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The Truth About Going on a Yacht Week in Croatia

It’s rare I take vacations with friends these days, but the stars aligned and four (very busy and hard to plan) girls from across the US met up for Yacht Week Croatia, sailing from Dubrovnik to Split across the dazzling Adriatic Sea. In short, it was one of the best weeks of my life and a perfect ending to an amazing summer of adventure.

Here’s an Unfiltered Look at the Experience:

First, it’s important to understand I did not say I went on THE Yacht Week, which is the company most people are familiar with. Their branding is incredibly well known and reaches all corners of the globe (who wouldn’t want to bask under the sun with those hotties in the promo video ?). The truth is, there are many competitors to Yacht Week Croatia – sailing companies that offer week on a yacht for a set fee so if you’re considering Sail Week vs Yacht Week, make sure you consider all your options and read the reviews. We did our homework and chose to embark with the Sail Week Croatia for a number of reasons – and I’m pleased to report our expectations were far exceeded.

Why We Chose Sail Week  Croatia over the Yacht Week: Itinerary and Price

The Itinerary: A lot of the companies we researched (ahem: The Yacht Week Croatia) looked extraordinarily spring breaky, promising young 20-somethings the perfect girl to guy ratio and Europe’s hottest nightclubs. They offer Party Weeks, Ultra Week (to the huge music fest), and basically a week of binge drinking. That would’ve been great 10 years ago, but when you’re in your 30s, you usually want to remember the experience. Sail Week has that kind of trip too, but what caught our eye was Adventure Week . The route was completely different than the party cruise (so we wouldn’t run into them) and each port offered a different activity like hiking, biking, kayaking, and SUPing. Full disclosure, it was a bit more soft adventure than I would’ve liked, but it was still actively exploring instead of wasting the day sleeping off a hangover.

The Price: We spent a week on a yacht (included was 7 nights accommodation, breakfast and lunches) for less than $800. Yes, you read that right. Essentially the same program as The Yacht Week for a fraction of the price. With the Yacht Week Croatia, you can choose how big of a boat you want (there’s a joke there), but you’re still paying for the brand name. They also try to upsell you on their food and drink packages, which start at about $915. Ouch. On Sail Week Croatia, you simply buy your own snacks and alcohol at each marina. Always do your homework if you’re looking to save money on travel.

The Setup: Each boat held eight guests plus the skipper; so half our boat was my friends. The other two were couples on their honeymoon (great humans, but a little weird due to the lack of privacy…we’ll get to that later). There were three other boats in our bevy so about 35 people total. The number of boats varies each week by demand (they operate every week of summer).

• The thought “life is hard” will run through your head often. You will regularly wonder what you did to deserve this terrible life cruising Baller Bay with the beautiful people.
• There’s plenty of downtime (which I sometimes need forced up on me). Actually getting to catch up on reading for fun was a whole new world and a necessary reset.
• You will feel like you have this whole amazing corner of the world to yourself. There are hours of blue expanses where you won’t see another vessel or another human.
• The water is unlike any shade of blue you’ve ever seen (and you’ll take more pictures of it than you ever dreamed possible).
• The skipper made the trip. The glue that ties the group together, Zoran was a fantastic human (and it didn’t hurt that he looked like a cross between Paul Walker and Ryan Gosling).
• We went in early August and had perfect weather. Or at least perfect weather for tanning. There was not a cloud in the sky, and no wind either so not a whole lot of actual sailing happened, It was more motorboat week (bad joke).
• Our skipper was a world class BSer and liked to mess with us so it was hard to know what was true. Much to our surprise, a few of the stops did in fact have floating markets which would deliver breakfast to your boat, or even better, mojitos from the floating bar.
• Can we talk about how solid the WIFI was in the middle of nowhere? We were rarely without Snapchat or Instagram.

• This isn’t the mega yacht you’re picturing having seen Below Deck . There’s no maid or crew. Just one lone (albeit fantastic) skipper who does everything from steering to cleaning and cooking.
• Quarters are tight, but you will get over the fact that there is no possible way you can sleep in a space that small. As soon as you accept you’ll be on top of each other, you’ll learn to stay out of each other’s way. The good news is, aside from sleeping you’ll rarely spend time in your cabin.
• The bathrooms are another story. You will quickly get used to hearing everything. You’ll get extraordinarily close to your bunkmates joking about who’s turn it is to take the toilet paper bag out (no flushing of paper allowed). Let’s just say life on the boat doesn’t leave much to the imagination.
• Showers on the boat are interesting also. You have to ration the water between port stops and not every marina has facilities (you’ll appreciate the ones that do even more).
• You will come home with random bruises all over your body with no idea how you got them. It’s inevitable.
• At some of the ports, we had to dock via anchor away from land, which made coordinating dingy runs to use the potty interesting.
• Omg the bees. They were everywhere!

What Surprised Me:

I wasn’t sure I’d like this type of vacation because I get bored at the beach in about two seconds. After lying out for an hour I’m usually antsy and wondering what we’re going to do next. I typically only spend 2-3 fast-paced days in each country before moving on, which each day packed to the gills with active adventures. This was basically doing the same thing for a week straight – a deep dive into one country.

Thankfully, my worries were completely unfounded. We quickly eased into the routine of 1-3 hours of sailing in the morning, stopping at unique swimming coves, and exploring each new port at night, which broke the day up and kept us on the move. The cities were remarkably different from each other, bustling historic gems like Dubrovnik (do the Game of Thrones tour even if you’ve never seen the show) and Korcula (Marco Polo’s hometown) to happenin’ Split and Hvar and completely remote spots you’d never think to visit (some without a single bar).

Synopsis: What are you waiting for? Go!

I would recommend Sail Week Croatia to anyone in their 20s or 30s looking for a unique vacation (older folks, charter a private boat). It was ridiculously affordable (especially if you use miles for flights) and CNN just said Croatia rules the Rivieras. The country is poised to blow up in the next few years; get there while it’s still under the radar and a hidden gem. I personally can’t wait to get back. We were extremely happy that we did our homework and did not just go with the Yacht Week because it was the first company we saw: we crossed paths with their ships along the route and it looked like we were having an even better experience for a fraction of the cost (while getting our adventure on).

Other Things to Note:

• Sail Week lets you sign-up as a solo traveler without a single supplement. The Yacht Week has a Facebook page to help connect you to people looking to fill open yacht spots, but doesn’t technically let you sign-up solo.
• There are plenty of other providers that offer similar sailing experiences in Croatia so do your homework. You can even charter a yacht and captain it yourself if you’re confident in your skills.
• Spend a day or two before or after your cruise exploring inland Croatia — Plitvice Lakes and Krka are both incredible national parks with waterfalls for days.

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This is such a great guide! I loved reading about the ‘mehs’. You are so right. I did this trip in 2016 and can confirm that they are all true <3

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THE TRUTH ABOUT YACHT WEEK | 6 Things To Know Before You Go

Last summer, my friend and I spent a week exploring Croatia, Slovenia and Montenegro then met up with Kiersten ‘The Blonde Abroad’ and the rest of our all-girls crew for a week of sailing in Greece with The Yacht Week . As a whole, I loved the experience, but there were several things I wish I would have know prior to booking the trip that would have allowed me to enjoy it to the fullest. So here are 6 things you should know before you go on Yacht Week.

1) The Yacht Week will be more expensive than you think!

I budgeted around $75 a day for food and drinks for our seven day trip and quickly realized that that was not going to be enough. Upon arriving, we were told we needed to go shopping for costumes for the sailing competition and parties. Next, we had to put money in for the “Kitty Fund,” which is food and drinks for the boat for the week. We also had to pitch in money to tip our skipper and pay for gas for the boat. At the parties you usually get 1 or 2 free drinks with your wristband, but after, that you pay for your drinks. So it can get expensive, especially if you want to splurge on bottle service. It’s nice to have a heads up on all this so you can budget accordingly. Bottom line: if you plan to drink and eat out and don’t want to worry about running out of money, you should plan to spend around $130 USD/day. Here’s a quick budget breakdown…

$150 Kitty $50 Costumes $525 ($75/Day Restaurants + Drinks x 7 Days) $100 Gas/Tip for Skipper $100 Bottle Service _______ $925 TOTAL

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2) The Yacht Week is more about partying and less about sailing

Yes, you will sail from island to island (my favorite part of the trip!), but the main focus of Yacht Week is the parties they throw. There is a big welcome party the night you arrive, and for the rest of the trip, there are day parties and night parties every single day. I didn’t fully understand this coming into the trip so I wasn’t in the right frame of mind, but once I realized the basic agenda was sailing from party to party, I was able to just go with the flow and also plan some other stuff I wanted to do, without feeling like I was going to miss out.

With that said, I highly recommend skipping one or two of the day parties and exploring instead. On the Greece Route , forget the day party at Love Bay Beach (it’s a dirt beach and not that pretty) and check out Poros! There is a lot to see and you only get one night there, so skip the day party and wander around this cute little town. Also, Hydra Island ( my favorite stop on the Greece Route ) is another must see! Definitely ditch the day party and spend your time exploring this magical place. There are so many gorgeous spots to take photos on both islands.

3) Unless you splurge on a bigger, nicer sailboat, you will not be able to use the toilet onboard for #2!

You can go pee on all the sailboats, but you can’t flush toilet paper down the toilets, and on many of them, you cannot go #2. I am sorry. I know this is a disgusting topic, but it is even more disgusting and horrifying to find yourself on a boat, sailing for hours or docked somewhere overnight, and realize there is nowhere that you can go to the bathroom. My friend Misha and I stayed at several hotels along the way because neither of us wanted to handle not having proper use of a toilet for days on end, but many girls were not as lucky, and there are some very embarrassing stories that I will not repeat here. Had we known about the bathroom situation prior, we would have splurged on a bigger sailboat that could accommodate people using the toilet. So make sure you look into this before you book your boat!

4) Your boat will get dirty real quick!

We had an all-girls crew and our cabin still got crazy dirty every day. Make a pact to all help clean. If everyone pitches in, it takes just a few minutes a day to keep your boat clean. Stay on top of dishes. Do them right after you are done eating, and try to keep all your personal stuff in your own cabin. The last thing you want is to spend a week in a tiny cramped, filthy space. This is the real Yacht Week v. your Instagram Yacht Week…

5) There is no air conditioning on the smaller sailboats

This is really not a big deal but when it’s very hot, it is hard to sleep in the cabins. I recommend bringing a yoga mat or buying one the first night you are there, so you can lay it out and sleep on the deck of the boat at night. And if you do choose to sleep on the deck, make sure someone sleeps next to you. A lot of people will be walking to and from the boats at all hours of the night, so it is safer to use the buddy system, especially for girls.

6) You will have the time of your life!

Just go!   If you can’t find a friend to go with you, just go on your own. Every single girl on our boat was amazing and our skipper,  Gregor , was one of the kindest and most responsible guys I have ever met! I had the time of my life and I can’t wait to go on another Yacht Week trip, especially now that I know what to expect. It is nothing like the real world and it will be an amazing experience!

Do you have you been on Yacht Week? Please share your stories, tips, and questions in the comments below! 

