3 independent reviews for Kotor Bay and Montenegro gulet cruise
Reviews for Kotor Bay and Montenegro gulet cruise
Carol Duncumb review 25 Aug 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Seeing the ship for the first time. Sailing into various ports and loving the variety.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared to do your own thing if what’s on offer doesn’t necessarily interest you.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Not really other than the obvious income generated from tourists.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Overall a great experience although on occasions I didn’t want to do the extra curricular activities.Read the operator's response here:
Hello Carol
Thank you for your feedback. The small vessels that we use in Montenegro are locally owned and operated. Aside from generating the income, which most larger ships don't as they visit for a night or two at most, they also spread the revenue they generate to a wide variety of small ports. These small vessels do help preserve the character of the many small ports and harbours that they visit by alleviating the pressure to build many more hotels and other
accommodation taht is only required for the 4-5 months of the year of high demand. They also play a major part in help sustain the viability of the small communities on by providing a good income and demand for local produce. Some communities have suffered over the last 20-30 years from depopulation, and the opportunities provided by tourism, and the demand for local produce in the areas that are lucky enugh to have ships visiting goes some way to reverse this.
Caroline Pook review 8 Oct 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Swimming in the warm sea at the start of the week; landscapes2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Cabins are very small so make sure you take as little as possible in a soft suitcase which can be squeezed under the bunk - but take warm clothes if going at either end of the season. No shoes allowed inside the boat so take slipper socks or similar if travelling late in the season (or early). Enjoyment of the holiday is quite weather dependant; it can change the itinerary a lot. We got a good week between two wet weeks but the wind diverted us; the one wet day was pretty miserable so we are glad we did not go a week earlier or later which were both wet. Top tip is that think hard before you book September/October!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
No4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Read the operator's response here:
Hello Caroline. Thank you for your feedback on your recent gulet cruise. It seems there was some unusual weather in The Adriatic this autumn. I am sorry you felt that your holiday didn't benefit the local community at all, and a little surprised. On that cruise you were scheduled to eat ashore on most evenings - providing some financial support to local businesses and employees. additionally all the food you ate on board was locally sourced. Additionally the vessels managers support the local red cross - specifically in their efforts to support elderly people who get no state support. I hope you enjoyed your holiday and once again thank you for your feedback.
Mark Robinson review 19 Aug 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Simply being on a beautiful boat with stunning scenery all around. Learning to paddle board (though a second board would have been useful)2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take factor 50 sunscreen! It was 40degC for us and very difficult to avoid burning. Be aware you’re on a relatively small boat with 7 other couples and you’re sat together for most meals, hopefully you get a good bunch! (We did!) With a typical bar bill and tip, plus one night that is cash only, you’re going to need something in the region of €400 in cash, though most towns have cash machines and accept cards. An evening meal with wine is going to cost about €60.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Not as much as advertised. The sails were only deployed for 30 mins in the whole week, and clearly not something the crew prefer to do. Only two nights were spent in what could be described as small local communities, the rest were in tourist hot-spots. I don’t feel we learnt a lot about Montenegro, far more was learnt from taxi drivers!4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Very enjoyable and relaxing. Incredibly helpful crew. Good facilities for a modest-sized boat.Read the operator's response here:
Hello Mark, thank you for your feedback. The crew have acknowledged that they didn't sail as much as they would have hoped. We have adjusted the sailing details to more closely match what may be possible. Especially in Kotor Bay with the large mountains around the irregular wind patterns make sailing more complicated. Montenegro is a very popular destination at the moment, and as a small country with limited facilities some of the smaller communities do get busy in the height of summer. We have asked the crew to provide more local information and we will provide more local information in our pre-departure notes too. I am pleased that you enjoyed the cruise, the vessel and the crew so much. Best wishes. Powell Ettinger.
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