What to Bring on a Croatia Cruise: Essential Packing Guide and FAQ
Wondering what to bring on a Croatia cruise? We’ve compiled this comprehensive guide to help you pack efficiently for your Croatia island-hopping adventure. From clothing essentials to practical items and cruise etiquette, this guide covers everything you need to know before boarding your Croatia cruise.
Croatians warmly welcome tourists, and most locals will happily assist you with questions. We recommend downloading Google Translate on your phone to help communicate more effectively during your Croatia cruise vacation.
For current Entry to Croatia Requirements, check our updated guide: Entry Requirements for Your Croatia Cruise
Essential Items to Bring on Your Croatia Cruise
* Casual summer clothing (shorts, t-shirts, light dresses)
* Light jacket or windbreaker for cooler evenings
* Comfortable walking shoes for excursions
* Water shoes for rocky beaches (essential for Croatia!)
* Swimwear (at least 2 sets for your Croatia cruise)
* Sun protection (hat, sunglasses, high SPF sunscreen)
* Snorkeling gear (if you enjoy underwater exploration)
* Beach towel (unless provided by your cruise – check inclusions)
* Earplugs (harbors can be lively, especially in high season)
* Medications (including seasickness remedies)
* European plug adapters (Croatia uses 220V with round two-pin plugs)
* Portable charger for excursions
Language and Communication During Your Croatia Cruise
For everyone’s convenience, the official language onboard all our Croatia cruises is English. Occasionally, another language may be used if a large group of non-English speakers books together. You’ll receive notification before booking if the cruise operates in another language.
Finding Your Ship in Croatian Ports
We make locating your cruise ship easy. Click Croatia Cruise Port Locations for detailed instructions on finding your ship at each Croatian port.
For general Croatia information to prepare for your cruise, visit our Pre-Departure Croatia Guide.
Remember that standard travel insurance doesn’t always cover cruises. Verify your travel insurance includes cruise coverage before embarking on your Croatia cruise.
Currency and Payments on Your Croatia Cruise
As of January 2023, the EURO serves as Croatia’s official currency for all your cruise expenses.
You can easily withdraw cash in Euros from ATMs throughout Croatia using debit, credit, or travel money cards. Most restaurants, shops, and services in Croatian ports accept credit cards, though smaller establishments in remote areas might require cash, so always carry some Euro notes when exploring during your Croatia cruise.
We recommend bringing 50-100 Euros per person in cash when boarding your Croatia cruise. You’ll need cash for optional excursions booked onboard. The cruise will add beach towel rental (if not included) and other extras to your bar tab for end-of-cruise payment. Some ships accept credit cards for final payment, but confirm this with your Bar Manager when boarding.
ATMs operate in all major cruise stops throughout the Croatian islands. For ATM information, visit: ATM Guide for Your Croatia Cruise
Port Taxes and Bar Tab
Port Taxes: If not already included in your Croatia cruise price, the crew adds port taxes to your bar tab for payment at the end of your cruise.
Bar Tab Payment: You’ll settle your bar tab on the final evening of your Croatia cruise. Most ships provide ATM access during your final port stop if you need to withdraw cash. Some vessels now offer credit card facilities – check with your cruise director upon boarding.
Tipping Guidelines for Your Croatia Cruise
Tipping remains entirely voluntary and anonymous during your Croatia cruise. You only tip once, at the end of your journey. Unlike large international cruise lines, tipping on Croatia cruises is not compulsory.
The cruise will place two plain white envelopes in your cabin toward the end of your trip – one for the Crew & Captain (shared among them) and another for the Cruise Director. You can deposit these sealed envelopes in a designated box in the dining area.
Suggested tips for your Croatia cruise (per passenger): 100-200 EUR total, divided as follows:
Crew Envelope: 80-150 EUR per passenger (distributed among all staff)
Cruise Director Envelope: 20-50 EUR per passenger
Recreational Equipment on Your Croatia Cruise
What to Bring for Water Activities
Though Croatia cruises offer regular swimming opportunities, most ships don’t guarantee snorkeling gear as part of their inclusions.
