Luxury Croatia Southern Adriatic Cruise - Southern Explorer
A seven-night small-ship cruise through the best-known corners of southern Croatia: Split, Makarska, Mljet, Dubrovnik, Korčula, Hvar and Zlatni rat beach, and back to Split. Guided in English, booked and looked after by Vall Tours, a family-run Croatian travel agency working since 1995.
This is the route for people who want to see what brought them to Croatia in the first place – the Dubrovnik walls, the Hvar waterfront, the Korčula old town – and to walk into all of it straight off the gangway, without coaches, parking or queues.
| Duration | 8 days / 7 nights |
| Departure point | Split, round trip |
| Season | April – October 2027, Saturday departures |
| Service category | Premium Superior |
| Language | English |
| Price | €1,300 – €1,850 per person |
This is a small ship, not a cruise liner
These ships carry a few dozen guests, not a few thousand. That single difference changes the whole week. In Dubrovnik and Hvar you moor in or beside the old harbour and walk into the old town, instead of being bussed in from a commercial terminal. Swimming stops happen in bays a large ship could never enter, and the crew knows every guest by name within two days.
What you actually see
Two UNESCO World Heritage sites
Dubrovnik's walled old town and the historic core of Split, built inside Diocletian's Palace, are both on the UNESCO list. On this route you reach both of them on foot, directly from the mooring.
An island national park
The western part of Mljet is a national park: two connected saltwater lakes with a twelfth-century Benedictine monastery on an islet in the middle of the larger one.
Three guided walks, included
Premium Superior includes guided walks in Dubrovnik, Korčula and Hvar, all in English. Everything else ashore is optional or on your own.
Booked through a Croatian agency
The ships are operated by a Croatian shipping company. The booking, the advice and the support during your trip come from Vall Tours directly – one person handling your reservation from first question to disembarkation, not a booking platform and a call centre.
- A licensed Croatian destination management company, working since 1995
- One advisor for the whole booking
- EU consumer protection and a written contract
- Flights, transfers and hotel nights before or after the cruise arranged on request
Getting to Split
Boarding is between 11:00 and 12:00 on Saturday and the ship leaves at 13:00, so a Saturday morning arrival needs honest timing. For most international guests the answer is Split in summer and Zagreb year round.
| Airport | Distance to Split | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Split (SPU) | approx. 25 km | Closest; good European service in summer |
| Zadar (ZAD) | approx. 160 km | Low-cost European routes, often the cheapest fare |
| Dubrovnik (DBV) | approx. 230 km | Wide seasonal choice, some long-haul |
| Zagreb (ZAG) | approx. 410 km | Croatia's main hub, best year-round connections |
2027 departure dates and prices
Saturdays from 17 April to 16 October 2027. Bookings for 2027 are open.
| Period | Departure dates (Saturdays) | Lower deck | Upper / main deck |
|---|---|---|---|
| April and May | 17 and 24 April, 1, 8, 15 and 22 May | €1,300 |
€1,450 |
| Late May | 29 May | €1,500 |
€1,750 |
| June to early September | 5, 12, 19 and 26 June, 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 July, 7 and 21 August, 4 September | €1,600 |
€1,850 |
| Late September | 25 September | €1,500 |
€1,750 |
| October | 2, 9 and 16 October | €1,300 |
€1,450 |
Service category and ship category are not the same thing
What you pay for is a service category – here, Premium Superior. It defines the meals, the tour management and the included guided walks. The ship you actually sail on is assigned by the shipping company from its fleet, and it may be from the same category or a higher one at no extra cost: Premium Superior bookings are sometimes placed on Deluxe or Deluxe Superior ships.
For orientation: Premium ships measure roughly 29–35 m, Premium Superior roughly 35–41 m, Deluxe and Deluxe Superior larger again. The Premium service category includes only the Dubrovnik walk, with the others paid separately – but Premium is not offered on this route for 2027.
What is included
- Seven nights in the cabin category you book
- Breakfast and lunch every day
- Captain's dinner
- Three guided walks in English: Dubrovnik, Korčula and Hvar
- English-speaking tour manager on board for the whole week
- Olive oil and wine tasting
- Afternoon tea and coffee
- WiFi on board and drinking water
- Daily cabin service, with a linen change mid-week
What is not included
- Port fees and tourist tax, €60 per person, paid on board
- Mljet National Park entrance, approx. €25 per person, paid locally
- Optional activities: Cetina canyon zipline, Srđ cable car, Zlatni rat tourist train, winery visits
- Dinners ashore, except the captain's dinner
- Drinks not listed above
- Crew gratuities
- Flights, transfers and hotels – we arrange these on request
- Travel insurance
The compulsory local charges come to roughly €85 per person for the week. We tell you this before you book, not at the gangway.
Day by day
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Day 1 · Saturday · Split – Makarska
Boarding 11:00–12:00, lunch on board, departure at 13:00. The ship follows the coast south with an afternoon swimming stop; the Cetina canyon zipline is optional. Evening in Makarska, under the cliffs of Biokovo.
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Day 2 · Sunday · Makarska – Mljet
Breakfast and lunch on board. Early departure towards Mljet with a swimming stop off the Pelješac peninsula. The western end of the island is a national park: two connected saltwater lakes and a twelfth-century monastery on St. Mary islet.
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Day 3 · Monday · Mljet – Dubrovnik
Breakfast and lunch on board. The ship sails to Dubrovnik, the city George Bernard Shaw called paradise on earth. The guided walk is included; afterwards the Stradun, the two kilometres of city walls and the Mount Srđ cable car are all yours.
