable, endlessly kind and patient. It was evident that he truly cared for us and wanted us to have the best experience in his beautiful historic country. I am feeling so blessed and thank all of you at RS .
— Review left November 11, 2025
Overall, this was a great trip. I loved being on the Adriatic on a small ship and that there were several opportunities to swim in the ocean off the ship.
The trip description and warnings from RS prior to the trip were accurate, both in types of activities and the physical challenges of touring in older cities with uneven walkways and lots of steps. I would have liked a few more activities out in natural areas, as opposed to touring yet another church - but that's a personal preference.
Zagreb is an interesting contrast to the rest of the trip. There are many small, unique museums. It would have been helpful to get a visitor map the day ahead to plan ahead for the free time. The Plitvice waterfall park was spectacular and I appreciated that we went on longer walk there rather than just the most popular area.
— Review left November 11, 2025
Croatia, a Coastal Journey was an amazing trip! The natural beauty combined with fascinating cities, cultural and archaeological sites, was non-stop. The size of the ship was perfect, not only for getting to know fellow passengers, but also because we docked right in the midst of each location. The only stop we made that also accommodated large cruise ships was Split, and there our boat was directly across the street from Diocletian’s Palace. The fact that the ship only traveled during the day meant we could enjoy the coastlines and stay late in the cities we visited. The stops along the coastline were only a few hours travel time apart. The travel group was excellent. Everyone was helpful and considerate of their fellow group mates. It was easy to form groups for free time exploration, so I always had a travel/meal partner even though I was solo.
— Review left November 10, 2025
Excellent experience in a complex part of the world.
— Review left November 9, 2025
The Best of Croatia: A Coastal Cruise, our fifth RS tour & first afloat, was lovely from end to end. Our leader Sandra couldn't be better suited for the job: her enthusiasm, love, & humor helped our group of 24 to gel quickly. Sandra & the excellent Barbara crew also solved problems that arose efficiently & effectively (Plan B when weather precluded our original itinerary gave us one of my favorite days). Lectures on the ship, great; local walking guides, very good as well. Excellent eating on board & at local restaurants. Activities were varied & camaraderie in our amiable group terrific. The breathtaking landscape of Croatia (& Montenegro!), as well as the historical, cultural, & artistic legacies we had a chance to encounter, made this a memorable & enriching experience.
— Review left November 8, 2025
Our Croatia - Coastal Voyage group Leader was a deep well of knowledge and a wonderful country host. Bashkim was politically astute and culturally wise. He drew our group together and enthusiastically shared his knowledge. Road Scholar does its homework.
— Review left November 8, 2025
This trip, The Best of Croatia, was a good introduction to this part of the world. We learned more about the region, its history, geography and people and had lots of fun. The group of 24 got along well and enjoyed the time on board The Barbara, a magnificent ship with a great staff. We appreciated all the work of the staff and their pleasant interactions with all of us.
— Review left November 7, 2025
This is a great program, I highly recommend it. It's one of the few cruise programs where you don't have to sit on a bus for hours each day, and it has many fewer participants than most cruise programs. The local experts were all excellent, the meals on the boat were delicious, and the boat crew members were super helpful. But do take seriously that it is rated "let's go" -- this is truly not a program for anyone who has difficulties walking on rough ground or up and down stairs.
— Review left November 5, 2025
What a wonderful trip! What a beautiful country! By hugging the coast in a small ship we were able to visit several islands and Dubrovnik and Split. Then, later, we traveled inland and hiked in Plit Vice Lakes National Park and saw multiple waterfalls. We visited N. Tesla’s birthplace and Ivan Mestrovic’s sculptures.
— Review left November 5, 2025
We loved this trip, and are recommending it to our friends!
— Review left October 30, 2025
What a great trip!! The itinerary was varied and very interesting. our leader and guides were prepared and engaging. The other participants were lovely.
Eager to try another Road Scholar trip.
— Review left October 29, 2025
with over 20 RS trips, this ranks amongst the best. Previous reviews describe the trip very well, so I won't repeat. There are a few details worth pointing out. RS seems to use three ships for this trip. All have the same overall design, but, the Barbara has a bit more going for it than the others. Examples, they apparently travel under sail for a bit, the wifi is stronger, larger and better equiped cabins. Another point to be made about the ships is that there are cabins on three levels of the ship. The top two offer a door to the outside which gives you fresh air, as well as a nice view when you exit your cabin. Cabins below deck open to a closed deck. Little fresh air.
Finally, I can't say enough about Alan, our guide. Knowledge, approach, warmth, humor, top notch. Old enough to have actually lived in Yugoslavia, through the homeland war, independence and EU.
So itinerary, accommodations, guide, weather (not something RS can control). A fabulous trip.
— Review left October 27, 2025
Once again, this trip was very well organized and very enjoyable.
— Review left October 24, 2025
The best group tour leader and tour group ever!
— Review left October 23, 2025
The Croatia trip is only taxing on the trip at the lakes but otherwise it's exciting, informative and enjoyable. I'll encourage friends to use Road Scholar. Geri
— Review left October 22, 2025
The Best of Croatia is a perfect mix of on the sea with a beautiful ship, island hopping, exposure to nature, cultural enrichment, tour of beautiful cities and coastline.
— Review left October 17, 2025
My husband and I attended our first Road Scholar program after some friends invited us to join them. We had not previously looked into either Road Scholar or the location (Croatia/Montenegro) but we ended up having an incredible trip. The program, group leader, and fellow travelers were a dream come true, and one we didn’t even realize we had. Thank you.
— Review left October 16, 2025
Wonderful trip by ship along the Dalmatian coast with Petra, our excellent group leader.
— Review left October 16, 2025
This was our first trip with Road Scholar - The Best of Croatia which was amazing. This was our first trip of more to come with Road Scholar - give them a chance, you will not be disappointed.
— Review left October 13, 2025
Interesting and informative program about an area i knew little about. Nice pace and excellent leaders. Highly recommend.
— Review left October 10, 2025
Six stars on a scale of five!
This was a fabulous trip from start to finish. Our guide, Petra, was extraordinary — encyclopedic in her knowledge, smart, approachable, organized, insightful, and fun. The program itself was superbly designed, with a schedule and experiences that were thoughtfully planned.
The local guides were uniformly excellent, and the lectures were both pertinent and enlightening. We saw all the classic highlights — walking the wall in Dubrovnik, exploring Diocletian’s Palace in Split, sailing along the stunning Dalmatian coast, and visiting several islands — but also enjoyed Road Scholar’s signature insider experiences. These included a dinner visit to an elderly priest’s ancestral mountainside home (in his family for 17 generations), a meeting with a former merchant captain turned winemaker and olive oil producer, a private lecture at Plitvice Lakes National Park by a park ranger, and a guided tour of Nikola Tesla’s childhood home.
Because of last-minute cancellations, our group numbered only 21 — a real bonus. Our ship, the Barbara, was beautiful, and the captain and crew were first-rate. Meals on board were delicious, and the weather was perfect, making the sailing spectacular. We typically cruised just a couple of hours a day and never at night; twice the captain anchored in a quiet cove so we could swim in the crystal-clear water.
This was an active trip — our longest walk was six miles through Plitvice Lakes National Park, with uneven ground and moderate inclines — but the scenery made it well worth it. (It would be even more breathtaking in spring when water levels are higher.)
If you like to go, do, see, and learn — and want unique experiences, great company, and rich insights — this is the trip for you!
— Review left October 10, 2025
This was a fantastic trip. As usual Road Scholar did a great job with the itinerary and the trip leader (Ivan Švacov) was outstanding. The local exerts in general were excellent as well. All knew their stuff and outside of one had wonderful delivery and were entertaining.