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Vanessa Rivers

Hi! I’m Vanessa Rivers, a California surfer girl living in Malibu after seven years in London. I started Glitter&Mud to share my adventures around the world to help my readers make the most of their travels. I am a Founder of the popular travel community We Are Travel Girls and a proud mom to a little travel girl named Sadie. I hope my stories inspire you to travel more, see the beauty in the world around you, laugh more, love more and believe that anything is possible! EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER. BELIEVE. LOVE.

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46 comments.

Great article Vanessa! I have been on Yacht Week a couple of times now, its super fun, but its definitely good for newbies to Yacht Week to hear how to prepare to make sure they really enjoy it! Completely agree on splurging on a bigger better boat, we went for a much larger yacht for BVI than we had in Croatia and it made such a difference! (Having a stand up cubicle shower next to my cabin was a treat!!) Thanks for sharing your tips! You girls and the bikinis are really cute too!! xoxo

Done yacht week three times – great experience. But as you said its about party. Now moved on to Sailing Nations which focuses more on sailing and has super interesting sailing destinations.

Hi Bob! Thanks for sharing! I will have to check out Sailing Nations. Sounds very cool! I love being out on the water. Sailing makes you feel so free!

I’ll be leaving in a few weeks. Wondering what the currency will be like and how much to exchange. Did you use Euros? Or Kuna?

Hi Liz! Greece is on the EURO. Are you coming from the US? Right now 1 USD = .90 EURO – Enjoy your trip! X

Croatia is on the Kuna.

Great article ! really helpful for rookie yacht weeks . I will leave in a few weeks for the Italy route. Do the budget shown here applies for italy as well?

Hi Gil! I haven’t bee on the Italy route yet but the activities and cost will probably be similar. Have fun!!!

What currency is your estimated cost list in? Thanks so much!

Hi Eloise! It is in USD! X

Hello Vanessa. I’ve got a group of 4-6 guys who want to go to Croatia next June and definitely want a higher end boat. I assume we should be able to set this up as their must be others who are willing to spend more to get more. A couple of questions; are all boats single sex boats? Would it be wise to get a few hotels at some of the ports/stops? How about paying for a single cabin? Basically I’m trying to gather as much information as possible before booking starts in a couple of weeks. Thank you, Chip

Hi Chip! If you just want the boat to be your 6 friends I am sure you can find a high-end boat that will work for you (you’ll just need to pay more for a nicer boat) but generally Yacht Week wants there to be at least 50% girls on the boat. So there are all girl boats and mixed male/female boats but rarely all male boats. However I am sure it is possible to have an all male boat. I would contact Yacht Week directly to ask about this: [email protected] | As far as hotels, if you get a nice boat with proper bathrooms you won’t need to rent hotel rooms. I would recommend putting the money you would spend on hotels rooms towards getting a nicer boat with nice, proper bathrooms. Have a blast on your trip! X

Hi Vanessa, excellent piece of work! I wanted to ask you few things because i’m planning to go with some friends of mine from Argentina. If you can answer, that will be appreciated. 1. I read that a Hostess is really helpfull. But, the captain that is not included, is 100% neccesary? 2. How much is the bottle service approximately? 3. How much did you spend, between food, drinks, extras and yatch during the entire week? 4. It’s recommended to make a reservation just for me and my friend, and then the company join us with another group for the 50% rate of men?

Hi Juan! Thanks for your questions! 1) You don’t need a hostess but I am sure it would be nice to have one. You absolutely need a captain or a skipper to sail the boat. 2) Bottle service prices vary depending on where you go. We did the Greece route and I think our bottle service was about 150 EURO for 1 bottle but again this varies. 3) In my post you will see the price breakdown. It was approx $925 USD for the week for my trip. 4) Yes, I would book spots for you and your friend and the rest of the boat will be filled with a mix of males and females for a 50% female/male ratio.

Your review was so helpful! We just booked a yacht for Greece!! Cannot wait!

Hi Sharita! I’m glad my post was helpful! Have a blast in Greece!!! X

Hi Vanessa. Thanks for your blog post # 1 was most important for me as I definitely wanted to know how much additional cost I would be spending. I typically budget $100 per day for trips. Great blog post in general. I will be sharing this with my crew.

Thank you Orane! Glad you found the post useful! And thanks so much for sharing it. If you or your friends have any questions about The Yacht Week you are welcome to post them in the comments section here and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible. X

Hi! When I think of yacht week, I want those typical parties where the boats link together in the ocean and create a mini village to mingle for the day. I’ve only heard of this on Croatia routes. Does this happen for Greece at all?

Also what’s the age range like?

Hi Arly! This does happen on the Greece route, and I think all of the routes! The age range is typically a majority of people in their early to late twenties, with some people a little younger and some people in their early to mid thirties. Most people you will be in there twenties. I think I was twenty-nine when I went, which is on the older side! Have a blast!

Hi Vanessa! Great article. My best friend and I plan on doing Croatia this summer! The $130/day you estimated, does that include the port fees and electric fees at each port? Thanks!

Hi Lindsey – thanks for reaching out. I don’t remember specific cost for port fees or any electric fees but I know our Kitty Fund that everyone pitched money into at the start of the trip cover all the boat related costs on the trip, so yes, all your boat fees are included in the $130/day! X

Hey Lindsey, are you and your friend booking your own yatch? We’re looking for two girls to join our crew for week 25.

Question: the catamarans seem a lot more stable (and thus probably a better place to gather people for the party) whereas the Beneteau Oceanis 60 is just a sexy beast. We want to make sure we can have people over at our boat to party (and that it is stable enough for it). Which one do you think is the way to go (from your observations)?

Hi Kay – I am not a boat expert but I think any sailboat would be fine to have people on to “party” as long as you don’t go over the max weight limit for the boat. The skipper will let you know how many extra people you can have. X

Have you reviewed or compared the two routes? I can’t decide between Croatia and Greece. I have visited both and loved them both for different reasons. But, I am so torn between the two routes.

Hi Jami! I have been to both Croatia and Greece but I have only done Yacht Week Greece. I can personally say YW Greece was amazing but don’t have any experience with the Croatia route. However I am sure it is amazing too! My friend Kirsten – The Blonde Abroad – has done both and she gives a good review here: http://theblondeabroad.com/2014/11/03/best-route-yacht-week/

Hope this is helpful!

Hello Hello, may I ask what marina did you leave from and did you happen to see any yacht week prop stores near the marina are on your route? Someplace to buy floaties, temporary tattoos, UV body paint, and the like. We’re trying to maximize our carry on space by strategizing what we can buy in Athens.

Hi Lynette! I took this trip a few years ago so sorry I do not remember the name of the marina but I remember stores for everything we wanted to buy were within walking distance of our boat including a place to buy floaties, body paint and costumes etc! So unless there is something specific you want you can just go buy stuff with your boat crew when you arrive! 😉

Where do the floaties go after Yacht week? I leave in about 3 weeks and am purchasing floaties now. But every photo I see everyone is on a floatie. Would it make sense to just buy some off of them instead of lugging them half way accross the planet in a carry-on? Or is somewhere in Split just the location of the worlds largest floatie graveyard

Hi Jason! On the Greece route there was a store right in the harbor where we bought floaties the day before we set sail. I don’t know what people do with their floaties after yacht week. Mine got holes along the way and deflated so I threw them away but I would have given them to someone if they made it to the end! You can probably just wait and buy them when you get there. Maybe buy one floatie before and then get the rest when you arrive that way you know you at least have one!

Vanessa, Great article. I’m planning on doing this with a few friends. I noticed that you kept bringing up bottle service as being expensive. What if we ended up buying a lot of supplies (booze included) before getting on the boat. Would that be an issue? Maybe you pointed this out already and I stupidly missed it. Thanks.

Hi Allen! Thanks for your comment! I just mentioned that if you want to splurge on bottle service it is expensive and can add up quickly. You can also of course buy supplies and just drink on the boat and not spend money when you go out to the parties but you can’t bring alcohol with you the clubs obviously, so if you want to drink while there you will need to factor in the extra cost of drinks. TYW gives you a wrist band that usually gives you at least 2 free drinks at each party but you have to buy your own drinks after that so just be sure to factor in the cost if you plan to drink when going out!

Great read, very helpful! I noticed you mentioned 100$ for tip/gas (how many people were on the boat total?) Just trying to get a rough estimate on how much we should tip our skipper, including myself, we have 7 people.

Hi Jade! We had a crew of 8 girls. I think the amount you tip should depend more on how good your skipper is/ how much he does and how much your sailboat cost to rent. We had a small, cheaper boat but our skipper was really awesome so we wanted to tip him well. He went above and beyond to make sure we were all safe, happy and having fun! Hope this helps. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have more questions! Have fun!

Is there a farewell party Friday night on the Greece route?

Hi Alyssa – Thanks for your comment. I don’t remember there being a farewell party on Friday night! X

Thanks for the help! Does anyone have any recommendations for other cities/countries to visit before/after Croatia yacht week? Trying to book a 2-week trip overall, and there are so many options! Would love help narrowing it down! 🙂

Hey Vanessa, There are 8 of us girls looking into booking this summer, Greece or Montenegro route but we are concerned about the age range. We are between 30-35…what was the age range like? Also, we were debating on if we book in pairs (cabins) and be on separate boats or if we book our own, what are your thoughts?

Hi Kelsy! Thanks for your comment! Most people are in their 20s on yacht week but there are lots of people in their 30s too so you girls won’t feel out of place. I would try to rent your own boat all together. It will be easier if you are all together otherwise you will spend most of the trip just trying to meet up. Yacht week is about relaxing and having fun so you don’t want to work about stuff like that on your trip. You will also have plenty of time to mix and mingle with other people at the parties and when you are docked together or anchored during the day together! Hope you ladies have a blast! If any of you want to write a guest post about what it is like to do yacht week in your 30s I would LOVE to publish your story here! X, Vanessa

how much was it for each bottle for bottle service? would it be liter bottles or standard US 750ml bottles?

Hi! Bottle service in Greece when I went was around 150-200 EURO for US 750ml bottles. Cheers!

Is there a ‘best’ month to do yacht week? My friends and I don’t want to do the Ultra music festival. Curious if July or August is better. Thanks!

Hi Kelly! I don’t think there is really a best month but you might find cheaper flights and the places you go to might be a little less crowded in August. June and July are peak high season so best to try to avoid touristy spots during those months if you can.

Do you remember how much of your budget you were able to pay for with credit card, or how much of it had to be paid for with cash? I want to avoid converting too much of my money into cash euros for the Greece trip.

Hi Kurt! I paid for my spot on our boat with my credit card online prior to the trip. Everything else I paid for in cash. It is much easier if you have cash on hand to pay for meals and drinks etc. If you get bottle service at a bar you will be able to pay with a card but a drink here or there and meals where you are in a group it is much easier to each just throw in some cash. I would suggest taking maybe $300 out before you start the trip then getting more at one of your stops along the way that way just to be safe. I did not have anything stolen from me on the trip but it is always a risk if you have too much cash with you. Have fun! X, Vanessa

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Home > Croatia > Yacht Week Croatia Review – The Straight Facts

Yacht Week Croatia Review – The Straight Facts

The Yacht Week Croatia Review: Know Before Your Go

Perhaps you've heard to rumours, the stories, and the legends about the Yacht Week. It sounds awesome. But so did the Taco Bell Cheese Roll-Up burrito . It is all hype, or is it the real deal? This Yacht Week Croatia review has the answers.

