Madam Jolyn

Our family was so fortunate to be able to travel aboard Adriatic Holiday and with Ante and his crew this summer. It was a highlight of our trip and our lives!

“We” consisted of 3 generations—2 teenage kids (ages 15 and 17); their parents and grandparents (in their 80s). This was an ideal multi generational trip because the needs of all of us were met. We so enjoyed the pace of the days on the boat and the ability to have quality time together. We spent lots of time swimming, paddle boarding, reading, playing games, jet skiing, tubing, cliff jumping, exploring small towns and islands, family (gourmet) meals, drinking local wine, viewing the beautiful water and scenery-which is constant.

We started our trip in Dubrovnik, and Ante arranged the perfect meeting spot which enabled us to boat past the city of Dubrovnik which is beautiful and fascinating from the water. We spent the glorious week in the area between Dubrovnik and Split, where we departed. Ante was able to show us so many beautiful coves and ports that were a bit off the beaten path, which was what we were looking for during this week. He is a fantastic and knowledgable Captain and he listened to our wants and needs and then was able to tailor the itinerary to meet those wants and needs.

What makes Adriatic Holiday most special in my mind are these things:

1. The Captain:

The boat is Captain owned and it is apparent that Ante cares deeply for the boat and works hard to maintain it and make it super comfortable. He immediately made us feel safe and this feeling of safety was always present. He also made us feel that the gulet was ours for the week, and he made us feel comfortable in the space. Ante is a good listener and communicator and we often discussed the plan and route, and our needs. He has a quiet presence and was always available when we wanted or needed to talk to him but was never overbearing. This was true with all of the crew. They worked to be present but there was not a single instance of us wanting more privacy. Ante is a very knowledgable and capable Captain. He has extensive knowledge regarding the area, best places to visit and anchor, and also wind patterns, weather issues etc.

2. The rest of the crew:

Victor, our chef, served us amazing food. We ate at least two meals each day on the boat. We started each morning with cappuccino (and then a morning swim), followed by breakfast of croissants, granola, yogurt, eggs and fruit. Our next meal, either lunch and/or dinner was a multi course meal that always exceeded our expectations. Victor served us local fish, pasta, pork, steak and each meal started with soup and/or salad, and finished with the best desserts. Some favorites were the mushroom soup and steak and gnocchi. The food was gourmet and all served with exceptional local wine.

The dining experience was one of the best parts of our trip! We enjoyed all of our meals outside in a very relaxed and comfortable setting with great views. We had great conversation and were so happy to enjoy this delicious food meticulously prepared by Victor.

Antonio was the first mate who attended to our every whim: food service, beverages, jet skis, paddle boards, life jackets etc. We joked that no matter what the request, Antonio, always had the same response: “Yes, of course!” He was a special part of the experience! We know he worked hard too behind the scenes which helped things run smoothly.

Finally, Ante’s wife, Sandra joined us for part of the trip and she was so lovely and very knowledgable. She shared extensive history regarding what we were seeing and was fascinating. We missed her when she was gone but are grateful for her kindness and all of the knowledge she imparted.

3. The boat.

The Adriatic Holiday is a beautiful, well maintained gulet. We loved the space—the upper deck, the outside dining area, our staterooms with individual bathrooms. Also, the addition of the paddle boards (which we used daily), the jet ski (which was super fun), and a first class and comfortable dingy used for tubing (and transport to and from some ports) were important parts of the adventure. Also, the ease of use (thanks to Antonio) made these all very accessible.

I could say more! I highly recommend Croatia, this experience and particularly this gulet.