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Day 4 · Tuesday · Dubrovnik – Šipan or Trstenik
Breakfast, lunch and the captain's dinner on board. Morning departure to either Šipan, the largest of the Elaphiti islands, or Trstenik on the Pelješac peninsula. The afternoon is free for swimming, with optional winery visits.
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Day 5 · Wednesday · Šipan or Trstenik – Korčula
Breakfast and lunch on board. On to Korčula, the town that claims Marco Polo as its own. Lunch in a bay nearby, then a guided walk through thirteenth-century walls and fortifications. The overnight mooring is either Korčula town harbour or the Dominče ferry port, about 1.5 km from the centre, depending on availability.
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Day 6 · Thursday · Korčula – Hvar
Breakfast and lunch on board. An early start for the Pakleni islands, where lunch and swimming take up the middle of the day, then on to Hvar town. The afternoon guided walk takes in the Renaissance cathedral and the 1612 theatre, one of the oldest in Europe.
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Day 7 · Friday · Hvar – Bol – Split
Breakfast and lunch on board. A stop at Bol on Brač for Zlatni rat, the beach that changes shape with the wind and the current, reached on foot through the pine wood or by tourist train for a small fee. Arrival in Split in the afternoon, with the Riviera seen from the water, and an evening walk through Diocletian's Palace and the UNESCO old town.
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Day 8 · Saturday · Split
Breakfast on board and disembarkation in Split.
Other Adriatic cruises
Croatian Wilderness – southern Adriatic
Eight days and seven nights, round trip from Split. The other side of the south: unspoilt nature and the least-visited islands – Lastovo, Vis, Biševo, and the Blue and Green caves. For guests who would rather avoid the crowds.
Kvarner Bay of Islands – northern Croatia
Eight days and seven nights, round trip from Opatija. The northern Adriatic – Krk, Rab, Zadar, Ilovik, Mali Lošinj and Cres – quieter than Dalmatia and easy to combine with Venice or Ljubljana.
Not sure which route suits you? Write to us with your dates, your pace and your budget and we will tell you honestly which one fits. All our routes are on the Adriatic cruises page.
Enquiry
Send us your preferred dates, the number of travellers and the cabin category you have in mind. Tell us where you are flying from and we will advise on the airport, arrange the transfer and book any hotel nights you need before or after the cruise.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the cruise and where does it start?
Eight days and seven nights, a round trip from Split. Departures are on Saturdays, boarding between 11:00 and 12:00, departure at 13:00.
Which places does the route cover?
Split, Makarska, the island of Mljet, Dubrovnik, Šipan or Trstenik, Korčula, Hvar, and Bol on Brač with Zlatni rat beach.
What are the 2027 departure dates and prices?
Saturdays from 17 April to 16 October 2027: 17 and 24 April; 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 May; 5, 12, 19 and 26 June; 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 July; 7 and 21 August; 4 and 25 September; 2, 9 and 16 October. There is no departure on 14 August. Lower deck: €1,300 in April, May and October, €1,500 on 29 May and 25 September, €1,600 from 5 June to 4 September. Upper or main deck: €1,450, €1,750 and €1,850 respectively. Prices on 10.09.2026. were the same as those listed here. VIP cabins are on request.
Which ship will I be on?
The price is for the Premium Superior service category, so the ship depends on the departure date and the fleet schedule for that week. You may be placed on a ship of the same category or a higher one, Deluxe or Deluxe Superior, at no extra cost. The ship name, deck plan and photographs are confirmed at booking.
What is the difference between Premium and Premium Superior?
Both are service categories. Premium Superior includes three guided walks, in Dubrovnik, Korčula and Hvar; Premium includes Dubrovnik only. The route, the meals and the cabins are otherwise the same. The ships themselves carry the same category names, with Premium Superior vessels at roughly 35–41 m and Premium at 29–35 m, but the ship assigned does not have to match the category you paid for and is often higher. On this route, only Premium Superior is offered for 2027.
Is the cruise guided in English?
Yes. The tour manager on board and all three included guided walks are in English, and all correspondence with our agency is in English.
Are there any extra costs on arrival?
Two. Port fees and tourist tax of €60 per person, paid on board, and Mljet National Park entrance of roughly €25 per person, paid locally. Optional excursions, dinners ashore, additional drinks and crew gratuities are separate.
Do we dock in the centre of Dubrovnik and Hvar?
Yes. Small ships moor in or next to the old harbours, so you walk into the old town instead of taking a shuttle from a commercial terminal. In Korčula the overnight berth may be at Dominče, about 1.5 km from the centre, depending on availability.
When is the best time to sail this route?
June and early September give you a warm sea and slightly calmer towns, and they are the most expensive. April, May and October are the quietest and the cheapest, but the sea is cooler. July and August are the hottest and the busiest ashore.
Which airport should I fly into?
Split, about 25 km away, has good European service in summer. Zadar is often cheaper, Dubrovnik has a wide seasonal choice, and Zagreb has the best year-round long-haul connections. Tell us your departure city and we will advise and arrange the transfer.
How is this different from the Croatian Wilderness cruise?
Southern Explorer visits the famous places of Dalmatia – Dubrovnik, Hvar, Korčula and Zlatni rat. Croatian Wilderness goes for unspoilt nature and the least-visited islands – Lastovo, Biševo, Ravnik and Vis.
Who operates the cruise?
The ships are operated by an established Croatian shipping company. Vall Tours is your travel agency: we handle the booking, the advice and the support throughout your trip.
Can you arrange transfers and hotels as well?
Yes. We arrange airport transfers from Split, Zadar, Dubrovnik and Zagreb, hotel nights before or after the cruise, and onward travel in Croatia.