In the interest of educating the masses, I sacrificed myself. From Aug 9-17 ten buddies and I embarked on the Yacht Week Croatia in search of the truth.

We found it.

My Yacht Week Croatia review summary is that it's awesome…  b ut   i t's not for everyone.  And there are definitely some things you should know in advance. Here are some key figures to shed light into the inner workings of the mayhem and help you prepare for your own experience:

And for those of you who don’t know what the Yacht Week is, watch this video:

The Yacht Week Croatia Review by the Numbers:

Number of nationalities represented at Yacht Week.Somewhat surprisingly there was nobody from Russia, the Middle East (not even Israel), or Asia. Nevertheless, the chance to cavort with and befriend people like you from around the world was definitely a highlight of the Yacht Week.

Number of nationalities representing 80% of the yacht weekers: American, Australian, Brazilian, Spanish, and German. In other words, while the Yacht Week Croatia draws a worldwide clientele, it's not THAT diverse.

Nationalities we had on our boat, “The Love Boat”: German, Swedish, Swiss, Canadian, Portuguese, South African, and Namibian. This definitely played to our advantage in drawing the attention of other boats.

Estimated age of the average yacht weeker. The youngest were 22 and oldest closing on forty, but most were in the late 20s to early 30s range.

Average age of the skippers, who are supposed to keep everything in control. No wonder chaos ensued.

This may be crude, but no Yacht Week Croatia review would be complete without sharing how much sex goes on. Fifteen is the number of girls the eight single guys in our crew “got intimate” with during the week. Just under two girls per guy might not seem like a lot, but most of our crew settled on “Yacht Week girlfriends”, meaning they hooked up with the same girl each night. If getting laid is one of your objectives at Yacht Week Croatia, you're in luck. It is very easy.

Percentage of yacht weekers who were female. At least. If anything, there were more girls than guys. Everyone—guys and girls—seemed to agree it was an ideal ratio.

Estimated total number of hours we were actually at sea. And some of that was early in the morning while we were sleeping. The vast majority of our time was spent anchored or at harbor. The Yacht Week is not about boating; it's all about partying.

Hours we actually had the sails up. We only put our sails up twice in the whole trip.

Estimated average sleep quality score, out of 100 during the trip. The cabins get unbearably hot at night. This forces you to sleep on deck, which is not designed for sleeping. And sleeping outside leads to an inevitable early wake up as soon as the sun comes up. I’d recommend following the skippers’ lead: bring a hammock and something to cover your eyes.

Number of full meals we ate per day. With the exception of one egg salad, that meal was always pasta. Other than that, for sustenance we snacked on fruit, cereal, pizza, sausages, bread, and booze.

Boats doing the same route as us, the Yacht Week Croatia Black Route. At the same time, 46 other boats were doing the Red Route, which is the same route but in the other direction. That’s a lot of boats and a lot of partiers.

$850 (4900 kuna)

Total spent on groceries at the Getro by the marina before sailing off for the first time. We ate it all and then some.

$35 (200 kuna)

Amount we were extorted into paying for the 250 meter taxi ride to bring our haul of groceries from the Getro supermarket to the Marina Kastela. Bring some dollies or carts from the marina so you can push the stuff back yourselves and avoid being ripped off.

$10, $1, $0.5

Approximate cost of a bottle of vodka, a can of beer, and a kilogram of bananas respectively at the supermarket by the marina where we started our trip.

$30, $2.50, $3

Cost of the same vodka, beer, and bananas at the harbor by Hvar where we spent two nights. Buy as much as you can at the begging in order to save money.

$260 (1500 kuna)

Amount each of the eleven in our crew contributed to the pot, which was used to pay for joint expenses like groceries, gas, and harbor fees.

$4.50 (25 kuna)

Typical cost of a can of beer at the Yacht Week parties. If you’re a cheap-ass like me, be sure to pre-drink, or make a party mix that you can stash nearby.

$350-$900 (2000 to 5000 kuna)

Cost of getting tables at the parties. Don’t get tables. The parties are free-for-alls and you won’t be spending much time at your table anyways. If you want drinks, buy them individually or take advantage of other people’s tables.

Number of skippers (the guys we paid to captain our boats for us) who said Yacht Week Croatia is their favorite. Without exception, they said they thought the Yacht Weeks in Greece and the US Virgin Islands were better. That’s not to say Croatia is bad at all – it’s awesome – but food for thought for those considering signing up and deciding where to go.

Number of times in my life I will do the Yacht Week. It was an even better time than I expected, but it's the polar opposite of the type of traveling I prefer (blending in) and I’m not sure my body could survive another. Plus, it’s expensive and there are plenty of other experiences and parties to be had in life. I recommend everyone do it once at least. And if you’re crazy, you’ll be back for more.

Disclosure: Whenever possible, we use links that earn us a cut if you pay for stuff we recommend. It costs you nothing, so we'd be crazy not to. Read our affiliate policy .

10 thoughts on “Yacht Week Croatia Review – The Straight Facts”

Just did The Yacht Week Croatia. Wish I read this before going there to be a little bit more prepared. Really liked your article and all the numbers – especially the cost for taxi and food supply. Actually, all the numbers were quite accurate and interesting!

SUPER HELPFUL, thank you!

Glad to hear it, Alexandra! Enjoy the summer

All the guys and girls are so shredded and ripped. Does this mean that the less attractive bodies don’t get a fair chance to get laid ?

Hi Kamlesh. I'd say it's no different from the non Yacht-week world.

Thanks for sharing! Was searching info for the yacht week and found this article helpful.

You're welcome. This post is getting old, so hopefully some of the info in it remains reasonably accurate.

Hi, two things:

1.Im planning to travel in July, should I opt for an AC yacht or non AC one? is the heat really unbearable? 2. A bit embarrassing but I am a snob in these How well equipped are the toilets of the yacht like?

THANK YOU FOR THESE GREAT TIPS. The company emailed my friends and I that our boat is no longer available. Im hearing the ac yacht is not worth it. Some nights the boat ran out of fuel and they didnt have ac until later that morning. What is your opinion?

What do you think? (Leave a Comment.) Cancel reply

The Ultimate Guide to Yacht Week Croatia

Croatia , Travel Tips

Aug 29, 2015

comment 87 Comments

By Ryan Gargiulo

Last Updated: August 14th, 2020

Welcome to my in-depth guide to planning for the Yacht Week Croatia .

Below you’ll find the answers to all of your questions about Yacht Week Croatia as well as my insanely popular Yacht Week Packing List which features what I call the “Yacht Week Necessities”, aka a short list of some of the best things to pack for the Yacht Week in order to really get the most out of the experience.

I think you’ll find this article to be extremely helpful with your planning for Yacht Week. As always, if you have any questions, please be sure to leave a comment and I’ll respond as soon as possible.

Yacht Week Croatia

Yacht Week Croatia is absolutely insane. It’s fun, it’s wild, it’s crazy and it’s downright exhausting to say the least.

It’s likely to be one of the most memorable weeks of your life. I mean, how could it not be, right?

You, your friends, lots of sunshine and drinks in hand.

The perfect recipe for creating memories that will last a lifetime.

The people, the parties and the experiences at The Yacht Week await you but my question for you is…

Are you ready to set sail on Yacht Week and see where the wind takes you?

My Yacht Week Croatia Experience

As many of you know, my friends and I just finished up a week of madness on Yacht Week Croatia and I’m here to report to you that this week was not only the longest and most tiring week of my life but it was also a week that I’ll never, ever forget.

If this is your first time attending the Yacht Week, there’s a good chance you probably felt a lot like I did when I first signed up. 

Like me, your mind is probably filled with curiosity and a seemingly endless list of unanswered questions.

Some that won’t be answered until you experience them first hand.

I’m going to do my best to try to walk you through The Yacht Week Croatia process and give you a bunch of really useful information that will prepare you (at least somewhat) for what you’re about to experience on The Yacht Week.

How to Book Yacht Week Croatia

1.   Find Some Adventurous (single) Souls — The first step in booking Yacht Week is to find a crew of people that are down for a true adventure. While I recommend going with at least a few people that you know, plenty of people join the crew list on yachts with a group of strangers and still manage to have an incredible time. That being said, attending Yacht Week Croatia with a group of friends is the ultimate way to go in my opinion.

• Open Minded People:  When choosing your crew it’s very important to try to gather up a good group of open minded people. Close minded, complainers, and those who are “accustomed to life back home” should be your last resort when trying to fill your boat.
• People with Similar Interests: Choosing a crew that has similar interests is important. The yachts are small, personal space is limited and more importantly Yacht Week Croatia can get weird  (no explanation necessary) so having close minded or grumpy people on board isn’t the best idea.
• Singles. Not Couples:  Couples on Yacht Week. I know I might receive some harsh feedback for this but Yacht Week is for single people. Straight up. Couples do couple-y things. They generally keep to themselves, they bicker, they argue, and they’re usually a lot more reserved around their significant other. While there’s nothing wrong with these things (it’s completely natural), it can definitely put a damper on the environment of your boat. I spoke to a few singles who had a couples aboard their boats and all of them said the same thing. The Yacht Week Croatia is not for couples. Again, this is strictly my opinion based off of what I’ve experienced and after speaking with others on YW.

2. Choosing your Route — The Yacht Week has routes in Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Thailand and the BVI’s although the most popular route is Croatia, where TYW first originated.

There are two routes you can take on Yacht Week Croatia; the Black Route and the Red Route.

Both routes are identical, they just operate in the opposite direction of each other.

I asked my skipper what the most popular route was and he said the the Black Route is far more popular than the Red.

For example, we had 48 yachts on our route (Black Route) versus just 24 boats on the Red Route. Go Black!

3. Choosing Your Yacht — As I mentioned above, Yacht Week Croatia is a long week of partying and fun in the sun. If you’re wanting to truly make the most of your trip, I highly recommend you charter the best yacht possible.

There are a variety of yacht charters available on Yacht Week but the quality, price and amenities available on board can vary big time.

Do yourself a favor and rent the best yacht possible, or at least the best yacht that you can afford.

At the end of the day you and your crew can try to pinch pennies to make Yacht Week happen but if you’re not on a decent boat, it’s going to make your week that much more exhausting.

If there was one complaint that I heard most during my week when speaking to other YW’ers, it was that their boats were blazing hot throughout the night.

The amount of time you have to sleep on Yacht Week is already limited due to the nonstop parties and the nature of the trip.

Imagine heading back to your boat at sunrise to catch up on a couple hours of sleep and not being able to sleep due to the heat? Nightmare.

In my opinion, getting a yacht with air conditioning is crucial.

Now that I’ve done Yacht Week Croatia with an air-conditioned yacht, I wouldn’t do it any other way.

Our yacht happened to be one of four boats on Yacht Week with air conditioning.

Did I mention there was 48 other yachts sailing alongside us that week? 

That means if you’re wanting to snag a boat with air conditioning on board, you’re going to have to act fast when booking.

4. Registering and Checking in  —   Once your yacht is booked, go ahead and make sure you send out your personalized invite link to your entire crew so they can register for a Yacht Week account and check in on the crew list.

