Dalmatian Coast cruising without a dog in sight

[Pushka]

Thanks for sharing Pushka. I will be doing a cruise from Split to Dubrovnik in July on a similar ship - probably one of the other other ones you walked across.

You will love it. Scenery is even better than I thought. I expect it will be hot.

 

[Pushka]

It is around breakfast time. Will be interesting to see who surfaces after Captains Party.

Lana our Croatian guide said she’d never seen so many people dancing. Anita the housekeeper was in hysterics when we all started dancing and clearing the tables for her when she said she couldn’t dance with us until it was done. Ivan the bar tender led us around a conga line throughout the ship. Sadly I seemed to have knocked over a fixture in the seating area in doing so. Great night.

We’ve just left Stari Grad. Will be arriving at Golden Horn for swimming soon. Weather is perfect. Again.

We played hookey for lunch yesterday. We bought a baguette in Hvar and a pasty and snuck up to the top deck while the rest were at lunch. Later we’d heard they had steak. Just not what we eat at lunch time.

We walked around Stari Grad around 5pm when it was cooler. Just lovely old village dating back hundreds of years.

Our crew. Photos of Stari Grad on camera so that will wait.

 

[ellen10]

Loved Stari Grad, so pretty and a quieter town.
The Croatian crews are lovely people.

 

[love_the_life]

It is around breakfast time. Will be interesting to see who surfaces after Captains Party.

Lana our Croatian guide said she’d never seen so many people dancing. Anita the housekeeper was in hysterics when we all started dancing and clearing the tables for her when she said she couldn’t dance with us until it was done. Ivan the bar tender led us around a conga line throughout the ship. Sadly I seemed to have knocked over a fixture in the seating area in doing so. Great night.

We’ve just left Stari Grad. Will be arriving at Golden Horn for swimming soon. Weather is perfect. Again.

We played hookey for lunch yesterday. We bought a baguette in Hvar and a pasty and snuck up to the top deck while the rest were at lunch. Later we’d heard they had steak. Just not what we eat at lunch time.

We walked around Stari Grad around 5pm when it was cooler. Just lovely old village dating back hundreds of years.

Our crew. Photos of Stari Grad on camera so that will wait.

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Where are the photos of the party? That's what I want to know.

 

[Pushka]

Where are the photos of the party? That's what I want to know.

Oh. Alcohol. Dancing Queen. And I’m too busy playing. Might post a pic of the aftermath for one big player. Anon of course.

 

[love_the_life]

What did you find out about gratuities?

 

[Pushka]

Gratuities. Everyone is paying. They are so upfront about it.

This morning didn’t quite go to plan. We started on time and we were expecting to go for an early morning swim on Golden Hook. It wasn’t far away - and as we approached it looked perfect. But we kept on moving. To Bol. People arrived ready for a swim but we ended up here.




It’s a pretty place and we were told we’d stay until midday then go swimming back at Golden Horn. Mmm. Ok. It’s not that pretty for that number of hours.

 

[Pushka]

It was hot and we were all looking forward to the swim. Eventually.











Gorgeous crystal water. Bring on the swim.

 

[Pushka]

We noticed a bit of a breeze had picked up but we all got changed ready for the quick trip back to Golden Horn. This is as close as we got.











Yup. Too windy. Now, we all know that weather conditions impact on itinerary. Safety. Etc. But, our original plan was to swim first. We have not been told why we cruised past when the conditions were perfect. Instead we stayed in Bol which was fine but not what we wanted. And then it was too late. This was completely avoidable.

We’ve just now been told we have to arrive in Split early to refuel. This refueling is not a part of our trip as that’s where we leave tomorrow. But we all have to get off the boat for 5 hours while this happens. Our conspiracy theory is telling us they would have known the winds were going to pick up but they needed to leave Bol early to get to Split for tomorrow’s refueling. It means we have to pack now or after around 10pm as we can’t be onboard. I’m having a little hissy fit and sulk.

 

[craven morehead]

We noticed a bit of a breeze had picked up but we all got changed ready for the quick trip back to Golden Horn. This is as close as we got.
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Yup. Too windy. Now, we all know that weather conditions impact on itinerary. Safety. Etc. But, our original plan was to swim first. We have not been told why we cruised past when the conditions were perfect. Instead we stayed in Bol which was fine but not what we wanted. And then it was too late. This was completely avoidable.

We’ve just now been told we have to arrive in Split early to refuel. This refueling is not a part of our trip as that’s where we leave tomorrow. But we all have to get off the boat for 5 hours while this happens. Our conspiracy theory is telling us they would have known the winds were going to pick up but they needed to leave Bol early to get to Split for tomorrow’s refueling. It means we have to pack now or after around 10pm as we can’t be onboard. I’m having a little hissy fit and sulk.

What a bummer !!

 

[Pushka]

We arrived into Spilt. A very busy place and many more tourist groups especially from Asia whom had been lacking until now.

The Palace of Diocletia was a very good tour. Built in 200 AD from memory. The interiors of the Palace were used extensively in Game of Thrones series 4 and 5. This was the site of the Dragons dungeon



and the Slaves kingdom. Incredible knowledge of building structure.


