5 Star Romantica boat/barge tour reviews — 1 to 30 of 56

What a wonderful way to see the islands of Croatia. The guides and crew were fabulous. The guides were knowledge and friendly. The crew was attentive and took care of everything. The bikes were in good shape. I used an ebike and glad I decided to switch. My husband is a cyclist and he rode a touring bike all week. The hills are tough but he did it. It was hot during our week and the guides planned for extra stops with was needed and appreciated. The Romatica was clean and well taken care of. The cabins were bigger than we expected, simple but just what you need on a trip like this one.

Best vacation we’ve ever had! Period. Fantastic itinerary. Excellent crew. Anna and Sven were delightful tour guides. Can’t wait to do it again someday!

It was a fabulous trip, with a very friendly and compatible group of travelers. The sites and scenery were wonderful, wine and olive oil tasting were great. Food on board was delicious. Guides were amazing and extremely helpful. And e-bikes were a blessing.

Guides, crew, views, food, island towns and villages, route planning, light courteous vehicular traffic, all contributed to a superlative experience. The bikes provided were excellent. The e-bikes were so speedy up the frequent long uphill climbs! Fit individuals on traditional bikes played catch-up.

we enjoyed every aspect of this trip
the only part I would question or criticize is the below deck berths : so appreciated the piped in air...at first was afraid of potential asphyxiation - ? where is this air coming from ?...by 7:30 in morning & with some clothes on I was way too warm & had to leave..other passengers said same...how will it be in warmer weather ?

from moment we arrived and greeted by Annie from sister boat we knew we were in good hands

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!!

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.

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.

Best scenery , around every corner of the ride, was an Oooo and Ahhhh moment. An amazing way to see the Croatian Islands, and discover so much more than the often spoken about Dubrovnik and Split destinations. Cycling along scenic olive groves or amidst grapevines, and then the overwhelming views from atop our hilly climbs. Accompanied with our stays in the little ports of the islands.

While an avid cyclist, the climbs on the hills had me switch quickly over to an Ebike. As many others mentioned, the majority choose Ebikes, only 3 people muscled through without them on this ride. Hence I suggest the Ebike for a more enjoyable experience and vacation. Bikes were in good condition, and our lower cabin room while small, was more than comfortable.

The guides, Luka and Matt were great -KUDOS to them both ensuring we had a pleasant trip and more importantly muscling all the bikes on and off the boat every day. Remember this is a guided tour, hence no need for a daily route map is needed, though one is sent out via WhatsApp. (Fortunately the person I was with had it updated on their phone- so we could join the daily posts). We would have liked a bit more detailing of the rides the night before, or greater details of the days ride ahead so we could keep fresh in our minds, as apposed to during little stops. The hardworking boat crew were also friendly and the captain played his accordion during the captains dinner to everyone’s delight.

Two of the rides were a full day, though the others were partial days, allowing to enjoy the relaxing boat ride to our next port or bonus swims right off the boat into the Adriatic. Equally a surprise are the 3 guided tours, Split, Dubrovnik and Korkula, which we did not expect and very informative.

Make sure to bring cash or have a way to access cash as many places are cash only & will also be required for paying the drink tally at the end and any gratuities you wish to leave (2 envelopes are left on each riders bed- 1 for the crew and 1 for the guides to leave at one’s own discretion).

A bit of advice concerning the added water charge would be adding a water station and to suggest bringing a reusable water bottle ( or offer to sell a logo’d one), this would be more eco friendly as well, considering I know that on average I went through 3-5plastic water bottles a day. A complimentary self serve Coffee or a tea station would be an easy addition to the boats services. Equally mixing up the breakfast offerings would be appreciated, as by the 3rd day, the daily offering, yogurt, cereal and 2 meats, ham and salami with a cheese and bread became lackluster even with scrambled eggs being offered every other day. Otherwise the food was plentiful and enjoyable.

The communication with Tripsite was great, we have used them before and will continue to praise them to all our friends

Finally our fellow riders on the boat were all great, and many we still connect with.  SHOW MORE 

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.

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.

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

The entire package was memorable which was enhanced by the other travelers on the boat. The camaraderie among the travelers, guides and crew was the icing on the cake for each day! The guides were excellent: informative, caring, supportive. Be prepared for "Croatia flat" (undulating hills) after climning the long hills while biking!

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!

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 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!