It’s a requirement for all crew members to register and check in on your yacht week booking prior to arriving at the marina.

Upon arrival to the marina, your crew will need to fill out details such as their name, passport number, nationality, email, date of birth and gender.

How to Prepare for Yacht Week Croatia

1. Travel Insurance —   When prepping for Yacht Week Croatia, your first priority should be to make sure you make a small investment towards your health and well being by purchasing a  travel insurance policy  for your trip.

Not only will this policy cover you if your bags are lost/stolen and if your flight is delayed/cancelled, but you’ll also be covered for all medical and injury related issues as well.

Nobody wants to have to cover the cost of you getting airlifted home from the middle of the Adriatic Sea (no, not even your parents).

Anytime you mix partying out on the open water and slippery boats, you’re just about guaranteed to encounter a few injuries along the way.

When it comes to Yacht Week, travel insurance is an absolute must and a win-win situation when considering how inexpensive travel insurance is these days.

2. Create a Yacht Week Playlist  — The best way to manage your music on Yacht Week Croatia is to create a few killer Spotify playlists. Oh, and don’t forget to pick up a standard 3.5mm aux cable. With the aux cable, you’ll be able to connect your phone directly to the onboard stereo system on your yacht and jam out all day.

Now, you’re probably thinking. But, if I don’t have Internet, how can I listen to Spotify? Well, here are two ways to go about it.

• If you’re a Spotify Premium user, you’ll be able to listen to all of your music offline. Anytime, anywhere. Grab your subscription before you head out and don’t forget to make all of your music available offline before you set sail. *Spotify Premium is FREE for 30 days so be sure to take advantage of the free month right before you head out on your trip. After the first 30 days, you will be billed $9.99/mo. If you don’t want to pay, simply cancel your subscription.
• The second and best option (IMO) is to pack an unlocked smartphone with you when you head to Croatia. Why? Well, with an unlocked phone, you can pick up a sim card at T-Center (aka T-Mobile) when you’re in Split and you can purchase a 7-day unlimited data sim card for approximately $12 USD. Now, you’ll be able to stream your spotify all week without worrying about data overages.

If you don’t want to deal with streaming music on Yacht Week, simply throw together a playlist on your phone and you’ll be good to go.

3. Diet & Exercise  — Working out and staying in shape prior to Yacht Week is important on so many levels. You’ll be surrounded by boat loads of good looking people wearing little or next to nothing so being comfortable in your own skin will be key to enhancing your overall YW experience.

Remember, Yacht Week is a week long marathon of sailing, partying and eating whatever you can get your hands on.

Preparing yourself by eating healthy and exercising prior to Yacht Week is highly recommended before setting sail on a week of mayhem and very little sleep on the open sea.

Try this free  bodyweight workout  to get you started.

4. Planning your Arrival — I highly recommend that you do not plan to arrive on the actual day of departure for Yacht Week.

International flights often get delayed and even cancelled and I’m pretty sure you’re not going to want to splurge on Yacht Week only to find out that your flight isn’t going to make it and you’ve now missed out on an incredible week that you’ve had planned for months now.

Do yourself and the rest of your crew a favor and plan to arrive at least one day prior to the start of Yacht Week Croatia.

5. Accommodations prior to Yacht Week — When it comes to Yacht Week accommodations, I can personally recommend and vouch for this Airbnb apartment in Split.

6. Split Activities and Tours  — If you find yourself in Split for a couple of days before or after Yacht Week, you should definitely make an effort to explore the city and wander all the little alleyways that connect the city to the sea.

There is so much to see, do and experience in Split. Here are some of the best  tours and activities  to check out during your visit.

Are you a Game of Thrones fan? If so, you might be interested in this exclusive Game of Thrones Tour .

7. Which Marina? — In order to prepare for Yacht Week, you’re going to want to figure out which marina your yacht is assigned to. Why? Because there are several marinas in Split. Some of the marinas are quite far from each other and I can see this becoming an issue if you or your crew decide to show up on the day of departure.

You can find the marina assigned to your yacht on your Yacht Week Croatia reservation page.

Once you figure out which marina you need to be at,  click here to find directions to get there.

8. Crew Explorer — Now that you’re all booked and ready to go, it’s time to find out who else is going to be joining you on Yacht Week.

Go ahead and log in to your booking and scroll down to the Crew Explorer section to see a list of Facebook profiles for all the other Yacht Weekers that will be joining you on your route.

Another great way to meet fellow Yacht Weekers is to download the official Yacht Week app  (iOS only). Upload a photo and introduce yourself now.

Yacht Week Packing List

Overpacking for Yacht Week can be a huge mistake.

Let’s face it, nobody wants to be tripping over giant mounds of clothes and accessories that will ultimately never get worn or used.

As I mentioned above, no matter how big of a yacht you charter, space is still going to be tight no matter how you look at it.

Don’t Miss: The Ultimate Yacht Week Packing List

Do yourself and your crew a big favor and pack a carry-on bag for Yacht Week Croatia.

A must-have for Yacht Week Croatia

Of course, before you start your journey, be sure to find a suitable and convenient accessory to keep your important items. Custom Lanyards Cheap are the best choice! You can wear your lanyards around your neck to tuck your phone in a waterproof bag, hang your keys, etc.

It will make it easier for you to enjoy your fun time. Design shiny and unique custom lanyards as a gift for your partners who will spend a happy time with you will make them feel even closer to each other.

Recommended Luggage for Yacht Week

Tortuga Outbreaker Backpack

The Outbreaker (available in 35L or 45L) is my recommended go-to bag for The Yacht Week. 

After a few days of everyone tripping over each others belongings on our yacht, everyone will be wishing they had picked one of these up.

Besides, other than a few bathing suits and a few of the cool things on this Yacht Week packing list, how much do you really need to take with you anyway?

You can read my in-depth review of the Tortuga Outbreaker or you can head on over and pick one up now by clicking on the button below.

CLICK HERE NOW TO SEE THE FULL YACHT WEEK PACKING LIST!

Food & Drink on Yacht Week Croatia

When it comes to food and drink on Yacht Week, you’ve got two options. You can either hire a hostess that will join you for the week and take care of all the cooking, cleaning and food shopping OR decide to do it on your own.

We decided to skip out on hiring a hostess and we survived.

That being said, if I was to do another Yacht Week I would definitely prefer to hire a hostess next time around.

Not only do they know exactly what to buy and how much to buy when it comes to food and drinks, they also cook/prepare meals for you on board while you kick back and enjoy Yacht Week.

Oh, and how many of you want to do dishes and clean the yacht while on vacation?

Because we did Yacht Week on our own without a hostess, I’m going to provide you with a short list of what you should consider picking up before setting sail.

Yacht Week Croatia Shopping Checklist

• Beverages — Lots of them. You wouldn’t believe how hot it gets when you’re out at sea. In order to stay hydrated, a good rule is to buy 1.5 to 2x more than you think you’ll need.
• Bread — For sandwiches, of course. Start with two or three loaves of bread and see where that gets you. Worst case you have to pick up another few loaves on one of the islands.
• Deli meats — Choose food that is easy to prepare. Deli meats do the trick and they’ll last at least a few days in the refrigerator.
• PB & J — Perfect solution for a nice snack in between meals. Easy to slap together and always delicious.
• Snacks — Don’t forget to pick up snacks like chips, pretzels and nuts. Almonds are great for keeping you full and healthy for you, too.
• Pasta — Pasta is not only super easy to cook but it’s also a meal almost everyone eats. Don’t forget to buy twice as much sauce as you think you might need. Sauce goes fast.
• Fresh fruit & vegetables — Pineapple, berries, apples, oranges and bananas are perfect for the morning and even afternoon snacks. Veggies such as spinach and tomatoes are great for whipping up quick salads. Don’t leave without stocking up on fruit and vegetables.
• Yogurt — Great breakfast option with a side of fruit or granola.

My partnership with Cayman Jack came in seriously handy for Yacht Week as they were nice enough to send out a small shipment of margaritas for my journey.

I must say, there’s nothing better than sipping on a few bottles of CJ after a long day of fun in the sun on Yacht Week. Yum!

Uber Discount for Split

Did you know Uber serves the city of Split? If not, now you know. What’s even better is that you can get your first ride free (up to 50 HRK or approximately $7.50 USD) when signing up for a new Uber account.

All you have to do to take advantage of this Uber discount is the following:

Already have the Uber app?  CLICK HERE  and follow the simple step-by-step instructions to receive your 50 HRK credit towards your first ride.

Got questions about Yacht Week Croatia? Feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

87 thoughts on “The Ultimate Guide to Yacht Week Croatia”

This looks insane, how early did you start booking everything

It certainly was! We booked on March 18th for the week of July 25th-August 1st. I would recommend you try to book things as soon as possible.

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My group and I are booking Croatia tomorrow. Do you recommend the food package? We’re all picky eaters and 1/3 of the items we won’t eat. Thanks.

Awesome! Nah, I recommend you do your own shopping especially if you’re picky. That way you can buy exactly what you guys like to eat/drink. Best of luck. You’re going to have the time of your life!

Sick review mate. Did you go for bottle service at the clubs? What was the pricing like?

Thanks Daniel. Yeah we did bottle service at most of the venues. It’s really nice to have a table to call home although it’s not always 100% necessary. If you’re going to get a table/bottle service at any venue throughout the week, make sure you get one at the White Party. Trust me on this.

Ryan! Thank you so much for your super helpful and informative article. Similarly, I am a yacht week newbie and me and some friends are planning to go in August of 2016 – Croatia – we’re all turning 30 :) No one has been and I’m the appointed group organizer- I’m wondering if you might be able to advise on some additional items: 1. How many people did you have on your boat? (We might have to book 2) 2. If we hire a hostess, they take care of the food right? And I assume it’s the food packages listed on the site? I don’t think any of us will want to shop/cook/clean. Should we be buying our own alcohol? 3. How much approx would you say each person spent all in on average? I know that might be tough to answer, but I’ve told ppl to assume at least $3k a pop for boat & flight. 4. For flying out – did you fly out a day after or same day of the final docking? 5. A couple friends of mine who went before said they got super seasick/motion sickness – it was hard to sleep at night and being hungover didn’t help much – did anyone on your boat experience this and do you have advice? 6. This year I see they also have a Croatia Ultra route – do you know anything about that? Would you advise that over black? 7. That’s it for now but I’d really love to pick your brain some more as I go through this process!

No problem at all. Glad to be of assistance to you.

2. The Yacht Week Hostesses will take care of the shopping for you. They won’t BUY the food/drinks, that’s on you. They will shop for you though. If you want to avoid things like shopping/cooking/cleaning, definitely shoot for a hostess.

3. Unfortunately, I don’t know the numbers. I’d say I probably spent somewhere around $2k all in. That being said a couple of my friends on board picked up bottle service in a few of the clubs and they ended up spending a lot more than I did. Also I should mention that I was already in Europe for the summer so my flight to Croatia was cheap.

4. I was in Europe from June to October so I didn’t actually fly in for Yacht Week. I arrived in Split two days before Yacht Week started and spent a night or two on the tail end before flying to my next destination.

5. Nobody on our boat had any issues with sea sickness. I know some people wore these wristband things but I can’t remember what they’re called. They seemed to think that they worked well.