Ivan made the trip a success... not only very knowledgable and approachable but a real good guy. He kept us informed of all the goings on and had wonderful suggestions for our "On Our Own" time.
There was a lot of great food. We were not expecting a lot of variety on the boat but the chef really gave us a week of wonderful local specialties. The local restaurant that were included were authentic and relaxing with high quality food.
It helped that we had great weather. We went swimming off the back of the boat and at a number of local beaches enroute. The Barbara is also a sailing ship and we did move under sail for a short period... what an experience.
Since it is a small ship we were able to dock at a number of small ports whether the large ships did not frequent... so the towns were much less crowded. Oh course, Dubrovnik and Split had larger ships and then ere crowded.
Can't say enough about the excursions: the waterfall park
was a must see and the visit to the winery run by the retired priest was another highlight.
All and all a great way to see Croatia.
— Review left October 1, 2025
We thoroughly enjoyed this trip. A great way to see Croatia.
— Review left October 1, 2025
An excellent combination of enjoyable vacation and educational experiences. We particularly enjoyed the family owned/operated Vapor motor cruiser as our vessel. The Plitvice Lakes are a delight.
— Review left July 24, 2025
This is a wonderful program to explore Croatia and Montenegro. Our group leader, Biba, did an excellent job making sure that we all had a wonderful experience. We were a group of 28 and we all got along very well. The accommodations were very nice. The M/Y Vapor is an older boat. The crew was fantastic and the food on the boat was decent. My favorite part of the trip was the visit to Plitvice Lakes National park. We spent one night and one morning there and I wished it would have been two nights and a whole day at the park. I would recommend to skip Montenegro, to start in Dubrovnik, and spend more time at the national park.
— Review left July 11, 2025
I highly recommend this trip! It was well organized and enjoyable from beginning to end: scenic, educational and fun. Combining smaller towns with the larger historical sites was seamless with the boat trip and bus connections.
— Review left July 6, 2025
Great trip. Well organized. Saw lots of great places. Had lots of fun.
— Review left July 6, 2025
Croatia was a beautiful and very historic country. I liked learning about the history of each of the areas that we went to. We liked the trip but would have liked it so much better if it had been a multi-sport adventure. I would have liked to have spent an additional day at the National park. We liked that we had local experts each morning but I would have liked to have had a more varied experience each free afternoon. When we had free afternoons it was suggested by our group leader to further explore the area that we toured in the morning, basically looking at shops. A month prior to our trip we received an email from the group leader, Dejan, as an introduction. At that time I asked about being able to go birding, biking, hiking and kayaking at the different locations but no information about those activities was provided. Luckily we were able to find places on our own. It just would have been nice to have that information available beforehand so that we could have made plans. We ended up going to the botanical gardens and the "central park" by tram in Zagreb. We hiked to the botanical garden and zoo in Split. We hiked a portion of the trail beneath the funicular in Dubrovnik. We kayaked in Dubrovnik and Cavtat.
— Review left June 30, 2025
We so enjoyed our Dalmatian Coast adventure and highly recommend the experience for others. The Tour provided an excellent learning opportunity but we also enjoyed the many pleasures of Croatia that included beautiful Medieval cities and islands, sunny skies and pristine water, and various activities such as swimming, wine tasting and, for the most part, pleasant dinning. The guides were consistently outstanding and our leader, Alan, communicated well and was exceptional at handling logistics. The sea voyage was a delight in many ways such as having an exceptional crew and varied food options but we thought the room accommodations were lacking in size and storage, especially the bathroom. Overall this is a fantastic experience greatly enhanced by the many wonderful people we met both amongst our tour group and the Road Scholar staff.
— Review left June 27, 2025
The content of the tour is comprehensive. I came away feeling that I know Croatia. The tour leader Alan is excellent at what he does. He makes everyone feel welcome to his country and to the tour. His love of Croatia shines through. The time spent on MS Vapor was the highlight of the trip. Adding time in Montenegro a the end of the tour was a delightful surprise. It is a beautiful small country that I would not have visited on my own.
— Review left June 19, 2025
This was a great trip even for a solo traveler!
— Review left June 17, 2025
A fascinating visit to a very beautiful country with a long and interesting history.
— Review left June 10, 2025
Overall OUTSTANDING!
Great , fabulous itinerary and the added touches like Green Captain wine tasting, klapa musicians, Don Stipe PPerkov, and Plitvice Lakes National Park
Great guide: Andrea Domines superb well organized, enjoyable
Delightful group, a few with some physical challenges but Road Scholar did a great job of preparation documents and
advice so I think it did not affect group overall
Vapor-"Glamping" at best but got use to it, Tommy seemed a little distant at times but I suspect constant 'tourist" wears on you. Stipe and a few of the other "hands" on deck added to the Vapor fun. The Beds were not too comfortable especially for individuals that are tall or heavy but we did get used to it also. Perhaps a little thicker mattress would help. Food pretty good overall, but again the smallness of boat prevented some ease of the buffet line.
I would do it all over again without a second thought and appreciate so much this unbelievable opportunity for my husband and I to join 6 other close friends on this trip. We made 19 NEW friends also. only advice is that people know that the small boat experience is just that..a little on the small side for rooms and comfort level. Thank YOU!!
— Review left June 10, 2025
This was my second time on this trip because I loved it so much the first time....I invited 2 friends to go as well and they were both impressed and loved the Road Scholar experience. Croatia is a beautiful country with lots of different aspects to enjoy like the cities with wonderful buildings and churches dating back many centuries, the beautiful Adriatic Sea, the Plitvice Lakes and waterfalls, the Roman and Venetian ruins, the people and of course Dubrovnik!
— Review left June 5, 2025
This is an excellent experience in a beautiful part of the world. The combination of land and sea was perfect and all of the local guides were outstanding. The tour director (Ivan) was excellent!
— Review left June 5, 2025
Croatia is a fantastic place and spring is the time to go!
— Review left June 4, 2025
This program was absolutely amazing from beginning to end. The scenery, history, tours, lectures, boat trip (including the wonderful crew), entertainment, food and company. I highly recommend!
— Review left June 3, 2025
The Best of Croatia Coastal Voyage was an extraordinary experience. In addition to the beauty of the country, the regional history was really well presented and made for a truly great learning experience.
— Review left June 3, 2025
This is a wonderful program (especially if you are fortunate to have Ivan as your guide). Croatia is such a beautiful, complicated country and this program helped me to deepen my understanding and appreciation for this country and its people.
— Review left June 3, 2025
From the moment we were in the room with introductions of each other to the last dinner and saying good-bye, the people I met, the knowledge and stories shared, not only from the history of each area but each person's journey to be there, I was so in awe of all of it. Thank you Road Scholar for being in my life. I will sign up again!!
— Review left June 3, 2025
Loved The Best of Croatia: A Coastal Voyage! It was the perfect blend of land and ship adventures. The Barbara is a beautiful ship and the crew couldn't have been better. We saw and did so much in 2 weeks getting to know the beauty of Croatia. There are a lot of stairs involved and I am very glad I took hiking boots and poles for out time in the National Park. One of the best trips I've ever taken and would highly recommend it! So glad we went from Zagreb to Dubrovnik as the ship was the highlight of the trip.
— Review left May 22, 2025
This is a fantastic program, can't recommend it enough. Croatia and Montenegro are beautiful and steeped in complicated history that the group leader and instructors brought to life and helped me understand.