For guaranteed access to snorkels, fins, or inflatables during your Croatia cruise, bring your own or purchase them at port shops. Many harbors feature kiosks selling water equipment. Don’t forget water shoes for Croatia’s rocky beaches – essential if you plan to swim from shore rather than off the ship’s swimming platform.
Ships might have limited snorkeling equipment available, but you can’t reserve it in advance, and there’s rarely enough for all passengers. The only cruises that come with bicycles are our dedicated cycling cruises. Most towns offer bicycle rentals for independent exploration.
Swimming Opportunities on Your Croatia Cruise
All Croatia cruises include daily swim stops. Ships typically leave port around breakfast time, sailing to beautiful swimming locations. Most cruises feature a swim stop before lunch, with another opportunity in the afternoon en route to your overnight destination. The crew always provides lifeguard supervision during these refreshing breaks in Croatia’s crystal-clear waters.
Jumping from the Ship During Your Croatia Cruise
For safety and insurance reasons, jumping from the top deck is generally prohibited on Croatia cruises, particularly on Deluxe vessels. Always respect the Captain’s safety policies.
Seasickness Prevention for Your Croatia Cruise
Croatia’s coastal waters remain relatively calm, but rough conditions can develop during bad weather. Pack seasickness remedies as part of what to bring on a Croatia cruise, as you won’t find these items once at sea. If you feel ill, immediately inform your Cruise Director for assistance.
Overnight Stays During Your Croatia Cruise
Night Sailing and Docking
Croatia cruises don’t sail at night. Your ship docks each afternoon in a new port and remains there overnight, allowing you to freely explore local nightlife and return whenever you wish.
Engines remain off while docked, eliminating nighttime engine noise. The air conditioning continues operating through shore power connections.
Ships depart early the next morning, usually between 6-8am as determined by port authorities. The crew serves breakfast onboard (typically 7-9am) while sailing toward your first daily destination.
Food and Beverage Information for Your Croatia Cruise
Onboard Dining During Your Croatia Cruise
Croatia cruise ships serve Mediterranean and international cuisine with traditional Croatian specialties. Deluxe cruises offer complimentary fresh fruit throughout the day.
Breakfast follows a buffet format (7-9am) with cereals, toast, and hot beverages. Deluxe ships add warm dishes like omelets and sausages on a rotating basis.
Lunch typically includes three courses: soup, a main dish (pasta, meat, or seafood), and salad. Included dinners follow a similar structure.
Different cruise categories offer varying catering services. If you dislike certain foods, inform us before your Croatia cruise. Some voyages feature more fish dishes, while others emphasize meat – let us know your preferences.
Dietary Requirements for Your Croatia Cruise
Tell us about dietary needs at least 30 days before your Croatia cruise!
The galley team makes reasonable efforts to accommodate serious food allergies, particularly for celiacs and those with medical requirements. Upon boarding, remind your Cruise Director and Chef about your dietary needs to ensure they’ve received your information.
Cruise staff cannot administer medication to passengers. Bring any necessary medications, including allergy treatments, headache remedies, seasickness pills, and prescription medications for your Croatia cruise.
Beverage Options on Your Croatia Cruise
All ships operate a bar (usually 7am-11pm) offering soft drinks, juices, hot beverages, bottled water, spirits, cocktails, local wines, and draft beers. Most cruises provide unlimited drinking water stations for refilling bottles. For specific brands, request them 30 days in advance.
Can you bring your own drinks? You cannot bring personal alcohol onboard your Croatia cruise. Purchase all alcoholic beverages from the ship’s bar for safety monitoring purposes.
Meal Plans During Your Croatia Cruise
What meal plans are available on a Croatia cruise?
Half-board (HB): The standard plan includes two daily meals (typically breakfast and lunch). Your itinerary specifies all included meals, with some cruises offering special dinners like a Welcome Dinner or Captain’s Dinner.
Dinner options: For meals not included, you’ll dine ashore at your own expense. Your Cruise Director can recommend trusted local establishments at each port during your Croatia cruise.