6. We had one of the most experienced skippers on our boat and he said Ultra week + Yacht Week is a waste. Do one or the other. Yacht Week is crazy enough. Combining both Yacht Week and the Ultra Music Festival doesn’t sound like a great time to me. That’s just my two cents.

Feel free to reply to this comment with any other questions! Best of luck.

YES! Great review Ryan and THANK YOU!

I’m a hostess for The Yacht Week — last season I did four weeks in Greece and then four in Croatia! Best job EVER.

A little more detail on us — we’re fun ambassadors — we want you the have the best week of your life so our sole job is to make sure you’re having the absolute best time with the least amount of stress or worrying about the “little things”. We cook, clean, and make sure you know the best of everything on the islands (excursions, things to do/see, best places to eat – you name it!) plus we work with the skippers to book tables and any reservations you might want. I’ll guide you to ferries, Carpe Diem Beach and all the other fun things TYW has planned and some that aren’t (treehouse drinks in Palmy anyone?).

When it comes to food — we’re magic. We know the boats, the grocery stores and we will prepare you delicious breakfasts, lunches and maybe a dinner or two. It will seem like pure heaven to wake up after a crazy night out to a clean boat, hot coffee and a breakfast of pancakes, Egg Benedict, fruit platters, parfaits and whatever else we whip up. We aren’t serving just cereal that’s for sure and we’ll go over the menus (yes, menus) that we have in mind for your input prior to your arrival. We’ll also pick up fresh bread, fruit, etc. during the week. We’re definitely worth it. :)

Hi Shay! Thanks for stopping by and giving everyone some more insight on what it is you hostesses do. This is gold!

Thanks again.

Ryan, thanks so much. This is great!

Shay, you answered exactly the questions I was wondering. I’m planning my first Yacht week in Croatia and I have a couple of people that are Vegan. Do you think the hostess would be able to accommodate for that too? Thanks in advance!

No problem. Glad to help.

I’m sure there would be no issues at all for the hostesses to plan around that. You definitely won’t be the first vegan on Yacht Week. ;-)

Which month did you go there? I’m considering going in June, but am a bit concerned about the weather

We did the July 25th-August 1st route. June will be beautiful. Sunny and HOT!

Hey Ryan! Very informative article for a first-timer like myself :). I’ve been doing a lot of reading on what to expect for the YW but I still have quite a few questions if you don’t mind taking the time to answer them!

1. For starters, what do you do about waste? I’m sure it’s very easy to accumulate a lot very quickly. And as a follow up to that, would you recommend getting jugs of water rather than individual water bottles as to try and reduce the amount of waste?

2. Are things such as pots & pans, plates, cups, and utensils all included in the kitchenette of the yacht? Or must we purchase paper plates and whatnot on our own?

3. God forbid we run out of liquor half-way through, but if so, are there markets or places on the islands we stop at where we could purchase more?

4. I’ve read that water and electricity are only available at the harbors: does this mean that showers/sinks/toilets and such cannot be used while at sea?

5. The Crew Boat Party – it looks fun! Is it worth it?

6. Exactly how strict are they about the ‘no music at the marina in the evenings’? Do people just after party with no tunes at all?

7. How much cash would you recommend having on hand for the entirety of the week? I’ve read that some of the organized YW events don’t take cards which is surprising to me.

8. And last, but not least, how much is an appropriate amount to tip the skipper?

Thanks again for your time!

Hi Michaela,

Thank you for the feedback. I’m glad you found the article to be helpful.

1. We bought giant trash bags and our skipper would store them in a compartment at the back of the boat each night. We would get rid of the trash when we docked up. Jugs of water might be a good idea. We bought big packs of individual waters and they ended up being really convenient. That being said, it’s not the best idea if you’re worried about the environment.

2. I can’t speak for all boats but ours had the basics (pots, pans, etc). We bought plastic silverwear and paper plates.

3. There’s always places to re-up on booze although I would recommend buying a huge supply of it before you depart because it goes fast when you’re out on the water. My advice is to buy more than you think you’ll need.

4. We had water and electricity on our boat. Our boat had a big water tank and we used a generator for electricity. I’m not sure all boats have these types of amenities though. I recommend you shoot a msg to Yacht Week to see what your boat has and what it doesn’t.

5. All of the Yacht Week Croatia parties are a must. They’re all unique and you’re guaranteed to have a blast. It’s one hell of a long week of partying. Prepare yourself.

6. Some people play music on their boats but to be honest you really can’t have it loud because it’s not fair to other (non-yacht weekers who are docked up at the same marina).

7. This is such a hard question to answer. My advice is to have more Euros than you think you’ll need. I will say though that some of my crew were putting bottle service on their credit cards at every party. Individual drinks at the bar? Probably cash only.

8. This is completely subjective and depends on how good you think your skipper was. Every crew has different experiences w/ their skippers. I think somewhere between $50-100/pp is decent.

Be sure to let me know if you have any other questions!

Wow! Amazing review. A big group of us just got 2 yachts for Croatia Week 34. We are coming over from Texas! Random questions for you:

1. Where would you stay the night before you sail out? Hotel? Hostel? 2. My boyfriend and I, along with several other couples, are on this trip…is this a couple friendly trip? I always thought it would be and then people started telling me differently. What do you think about this? We already paid, so we are going no matter what! :) 3. What did you do with your valuables credit card, money, jewelry, etc while you were on off the boat? Is theft an issue?

Thanks again so much for your awesome blog! It is much appreciated!

Hi Kate. Congrats on booking your first Yacht Week!

1. I rented an airbnb apartment in Split for a few days prior to setting sail. The morning of departure I taxied over to the port. Simple and easy. 2. I’m not saying your not going to have fun going as couples. You will. It’s just not built for couples (IMO). Yacht Week Croatia is really for singles. The other yacht weeks (Greece, BVI’s, etc) might be more suited for couples. 3. I left all my valuables in my room locked in my bags. In my case, there was always at least one or two people from our boat on the boat at all times. I didn’t really worry about it too much. Fortunately, nothing got stolen.

Thanks for following along. Hope this helps.

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Hey Ryan! Great review, really insightful read :)

Currently a group of 3 of us are planning to do the Week 29 Ultra Cruise (16th-23rd July). We are unsure how to go about booking with such a low number of people.

Could you make any recommendations? Is it viable to just book 2 cabins on someone else’s Yacht?

Cheers from Australiaaaa :D

Hey Jono. Your best bet would probably be to book the yacht for the 3 of you and then add your yacht to the Yacht Week Crew Finder and then single people that want to join Yacht Week can reach out to you and grab a spot on your boat. The only other way you could do it would be to use the crew finder to find 2 spots on someone else’s yacht.

Ah yes this sounds like a great idea. I was wondering if you have experienced or know anyone who has used Quest.Life? We were thinking of booking a 2 person cabin on one of their catamarans for Ultra Week 29, but we are a bit unsure of their reliability.

Hey Jono. No, I’ve never heard of that company so I can’t vouch for them.

Thanks so much for this Ryan!

Quick question: There are A LOT of Croatia weeks available. Is there a specific time that people generally go the most. I would hate to pick a week where no one is there.

No problem Jasmine! I wouldn’t worry too much about being on YW alone. I believe almost every week sells out completely for the Croatia routes. You could always shoot an email to YW and ask them which weeks are the busiest. I think that the first few weeks and the last couple weeks probably have a few less yachts otherwise it’s madness as depicted in this post.

Fantastic blog post, super helpful!

Glad I could help! Best of luck.

Hey Ryan! Awesome Post.

I would like to ask, do you happen to know which boats have Air Conditioning on them?

Thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately, I do not. I would recommend you reach out to Yacht Week prior to booking to get a list of the boats available that have A/C on board. Enjoy yourself!

Is there somewhere to blow up our floats in Split if we bring our own? I’d rather bring one with me because we found some awesome ones here in the U.S., but they’re also huge so blowing them up on my own is certainly not going to work out very well!! Thanks!

Yeah there’s a float inflating station thingy at the first stop on the first day. You shouldn’t have any issues at all. Plus, most people bring their own electric pumps so worst case scenario you’d be able to borrow one.

Excellent and thoughtful review. I am heading with a crew for Ultra Week 29 this year and I am counting the moments until we are all there to celebrate.

With regard to the White Party in Hvar, is that a weekly event that is thrown or is it on a specific date?

I look forward to reading your reviews in future and I would truly appreciate your feedback.

Hey Michael. The white party is one of the many parties that Yacht Week hosts during the week (in Hvar) and it depends on which route you do (Black Route or the Red Route). I was on the black route so our party was earlier in the week. I believe the Red Route doesn’t do the white party until the end of the week as they travel in the opposite direction.

Best of luck and enjoy yourself!

Hey Ryan, Great post btw! I have a couple of questions that hopefully you can answer.

I’ve heard that water taxis really stick it to you, Is their any way around them?

How much money do you recommend that we budget daily pp, to have a really good time?

Fine dining options on the islands?

Do they sell commercial liquor and beers at the islands?

Must does on the islands that you recommend?

1. There are free water taxis that are reserved for Yacht Weekers and run to/from the islands from where you’re docked but they only run at certain times. If you want to leave early sometimes you need to take a private one which will cost you but when it’s between a group of people it’s pretty minimal.

2. Most of your eating and drinking will be done aboard your yacht. Drinks at sea go faster for whatever reason so make sure you stock up big when you do your first shopping trip. What you spend in the bars/clubs outside of that really depends on how much you drink, what types of drinks and at which bars you’re drinking at. I really can’t help you too much with a daily budget because it’s so different for each and every person. That being said I can’t imagine you spending more than 300 Croatian Kuna per day (approx. $50 USD) between food and drinks (if you eat out at restaurants when on land).

3. There are plenty of fine dining options available. All you need to do is ask your skipper. They know the best and most expensive places on the island if that’s your thing.

4. Yes, the islands rely heavily on Yacht Week tourism so there are plenty of opportunities to pick up liquor, beers, ice and more.

5. I don’t have too many recommendations for the islands because we were either on the boat partying with everyone else or on the islands at night at the nightly parties. The down time you do have is for eating, relaxing and maybe even getting an hour or two of sleep.

Hope this helps!

I decided to get on board (ha) and join TYW. From the US we will be heading over to Greece for 4/5 days and then to Split a day or 2 before departure on the 30th. After reading about your experiences, I think you are the most qualified person I know to ask. My questions to you are regarding the Plitvice Lakes & Barcelona. I really want to visit the Lakes and possibly the Sea Organ before taking a plane from Zagreb to BCN. (would that be the best airport to do that or go back to SPU?)

1. Once the TYW concludes should I stay a night in SPU and make my way to the sites the following morning? Bus? Tour? Taxi? And after the site visits, do I stay in a place nearby? I just need an idea of when to purchase my ZAG>BCN flight. 2. If (when) my site visits happen, I’ll only have about 3 nights in BCN before I have to get to LAX by August 14th. In your opinion, should I skip BCN and save it for another time when I have more time or is that time to get a good taste? 3. When traveling to the locations mentioned above, can I purchase last minute or is that a huge mistake/waste of money? I’m just not certain of my plans.