— Review left May 21, 2025
This was our first trip with Road Scholar and it was a wonderful experience. We felt fortunate to have Alan guiding us and sharing his extensive knowledge. Croatia has a vast variety of beautiful scenery from forests with waterfalls to seaside coastlines with medieval town centers.The beauty of Montenegro was a big surprise too.We learned so much about that part of the world, its history,and current topics. Spending seven nights on the small ship My Barbara with an attentive crew and a fun, good natured group made it an awesome trip!
— Review left May 21, 2025
Road Scholars will teach you something about Croatia that other travelers will not know. Do more than scratch the surface!
— Review left May 15, 2025
This was a great trip. Tonya was an excellent tour guide. I understand so much more about the region and its’s complicated history.. The towns and islands are beautiful. We were particularly fortunate to have a great group of people on our tour. We all got to know each other and appreciate our time together.
— Review left May 14, 2025
Excellent, educational program. The boat, My Barbary was wonderful and views were spectacular. We stopped at several islands, ate gelatos and enjoyed the stone walkways and historical sights. The pace was easy and there were lots of relaxing times on the boat. I highly recommend this trip.
— Review left May 14, 2025
What an absolute bash! We lucked out on our local guide, Tanja, who was able to answer so many questions from our group about the history of Croatia & its neighbors, the things you won’t find in a textbook, and day-to-day life. We also lucked out weather wise with nonstop sunshine except for some brief showers during the last two days. Accommodations were top notch, making for a refreshing respite from the day’s adventures. Strong recommend!
— Review left May 13, 2025
Our Group Leader Tanja Bostic (sp?) was superb! She is a wonderful Road Scholar ambassador! She went above and beyond to ensure everyone’s needs and wants were addressed. She is knowledgeable, talented, and has a wonderful sense of humor. Thank you for sharing your beautiful country!
The tours were well timed, organized, and conducted by outstanding guides who shared their love and knowledge of the country!
— Review left May 10, 2025
This is the best way to see the Best of Croatia! Magical in so many ways
— Review left May 8, 2025
This is a terrific trip! The Croatian coast is a natural beauty and each island has unique treasures to observe and explore. Sailing the small boat made the entire experience truly spectacular!
— Review left May 7, 2025
Wonderful trip to Croatia. We learned much about the Croatian people and their history while enjoying the beautiful scenery and sites. Sampled Croatian foods and weather on our journey. Our trip leader was excellent and was successful in creating a cohesive group that had fun while we traveled Croatia.
— Review left May 6, 2025
Overall excellent and interesting experience. Lack of advertised air conditioning on ship and hotel rooms made sleeping uncomfortable (late April).
— Review left May 5, 2025
We thoroughly enjoyed this our 9th RS program. Our group leader Petra was amazing as was the crew and ship the Barbara. Croatia has a history that I did not know much about. The landscape is beautiful. The people are friendly.
— Review left May 3, 2025
This program was amazing! I loved that we were on a small ship! The Barbara was a beautiful ship and the crew were wonderful! There were just 20 of us on the adventure and the small size allowed us to get to know each other and become a very cohesive group! The sights we saw were incredible and our group leader and local guides provided excellent knowledge of the areas we visited!
— Review left April 24, 2025
Highly recommend the Coastal Croatia trip on the Barbara. Words cannot describe the sights. Bring at least one walking stick or pole, helps a lot. Hope you get Zvonimir as your guide, very knowledgeable & he's great fun!
— Review left April 23, 2025
The “Best of Croatia” trip was amazing as we learned about its history and culture . The country is beautiful and we also loved our time in Montenegro.
The Barbara, a motorized 120 foot sailboat was very comfortable with great accommodations. The staff was extremely friendly and welcoming. The excursions and local guides were very knowledgeable. Alan Staresina, our tour guide, was a wonderful, knowledgeable, caring leader who went above and beyond . We highly recommend this trip!
Pat and Walt Rok 2024 RI
— Review left February 24, 2025
We chose the Best of Croatia tour for our first boat experience. We thought Road Scholars offered a small group tour on a very pretty yacht type boat.. This turned out to be true there were 28 of us. The places we saw and the guides, and the come along escort from Croatia were all excellent . Any meal they included off the ship, was excellent.
We could only afford below deck cabins and they were very spacious with a lovely bathroom. However, they could have put a bench or desk in the Cabin. There was no chair, just the bed and the spacious room. There was a nice closet, but no place to put your suitcase while you unpacked or got comfortable. It was minor inconvenience.
The he food on the yacht was not good. It could have been we travelled at the end of season, and finding a better
Chef, might have been difficult. All shore meals provided, as I said, were excellent. Any suggestions by guides for places to eat during free time we wonderful.
Croatia, beautiful, and surprising at every turn. A wonderful tour to see the coast and some of the interior of this interesting country.
— Review left November 9, 2024
Such a worthwhile adventure. The beauty of Croatia and its history were on display everywhere. I learned so much about Croatia and surrounding countries.
Simply a spectacular trip!
— Review left November 5, 2024
This was a well-planned, well-balanced program with many highlights -- from the lectures to the hike in the national park to the history and the music. All excellent! Thank you so much, Road Scholar!
— Review left October 31, 2024
Outstanding trip! Good lectures and lots of great info on Croatia past and present. Biba is the best guide ever. Boat crew was also outstanding. Loved meeting the local priest and vinery owners!
Suggestions for the trip - seems the coffee on the boat could have been better, or organize some early morning coffee shop runs. Most of the boat food was great, but I would opt out of fish if I had it to do again, as there was quite a bit of fish that wasn't great. Otherwise, no issues with the boat, service, food, or anything else. Wonderful homemade desserts.
Loved the boat rides and scenery. Swimming at beach (early October). Bring water shoes as the bottom has some sharp rocks. Loved the local musicians. So much outstanding history and architecture in Croatia. Hysterical crew member with ukulele calling us to dinner with his "original" songs made the trip even better.
Bring serious rain gear and umbrella for national park.
Hope that Road Scholar can make a tour of the northern Croatia coast in the future. Would definitely go back! Especially if the amazing Biba is involved.
— Review left October 28, 2024
This trip greatly expanded my knowledge about this part of our world. I was in Venice a year before I took this trip and the histories of Venice and the Dalmation coast are now linked perfectly in my mind.
— Review left October 26, 2024
Great program. Highly recommend.
— Review left October 26, 2024
The Dalmatian coast in the fall is just a perfect way to get to know the Adriatic/Mediterranean region. Antiquities, political intrigue, fabulous parks, walled cities with cafés everywhere you turn, and a week on board a spectacular motor sailor with a wonderful crew--you will be so glad you signed up!
— Review left October 23, 2024
The Best of Croatia, a Coastal Voyage was a unique and wonderful way to explore. Travel on a small ship made this particular trip magical!
— Review left October 19, 2024
I can't say enough great things about this program! Our guide, Biba, was top-notch - she was extremely well-organized, passionate about her homeland, always cheerful, always full of information, always helpful, and always fun. The experience on the ship was terrific - the entire crew was warm, welcoming, and always put us as passengers first. The rooms on the ship are well-appointed and "ship-shape", and the meals were amazing (couldn't believe how much the chef could create in a small galley kitchen!) Seeing the coast from the ship as we sailed was simply beautiful, and every destination held so much history and sights to see. We had good weather for most of our trip (early October), although at one point, Biba and the ship's crew decided that a change of plan/schedule would be necessary due to some poor weather in the forecast. They masterfully came up with an adjusted travel itinerary for a couple days that didn't exclude anything from the original itinerary, and kept us safe from the weather system - we even had a couple of bonus experiences in Slano and Ston, thanks to Biba's contacts and creativity. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who has ever wanted to learn more about Croatia, the Dalmatian Coast and Montenegro - it was so rewarding, fun, and a trip I will never forget!