The next series is being shot in Spain as they paid more.

The dungeons.





Incredible roof structure.

 

[Pushka]

 

[love_the_life]

Interesting that although you’ve really enjoyed the cruise and the small boat, they don’t seem to have managed to deliver seamlessly. Wonder if anything to do with what seems to be an explosion in demand for this sort of product. I would probably be very sulky and annoyedwith the day’s effort.

 

[Pushka]

Interesting that although you’ve really enjoyed the cruise and the small boat, they don’t seem to have managed to deliver seamlessly. Wonder if anything to do with what seems to be an explosion in demand for this sort of product. I would probably be very sulky and annoyedwith the day’s effort.

It wasn’t the best way to end it. The start was an issue too.

About the explosion and I think you might be on the mark. We were dropped off close to the tourist area yesterday but then the boat had to get refueled and re berthed. Our tour manager was at the berth at 6.50 pm to tell us where it had gone. On the way to see her we found our oldest pax (83) looking worried. His almost 80 year old wife had gone off into the markets. The same couple as previously. He happens to be a former highly regarded pediatrician by the way and an extremely talented artist. His water colours are exquisite. He does postcard size works of his travels. He’s done 10 this cruise. He does not part with them.

Anyways MrP went off to find her and I walked with him to the meeting place. He finally found her in the crowded market and they were reunited. Then we had to find the boat. It was some walk away plus we had to walk through four other boats to get to it. Large water gaps between boats. We took her shopping and his water colour bags and got them on to the ship. But none of us had eaten so we had to journey out again. They wanted to have dinner with us.

Anyways the lady is regarded as ‘everyone’s nana’. She’s gorgeous. She has befriended the bar tender and gave him a necklace to give to his girlfriend whom he hadn’t seen in a while. The night before at the party I had taken a gorgeous photo of the Dr cuddling the good looking young Tour Manager and emailed it to him. Beams on both their faces. He’d sent it off to his son and from there he said it had gone ‘viral’. Dad - ‘who is this gorgeous young woman you are cuddling.’ He’s immensely proud of it.

Anyways as we were walking back to the boat after dinner we spotted the bar tender with his girlfriend who lives in Split. They were off for a visit together. She had this necklace in her hand. Our nana was so excited, it was so crowded, quite late and one of those timely moments in life. Anyways I snapped a photo of bar tender cuddling Nana. She wanted to make sure all her family saw it.

They have declared it has been their best holiday ever!

 

[love_the_life]

A lovely story,
And off to Paris today?

 

[ellen10]

Sounds like you have had a lovely time in Croatia with great weather. I have enjoyed revisiting the places with you in your photos.

A little side story to our time in Split: Because Split is very crowded in summer time. Pickpockets are everywhere especially if you get caught up in a tour group in a crowded alley way. For the first time ever, in our years of travels my husband was nearly pickpocketed(?)
They go caught up in a large group going through a narrow alley when a nice looking well dressed young lady had undone the bottom pocket button on his cargo shorts. His friend who was following saw what was happening and went to intercede when another lady pulled him back by his back pack. Fortunately my husband realised when his mate yelled out and grabbed the girl's hand and yelled out also, they (the women) both ran away.
We later related this story to our apartment owner who said that it is becoming a very big problem with the increased number of tourists to Split.

 

[Pushka]

Sounds like you have had a lovely time in Croatia with great weather. I have enjoyed revisiting the places with you in your photos.

A little side story to our time in Split: Because Split is very crowded in summer time. Pickpockets are everywhere especially if you get caught up in a tour group in a crowded alley way. For the first time ever, in our years of travels my husband was nearly pickpocketed(?)
They go caught up in a large group going through a narrow alley when a nice looking well dressed young lady had undone the bottom pocket button on his cargo shorts. His friend who was following saw what was happening and went to intercede when another lady pulled him back by his back pack. Fortunately my husband realised when his mate yelled out and grabbed the girl's hand and yelled out also, they (the women) both ran away.
We later related this story to our apartment owner who said that it is becoming a very big problem with the increased number of tourists to Split.

Yes. The guide for Split was very clear about pick pockets here.

Off to Paris later today on Croatia airlines. We’ve vacated the cabin. It’s 8.22am approximately. . Our ship booked transfer to airport isn’t for another couple of hours. The land tour people have left and that includes the Dr and Nana.

Anita the housekeeper is in tears. Told us not to look at her. I suspect we were a good fun group. Last night the boat next to us was having their captains party. The people were just sitting. No one dancing. Even to Dancing Queen. So we started dancing to it on our boat. Anita just looked at us crazy women and cracked up. That made me realise that we had partied hard. Apparently I was leading the dancing but I have no memory of that whatsoever.

 

[Pushka]

NCL is in port today.



Last pix from yesterday.

 

[love_the_life]

Yes. The guide for Split was very clear about pick pockets here.

......Apparently I was leading the dancing but I have no memory of that whatsoever.

And I am surprised? Sounds like the old you on the QM2 trip to HGK.

 

[Pushka]

Factoid. Dalmatian dog is a Croatian registered dog breed.