Full-board (FB): Though sometimes available as an add-on, we don’t generally recommend this option. Much of Croatia’s charm lies in experiencing local restaurants and taverns (konobas) rather than dining onboard for every meal.
Dining Ashore During Port Stops
Every port features numerous dining options, from restaurants to konobas (traditional taverns) and cafés. Your Cruise Director can provide recommendations, or you can explore independently. Many establishments display menus outside, allowing you to browse before deciding.
Croatian cuisine varies by region – ask locals about specialties wherever you dock during your Croatia cruise. Fresh seafood stands out along the entire coastline, with fish, squid, shrimp, and shellfish widely available. European favorites like pizza and pasta appear on most menus.
Croatian beers (“pivo”) offer excellent quality. Try Zagreb’s Ožujsko, Laško, or local favorite Karlovačko.
Wine enthusiasts will discover outstanding regional varieties throughout Croatia. Most Croatian produce qualifies as organic, grown on small local farms.
Tap water remains clean and drinkable in Croatia, though some ships recommend bottled water. Verify specifics with your Cruise Director.
Expect to pay around €15-25 for meals and €5-10 for beer. Budgeting Australian-equivalent prices should cover most expenses during your Croatia cruise.
For restaurant recommendations, visit: TimeOut’s Croatia Restaurant Guide
Special Dietary Needs: For vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, see our specialized guide: Dietary Restrictions Guide for Your Croatia Cruise
Luggage Management During Your Croatia Cruise
Before and After Your Cruise
Both Dubrovnik and Split harbors provide ‘left luggage’ facilities where you can store bags for a fee if your ship hasn’t arrived. These kiosks typically open by 8am and display pricing onsite. Both cruise harbors adjoin the main bus stations, with Split Harbor also next to the train station.
Early Arrival: If you reach your Croatia cruise port early while your ship is docked, you can leave luggage onboard even before cabin readiness, allowing you to explore until check-in time.
Departure Day: On your final day, you must vacate your cabin by 9am for cleaning, but you can leave luggage onboard until your departure (or until the ship leaves port, typically around 1pm). For included departure transfers scheduled after 9am, your cruise director will advise when to return for pickup.
Luggage Storage on Your Croatia Cruise Ship
Each cabin provides under-bed storage for one large suitcase per person, plus a small wardrobe. If your suitcase doesn’t fit the allocated space, unpack your clothes into the cupboard and store empty luggage in the ship’s hold. Crew members willingly assist with luggage – don’t hesitate to ask for help during your Croatia cruise.
What to Wear on Your Croatia Cruise
Clothing Recommendations
Croatia cruises maintain a casual atmosphere. Pack light considering the Mediterranean climate – swimwear, shorts, summer dresses, lightweight pants, and t-shirts will serve most needs. Also bring some warmer items for potentially cooler evenings (light jacket or windbreaker).
No formal dress code applies to dinners, even on Deluxe cruises. However, proper attire (beyond just swimwear) is required in the onboard restaurant during meals. Going barefoot usually remains acceptable in dining areas unless crew members request otherwise.
Essential items to bring on your Croatia cruise include sunscreen, a hat, and possibly snorkeling equipment. Prevent painful sunburn that could ruin your cruise experience. Harbor shops sell these items if needed.
Pack earplugs for your Croatia cruise – harbors sometimes become noisy, and sound travels easily across water.
Footwear for Your Croatia Cruise
Onboard, flip-flops work perfectly! Avoid high heels as they can damage decks. For shore excursions, bring sturdy walking shoes to navigate cobblestone streets and uneven surfaces safely.
For beach visits, pack water shoes – Croatia features predominantly pebble beaches and rocky shorelines. You can purchase water shoes at kiosks in major ports or small shops in Korcula and Hvar if needed.
Amenities and Towels
Hair Dryers: All Premium, Deluxe and Luxury cruise ships provide hotel-style hairdryers in bathrooms. Most Vintage ships include them too – check with us if uncertain about your specific vessel.
Toiletries: Deluxe and Luxury cruises supply basic bathroom amenities (shampoo, conditioner, soap). Bring your own items if you have specific preferences for your Croatia cruise.