— Review left October 16, 2024
I highly recommend this wonderful trip to Croatia and Montenegro! The combination of using both a boat and a bus for transportation was great. We saw many really interesting beautiful sights, enjoyed memorable musical performances, learned some interesting history and were grateful for such a positive Group Leader, Biba Galjanic, who was both enthusiastic and incredibly knowledgeable. Don't hesitate to sign up for this trip!
— Review left October 14, 2024
I'm writing this review about six months after we got back from the trip, even though I should have done it sooner. I can't count the number of people my husband and I have talked to about how much we enjoyed this trip. We are still full of superlatives when we talk about it.
The small group of people (about 25) was a great size. The diversity of the trip, from the inland region of Croatia, through the wonderful countryside (and superb Plitvice National Park), to the Dalmation coast, which was even better than our expectations.
But our highest praise goes to the local tour guide, Biba, and other tour leaders along the way. Biba was not only adept at keeping us on schedule and seeing as much as possible, she was deeply knowledgeable about the history of the region.
The other people who led city or park tours, or came on board the boat to talk about regions, were uniformly excellent.
We loved the time on the small boat. Having the whole vessel to ourselves made for such a good bonding experience. The boat staff was really a pleasure.
In the time we've been back, we've recommended this trip to many people. A combination of beautiful scenery, robust learning experiences and interesting, nice people was truly memorable. Thank you, Road Scholar.
— Review left October 11, 2024
The Best of Croatia: A Coastal Voyage was a fantastic way to see the Dalmatian coast. Experiencing the coast line from the deck of the small ship unhindered by large crowds could not have been better. And the knowledgeable guide and local experts provided background to the places and culture we would not have benefitted from traveling alone. We thoroughly enjoyed our first RoadScholar trip!
— Review left October 10, 2024
What an awesome trip!! Our tour guide Ivan was fantastic and the small ship experience was wonderful! Ivan was so good with all the history of the area and attentive to everyone’s needs, always making sure we had everything that we needed. Beautiful is not enough to describe Croatia, it was a trip of a lifetime for me. Wonderful, friendly people and the crew on our ship was great. I know we all had a great time on this trip, thanks again Ivan!!!
— Review left October 5, 2024
This trip is a great way to visit a number of cities and islands along the beautiful Dalmatian Coast on a small, comfortable boat with bonus additional land trips to Montenegro to the south and Zagreb and Plitvice Lakes in northern Croatia.
— Review left October 2, 2024
This program is a great blend of ancient cities, culture, small group , beautiful boat that sails island to the next beautiful island. It has history, city walls to walk around, a fortress to climb, quaint red tiled houses in each island town, and the most amazing blue shades of water on the Adriatic Sea! Croatia is a gem and this trip showcases its uniqueness!
— Review left September 29, 2024
An excellent itinerary and wide variety of field trips. Andrea was a fantastic group leader, accommodating, and professional. Our group was very engaging and made the trip very enjoyable. I highly recommend visiting Croatia with this trip.
— Review left September 27, 2024
Petra, our guide, made this trip an incredibly fun and informative experience. Her passion and love for her country combined with her sense of humor and positive attitude made it possible for all of us to truly experience the best of Croatia, it's people!
— Review left September 19, 2024
This was one of the best trips we have ever taken. Our group leader Biba was wonderful. She was fun, interactive and always upbeat. The small boat was perfect for getting into small harbors and was great for getting to know and interact with our trip companions. We were fortunate to have inclusive, interesting people on our trip and that made it even more fun.
We had many highlights on this trip. One was swimming in the Adriatic Sea. I did not know that would be so much fun! Each island was interesting, beautiful and worth every step up the steep steps.
We loved everything about this trip. Could not have been better.
— Review left August 2, 2024
A well-organized trip with experienced guide. The only shortcoming was a lack of ethnic diversity of the traveling group.
— Review left July 14, 2024
An incredible journey. It is hard to describe how much I enjoyed this trip. It was my first time on a sailing vessel. That combined with the beauty and history of Montenegro (the first two days), the city of Dubrovnik, and Croatia and its islands made it exceptional. Croatia's Dalmatian Coast is beautiful, as is the Piltvice Lakes National Park. I can't say enough about the crew and accommodations on the MY Barbara. Our visits to a winery on Sipan, a hamlet maintained by a retired priest in the hills outside of Trogir, and the Tesla Museum added to the trip. Our tour leader, Sinisa Diklic, was wonderful as were all the local guides, musical performances, and lecturers. My only complaint, it wasn't longer.
5 stars
— Review left June 25, 2024
The program in Croatia lived up to my expectations and more. It was informative, seamless in it's execution, active, yet relaxing. I highly recommend a Road Scholar trip!
— Review left June 18, 2024
This was a wonderful trip!! It was my first Road Scholar adventure. The boat was awesome and the crew was incredible. Everything went off without a hitch. Andrea, the group leader did an outstanding job coordinating every event down to the smallest details. She also added a lot of enjoyment to the whole trip, and took part in it with the whole group. Fantastic trip.
— Review left June 15, 2024
The small boat trip to Croatia and Montenegro was extraordinary. We learned so much and had knowledgable and well organized lecturers.
Being on a boat was a real plus. Everyone who worked on the boat was friendly and very responsive to every need.
As far as the variety of things we we saw and did in Croatia, there was a lot to see and you really get an idea of what this country has been through. The people we met seemed very proud of their national identity which has been disrupted so many time.s We mostly met locals arranged by Road Scholar and they worked hard to teach us and tell us about their country. If you like boats, this is really a great way to do see Croatia.
— Review left June 13, 2024
This was an amazing experience. The trip was well designed, and our leader was a joy to travel with and learn from.
— Review left June 10, 2024
I highly recommend the Best of Croatia: A Coastal Voyage. Our ship, the MS Barbara, and our group leader, Darko, were superb. The sights were varied, and we learned so much about this part of the world. Don't be put off by the "Let's Go" designation. As long as you can walk comfortably and climb stairs, you'll be fine. We never needed or used our hiking poles.
— Review left June 8, 2024
The Best of Croatia is a wonderful and insightful way to learn about an area of Europe you may not know much about. Staying on a boat and traveling from ports to small islands is a delightful way to experience Croatia, a beautiful country with a complex and interesting history. You'll probably love it as much as I did!
— Review left June 8, 2024
The trip was well organized and our leader Ivan Boban and his assistant Ana did a great job. They made sure that every day went smoothly and was enjoyable. The local guides told us many things about the history and culture of the area and made each stop interesting.
The only guide that wasn't interesting was the one at Plitvice Lakes. He spoke about unrelated topics and it would have been better to have some sort of discussion outside in the park area.
The MY Barbara was nice and the captain and crew were very friendly.
This was my second Road Scholar Adventure and I hope to do another sometime!
— Review left June 7, 2024
This is an excellent RS tour! Highly recommended!
— Review left June 6, 2024
This is a wonderful program in a beautiful part of Europe. The experience onboard ship with our small group was particularly memorable for the camaraderie as well as the delicious meals.
— Review left June 5, 2024
There are many ways to tour the Dalmation coast, but I am certain there is no better way than on a ship called Barbara and with a guide named Ivan Boban. We were on that very beautiful, comfortable boat for 7 days and our excellent guide Ivan was with us from the second we landed in Dubrovnik to the minute we entered a taxi for the Zagreb airport. Ivan educated us and entertained us. He was patient, flexible, compassionate, and fun to be with. Thanks to his organization and attention to detail we enjoyed every minute of our time in Croatia.
