[This is not a sponsored or paid post – I simply wanted to share my experience. However, this post about sail Croatia with Travel Talk Tours does contain affiliate links. This means that if you chose to make a purchase via one of the links I’ve provided, I may earn as small commission at no additional cost to you.] 

Updated May 2024.

Are you thinking about booking a sail Croatia with Travel Talk Tours?

When I boarded the MS Ribic to sail Croatia with Travel Talk Tours some years ago – it was the very first group tour I’ve ever been on (which also made me a bit nervous as a shy solo traveller)! But knowing I’d be sailing from Dubrovnik through the Dalmatian Islands for a week, my expectations were simple: soaking up the sun, exploring beautiful islands, swimming in the most stunning turquoise water, hopefully make new friends, and, what a lot of twenty-somethings go on this trip for, experience Croatia’s infamous nightlife. It pretty much ticked all of those boxes, with a few extra surprises a long the way!

So if you were thinking about jumping aboard to sail Croatia with Travel Talk Tours, here’s a review of my experience and recommendations:

The tour details

Tour Name: Dubrovnik to Split (2017)
Tour company: Travel Talk Tours
Start & finish destination/s: Dubrovnik to Split
Places visited: Dubrovnik, Omis, Korcula, Hvar, Markarska, Split and Mljet (new tour looks like its included Brac instead of Omis).
Duration of tour: 8 Days
Group size: We had a group of 18 people on our tour (max group size for this tour on the new boats is 35).
Age restrictions: 18+ (our group members ranged from 19 to 38 years old)

Highlights

• Living on a boat for a week: Waking up to a new place each morning and not having to move my luggage was a treat
• Waking up with a morning swim: Jumping off the boat in the morning into the most vibrant turquoise waters
• Diverse group of new friends: Our tour had a diverse mix of people, which worked out really well. The ages of our group members ranged from 19- to 38-years-old, with members coming from as close as England to as far as India and Australia. In the end, we became a little family!
• Something for *almost* every interest: Offers a perfect mix of culture, history, relaxing and nightlife. You can opt to participate in as much or as little as you’d like!
• You’ll have a decent amount of free time: You can opt to explore on your own or with new friends or you can take part in the optional activities, such as walking the City Walls in Dubrovnik and ziplining in Omis. 
• Pirate party: I think most sail Croatia tours do a theme night – we dressed up as pirates and then later in the night headed out to the bars.

Lowlights & Laughs

Please note that the boats have been significantly upgraded since my tour, with much-improved bathrooms, which you can view on their website.

• The showers: When I arrived I couldn’t find the shower (silly me) The shower essentially consists of a hose extending from the hand basin. If you’ve stayed on a boat before, this won’t come as a surprise. It’s likely you won’t have a decent shower all week, but fortunately, you’ll be surrounded by the ocean.
• The toilets: From the day we boarded, we faced persistent issues with blocked toilets in the lower deck cabins. Unfortunately, we also encountered some rough weather, exacerbating the problem and causing our blocked toilets to overflow. As gross as it may have been, our group remained remarkably easygoing and laughed it off. We decided to close the lower deck cabin bathrooms and utilised those on the upper deck for the remainder of the week.
• Storms: My tour was toward the end of the season (September), and we encountered some rough weather along the way. One night, there was a storm, and the rain flooded some of the downstairs cabins, including mine. At the start of our tour, we had to stay in Dubrovnik for an extra night due to severe weather conditions that posed safety concerns. Consequently, we missed out on visiting Mjiet. Changes to destinations can and will be made to prioritise everyone’s safety.

Tour leader

We accompanied by a tour leader for the week. Jojo was our leader, who was originally from New Zealand, but working with travel talk during the sail season. She was both fun and organised, ensuring our trip ran smoothly.

Food

The tour price included a daily breakfast spread and three-course lunches, all prepared by the boat’s kitchen staff. However, dinners were not included in the price.

