A Croatian Immersion Plus Accessible Cruising with Azamara

Our nine-night Croatia Intensive Voyage on the Azamara Pursuit in September 2024 included several Extended Destination Days that allow more than 10 hours in port to explore on an excursion or at your own pace. Croatia is a popular destination and it’s easy to see why. The history and beauty of the country and its islands is fantastic. The Dalmatian Coast is stunning. The people are so welcoming and gracious, and English is widely spoken. There are plenty of outings for all ages and activity levels, which makes this itinerary best suited for everyone.

Our trip started with two nights in Venice, Italy at the Hotel Principe before boarding the ship in Fusina. The four-star hotel is on the Grand Canal, a perfect location for the water taxi from the airport to the hotel and walking distance to the many sights and attractions. The hotel has two restaurants including the Mirai Sushi Bar. I highly recommend spending a couple of nights in Venice before a sailing to enjoy the island, history and attractions.

Venice Travel Tip: In 2024, the City of Venice introduced the Venice Access Fee pilot project to curb over-tourism and return a little balance to the ancient city, particularly for locals, to help the economy and environment. The pilot fee program trialed a €5 daily fee for day-tripping tourists visiting on 29 specific days, mostly weekends, between April and July. Visitors over 14 years of age were required to purchase a ticket that they downloaded onto their phones with a QR code that they had to show to ticket inspectors if stopped in a random check. Tourists who spent the night in the city were exempt as they already pay hotel tourist taxes and, instead, the hotel provided a QR code for them to roam the city freely. The 2024 access fee pilot was seen as successful and will be extended to cover 54 days in 2025 from April 18 to July 27, mostly over Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. The price will remain at €5 but will double to €10 if a ticket is booked less than four days in advance. Travelers planning to visit Venice can pay their access fee starting in April 2025 at https://cda.ve.it/en/

The Croatia Intensive Voyage visited Opatija, Zadar, Split, Hvar, Dubrovnik, Sibenik and Pula in Croatia and Kotor in Montenegro. Our voyage ended in Chioggia, near Venice.

While we found all of the ports beautiful, the charming island of Hvar was one of my favorites. There were so many Azamara excursions to choose from in Hvar, including a speedboat to the mesmerizing Blue Cave of Bisevo Island (known for its iridescent blue glow) to a scenic drive to Bogomolje's Radojkovic olive mill for a tasting and a sea kayaking trip around around the Pakleni Islands, a group of 14 islets and rocks.

Azamara’s excursion options in Opatija included “Experience Istria with Truffles” which was described as a once-in-a-lifetime hunt for wild black and white truffles, before indulging in truffle-infused snacks and wine with a local family.

In Zadar, one could explore the highlights via a unique and eco-friendly tuk-tuk ride through this historic city on the famed and beautiful Dalmatian Coast followed by a guided walking tour.

While in Split, the largest city in Dalmatia, our excursion took us on a scenic drive to Krka National Park, which was spectacular with many waterfalls, flora and fauna. Another Split Azamara excursion included a 2.5-hour whitewater rafting adventure on the Cetina River. If a slower pace is more your speed, there also is the “Croatian Cooking Experience,” which was billed as a visit to local fruit, vegetable, and fish markets for locally sourced ingredients before joining a hands-on cooking class to enjoy your delicious culinary creation.

There was also a cooking class option in Kotor at a Franciscan monastery where one could join Chef Damir Moskov in Prcanj to learn local traditions, cook a three-course meal and relax with Montenegrin wine amidst stunning scenery.

In Dubrovnik, one of the Azamara excursion options included a Croatian silk-making workshop, which included a drive along the breathtaking Dubrovnik Riviera to the small and picturesque village of Ljuta, where you visit the old mill known as Mlinica Dvori, which still works today.

In Sibenik, one Azamara excursion included embarking on a St. Anthony Channel boat ride, exploring the UNESCO-listed St. Nicholas Fortress, and strolling through Šibenik's Old Town, discovering historic gems like St. James Cathedral.

Pula is a fantastic relatively undiscovered gem by most modern-day travelers. Our 15-mile bike excursion was one of the best, through Rovinj's historic center and scenic coastline, passing landmarks like Villas Rubin and Cisterna Beach for a refreshing break, concluding in Valdibora.

As a mid-sized ship with 702 passengers, the Azamara Pursuit calls itself “your boutique hotel at sea with a deck plan that’s intimate but never crowded.” Having beer, wine and spirits included as well as tips and gratuities is a great amenity.

I sailed in an Oceanview stateroom 4060, which was handicapped accessible. The room was spacious and the bathroom was large in comparison to other Oceanview staterooms to accommodate a wheelchair. It’s Azamara’s policy to hold accessible staterooms for guests with disabilities until all non-accessible staterooms in a category are reserved. At that time, accessible staterooms are released to general inventory and may be reserved by a guest without a disability.

For guests with special needs and disabilities, Azamara has an accessible cruising dedicated area of their website which includes sections on planning ahead/preparing for your voyage, accessible ship features, accessible staterooms, getting on & off the ship, visibility accommodations, mobility accommodations, medical needs and service animals. There is also a guest special accommodations form that needs to be filled out no later than 40 days before US sailings and 80 days before all other sailings. Your Bon Voyage Travel Agent can also contact Azamara’s Access Department.

All cabins, regardless of category, come with a 40- to 55-inch flat-screen TV, writing desk, two bedside tables, two European and two North American outlets, mini-bar with complimentary soda and beer, safe and a hand-held hair dryer. All cabins have two USB chargers; in all non-suite cabins, they can be found under the reading lights on each side of the bed. Most cabins feature two beds that can convert to one queen-size bed, and many also have sofa beds. TVs have some international stations, a movie channel and an interactive menu through which you can learn about shore excursions, view your onboard balance and browse the day's dining room menu. Amenities in all cabins include Egyptian cotton bed linens, French toiletries, terry robes, slippers and fresh-cut flowers.

The Pursuit has two specialty restaurants: Prime C Steakhouse and the Italian Aqualina. The main dining restaurant, Discoveries, was beautiful, but the menu lacked entrée options and the portions were small. Windows Cafe offers a buffet and the food selections were good. The Patio is an outdoor grill near the pool outside the Windows Cafe, where food is cooked to order with a nice salad bar. The restaurants were very accommodating for guests with food allergies. The Mosaic Café is a wonderful little coffee bar with light fare and pastries. The entertainment onboard was very good, with lots of activities to keep guests busy and entertained.

Azamara’s White Night, their signature (and complimentary) buffet dinner and entertainment event, was spectacular. It’s hosted al fresco on the pool deck by officers and crew with an array of delicious food, complimentary boutique wines and lively entertainment. Just about everyone is dressed in white, so don’t forget to pack something for this memorable evening.

A few final travel tips: Dress accordingly for the weather, rain and warm temperatures. Always pack comfortable shoes and bring an extra pair for excursions where you may get wet.