— Review left May 31, 2024
This was definitely a five-star program!!! Andrea and the captain and crew of The Barbara made the trip so much fun. The chef offered excellent meal variety, and focused on Croatian food. Andrea had interesting free-time suggestions at each port city. (Don't miss The Red History Museum in Port of Dubrovnik. A hands-on experience of everyday life under Tito.) Meals on our own gave me the opportunity to sample seafood pizza, squid, octopus, and mussels (huge servings). I wish I could post pictures of towns like StariGrad Hvar, Kotor, the many stairs everywhere in Dubrovnik, life aboard The Barbara, Plitvice Lakes National Park, etc. Andrea is a knowledgeable Group Leader who was very personable and made it a point to get to know each participant. The local guides in each port made the tours interesting, and the history of this part of the world was new for me. English as a second language in Croatia is a required subject from kindergarten on. This was my 36th Road Scholar program, and my first Small Ship program. I highly recommend it!!
— Review left May 30, 2024
This program was excellent. The MV Barbara was an excellent way to experience the coast of Croatia and learn about the history and current events in Croatia.
— Review left May 30, 2024
Just returned from our Coastal Cruise of Croatia. A fantastic trip, highly recommend if you're interested in learning more about the Balkans. Croatia was more beautiful than expected!
— Review left May 27, 2024
Another fabulous Road Scholar trip! I'm ready to pick my next one.
— Review left May 27, 2024
This is a fun program. I loved travelling by small boat to visit several of the Croatian Islands. The crew of the boat did a great job with food and entertainment. I particularly enjoyed Plitvice Lakes national Park, Diocletian's Palace and Dubrovnik. The accommodations and food were excellent. Our Group Leader, Jana, was well organized and fun to be around.
— Review left May 27, 2024
Our group leader Alan was full of interesting facts about the history of Croatia and made it fun to learn on our journey from Zagreb to Montenegro along the Dalmatian Coast. We stopped at the most amazing places, saw beautify scenery, met the kindest people along the way and tasted delicious food and wine. I would recommend spoiling yourself and go on this RS trip to Croatia and selecting the My Barbara cruising yacht to travel on the Croatian Adriatic.
— Review left May 24, 2024
This was a 'super' nice trip with our tour guide Biba. She was enthusiastic about us learning about her country and even teaching us a bit of the Croatian language. We visited the beautiful towns and cities of Croatia and Montenegro on the Vapor, which was cosy and comfortable. The highlights for me were the Plitvice National Park, which had absolutely magnificent waterfalls and lakes, and the Dubrovnik city walls and cable car up to Mount Srd. We had lunch up at the cafe at the top, enjoying the views. Really, there was little to improve about the trip. There are a lot of tourists in Split and Dubrovnik, but it's well worth going there.
— Review left May 24, 2024
Fantastic trip to beautiful interesting country. Loved the boat we were on and the crew. The guide was tremendous...Highly recommend this trip to anyone....of any age.
— Review left May 23, 2024
Croatia is beautiful! I want to go back!! I recommend this trip highly>
— Review left May 22, 2024
This is defiantly one of the best!!! A must do!!!! The experience of staying And traveling on The Vapor was so very cool!!
— Review left May 22, 2024
The combination of the days at sea on the mini cruiser and on land was exceptional! Hope you can expand that program!!
Thank you.
— Review left May 20, 2024
Excellent trip. Our tour guide, Andrea, was knowledgeable, informative, and very well organized.
The ship accommodation was also very good!
— Review left May 16, 2024
The Best of Croatia, A Coastal Voyage in a wonderful experience. Spending 7 days on a boat made the trip more enjoyable: unpack a minimum of times, get to know program participants and the guide in depth, and learn from the local crew about their lives.
— Review left May 9, 2024
This was a really well organized, well paced and fun introduction to Croatia. Our guide, Alan, was superb and conveyed his passion for his home country everyday of the trip.
— Review left May 8, 2024
Educational, visually exciting, a glimpse into a world I had never before understood.
— Review left May 8, 2024
I enjoyed the Croatia trip from beginning to end! The beauty and history of this country are astounding. Our group leader was amazing - we learned so much from her. The Vapor ship and her crew were wonderful, as were the two hotel accommodations. The meals and wine were delicious! And the bakeries ... yum! I highly recommend this trip to anyone who wants to visit and learn all about Croatia! It's all worth it!
— Review left November 12, 2023
Our guide and group leader was fantastic; he was organized, timely, easily understood, made sure that everyone else was on time and prepared for each day. He gave really good talks about the history and culture of Croatia as well as the neighboring countries, and facilitated the daily tours with the local guides.
— Review left November 1, 2023
Croatia was beautiful. We were fortunate to have avoided most of the hottest months by going in October. Our guide was the best and the people in our group were great. We learned so much about Croatia, it's past, it's wars, it's struggles, and it's amazing people.
— Review left October 28, 2023
This was one of the best trips we've taken. Ivan was the best group leader, the MY Barbara was an amazing experience, the local guides were excellent and so proud of their country and it's rich culture. Lindy
— Review left October 27, 2023
This was our first RS trip and it was FABULOUS. We were so fortunate to have Ivan Boban as our Group Leader, along with a host of excellent local guides and in depth experiences. I have a much better understanding of Croatia, especially Dalmatia, and the complex regional history including modern history of the wars of independence from ex-Yugoslavia in the 1990's. The cultural focus was really a treat, with countryside farm visits, singers, performers, art history (who knew about the famed sculptor Ivan Mestrovic? I do now!), and ethnographic museums as well.
TEN out of TEN.
— Review left October 27, 2023
Wow! Just returned from an incredible trip ( our first ) with Road Scholar to Croatia, Monte Negro and Bosnia- Hertzgovinia. The trip was filled with days full of learning, intermingled with delightful cultural snippets including singers, and instrumentalists playing for the group of us. Our tour guide was Ivan, a complete professional and the best part of our trip! He made the trip relaxing, entertaining and fun. Caring and intelligent, I can’t think of a better travel representative with Road Scholar than him. We have 20 new friends, and a lifetime of memories to cherish!
— Review left October 27, 2023
The Best of Croatia trip on the Barbara was absolutely wonderful. Excellent crew, great food and Sinisa was a very informative and organized group leader. Sailing the Adriatic and visiting the lovely Croatia coastline was a truly once in a lifetime experience.
— Review left October 26, 2023
The Experience on MY Barbara in Croatia was fabulous. Ivan was a terrific group leader as were all of the tour guides. The onboard entertainment was so delightful. I highly recommend this experience!
— Review left October 26, 2023
Beautiful part of the world with an important history to learn about along with wonderful music, art, and scenery,
— Review left October 25, 2023
The natural beauty of the Dalmatian Coast is breathtaking. The tour was enhanced by our knowledgeable tour guide, Darko Japelj and the helpful, enthusiastic crew of the Vapor.
— Review left October 24, 2023
The Croatia experience surpassed our expectations in every way! Thank You Road Scholar and Jana Stepic for making this dream a reality!
— Review left October 23, 2023
Our experience on The Best of Croatia: A Coastal Voyage was truly wonderful. It was well organized, had a great leader, scenic beauty was astounding, great lectures in which we learned a great deal about the country, its people and culture and history. What a wonderful time!
— Review left October 20, 2023
This is a wonderful way to see Croatia. The boat was lovely as was the crew. Our leader Alan was informative and always available if needed. Swimming off the boat in the Sea was a highlight.