Beach Towels: Most Deluxe cruises include beach towel use. Other cruises offer towel rental for approximately 5-10 euros per week, added to your bar tab. Check your cruise inclusions for specifics.
All ships provide bath towels and bed linens at no charge. Cabin crew typically clean daily and change linens mid-week on most cruises.
Cabin Bed Configurations
Some cruise ships feature ‘flex-beds’ that convert between twin and double configurations (with a small seam in the middle when joined). Others have fixed beds only. While we try to honor bed-type requests, cruise companies cannot guarantee specific arrangements. Solo travelers often receive twin beds even when booking an entire cabin.
Practical Information for Your Croatia Cruise
Electricity and Power
All Croatia cruise cabins contain at least 1-2 power points that require EU plugs with two 4.8mm diameter round pins. Consider bringing:
1. Universal adapter plugs if your devices use different plug types
2. Extension cord for CPAP machines in case of inconvenient outlet placement
3. Universal transformer if your devices don’t support 220V power
Internet Connectivity During Your Croatia Cruise
Most ships offer complimentary Wi-Fi, though these cellular-based connections become unreliable when cruising far from shore. Reception improves in larger towns, making these stops better for video calls. The shared connection works best for checking email and browsing news sites.
We discourage downloading files, uploading videos, or streaming services during your Croatia cruise, as these activities severely impact connectivity for everyone onboard. Download entertainment content before your cruise, or use your personal cellular data when within range of shore towers.
Many Croatian establishments offer free Wi-Fi to customers. Conduct bandwidth-intensive activities while ashore whenever possible during your Croatia cruise.
Smoking Policies
While Croatia generally permits smoking in outdoor areas, cruise ships designate specific smoking sections, usually at the ship’s rear near the swimming platform or at the bow away from the restaurant. Smoking is prohibited in cabins and restaurants.
We ask that smokers remain considerate of fellow passengers, especially during swim stops. Some ships provide multiple smoking areas – check with crew members for locations during your Croatia cruise.
If you encounter smoking in unauthorized areas, speak with your Cruise Director or Captain for immediate resolution.
Port Curfews and Noise Considerations
Official quiet hours begin at midnight (24:00), so return quietly if arriving later. Check with your Cruise Director about specific port timing requirements, though generally you can return whenever you wish since the ship remains docked overnight.
Since sound travels easily over water, all guests should respect quiet hours starting at midnight. Port liveliness varies, especially in July and August, with noise typically subsiding by midnight. Some ports celebrate local festivals that continue later into the night.
Air-conditioned ships allow sleeping with closed windows. Captains cannot control noise levels in ports or berth allocations – only the Harbour Master holds this authority.
Some cruise oper
ators that cater to younger travelers (18-35) may encourage onboard partying in popular harbors. Hvar and Mljet can become particularly noisy – we recommend bringing earplugs. While quiet hours officially begin at midnight, enlist crew help for persistent problems.
For light-sensitive sleepers, consider a sleep mask or dark scarf to cover windows or portholes during your Croatia cruise.
Laundry Facilities
Major ports (Split, Hvar, Korcula, Dubrovnik) offer laundry services. While hand-washing in your bathroom remains possible, allow adequate drying time. Avoid hanging items over ship rails as wind frequently carries them away. Lost beach towels incur replacement fees that vary by ship.
Passenger Information for Your Croatia Cruise
Guest Demographics
Croatia cruises typically welcome an international mix of passengers from Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA, Scandinavia, and European countries. These voyages offer excellent opportunities to form international friendships!
Deluxe and Deluxe Superior cruises primarily attract mature couples, solo travelers, and small friend/family groups, typically aged 35-70. Cruise companies cannot provide passenger age information in advance due to privacy regulations.
Passenger Etiquette: Please avoid discussing cruise pricing with fellow travelers. Different booking times and currencies mean some passengers might have paid different amounts – discussing these differences could negatively impact others’ holiday experiences.
Children on Croatia Cruises
Deluxe Cruises: Some prohibit children entirely, while others welcome them but can’t guarantee other families onboard. Your family might be the only one with children, surrounded primarily by passengers aged 40+. May, June, and September typically attract older travelers seeking cooler weather.