4. Can I even do this after TYW. Now I’m a little concerned about my energy. “life is short?”

Back to TYW

5. I feel like I may die during TYW. We don’t have AC or a generator…or a hostess! Any advice? How do we survive? Is it really just the basics; fruits, veggies, meats, carbs, and water? 6. Planning on exchanging money here in the states….do I get Kuna or Euros? 7. Are there many skippers who get requests to visit the Blue & Green Caves and Lagoons? I feel like this is a must! right?

I’m nervous and excited for this experience, just need some things cleared up to put my mind at ease. Congrats on all of your travels and wish you even more excitement. #canicomewith

Hey Michelle,

Glad to hear you are joining the Yacht Week. You’re going to have a great time!

I highly recommend you visit Plitvice, it’s incredible. It’s slightly closer to Zagreb (2 hrs 3 mins) versus 2hrs 31 mins from Split. Don’t forget there’s also Krka National Park which is only 1 hr from Split. What makes it more of a popular day trip from Split is they actually allow you to swim there unlike Plitvice.

1. You’ll arrive back in Split for your final night (final Yacht Week party) so if it’s going to be a long night I would recommend you grab an Airbnb for the following day to rest up.

2. You can do a lot in BCN in 3 nights. Just be prepared to use the public transport here because the sights are pretty spread out. I would recommend Park Guell, Montjuic, La Sagrada Familia, Barceloneta Beach.

3. I would recommend purchasing flights at least a little ahead of time. The days of finding cheap last minute tickets are long gone. That said, you can find lots of great deals using some of the European budget airlines.

4. Yes, of course. You might be tired after a week of partying though.

5. Yeah, not having AC on the Yacht Week is a big deal. At least for me. The majority of people on YW complained about not being able to sleep due to the heat on the boats at night. You won’t die but you certainly won’t be comfortable. As for the hostess, it’s not a game changer. She would just make things a little easier when it comes to the purchasing/cooking/cleaning. Fruits, veggies, sandwiches (PB&J), water.

6. Croatia uses Kuna so I would recommend you just grab Kuna out of the ATM in Split prior to departure.

7. Sure. You can ask your skipper to visit the caves. It really just comes down to how many people on your boat want to visit them.

Well, I hope I’ve been able to answer all of your questions and make you feel a little more at ease. As always, be sure to leave a comment if you have more questions.

Amazing! Thank you for taking the time. I’ve decided that after TYW I’m going to stay 2 nights in Zadar in order to take my time resting and visiting the Sea Organ, Plitvice, and Krka. I’ve booked all my travel and will have 5 nights in BCN and excited to check out the places you’ve advised. I’m feeling great about everything, but the yacht AC. Hmmm.

Again, thanks!!

No problem at all. I’m always here to help. Your plans sound great! 5 nights in BCN will be plenty to see most of what it has to offer. Enjoy and best of luck!

Hi there, I’m looking into doing a Croatia sail week next year the week before Ultra. Im just doing my research on the different options, The yacht week, sail H.R or sail Croatia. I’ve heard many good things about TYW and Sail HR. the only thing is I might only be doing my sail with one friend as I’m sure I’ll make new friends during the time anyway. which would you recommend would be best for me? this post was very informative, a good read!

Hi Erica. Unfortunately, I have zero personal experience with either Yacht Week alternative. I think your best bet would be to scour the web looking for reviews on both of those alternatives and see which one suits you best. Another way you could potentially find out more about these is to search Instagram for their hashtags and reach out to people through Direct Message on IG asking them what they thought about the trip. Hope this helps!

Great piece, very informative,

1) I’ve heard a couple people say catamarans are a lot better than the yachts have you heard that at all?

2) is there plenty of space to keep the beers cold (serious question)

3) and just to get an idea how much did you pay for the yacht per person

Thanks Adam.

1. The Yacht Week catamarans are really cool and have a completely different layout than the actual yachts. Regardless, be sure to get one with air conditioning if you plan on sleeping.

2. Our yacht had a pretty big fridge/freezer combo that stored a lot of beers, bottles of liquor, food, etc. I think it really depends on the yacht you choose as each one is different from the next. You could always reach out to the Yacht Week and inquire about the boat you’re thinking of booking.

3. We had 11 people on our yacht (not including our skipper). Total cost for the yacht: $12,934 USD — approximately $1,175 USD per person. That being said, we didn’t want to make the girls pay as much as us so we all threw in more cash to compensate for the difference.

Hope you find this helpful. Feel free to reply with anymore questions you might have. If not, best of luck!

Thanks, one more I’ve been reading about bottle service I saw you mention it in an earlier question, what prices do they charge for it do you know?

Hey Adam. Bottle service prices vary between clubs. It’s nothing to do with the Yacht Week at all. Basically your skipper will line up bottle service for you if you need/want it.

hey which yacht company did you use that utilised airconditioning!? thanks! :))

We reserved our yacht directly through the Yacht Week website.

What was the average age of the people? We are 33-36 years old. Are we too old?

Hi Cristina. I was 31 last year during Yacht Week and I didn’t really feel too out of place. Sure, there are younger people but I’m not sure I ever felt uncomfortable. I would say that 36 might be pushing it a little but who am I to say how old you should be to party? LOL. Go for it and enjoy! ;-)

Hey Ryan, excellent piece of work! I wanted to ask you few things because i’m planning to go with some friends of mine from Argentina. If you can answer, that will be appreciated. 1. I read that a Hostess is really helpfull. But, the captain that is not included, is 100% neccesary? 2. How much is the bottle service approximately? 3. How much did you spend, between food, drinks, extras and yatch during the entire week? 4. It’s recommended to make a reservation just for me and my friend, and then the company join us with another group?

Thank you. Appreciate the comment.

1. I think the hostess can be a great thing if there’s a group of guys who could really careless about shopping/cleaning up after themselves. The hostesses know their stuff and they know what to buy at the supermarkets, what the easiest and most affordable options are when it comes to eating at sea and you can rest assured that your boat will be clean at the end of the week. This is completely up to the group. I suggest you round up your friends and have a conversation about this prior to booking.

2. Bottle service prices ranged from club to club. The bottles we were getting were giant (6L or something crazy) and from what I can remember were $1,500+. I honestly don’t remember the prices.

3.Food/Drinks/Extras: I would say somewhere between $500-700? We drank a lot on the boat so we weren’t buying much out at the clubs. Yes, there was bottle service but that was only at some of the special events.

4. Well, if you charter a yacht for yourselves, you’re going to have to hope that you’ll find others to join. I think if it’s only the two of you, you would be better off finding another yacht that’s looking to add 2 to their crew.

Just wondering how we choose the black route over the red route? Is there an option in the booking process that allows us to choose?

Thanks for your blog post, seriously helpful!

Hey Mel. Yes, there is an option and you’ll find it during the booking process. Glad to hear that you found this helpful!

Hey Ryan, This was a super helpful article! I’m looking to join a boat via the crew finder and see an option in Croatia (with no air conditioning) and another option (with air conditioning) in Greece. Any other information that you know that might help me decide which destination? Thanks!

Well from what I hear… the difference between Yacht Week Croatia and Yacht Week Greece is that Croatia is more of a party and there’s always 1.5-2x the amount of yachts on the route than Greece. I think Greece is a party but a little more chilled and definitely less people. That’s unfortunate about the boat with no air conditioning on YW Croatia. What a bummer. I mean plenty of people do it without AC. Just depends on how comfortable you think you’ll be without it. It’s a tough call. On another note — generally speaking (not talking Yacht Week) I can’t get enough of Greece. It’s one of my favorite countries in the world.

Great article. Quick question: what is the average temperature of the ocean in those parts at the beginning of June? I live in a Miami and from what I’ve seen it’s not that warm that week of yacht week.

Hi Millie. I don’t know the average temps of the sea but what I can tell you is that it will be refreshing after being in the scorching sun all day. No worries about the water. It will surely be more cool than the coast of Miami but not freezing by any means.

Hi ! Incredible article…..theres 8 of us going 29 July – 5th August

Regarding the bottle service, how much pp would you say it was ? (probably hard to answer as different clubs vary). I can imagine the tables get reserved quickly….how would you suggest going about getting them sorted ?

Hi Jas. Excellent! You’re going to have a great time for sure. Honestly, I can’t answer the pp prices as it varied from club to club and also there are a variety of brands and sizes of bottles. I just don’t know, unfortunately. As for the tables, you can ask your skipper or your hostess to line those up. Do it, it’s worth it.

This is an amazing article. Thank you so much. I am buying everything on the packing list. I’m going to yacht week Croatia in July. I’m scared I will overpack!!

Thanks Christianne! No worries about overpacking, just be sensible. You’ll be in a bathing suit for the majority of the trip. ;-)

This is a really helpful article! How much is normal for tipping the skipper and hostess? Thanks so much! :)

Hey Amy. I don’t know if there’s a “going rate”. I would advise you reach out to TYW to find out if they recommend a certain percentage.

Incredible article, thanks so much for taking the time to write it. Me and 3 other friends are planning to do the Croatia route next summer. Few questions for you

1. How far in advance do bookings usually become available? 2. How does it work in regards to booking your own yacht then posting for other people to join?

Hi Kam. Thanks for the feedback.

1. I’m not sure exactly how early they announce the dates. I would reach out to the Yacht Week to check on that. 2. You can book your own yacht and then add your yacht to the Crew Finder using this link: https://www.theyachtweek.com/crew-finder

Hey ! Thanks for all the helpful tips ! I was wondering how/where can we send floaties? Is there a place where we can get them pumped ??

No problem Mily! I would recommend you bring your own mini portable pump like the one found here: http://www.yachtweekpackinglist.com/tech/

Hey Ryan! Awesome info!!

My friends and I are thinking of doing this next summer, but have one concern. Are there actual opportunities to see Croatia and the culture on the island throughout the week or do you pretty much stay docked out in the open water unless there are the parties at night?

Hey Rachel — I highly recommend it! ;-) Unfortunately, there won’t be much time to explore much as it’s really about the party. It’s pretty much a non-stop week of partying day and night. There are very few windows of opportunity to actually sightsee and do things on the islands. If you’re looking to actually see and explore Croatia it would need to be either prior to Yacht Week or afterwards. Best of luck!

If you’re looking for a great resource on packing for Yacht Week be sure to check out: http://www.yachtweekpackinglist.com/

Hello, could you help me on one thing? When usually happens the white party? Which day of the seven day trip?

Hi Marcela. The White party was on day 3 for our crew. I think it depends on which route you’re on.

Hi there Ryan!

Your review has probably been the most helpful of them all so far! I have a couple questions I hope you don’t mind answering them?

1. How many days prior to leaving would you suggest staying in Split for? If we decide to do this trip we obviously will be arriving to Split prior to the day the yachts leave, so how many days would be enough to explore Split?

2. We are a group of girls- around 20-23 year olds… Were there much people of that age group going on the yachts or will we probably be one of the younger ones?

3. How does it work booking a boat with air conditioning? Is it randomly assigned or do you select it? Because I see that you had gotten a boat with air conditioning, and I would assume that those are the boats to sell out first, however you had booked yours not too long before leaving!

4. How exactly does paying for yachts work? I could be completely wrong here- Because I figured that it was a specific amount per person, but is it actually purchasing the yacht as a whole? So for example, if I were to get a group of 4-6 girls would we just throw in a chunk of money to pay for the yacht or is it a certain amount per person to pay?