Accommodation

The accommodation on the MS Ribic (one of Travel Talk’s two Croatian sailboats) consisted of twin-share cabins, each equipped with a bunk-bed setup. Additionally, every cabin had its own small ensuite.

Please note that the boats look as though they’ve been upgrade significantly since my tour, which you can view on their website.

 

Overall experience of sail Croatia with Travel Talk Tours

Sail Croatia with Travel Talk tours was one the most memorable weeks of my travels so far – and this was back in 2017. I really enjoyed the balance of sightseeing, relaxing and partying on this tour – although, I think that this definitely depends on the group you have!

Before and after your sail Croatia with Travel Talk Tours (Dubrovnik to Split option)

Most of the things that I wanted to find out about my trip to Croatia had to do with the logistics of transport, so this will hopefully cover some of the questions you might have too.

Getting to Dubrovnik from Dubrovnik Airport

From Dubrovnik Airport, you can easily hire a taxi or you can jump on the shuttle bus that will take you to the main bus terminal near Old Town. I took the shuttle and it was a much more affordable option.

Getting to the tour meeting point in Dubrovnik

If you’re staying in Old Town, there are three options to get to Gruz Port, including taxi, bus or walking approximately 30 minutes. Personally, I caught a taxi as I didn’t want to drag my case and I was nervous about getting lost.

Pre-tour accommodation and activity recommendations in Dubrovnik

For my pre-tour accommodation, I stayed at King’s Landing Hostel in Old Town, Dubrovnik. For basic, clean rooms located in the heart of Old Town.

You will only have a short amount of time in Dubrovnik before your sailboat departs so I would highly recommend arriving in Dubrovnik a day or two early to fit in any activities you don’t want to miss. Some of the popular activities include the City Walls walk, Lokrum Island and the cable car up to Srd Hill.

Post-tour activity recommendations from Split

When I booked sail Croatia with Travel Talk Tours, the only other place I really wanted to visit that wasn’t on the itinerary was Plitvice Lakes. When we arrived in Split on the last day there was a bunch of us that organised rental cars and took a day trip to the Lakes.

I’m not sharing my accommodation for Split as a group of us stayed in an Airbnb for the night and I would not stay there again. However, there are plenty of other options on booking.com.

Tips and notes for shy solo travellers

• While we had 18 people on our tour, there may be up to 35 people on the newer boats. If that might seem like an overwhelming number of people and you’re feeling a bit nervous about making friends, check out this guide tailored to making friends on group tours.
• If you’re struggling to find an ice breaker, try one of these questions to start a conversation.

Final tips

• Keep an eye out for sales: Travel Talk Tours have some pretty generous sales on their tours, which is always good to keep an eye out for if you want to go on this sailing trip. You can look at their site here.
• Extra fees: When I travelled with Travel Talk Tours they required a “local payment” for this tour, which means you pay a certain amount upfront or before you go and pay another amount (generally in GBP) to the tour leader when you arrive on the first day of your tour. I don’t believe this happens now, however, there may be some local port fees. Check if these are included in the price upon booking.
• Currency: The local currency is KUNA, but most places will accept EURO.
• ATM accessibility: There are ATM in most cities and towns, and your tour leader will be able to direct you to one.
• Can be a pricy: Croatia, particularly Dubrovnik, is not at cheap as you might expect it to be.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does Travel Talk Tours charge a solo traveller supplement fee?

A: As of May 2024, the spots on this boat are charged per person. There are no additional fees for solo travellers. However, you will be roomed with a fellow solo traveller.

Q: What type of luggage should I bring?

A: Once you’re on the boat, your luggage isn’t so much of an issue because you won’t have to worry about carrying it around. I took a medium-sized suitcase but plenty of others took backpacks. Nevertheless, I’d recommend something easy to move around and not too large.

 

Still have some unanswered questions?

Please leave any questions about sail Coatia or travelling with Travel Talk Tours (I’ve been on three tours with them) in the comments below and I will do my best to answer your queries. Or send me a message via my contact page.