Premium Cruises: These mid-range options generally attract a wider age range, including more families and younger travelers not interested in party cruises.
“Party Cruises”: Travelers seeking nightlife typically book designated 18-35s cruises rather than standard Deluxe options, making it unlikely you’ll encounter large groups of young party-goers on regular Croatia cruises.
Accessibility Information
Most Croatia cruises present challenges for those with limited mobility. Passengers must cross between ships with gaps up to 50cm, sometimes traversing multiple vessels to reach shore. While crew members assist, passengers must support themselves during transfers.
The majority of shore excursions involve walking on uneven surfaces, cobblestone streets, and stairs. Guided tours typically last 30-45 minutes over challenging terrain. While we welcome guests with disabilities, severe mobility limitations may restrict the overall experience.
Health and Safety on Your Croatia Cruise
Croatia’s Small Ship Cruise Safety
Croatian small ships accommodate maximum 40 passengers per vessel and operate exclusively in domestic waters. These vessels implement enhanced safety and cleaning protocols, including hand sanitizer in public areas and intensified cleaning regimens.
Cruise staff cannot offer or administer any medication to passengers. They maintain basic first-aid supplies (bandages, antiseptics) but no medications. The crew consists of qualified maritime and hospitality professionals, not medical personnel.
We strongly recommend bringing your own medications for your Croatia cruise, including headache remedies, seasickness treatments, prescription medications, and any “just-in-case” medications you might need.
If you become ill at sea, inform the Cruise Director and remain in your cabin. The crew will deliver meals and assist with other needs. The Cruise Director will help coordinate with your travel insurance provider once you reach port. You may freely disembark at any Croatian port if necessary.
Larger Croatian islands maintain medical facilities, but major hospitals exist only on the mainland. Serious illness might require leaving the ship to return to the mainland via public ferry, private boat, or helicopter. We highly recommend comprehensive travel insurance covering cruises for your Croatia cruise vacation.
If you have immune system concerns, please inform us so we can provide detailed information to help determine if this cruise type suits your needs.
For health and safety information, visit the Croatian Tourist Board website: Croatia Health and Safety Guide. Croatia participates in the ‘Safe Travels’ Global Safety Stamp Protocols: Safe Travels Protocol.
Onboard Problem Resolution
Address any concerns immediately with your Cruise Director or crew member. Resolving issues promptly enhances your Croatia cruise experience. Request private conversations if preferred, or contact us directly at WhatsApp +61 2 9212 1507 (considering time differences) for anonymous advocacy.
For serious complaints or emergencies, contact:
Harbour Master – Split
Obala Lazareta 1, p.p. 317, 21000 Split
Tel: +385-21-302-400 or +385-21-302-405
Harbour Master – Dubrovnik
Obala Stjepana Radica 37, 20000 Dubrovnik
Tel: +385-20-418-987 or +385-20-418-988
What to Bring on a Croatia Cruise: Final Checklist
* Casual clothing appropriate for Mediterranean climate
* Light jacket or sweater for evenings
* Comfortable walking shoes and water shoes
* Multiple swimwear options
* Sun protection (hat, sunglasses, high-SPF sunscreen)
* Personal snorkeling equipment if desired
* European adapter plugs
* Medications (including seasickness remedies)
* Earplugs and sleep mask
* 50-100 Euros per person in cash
* Travel insurance documentation covering cruises
* Passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your trip
DISCLAIMER:
Ship descriptions come directly from cruise companies. As intermediaries, we cannot personally verify every feature in every cabin. See our full Terms and Conditions for details.
All departures remain subject to unforeseen circumstances. If your scheduled ship becomes unavailable due to emergency or repair, the cruise company will provide a similar vessel when possible. We recommend comprehensive travel insurance to protect against unexpected events.
Ready to Book Your Croatia Cruise?
Browse all available Croatia cruises: Current Cruise Availability
Contact us to book your perfect Croatia cruise:
Phone/WhatsApp: +612-9212-1507
Email: [email protected]