5. Kind of following question 4, if we were to be a group of 4-6 girls, and they say on the website that there needs to be an even ratio would we have to go onto the crew finder to get the other half of our yacht booked? (Keeping in mind we would have a hostess and a skipper additional making that more of like 6-8)

6. Was there a day where you needed costumes for your whole crew? I read something about that somewhere online….

7. Lastly, I saw you said the catamarans were pretty cool but whats the difference between the catamarans and yachts? Sorry if thats a silly question lol

Sorry I have so many questions!! Many thanks in advance! :)

Hey! Is there a week out of the summer that is supposed to be the craziest?

Thank so much for all the info so far!

Hey Lucy — I think most weeks are the same. Everyone is there for the same reasons. ;-)

Hi Ryan, awesome article and photos! Guys, rent a boat for Croatia island hopping and enjoy perfect sailing vacation. You can get best sailing experience at lowest cost in the market on our site.

Thanks my friend.

This is an awesome post! I have a question about the people you wind up being with on your yacht – 1). are you obligated to always be with your specific crew at the parties? 2). Do people ever hop around from boat to boat, or branch off away from their crew and do their own thing? I’m traveling solo and already committed to a boat and crew but was just wondering if people sort of wander off on their own and make friends on different boats. 3). Is it more common than not that people wind up spending the night on a different boat? Thanks so much for your help x

1. No, of course not. You can hang with whoever you’d like. Some people end up sleeping on other people’s boats the entire week. You have zero obligations to your crew.

2. Yes. All the time.

3. Yes. Sometimes you hardly see your crewmates. I believe you do need to be back on your boat in the morning to check in because your boat cannot leave until you’re back onboard. AKA they want to be sure that you’re still alive. LOL

Best of luck, Celine!

Awesome post, thanks for all the info!

As for sleeping arrangements; each cabin has one bed for two people to share?

Thanks for the feedback. Honestly, it depends on the yacht you choose. Our yacht had two beds in the front, two in the back. There were also two single bunk beds. Normally each of the big beds located at the front/back of the yacht sleep 2 people comfortably but for one reason or another one bed would always end up being host to a slumber party with 6 bodies or so. ;-)

Hi Ryan! Thank you for the informative article. My gf and I are turning 30 this summer, her bday is in july and mine is in Aug. Trouble is we can figure out which week to go. I know you replied to a comment in 2016 about either the first weeks or the last few weeks. Any new changes since 2016?

Hi Megan. I think it remains the same. The first and last few weeks are generally the best. Wishing you two a happy birthday and a great trip!

Hi, I saw a video that you have a couple Yacht week special. I was wondering where can I find it on your site ? We are 4 couples who want to book a Yacht and party :)

Thank you !

Hi Ryan! Hope you can read this, do you know what’s the typical yacht if you don’t peak it yourself, I mean the entry level ones. Thanks!

Unfortunately, I do not. I would recommend you reach out to the staff at Yacht Week. I’m sure they’ll be able to help you with that.

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Yacht Week vs Sail Week: Which Is Better?

Yacht Week and Sail Week Croatia are both well-established travel companies offering various sailing routes around Croatia. This article is a side-by-side comparison of the two.

As a former yacht crew member, I get asked two questions pretty often:

1️⃣ First, is working on a superyacht really like what you see on Below Deck ? 2️⃣ What’s the difference between The Yacht Week and Sail Week Croatia?

The Yacht Week, the original company in this space, essentially invented this type of holiday. And Sail Week offers excellent value for money.

They both provide instagramable opportunities at every turn, and the best option for you will depend on your individual needs.

Let’s get started with what set’s these brands apart!

The Yacht Week is heavily focused on the party and music festival crowd . Their website offers a tasty selection of floating festivals and unique events by partnering with festival organisers and record labels.

If you are looking for remote island shenanigans soundtracked by some of the world’s best underground DJs, then The Yacht Week is a solid choice.

Sail Week is an ABTA member in the UK, and they offer financial protection on all their travel products. They strongly emphasise creating a memorable party atmosphere but with the added twist of offering chic excursions to sweeten the deal .

⚖️ Product Range Comparison

A few sailing routes can be compared directly, and they are in Croatia and Greece. However, for the sake of this article, I have only compared routes that are similar to each other.

The Yacht Week (TYW) Sailing Route Range

The Yacht Week features eight different sail routes for you to choose from . All of The Yacht Week routes are listed below:

• Hot Creations
• Original Route
• Athens Route , Greece
• Ultra Festival Route
• Hideout Festival Route
• Tahiti Route , Polynesia
• BVI Route , Caribbean

All the routes last for 7 days (6 nights), keeping with the mantra ‘yacht week’. The majority of the routes are in Croatia, and they follow the same itinerary except for the Hideout Festival route.

The Hideout Festival route begins and ends near the seaside city of Zadar. In comparison, the other Croatian routes start and finish in the town of Split.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Yacht Week (@theyachtweek)

Sail Week Croatia Sailing Route Range

All these routes last an entire week, and there 6 to choose from depending on if you want to party flat out or find a more balanced vibe. They can be seen below:

• Party Route
• Ultra Route
• Dubrovnik Route
• Montenegro Route

The Party Route and Ultra Route are party-focused routes. And the balanced vibes are on the Dubrovnik, Athens and Montenegro routes.

Route Range Winner – The Yacht Week

📦 Package Comparison

Both brands have similar package options. However, the most significant difference is that Sail Week offers a Bring Your Own Booze (BYOB) option , which considerably impacts the price you pay for a given package.

The Yacht Week Packages

You can select from 4 different package types, namely:

• Build your own

Monohull (43-46ft); Capacity 9 (4 cabins)

• Air-conditioning

Monohull(47 – 60ft); Capacity 10(5 cabins)

Catamaran(40-45ft); Capacity 10(4 cabins)

The difference is the type of yacht your money gets you here. Classic packages offer monohull yachts in the 43-46ft range, and Luxury packages afford you access to catamarans in the 40-45ft range.

The luxury packages also include all the amenities available like air-conditioning, a host and half board meals. You can add a host and air-conditioning to the Build Your Own package.

Sail Week Croatia Packages

The options are below:

• Deluxe Catamaran
• Full Yacht (ideal for larger groups)

Monohull (43-50ft); Capacity 8-10 (4-5 cabins)

• Food package

Monohull (43-50ft); Capacity 8-10 (4-5 cabins); Built 2016+

Catamaran(40-45ft); Capacity 8(4 cabins)

The standard packages get you a cabin on a monohull yacht in the 43-50ft range. Unfortunately, there is no option to add amenities like air-conditioning or a host to these packages.

The Deluxe Catamaran offers air-conditioning, a host, food package, and half-board included. The yacht size is in the 40-45ft range.

If you are a group, you can select between monohull or catamarans when using the Full Yacht Package with the option to add any of the Sail Week amenities.

Package Option Winner – Tie

🏝️ Route Comparison

*To compare apples to apples, this article will focus on similar routes between the two brands. First up is the flagship routes of each brand, namely; Original Route (TYW) vs the Party Route (SWC). Followed by both Athens Routes.

Original Route vs Party Route

Tyw – original route.

The direction of sailing/travel for the week is: Trogir > Bol > Natural Bay > Hvar > Vis > Trogir.

There are 10 weeks that this route runs, beginning on the last weekend of May and ending in mid-September.

Prices for peak summer (July) are considerably more than the end of the season (September), which is to be expected due to the demand.

You can select from 4 different package types: classic, premium, luxury, or BYO.

It’s hard to beat this route if you are looking for a party. The week lineup is simply jam-packed, and nobody does this better than The Yacht Week.

For your money, you’ll get an array of party shenanigans to experience:

• Opening party in Trogir
• Circle rafts floating festival
• Dockside disco at Fort George
• Buzz Boat party (a boat with DJ booth and Void Acoustics)
• Carpe Diem party in Hvar
• Tunnel raft party (like you see in the videos)
• Headline DJs, including the like of Claptone and Gorgon City

Add in seaside yoga sessions, a castle hike in Hvar and even convertible VW Beetle exploring in Vis , and you have more than enough to keep you entertained for an entire week.

Yacht Week prides itself on being able to throw the best parties you’re likely to experience, and it makes them different in this regard from Sail Week Croatia.

SWC – Party Route

The direction of sailing/travel for the week is: Split > Supetar > Makarska > Bol > Vis > Vinogradisce Bay > Hvar > Split .

This route has 13 different weeks for you to choose between. For example, beginning the first week of June and ending the first week of September.

Each week, you can choose different packages depending on your budget or group size. The package options are:

The party atmosphere is also up there with the best, and you can expect everything from cave parties & beach parties to the infamous circle raft floating festival in the busiest weeks.

What makes Sail Week different from Yacht Week is the diversity of extra activities they offer. Everything from Sky Diving to Fly Boarding is an option for you, although not included in your package price.

Flagship Route Winner – The Yacht Week

Athens Route (TYW) vs Athens Route (SWC.)

The direction of sailing/travel for the week is: Athens > Poros > Porto Heli > Ermioni > Natural Bay > Hydra > Athens.

You can choose from 10 available weeks from the end of May until the first week of September. This route begins and ends in Athens, where you will get to visit the Acropolis overlooking the city below.

There is a good dose of partying thrown in with the infamous Yacht Week circle raft (think boutique floating festival), day parties at Cavo Bianco, and beach parties on sandy beaches, complete with cocktail-sipping DJs.

In addition, there are wellness elements to enjoy in the form of sunset hikes and water volleyball to keep the hangover at bay.

The emerald waters of the Greek islands are famed for their marine wildlife, so dolphin spotting is almost certainly something you can bank on.

The direction of sailing/travel for the week is: Athens > Agistri > Hydra > Ermioni > Spetses > Dokos > Poros > Athens.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by SailWeek (@sailweek)

In total, there are 14 allotted weeks available, and they start in June and run through until the middle of September.

The focus of this route is more toward the activity side, with the option to do stand up paddle boarding, wine tasting, quad biking, hiking and even donkey riding if you desire.

There is nightlife and partying on the islands you visit, but these are not organised by Sail Week, unlike Yacht Week on this same route.

If you are looking for hidden gems in the Greek archipelago, then this route will delight you with secluded coves, charming villages and unique coastal pine forests to explore.

Atehns Route Winner – TYW

💸 Price Comparison

Okay, so here we are at the all-important price comparison of the two. For simplicity sake, I’ve compared apples to apples again and taken the first week of August (6th-13th) for the Original Route (TYW) and the Party Route (SWC) and staked them side-by-side.

To keep it as balanced as possible, I’ve further compared each of their package tiers, and prices are per person (p.p)

• Classic – €1000 p.p
• Premium – €1725 p.p
• Luxury – €2360 p.p

For the build your own package, the yacht selected was a 50ft Catamaran for a group of 10 people – a total of €2919 p.p (host and skipper included).

Local payment of 600 Croatian Kuna (~€80) per person applies to all bookings.

• Standard – €826 p.p
• Premium – €1058 p.p
• Deluxe – €1490 p.p

For the build your own package, the yacht selected was a 50ft Catamaran for a group of 10 people – a total of €2413 p.p (host and skipper included).

