Pearls of Dalmatia

Enjoyed riding and visiting the islands, they were just beautiful. The crew of the Romantica were very attentive and friendly. The food was fantastic at every meal.

Wow! Hands down, one of our best vacations ever!! Everything was memorable . . . gorgeous landscapes (new eye candy every day!), beautiful weather (Sept. 20 - 27) - 70's and sunny, challenging exercise, exquisite meals, dipping in the crystal clear Adriatic . . . and, best of all, getting to know our terrific guides, Romantica staff, and travel mates from all around the globe (Iceland, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Canada, and the U.S.).
My husband (70) and I (64) love to bike ride, but we weren't quite sure what to expect on this trip in regards to elevation. The rides were tough, but so rewarding when finishing. I rode a regular bike 4 out of the 6 days; My husband rode a regular bike 5 out of the 6 days - it was so great that extra e-bikes were available so we had a choice on the most difficult days. Only 3 riders (out of the 26) rode regular bikes all 6 days.
We love adventure and active vacations . . . this trip was the best!!

Beautiful sites but people need to know that even with E-bikes, it was challenging due to hills. Only complaint was due to noise level , dining experience on board was unpleasant

When weather prevented our captain from sailing to two planned islands on the itinerary, it was Srdan (our guide) who had to revise plans for the day. He did a great job working on the fly!
We had a lovely group of travelers that knew how to have a good time!
The chefs have to be challenged preparing the amount of meals in a confined area. Breakfast was pretty standard every day, with an added boiled egg, scrambled eggs or French toast thrown in as an extra treat. They made an effort to present attractive meals.
It was disappointing not to be able to receive a cup of hot water for tea before bed, and wine is not available by the glass - only bottle.
For the shower you may want to pack a bar of soap. There is only a liquid soap dispenser at the sink.
We read the previous reviews suggesting an eBike. We are very happy we followed this suggestion. One day the ride had an elevation gain of 3K feet and another close to 2K feet.
Overall, we loved this boat/bike tour. Croatia is beautiful and discovering the islands was so much fun!

We had a wonderful time in Croatia staying on the Romantica and biking and touring the Islands! The food was delicious and the crew and guides did a fantastic job!
I recommend renting electric bikes because it is very hilly. But if you are up for a challenge the hybrid bikes are for you! Enjoy!

The guides were wonderful. We had a mix of regular bikers and power assist. Every bike trip provided us with amazing views, an opportunity to see a new island every day to experience the people, culture and cuisine. Since the temperature was 90+ degrees every day, I would recommend not going on regular bike for the months of July and August. The accommodations and food on the boat were comfortable and plentiful. We met many nice people and appreciated that the boat only had 28 guests onboard. The guides and captain provided us with ample opportunities to swim, relax and enjoy one another. Croatia is a wonderful country. We loved the geography, people, culture, and the relaxed atmosphere. Being on the bike/boat provided us with the opportunity to explore the country away from the massive crowds that we were in the major cities.

The guides were amazing! The trip was so well organized. Due to weather they had to make a quick decision to change our route and it went effortlessly. The food on the boat wasn’t very good - I suggest giving people some options rather than plating and serving. The bathrooms only have a porthole so they lacked ventilation and were very stuffy. The staff worked extremely hard. We made wonderful friends from all over the world. All in all we had a marvelous vacation!

Top trip of a lifetime … cycling guides Tara and Filip were fun, skilled, delightful; boat crew including bar master Goldie were attentive and professional; the meals were plentiful and yummy; the boat and bikes well maintained and comfortable. But mostly … exploring the breathtaking islands by cycle, meeting locals, dropping anchor to swim, the history and architecture, sailing the Dalmatian Adriatic, our fellow travelers — all of it was beyond beyond.

This is a delightful area to visit; the history of the walled cities along with the coastline, warm climate and great ride leaders made for an enjoyable trip. The climbs can be a bit challenging but e-bikes are available and they were the bikes of choice by 95% of the travelers. If you haven’t seen the “Pearls of Dalmatia”, you need to add it to your list or make it your next ride.

I had a great trip and meet some really fun new friends. Our upper level stateroom was pretty standard, small but comfortable. Itinerary was great and our guides were very accommodating, making a special stop at an olive mill per the request of a couple of our passengers. E-bikes were in good operating order and were a must for all but one person on our trip. We did a lot of uphill climbs, one was really steep, the rest just long and steady uphill. Probably due to the terrain/hills, most rides were on the shorter side (less than 20 miles for the day). Food was plentiful, but poor quality, vegetable soup without any trace of vegetables, thin chicken cutlets that were over cooked, and a main course of pasta daily. I ended up stopping at a grocery for snacks to bring onboard.