— Review left October 20, 2023
This was our first Road Scholar trip and we could not have been happier. What a fantastic experience! The setting was sublime, the lectures really added to our knowledge about the places we were visiting, and the local guides were very good. I cannot say enough good things about our experience on the Vapor, it is a family-run outfit and it felt like the whole family was there practically. The cooking was particularly excellent. We skewed a little younger among the group, but the activity level was good for us, and with the free time you can do more. If it's warm enough to swim and that's your thing, considering brining your own goggles/facemask (they have them but the fits are so-so). Croatia is so full of beauty, interesting history, and although there are many tourists, it does not feel at all corporatized, everything seems to be family run. Many RS veterans on the trip said it was one of the best Road Scholar trips out there.
— Review left October 19, 2023
If you are new to Road Scholar and looking for a good introduction to an international experience, this trip would be an excellent place to start! If you are a veteran of previous Road Scholar trips this one should be on your list.
— Review left October 18, 2023
Croatia is a jewel of a country - clean and safe, historic and delicious (the cuisine of course)! It must be explored by boat, and the MS Vapor is perfect for doing so. Our program leader, Jana, is everything you can hope for in a guide to a new country - organized, charming, helpful, fun, encouraging… and she can sing!
She has 20+ years of experience but treats each group as if it is her first. She represents the very best of the Balkans.
— Review left October 18, 2023
If you love quaint historic towns with narrow streets, wide squares, wonderful food, friendly people and beautiful view everywhere you turn, a trip to Croatia is perfect for you. To make it even better, be sure to sail on the Vapor!
— Review left October 18, 2023
Great program. well organized and relaxing.
— Review left October 11, 2023
It was the trip of a lifetime and the staff and the participants were the best of my 6 trips.
— Review left September 18, 2023
Croatia and Montenegro were beautiful and fascinating, and Darko was an amazing tour guide. We had a fantastic time and are eager to go back to that part of the world.
— Review left June 23, 2023
A great adventure with new friends
— Review left June 20, 2023
From Day One, a seamlessly interesting and rewarding trip through a lovely country, led by an excellent guide; backed up by a super boat crew, top-notch lecturers and local guides. A congenial group of "Scholars" made this even more delightful.
— Review left June 20, 2023
Outstanding trip. Great leader, best food ever onboard Vapor.
— Review left June 20, 2023
Wonderful tour with a fabulous tour leader. From swimming in the Adriatic to exploring islands and big cities, this trip has something for everyone. Highly recommend!
— Review left June 19, 2023
This program is the best way to see the Croatian coast. Being on the ship the Barbara made the travel between islands a delight and an integral part of the pleasure of this gorgeous and fascinating part of the world. Seeing some of Montenegro is very worthwhile. The food was excellent, we learned so much, the size of the group was perfect and our fellow travelers were warm, interesting and enthusiastic. Our tour leader Biba Galjanic was outstanding in every way. This is our second Road Scholar trip together, my third. We're going to go on another one asap!
— Review left June 14, 2023
Best of Croatia was a very well planned trip. Our group Leader Darko is very knowledgeable about his home country Croatia. He is well versed in history politics and of course daily life. He speaks multiple languages and is very approachable. I enjoyed the lectures and tours in every port with local guides. Croatia and Montenegro are very beautiful and we had time to enjoy this. I think the trip was comfortable and well worth the time and money spent!
— Review left June 8, 2023
Experiencing the many beautiful and historic islands of Croatia by boat is a must! This was a magnificent trip!
— Review left June 1, 2023
This was a voyage of discovery to beautiful places with fascinating history and culture. The group leader and other expert presenters gave unique insight to the complex culture and history of this region. It may have been our best trip in over 50 years of travel.
— Review left May 31, 2023
Wonderful country; wonderful food; superb guide in Alan S.
— Review left May 30, 2023
I had the best time on my trip! Sinisa kept everything running very smooth, all well organized, on time and with tons of printed resources. The boat was perfect. I had a nice stateroom, clean and spacious. The boat crew were very nice, specially Stepha who sang for us to indicate food was served. The food on the boat was very good, plenty of choices and variety. The grilled veggies were my favorite. The red wine by the glass on the boat was undrinkable. They need to up their wine by the glass. They had bottles of better wine, but you had to buy the whole bottle and I'm not able to drink a whole bottle by myself.
Overall, all the visits, itinerary, time, whisperers, guides, boat, crew and the group were excellent! I'll go back in a heart beat.
— Review left May 23, 2023
This was an adventure in history and beauty! We loved the itinerary every day and our guide Sinisa was fantastic. He led the tour with humor, professionalism and grace. We learned a lot from him and the other presenters. The hotels were excellent and the Vapor boat was adequate, although the crew made up for the slightly cramped quarters with their expertise and compassion.
This tour was challenging in terms of lots of stair climbing and hiking- it was just as the Road Scholar site stated in terms of activity.
The meat eaters seemed to love their meals but for us, the vegetarian meals were just OK in most instances.
I know now so much about Croatia and Montenegro that I never had experienced.
Highly recommend this trip!
— Review left May 12, 2023
Our leader, Sinisa, was fantastic, knowledgeable, caring, and a great problem solver. He could not have been more helpful! The guides were also excellent in each town, sharing the history and their love of the area. The two hotels were excellent, and located central to where we wanted to be. The Vapor was a tight space and a bit of a challenge, however the delightful crew made up for the shortcomings of the boat.
The area, history and kindness of the people we met in Croatia were memorable!
— Review left May 11, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed the Croatia Coastal Voyage and Extension to Plitvice and Zagreb. Our program started in mid-April and ended in early May... a wonderful time to experience spring blooms and relatively low crowds in the Unesco site cities along the Dalmatian coast and islands. The Small Boat experience was fun and really helped to bring our group together with shared meals and social time onboard. I would recommend this trip to anyone who likes to get off the beaten track and explore some of the hidden treasures of the Mediterranian region.
— Review left May 9, 2023
Had a good time and impressed at what Croatia has accomplished since Homeland War. Particularly liked tour of Diocletian's Palace.
— Review left April 24, 2023
I'm a bit late with this but...Mostly I want to thank Petra for her excellent guidance and laughs. It was a great trip.
— Review left December 17, 2022
Great cruise, great visits, great companions, stunning coastal scenery, beautiful towns. We both learned a great deal.
— Review left November 19, 2022
I just returned from the Best of Croatia trip on the My Barbara and can't say enough about it. Our group leader, Darko, was fantastic; the balance of wonderful educational tours coupled with free time was perfect. I was able to do a lot of hiking and additional walking around town, which I really liked. The food on the Barbara was fantastic, we had incredible weather, and there were almost no tourists at the end of the tourist season. I highly recommend the trip. I loved it.
— Review left November 2, 2022
I loved every part of the Coastal Croatia experience for a first time Road Scholar traveler. It was educational, intellectually stimulating, beautiful country and weather, and I met new friends who I hope to see again. Our guide, Biba was and is the best!
— Review left October 26, 2022
We had an outstanding experience on our Croatia trip. Our guides, lecturers and programs were all excellent. We look forward to our next Road Scholar adventure.
— Review left October 19, 2022
Best program ever in a beautiful country.
— Review left October 13, 2022
The Best of Croatia: A Costal Voyage was an exceptional experience with a guide (Darko) who was so experienced and provided immense knowledge about the region and the Croatian people. The ship staff and crew worked so hard to please our group and the lectures, education / expertise throughout the 12 days compared to no other tour I have experienced. Thank you Darko - for opening my eyes and allowing me to explore Croatia with you !
A. Carson, Alexandria VA
— Review left October 5, 2022
What an excellent program! The vistas were spectacular, weather sublime and the experiences aboard VAPOR unbeatable. But, the most incredible part of this program is how much I learned about a region of the world that was somewhat known to me, but not at all understood by me. A great example of how knowing the history and cultural influence of a region brings better understanding of the current political situation. Highly recommend this program!
