Croatia Small Ship Cruise Categories
Croatia cruise cabin types and ship categories range from luxury balcony vessels to traditional wooden gulets. All carry around 36–40 passengers maximum, which means access to small islands and ports the larger cruise ships can’t reach. This page explains the categories, cabin types, and deck layouts so you can work out what suits your group before browsing specific cruises.
Browse all ships by name, or jump to a category below.
Ship Categories
 Luxury Balcony |
 Deluxe Superior |
 Deluxe |
 Premium Superior |
 Premium Vintage |
 Heritage |
 Traditional |
 Sailing Yachts |
Luxury Balcony Ships
The highest category of domestic small ship in Croatia. Modern vessels with private balcony cabins on the upper deck, alongside porthole cabins on the lower deck at a more economical rate. Same onboard amenities and inclusions across both cabin types — the difference is the balcony. Balcony cabins are popular for honeymoons, anniversaries, and milestone celebrations, and June and September departures often sell out more than a year ahead. View Luxury Balcony ships.
Deluxe and Deluxe Superior Ships
The bulk of Croatia’s modern small ship fleet, and the most common category our clients book. Air-conditioned ensuite cabins on the main deck and lower deck, contemporary interiors, and a strong balance of comfort and value. View our Deluxe and Deluxe Superior ships.
What’s the difference between Deluxe and Deluxe Superior?
It comes down to size and age together. Deluxe Superior ships are the newer or larger vessels — up to 50 metres in length and either newly built or recently refurbished. Our Deluxe ships have jaccuzis on their large sun decks, where you’ll also find sun lounges and usually a seating area. There’s also shaded outdoor seating at the rear of the upper deck and fully airconditioned interiors. Deluxe ships are modern vessels up to 45 metres, also with sun decks, a hot tub, lounge areas and sunbeds. A ship has to be both larger and newer to be Deluxe Superior — a larger but older vessel is still classed as Deluxe. Both offer the same standard of ensuite cabins and air-conditioning.
Premium Superior and Premium Vintage Ships
Smaller modern vessels with air-conditioned ensuite cabins. Comfortable and clean, with the essentials covered. A good choice if you want the small ship cruise experience at a lower price point than Deluxe. View all our Premium (First Class) ships. The Premium Superior ships are usually newer or larger, but all Premium ships have airconditioned cabins with ensuites and double or twin beds.
Heritage Ships
Traditional wooden vessels with classic Mediterranean charm. Heritage ship cabins have private bathrooms; Traditional cabins may have shared facilities. The vessel name is generally not specified at time of booking — you’ll be allocated a vessel within the category closer to departure. View Heritage ships or Traditional ships. These departures are very limited on anything other than the 18-35’s type party cruises.
Sailing Yachts and Gulets
For smaller groups (typically 6–16 passengers), sailing yachts, catamarans, motor yachts, and gulets are available for private charter. See our Private Charter page for details.
Croatia Cruise Cabin Types
Balcony Cabins
Available only on Luxury Balcony category vessels. Located on the upper deck, with a window and door opening onto a private balcony with seating for two. Cabin entrance is from the inside corridor. Limited availability — the highest-demand cabin type on Croatian cruises, particularly in summer.
 Balcony cabin interior — window and door opening to a private balcony. |
 Private balcony with seating for two. |
Main Deck and Upper Deck Cabins
The standard cabin on most ships. Opening windows and/or external doors for fresh sea air, ensuite bathroom, air conditioning. Some open onto an external corridor with public deck access; some open to an inside corridor. Cabins at the bow of the vessel typically have larger fixed windows for safety reasons.
 Main deck cabin — door opens to external corridor, high windows open inward for ventilation. (Deluxe Ship) |
 Main deck cabin at the bow — sealed windows for safety. (Deluxe Ship) |
Porthole Cabins (Lower Deck)
The most economical cabin type. Located in the hull with small porthole windows that don’t open. Accessed via internal stairwells. These cabins are quieter than upper deck cabins, particularly when the ship is docked in busy ports — many repeat cruisers prefer them for that reason. Same ensuite bathroom and air conditioning as upper deck cabins.
 Porthole cabin — small high windows with retractable covers. (Deluxe Ship) |
 Internal stairs accessing lower deck porthole cabins. (Deluxe Ship) |
Deck Layout
What decks do Croatian small ships have?
Most Croatian small ships have four decks. From the top down they are the Sun Deck, Upper Deck, Main Deck and Lower Deck. Here’s what sits on each.
Sun Deck (top) — public area with sun loungers and shade. Often the social hub during the day.
Upper Deck — restaurant and salon on most vessels. On Luxury Balcony ships, this deck holds the balcony cabins instead, with the restaurant on the main deck.
Main Deck — the primary cabin deck on most ships, with opening windows and doors. Some vessels also locate the restaurant or salon here.
Lower Deck — porthole cabins, crew quarters, and the engine room. Crew quarters typically sit between passenger cabins and the engine area to buffer noise. Croatian small ships do not sail at night, so engines are off when you sleep.
Beds and Capacity
How many passengers do Croatian small ships carry?
Maximum capacity on Croatian small ships is around 36–40 passengers, varying by vessel, across up to 21 cabins. Crew quarters are separate and do not appear on deck plans. The small scale is the whole point — it’s what lets these ships reach island towns the large cruise ships can’t.
What are flex-beds and European-style bedding?
Flex-beds are two single mattresses on a combined base, which can be made up as a double or split into twins on request. They’re common in “double” cabins on Luxury, Deluxe, and Vintage Premium ships. European-style bedding usually means two single duvets on a double bed rather than one large duvet, which is normal practice across the region. If you have a strong preference either way, let us know at the time of booking.
Accessibility
Are Croatian small ships suitable for limited mobility?
No. Croatian small ships are not suitable for passengers with significant mobility limitations, for the reasons below.
- No lifts on board — all decks are accessed via stairs
- Stairs between decks are typically steep
- Boarding sometimes involves crossing between vessels at the dock with gaps of up to 50cm
- Shore excursions involve cobblestones, uneven terrain, and stairs in old town areas
- Wheelchair access is not available on these vessels
If you have any mobility concerns, please get in touch before booking so we can talk through whether a particular cruise is suitable.
Typical steep stairs between decks, and gaps between vessels at the dock.
More Information
For details on what’s included, food and drinks, tipping, and other onboard matters, see the Croatia Cruise FAQ.
For private charter of a full vessel, see the Private Charter page.
To browse cruises by ship, visit all ships by name.
Discover Croatia (Sydney)
Phone/WhatsApp: +61 2 9212 1507
Email: res@discovercroatia.com.au