Our guides Ana and Bubi were most memorable; they were excellent and made us feel safe and informed. Ana is a gifted leader who always had a smile on her face.

The meals were nutritious and tasty; the portions were large ( often larger than needed). The crew and cooks worked very hard to make us comfortable and taken care of. The boat was clean and well maintained despite being older than the Harmonia.

The boat could’ve used chairs at the upstairs table so we could sit together there. One bench was good, but chairs are needed. Perhaps a wifi booster could be added in the captain’s helm so rooms at the front of the boat could stay connected.

Just returned form a Pearls of Dalmatia on board the Romantica. I am very disappointed. The food we were served was less than acceptable. Vegetable soup without any vegetables (none, zero), chicken noodle soup with no chicken or noodles, thin chicken filet (2 nights) that would have been fine had they not been over cooked (think shoe leather), a lot, lot of pasta. Coffee & tea were complimentary with breakfast only, any other time, lunch, dinner or in between, there was a surcharge. However, there was plenty of bottled drinking water..good thing as you pay cash on board $60 euros per person for water.

Guides were friendly, stateroom was standard bike & barge size & layout. I would have preferred more riding, but what we did was good, certainly challenging. Bikes were in good working order.

We had a lots of fun meeting the other guests and biking the islands. The crew were great and we were well looked after. The islands are very hilly with long uphills sometimes for 6 km. Even though it was not listed as an ebike trip, 29/30 of us used ebikes. If you are on the lower deck the port windows do not open. There are fans but I would have liked fresh air. For me the biking temperatures were great in April. We swam a few times after our bikes and found some nice beaches close to the port. The food is good and plentiful. The drinks, except water are extra. Coffee and tea are only included for breakfast so you need some cash at the end for your bar bill. The biking only took up part of the day so if you want to bike longer I would look for a different trip. Overall the people made the trip!

Everything about the trip was great! Even though we are experienced cyclists, we chose the eBike option. Our tour started in Dubrovnik and terminated in Split. On our cruise, there were 4 Americans, 2 Brits and the rest, a group of Canadians. Everyone got along well. Our two guides, Luka and Serge were excellent. My wife and I are swimmers. We swam every day. Every port in which we stayed for the night had a nice, clean city beach. Each day when the ship docked, we sought out the city swimming venue. My only suggestion is that we wanted to have access to our bikes even after the boat docked. Unfortunately, the bikes were always locked up as soon as we arrived at the boat. It would have been nice to ride our bikes to the city beaches instead of walking. Ib Dubrovnik, we swam at the 50-meter indoor pool, Bazen u Gruzu which was very close to where the ship docked. In Split, we swam at a huge swimming/water polo indoor facility, SC Bazeni Polzud.

Amazing trip with amazing views.
Cycle time was adequate with enough downtime to tour on yor own.
Crew was fantastic and met every need. Excellent food.

Tour guides were amazing as well the scenery on the islands , Dubrovnik and Split
Rent the e-bike as the hills on the islands are steep and long unless you just want an extreme work out and not a holiday

Fabulous scenery on the islands
Comfortable boat with friendly crew
Great meals
Hybrid bike was dated but reliable

Wonderful views while riding the isles , great support from the guides

The people, the beauty of the country, the food and cycling/swimming experiences.

If you are looking to just cycle, cycle cycle this experience for me was leisurely but challenging due to the hilly landscape and I did NOT use an ebike.

What a fabulous time we had! We could not have asked for a better trip with the best guides in all of Croatia. Alan and Dora were the best. They packed our trip with such great experiences, we could not be more pleased. Thank you!

Views from hilltops & the food on the boat!

The people in the group were great. I think the boat should offer free coffee and wine at dinner. Also there should be more biking.

The guides and the people we met were wonderful. The locations we visited were also great.
The bikes were quite worn and a number broke down regularly causing delays. We should not have been charged another $75 for drinking water as soon as we boarded. It was very strange that soap and shampoo were not provided for the showers. The bathroom had a bad smell and was very old and in poor condition. We were unable to do about 20% of the biking due to fears about the weather that were incorrect. We let you know that we could not have dairy when we booked 5 months in advance and yet the only alternative for dessert every day was a fruit cup while others enjoyed great desserts. I could go on but will stop as the guides, Dora and Alan were great. The captain was also very good but the bar/server could use some manner lessons.