— Review left October 4, 2022
Fantastic trip. The leader was so great. She was very knowledgeable and also a lot of fun!!! The boat was the highlight. The crew was amazing and the locations we went to were wonderful. We were able to swim each day along with visiting beautiful and historic sites. We had two evenings with local singers and musicians. And really good food each day. I highly recommend this trip.
— Review left September 22, 2022
Absolutely fabulous! Allen led us through his beautiful country with great knowledge and friendliness. I highly recommend this trip. The crew on our ship attended to all our needs.
— Review left July 20, 2022
Croatia by motor vessel is a dreamy but active adventure into modern Croatia, with its rich history and beautiful scenery as backdrops for perspective-changing travel!
— Review left July 6, 2022
This was one of the best Road Scholar trips that I've taken. Petra was an excellent guide, and her recommendations for places to eat and sites to see were uniformly wonderful. We were extremely well cared for on the MY Barbara by our captain and his great crew. Our fellow travelers on this voyage were an especially interesting and pleasant group to get to know and to share the trip with. Finally, the calibre of the guest lecturers was quite impressive, which helped make the trip a real adventure in learning. Croatia is a beautiful country that welcomes visitors warmly, and this coastal voyage is a perfect way to experience the best of Croatia.
— Review left July 4, 2022
Exceptional program in every way! Croatia is a beautiful country and this Road Scholar program highlighted all of what makes it so interesting and popular. The boat trip was fantastic!
— Review left June 20, 2022
Andrea Domines was a wonderful tour guide, and the crew of "Vapor" was friendly, helpful and a pleasure to deal with. Made the time on the water very enjoyable. The food served was delicious.
— Review left June 17, 2022
This was a wonderful trip. Croatia is a beautiful country with a long and interesting history. We sailed on the MY Barbara. The ship is just the right size for cruising and is perfectly maintained. The crew took great care of us and we felt very pampered. The meals on the ship, as well as in local restaurants, were universally delicious. Petra was our great RS leader. She went above and beyond to make sure that we all had a good time. She is very knowledgeable about Croatia, Montenegro, and the other countries of the former Yugoslavia. The local guides added to our education and appreciation of Croatia. We will look for more opportunities to travel with Road Scholar on the MY Barbara.
— Review left June 17, 2022
This is a truly amazing trip. This part of Croatia has thousands of years of history and amazing physical beauty. And what could be a better way to see the coast and a collection of islands than a motor yacht! Biba, our program leader, is in a class by herself--no one could have done a better job. This is an incredible experience that I think most people would enjoy because of the diverse activities.
— Review left June 14, 2022
This was my first trip with Road Scholar (The Best of Croatia: A Coastal Voyage) but certainly will not be my last! The trip was well-organized, educational, fun, and with a perfect combination of interesting lectures and physical activities, including hikes through ancient villages and swims in the Adriatic Sea. The small ship was comfortable, the crew was friendly, the food was delicious and our group leader was the best.
— Review left June 13, 2022
As with all tours there are always a multitude of museums and churches. But this program has the yacht Barbara. The yacht MAKES the trip.
— Review left June 9, 2022
One of the best trips I have taken. Stunning scenery, fascinating history, informative experts. Bucket list trip for sure!
— Review left May 30, 2022
I highly recommend this trip to all Road Scholar participants. You'll never forget this trip, which is a very memorable one.
— Review left May 17, 2022
Great program. If Croatia is on your list this program would be the way to go.
— Review left May 13, 2022
The Best of Croatia: A Coastal Voyage is a wonderful trip. I strongly recommend it.
— Review left April 29, 2022
An amazing introduction to a very beautiful and interesting part of the world. This Road Scholar trip to Croatia and Montenegro exceeded our expectations. We learned so much from our outstanding leader, Alan Staresina, who expertly explained the complex history of the region and made all the logistics go smoothly. The local guides and lectures were all interesting and insightful. Traveling on the MY Barbara was an absolute delight. The accommodations, food, crew and opportunity to experience Croatia from the sea were amazing. Our group of 17 was very compatible and we enjoyed exploring the lovely islands and coastal cities together. Montenegro proved to be a highlight of the trip with its exquisite beauty, delicious food/wine and friendly people. Highly recommend this trip!
— Review left April 28, 2022
Quite an enjoyable trip on a great sailing schooner enabling history to come alive in a region with very convoluted one.
— Review left April 27, 2022
This was a GREAT trip. My first time with Road Scholar. Our guide was fantastic and so were all the local guides on the islands and the crew on our sailboat. Our group bonded and I will definitely take another Road Scholar trip. Many of us continue to contact each other upon our return!
Cindy Whaling
— Review left December 1, 2021
I was very pleased with the entire trip experience. The itinerary was well structured. This trip is the perfect way to see a different part of the world. One of the best factors was our group leader. She was excellent!
— Review left November 5, 2021
The program was well planned, the group was small which was a perfect size instead of a huge crowd. Our leader was well prepared and very easy to talk to as well as helpful when we need assistance.
— Review left October 30, 2021
This was a fantastic program, and Ivan Boban was a rock star. We loved all of the charming little medieval towns and fortresses, the dramatic coastline, and the chance to see many islands and places not otherwise easily accessible. Really a fabulous trip!
— Review left October 17, 2021
The Croatian coast is beautiful, and if you are a Game of Thrones fan, you will have opportunities to engage your GoT fantasies. The free time provided will allow you to push your limits with hiking and climbing to fantastic views.
— Review left October 13, 2021
We were on the BLACK SWAN - OMG, how wonderful this ship was and the crew was so engaging, efficient and all around great! The trip was so good I looked for a second trip covering the northern end of Croatia. This is a beautiful and unsoiled part of the world that is a must see. Road Scholar did a bang up job!
— Review left December 29, 2019
This was a very enjoyable trip. We were fortunate to have perfect summer weather and calm seas. Going nearly at the end of the season was mostly good - much smaller crowds the biggest advantage - but lots of shops and restaurants were closed. Our guide, Luci, was amazing - such a well-educated and articulate person, who was also experienced in logistical matters and problem solving. The land-based guides and on-board lecturers were all excellent. I learned a ton. It was wonderful to see beautiful scenery and charming cobblestone-filled towns - but to a non-local, they were very much the same. So, a relaxing trip but not a challenging one. The boat was "fine," but to call it a luxury yacht is using poetic license. The food was acceptable but not excellent and most meals were buffet. Every breakfast was the same. There was no place on the ship to relax at night, and no evening activities. There was a terrible smell in cabins on one half of the boat that took several days to "clear." But the ship's virtue was its size - we could get into ports directly at the dock rather than using tenders as necessary for the cruise ships. While I loved the trip, I would not take it again.
— Review left December 20, 2019
The trip was great as usual, but the chef on the boat needs the help of a dietician or you need a new boating company. At first I was disappointed that there were so many meals not on board. After a few days, I looked forward to not eating on board. There was white bread offered for toast, and who eats white bread anymore. One night we had pork sausages, pork kebabs, bacon and a pork chop over mashed potatoes, and the meat dishes were almost always over cooked. Since the guide was a vegetarian I don’t believe she realized how disappointed we were with the meals. It was a constant topic of conversation. There were quite a few uneaten meals. I hesitate to recommend this trip because the food was so mediocre on board the ship. I am not usually disappointed by anything Road Scholar does, but this trip was not up to your standards because of the food.
— Review left November 29, 2019
The exploration of the Dalmatia Coast onboard the Futura yacht was just magical. The unique ports on all the islands provided insight to life in Croatia. The beauty of the Adriatic Sea will amaze you!