If you like to get some exercise, I think boating and biking the Dalmatian islands is the best way to see the best of Croatia. The communication with
Tripsite was great. Our boat the Romantica was very clean and comfortable. The food was plentiful and very well prepared. Our guides were very pleasant ,helpful and good at their job. I would have liked the bedding changed half way through the trip.

Meeting all the people and getting a chance to have meals with each of them.

Suggestions for the boat-
-include cappuccinos and other coffee and teas without having to pay extra.
-include a bottle of wine for each table at least one or two times as the prices were very high.
-clean tiles in bathroom better as there was black mold growing.

For others
- bring water shoes for going into water at beach stops

Other than that, everything was great!!

When you think you had your best boat and bike trip ever, but then you decide I'll try another, and you wonder, how will it ever meet my expectations, and then! it exceeds your expectations, one couldn't be happier! This is a fabulous trip, the biking is undulating and a little challenging but the ebikes and the expert guides make it all possible. The crew went out of their way for our comfort, service when spending time on board, wonderful meals, clean rooms, and always finding a way to get us swimming in the Adriatic on days of high heat. The landscape, the historic ports, the charming town squares, and beautiful sunsets over the Adriatic made it a most memorable journey!

The boat was better than other trips, the staff were excellent. Croatia is delightful and the trip I took showed off many of its assets. The arranged tours were a bonus that were generally well worth the attendance. I had no issues with the trip that Tripsite or the local supplier could be held responsible for. The Romantica was a well resourced boat with an excellent chef (can't be faulted and should be paid more). The company on the trip was excellent (again out of Tripsite and the provider's control) and I have no hesitation in recommending this trip to others. Croatia should be on everyone's to do list.

Croatia is well known for its scenic nature and it does not disappoint. On our cycling trip we were constantly shown not only eautiful views of the coastline, but of the centuries old towns and cities. The swim stops in those wonderful waters were highlights of the days during or after bike legs. Our boat, the Romantica had a wonderful chef in Andeliqua, a steward, whose enthusiasm was another highlight, and our two guides who were always happy and helpful, and the crew were always calm, quiet and efficient. Day walks escorted by local tour guides added an extra dimension to the cities visited as well. Onboard services were very good. Coffee each morning on the rear deck was a great way to start the day.

The promenade at Split! Cycling was fantastic and perfect! City tours so informative! Loved the boat, guides and food! Best scenery ever!

The trip was absolutely fabulous. The staff was fun and friendly. The food was phenomenal! The only problem was the riding was way harder than described. My friends and I are very fit and ride regularly but these hills were brutal!

The incredible group of international participants and how we all enjoyed each other's company.

Guides Mirta & Kristofer were terrific and flexible. Angelina our cook served up meal after meal of tasty food & plenty of it. The bicycling was very scenic.
I would opt for an above deck cabin though, well worth the extra cost.

Croatia is a very beautiful country that reminded me of Greece. Touring the various islands with bikes was exciting and filled with stunning landscapes and seascapes.
This is a place that would be great to come back to again!

The family that owns and operates the Papa Prvi was wonderful. The were very responsive to any issues that came up such as a stuck door or broken toilet seat and special dietary requests were always met. The tour was great and the Croatian scenery stunning. Prepare for hills! Both up and downhill can be a bit challenging at times. Take it all in and enjoy the experience.

The Pape Privi and her crew (all family) were wonderful. Rooms were spacious and meals were delicious.
I would definitely change the rating to difficult! There was nothing moderate about the hills of Croatia!
The overall experience would have been better if they had grouped the rides separating the regular bikes and e-bikes. There was a little too much waiting for everyone to be together.

Wonderful. This was our 4th ride of the islands. Beautiful as ever. Great crew and great companions from all over on the boat.

It was amazing! The most memorable part was the people! The crew of the Pape Prvi were personable, friendly , professional...a complete joy! The guides were the same; very enthusiastic, engaging and fun. The food was delicious. The cycling was more challenging than I expected. Many big climbs and steep, steep downhill runs. The scenery was indescribably beautiful...coastal beaches with clear turquoise water, grape vineyards, fig and pomegranite trees...

Suggestions for others: train on hills if possible!

The family/crew of the Pape Prvi provided excellent service and friendly advice. The food was wonderful and always enjoyable. The Croatian islands and coast were very beautiful and memorable. The guides, Dora and Shinz were fun and made the trip even more enjoyable. Thanks for such a great trip.