— Review left November 20, 2019
I cannot say enough good things about this trip:it was excellent!
Great weather, great tour guides , interesting lectures, delicious food, and good company!
Magical memories sailing on the Adriatic relaxing on the sun deck and learning about the Croatian culture remain highlights of our first Road Scholar trip. 5 stars !
— Review left November 19, 2019
I will take Road Scholar trips in the future because of the learning experiences and guidance and lectures.
— Review left November 18, 2019
This is a great trip with gorgeous scenery, ancient cities, superb local tours and tour guides, and gourmet food onboard the ship. It is chartered solely for Road Scholar, which is a plus. There are lots and lots of cobblestones and stairs without railings, so it is accurately rated for activity level. Nevertheless, we are in our 80s and managed well.
— Review left October 16, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyed "The Best of Croatia: A Coastal Voyage by Yacht." Everything, from the incredible trip leader Ivan Boban to the glorious ship Futura, to the interesting guides in the ancient towns we explored was fantastic! Far exceeded my expectations. We got our 10K steps per day and learned a lot about ancient and modern Croatia, and soaked up the gorgeous and interesting scenery and locales. Great mix of planned activities and free time, along with delicious food, small group size, knowledgeable guides and the fascinating and beautiful Dalmatian Coast of Croatia. Fantastic trip!
— Review left October 7, 2019
The Croatian island trip was spectacular. We got to see a large part of a beautiful country in a short period of time on an amazing state of the art comfortable yacht - Futura- with excellent food and best of all, with Ivan, a wonderful tour leader. Wow! We still can't get over how good this trip was!!!! Lloyd & Linda, Naples, FL
— Review left October 3, 2019
It was a wonderful experience. After spending 40 years planning, scheduling and worrying about international trip itineraries for my family it was so nice to be able to have Road Scholar do everything. It was truly a wonderful educational vacation and adventure for my best friend, myself and my son.
— Review left September 24, 2019
Croatia was a fabulous trip. Petra was a wonderful tour guide. Take this trip. hope she is your guide and that yo sail on the Ny Barbara. You will NOT be disappointed! Croatia is beautiful, the Adriatic is unbelievable and the food is OMG too good! Road Scholar provided a wonderful travel experience.
— Review left July 9, 2019
I loved being on the Motor Yacht Barbara in the Adriatic, swimming off the ship, and the active walking around on land. Wonderful part of the world!
— Review left June 25, 2019
Interesting trips and getting more interesting all the time.
— Review left June 23, 2019
There could be no better way to see exotic parts of the world, leisurely travelling by Motor Yacht, with select groups of people, and the friendliest of guides.
— Review left June 23, 2019
Amazingly beautiful scenery, great hotels, wonderful food, beautiful ship, brilliant trip-leader and local experts and the early June weather was PERFECT.
— Review left June 19, 2019
Stunning coastal landscape of the Dalmatian section of Croatia, a young country with exceptional history where the East meets the West. Plenty of islands to explore and complimented with several UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
— Review left June 17, 2019
The Best of Croatia trip is well paced, takes advantage of the best method of transportation between sights (a small ship) and offers enough walking each day to offset the wonderful food you will enjoy on board the ship. There's a lot to learn about this country and the region and Road Scholar does a good job in helping you understand the culture, the people and the history. A very enjoyable trip for active people.
— Review left June 16, 2019
My husband and I just did this tour in May 2019. It was wonderful!! We had an exceptional guide, Ivan! The boat, MyFutura, was only three years old and was fantastic! I would highly recommend Croatia and all it has to offer!!
— Review left June 5, 2019
Amazing and beautiful countries enhanced by excellent instructors and guides and warm, friendly, and interesting fellow travelers.
— Review left June 5, 2019
This trip is thoroughly enjoyable and not nearly as strenuous as described in the program description. The hotels are excellent, the yacht Barbara and her crew wonderful and the program leader knowledgeable and considerate.
— Review left May 30, 2019
Outstanding tour and excellent educational experience in a segment of the world in which few Americans have any direct knowledge. Every aspect is top drawer.
— Review left May 28, 2019
This trip is a not to be missed adventure full of jaw dropping scenery, wonderful local people proud of their country and long historical views of a country that has rebounded and awaits visitors with open arms.
— Review left May 28, 2019
Wow! It couldn’t have been better! We went on a wonderful boat around the Dalmatian coast, exploring and learning all about the area with outstanding guides, lectures, and support staff, with wonderful people, and eating wonderful food! We went on great excursions that were educational, authentic and non-touristy. We kept busy walking all around on guided tours and also had time to explore on our own.
— Review left May 23, 2019
Amazing and informative program in a beautiful country with a complex history. Knowledgeable instructors and tour leader enhanced the experiences. The experience about the yacht "Futura" was superb.
— Review left May 14, 2019
Definitely a worthwhile trip! The Croatian coastline and islands are beautiful, and there is a great deal of history there (my particular interest). The MY Barbara was immaculate and the staff provided excellent service. This trip opened my eyes to a part of Europe where I had no prior knowledge. Thank you!
— Review left May 14, 2019
I recommend this trip as it introduces you to a part of the world which I think few Americans know little about. Very educational and beautiful.
— Review left May 10, 2019
This was a fantastic program. The information provided by the leader was excellent. The yacht was wonderful, as was all the food & wine. Beautiful scenery. April 2019
— Review left May 2, 2019
I just returned from my adventure in Croatia! I loved the small group; we all knew each other by the end of the tour. The Croatian coast was beautiful. The towns we visited were full of history and architecturally beautiful. Cruising on the ship was relaxing and the scenery was amazing. Quite a bit of walking and stair climbing are found on this itinerary, but most of the days do not require getting up extremely early. I now have new friends and newly learned knowledge in this part of the world.
— Review left April 29, 2019
This was one of the most delightful RS programs I have been on to a most beautiful and interesting part of the world. And Ivan Boban was one of the best group leaders I've had so far. I highly recommend this program.
— Review left April 28, 2019
I learned so much about countries I knew very little about: Croatia and Montenegro: their facinating history, incredible coastal scenery, delicious food, and friendly citizens.
— Review left April 22, 2019
This is a great program for people wishing to see the highlights of the Dalmatian coast--it's a great mix of locations, and being on a small yacht allowed us to dock in excellent locations. Many of the places we visited were small, and clearly larger tour groups and cruise ship groups can feel overwhelming in contrast.
We took the first tour of the season at the beginning of April, with the negative that we had rainy/chilly weather for half the trip. The plus was that we avoided crowds, which I think really would be terrible in some of these places--most of these old cities and towns are small with narrow streets etc, and it was wonderful to be there without wall to wall people. The minus was that the sunny days were so spectacular that it made me realize what we were missing on the days it was rainy.
This was our first RS trip that was education oriented, and the group leader, Petra, and the local guides/educational lecturers were all excellent. And the fact that the tour was education oriented made it less of a problem that we did have some bad weather--we just did everything with umbrellas. I was also impressed with the participants--to a person, friendly and engaging--and while there was a big range of ages, people were all able to keep up and feel included.
— Review left April 15, 2019
This was a wonderful trip in every way. Croatia was beautiful!
— Review left April 14, 2019
My husband and I took this tour, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The accommodations on the MY Barbara were very comfortable and the staff on the yacht were pleasant and helpful. The activity level was as described. Our tour leader, Alan Dmanjic, was knowledgeable, interesting to chat with and helpful along the tour. The local experts we met with along the tour were excellent in their field of expertise and very personable. The scenery along the Dalmatian coast is stunning. We highly recommend this trip.
— Review left February 11, 2019