Winner – Sail Week

🏆 Overall Winner

This Yacht Week vs Sail Week review demonstrates that The Yacht Week is the superior party holiday week due to its strong following and 15-years of experience.

TYW features more unforgettable parties and world-class DJs than any of its competitors. But, those factors also make TYW significantly more expensive.

Both premium brands provide similar experiences, and SWC is an excellent choice for fun-seeking revellers on a stricter budget. Their mix of parties and chic extra activities offers fantastic value when considering their premium options.

You could argue that you get better value for your money with Sail Week from the fact it’s 7 days & nights, as opposed to Yacht Week’s 6 nights.

Both are aimed at those who love travel and music festivals. The Croatian music festival scene is well renowned in Europe. With the option of these floating festivals, it is now truly world-class.

Written by:

Founder and editor at On The Beating Travel. I’m a lover/fanatic of repetitive electronic beats. Now exploring new music hotspots and festivals. Former yacht crew, now running this online space.

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EUROPE , GREECE , SAILING · March 23, 2018 Last Updated on July 22, 2024

8 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU GO ON THE YACHT WEEK

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Have you heard of The Yacht Week ? If not then let me introduce you to what could be the best week of your life. Back in 2014 I spent a week sailing around Greece on an all girls Yacht Week boat. We had an incredible time but there were some things I wish I would have known before the trip that could have made it even better. So here are eight things you should know before you go on The Yacht Week!

1) THE YACHT WEEK COULD BE THE BEST WEEK OF YOUR LIFE – JUST GO!

As you can see from the video above The Yacht Week looks like a lot of fun, and it is! This video is of The Yacht Week Greece trip I was on featuring some clips of our boat. I booked with one of my friends and prior to the tip I hadn’t met any of the other girls who were going to be on our sailboat. All the girls turned out to be awesome and we all made fast friends.

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If you can’t get a group of friends together to book your own sailboat don’t let that stop you from going on The Yacht Week. Just find one friend to go with you and book a two-person cabin! You’ll make new friends, and have the time of your life, especially after reading all my tips so you’ll know what to expect.

2) THE YACHT WEEK IS MORE ABOUT PARTYING THAN SAILING

The Yacht Week is basically one big floating festival! If you want to have a serious week of peaceful sailing then The Yacht Week is probably not for you. You will sail from location to location but you’ll spend a lot more time partying than sailing on most of The Yacht Week routes. You need to be in the right frame of mind for this prior to the trip. So if you plan on going on The Yacht Week put your party hat on and be ready to have some fun!

3) CHOOSE YOUR YACHT WEEK ROUTE BASED ON PACE

You’ll likely look at The Yacht Week website and see a destination you want to go to and decide this is the route you want to take. I advise against this. In order to have the best time possible book a route based on the pace you want to go at.

Since I went on The Yacht Week they have added several new routes including an Italy route which they are marketing as slower paced for “sophisticated sailors and the food fanatics.” I have only been on the Greece route so I can’t vouch for this claim but if you want to do less partying, and more sailing and exploring, booking the Italy route seems like the way to go.

The Greece route I went on is labeled at a mid paced route. I love music and parties but I personally would have preferred more sailing and sight-seeing. Based on my experience, I would describe the mid paced Yacht Week routes (Greece, Montenegro and BVIs) as party routes and the fast paced routes (Croatia and Croatia Ultra) as ultra party routes.

4) SKIP SOME OF THE DAY PARTIES & EXPLORE

As I said above The Yacht Week, overall, is more about partying than anything else but you are visiting amazing places on all of their routes so I suggest skipping some of the parties and exploring your surroundings. On the Greece route there was a day party and a night party at each stop. When we docked at Hydra Island , my friend and I skipped the day party and explored the island which turned out to be one of my favorite days on the trip! There are plenty of parties so don’t worry about skipping some of them and opting to take in some sights and local culture instead.

5) SPLURGE ON A PREMIUM SAILBOAT

This is a gross topic but I have to bring it up because I would never want anyone to be in the same situation the girls on my boat were on. Our Yacht Week boat was a cheaper, economy sailboat and it was not equipped for us to be able to do anything besides pee in the toilets. That’s right, we did not have proper use of toilets on our boat for an entire week! Because of this my friend and I ended up renting several hotel rooms during Yacht Week (read Nikki Beach Porto Heli and Hotel Miranda Hydra Island ) just so we could have use of a toilet and shower.

So what is the moral of this story? Don’t go for the cheapest boat you can find. There are now four types of yachts you can book with The Yacht Week – Economy, Standard, Premium and Premium Plus. Spend the extra money to book a premium sailboat, and check that you’ll have unrestricted use of the toilet onboard before you book.

6) THE YACHT WEEK IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN YOU THINK

I budgeted around $75 a day for food, drinks and extras for our seven-day trip and quickly realized this was not going to be enough. Upon arrival we were told we needed to go shopping for costumes for the sailing competition and parties. Next, we had to put money in for the “Kitty Fund,” which is food and drinks for the boat for the week. We also had to pitch in money to tip our skipper and pay for gas for the boat.

At The Yacht Week parties you usually get one or two free drinks with your wristband, but after, that you have to pay for your drinks. Drinking every day can get expensive, especially if you want to splurge on bottle service. If you plan to drink and eat out and don’t want to worry about running out of money, you should plan to spend around $130 USD/day.

$150 Kitty $50 Costumes $525 ($75/Day Restaurants + Cocktails x 7 Days) $100 Gas/Tip for Skipper $100 Bottle Service _______ $925 TOTAL

7) YOUR SAILBOAT WILL GET DIRTY REALLY QUICKLY

We had an all-girls crew and our sailboat still got very dirty every day. In order to keep your boat from becoming filthy get everyone on your boat to agree from the start to all help clean. If everyone pitches in, it takes less than 20 minutes a day to keep your boat clean. Do your dishes right after you are done eating, and keep all your personal stuff in your own cabin. No one wants to spend a week in a tiny cramped, dirty space. This is the real Yacht Week v. your Instagram Yacht Week…

8) CHOOSE WHO YOU BOOK WITH WISELY

The last thing you want to do is go on what could be the week of your life with someone who can’t go with the flow, relax and enjoy an adventure. If you’re booking a two-person cabin with a friend make sure you are on the same page about what type of trip you both want to have.

If you can’t wait to get to The Yacht Week and party all week and your friend is looking for a peaceful, relaxing week of sailing and sightseeing it is not going to work. If your friend wants to do a luxury sailing trip but you want to book an economy sailboat to save money it is not going to work. This seems pretty obvious but I saw both of these scenarios happen and it is a buzz kill for everyone. Make sure you are on the same page with whoever you book The Yacht Week with, wether you are booking a two-person cabin or an entire sailboat.

Have you been on The Yacht Week? If you have any additional tips for our readers or questions for me please leave these in the comments below.

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May 4, 2018 at 2:53 am

Hi, where did you get your bikinis? I love them! Thanks!

James Methew says

August 28, 2018 at 6:02 am

Great Blog! Yacht Charting is considered the best way of spending your holidays and is an interesting activity to include in your traveling.

May 5, 2019 at 5:30 pm

Im about to book the Greece trip with a friend but now I am really concerned about the bathroom situation… can you maybe tell me a little bit more about that?

June 18, 2019 at 7:11 am

The boats have marine toilets; you can use them for #1 and #2, you just can’t flush anything else down them. So that means you have a baggie for toilet paper you throw out once or twice a day. It’s not ideal, but it’s not as bad as you might think, and you get used to it pretty quick. Plus, you’re on land a lot and can use regular toilets pretty much any time you’re not sailing.

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Guide to the Yacht Week Croatia Itinerary

• By Susan Weston

What is Yacht Week Croatia?

Yacht Week is a week-long sailing adventure around the Croatian Islands on your own Catamaran. It is basically college spring break with an itinerary of partying all day and night. Our boat was the oldest ranging from our late 20s to 52 (Damn Damon), but I had assumed it would all be college kids, and it wasn’t. Most boats were in their 20’s and early 30’s. Despite our ages, our boat was the party boat, and we ended up with quite the reputation.

Our Itinerary During Yacht Week Croatia

* Schedule subject to change.

Itinerary Day 1 – Trogir

Day 1 was frustrating. We were all super excited. We had already checked out of our hotels and had all our luggage with us, but we had to wait until almost 5 p.m. for the skipper and host to prepare the boat. We spent breakfast and lunch at the same restaurant (poor servers). Then we went to the pier and sat there waiting and waiting and waiting. It was a buzz kill for sure, but it all worked out. Just be prepared.

Shout out to our skipper, Simon and host, Mia! They were the best and were 100% the reason we had such a good time.

It’s important to know which marina your boat will leave from when planning your accommodations. We departed from ACL Marina Trogir, which is located farther away from Split but closer to the airport, so it worked out well for us. The pre-party on Day 1 was held at Padres, a bar located in Trogir. Since we were staying in Trogir, we could easily walk to the bar instead of taking a water taxi like other Yacht Week boats. Just a heads up – your catamaran will not leave the dock until Day 2.

Cover Charges During Yacht Week

Carpe Diem, Padres, Hula Hula, Club 585 and Fort George are private Yacht Week events. Other events are for the general public, but your Yacht Week bracelet grants free entry. 

Itinerary Day 2 – Hvar

We sailed to the ACL Marina Palmizana near Hvar. It is a small, secluded island with a beach, a coffee shop, and showers. In the evening, we took a water taxi to the beach club Carpe Diem, located on its island of Stipanska, for the Siren’s Call party. It was sad to see that many people didn’t follow the theme. Don’t be those people. After that, we took a boat taxi into Hvar and went to Kiva Bar. Hvar is a beautiful city with small alleys filled with bars and restaurants. Although Kiva was fun, it was packed with people.  

Laundry During Yacht Week Croatia

The ACL Marina Palmizana has laundry facilities. It is a perfect time to do laundry because you will spend two nights here.

Itinerary Day 3 – Hvar

Today is usually day 5 on the itinerary, but it was changed due to the weather. Normally, it is a much-needed recharge day. We spent the day hanging out with all the other Yacht Weekers on our boats, as there wasn’t much to do on the small island.  In the evening, we went into Hvar again. Our host recommended hiking 15 minutes to the fort for sunset, but it looked high, and we were lazy. There was a Yacht Week party at Hula Hula. It’s just a short walk from the water taxi drop-off. 

Yacht Week Drinking Tip: Roadies 

Get some roadies for your walk to Hula Hula. We didn’t, and our new friends from London gave me a warm beer. I was appreciative, but why is it only Americans who like super cold drinks?

Advice for Hula Hula, Hvar

Getting a drink at Hula Hula was impossible, but we walked another 2 minutes and found a bar on the right-hand side with no line and a better view. I even met a guy from my hometown, which is very small. It is a small world.

At dinner, I decided to practice my Croatian language skills. I learned that “živjeli” means “cheers” in Croatian. I thought I was pronouncing the word perfectly, but the waitress and my table mates did not agree. The waitress spent 5 minutes at our table trying to help me before shaking her head and giving up. Nonetheless, I will never forget the word; I even got it tattooed on my back in Croatian Script.

Water Taxis 

We bought round-trip tickets for our water taxi, but when we went to head home, we were told the taxi we had tickets for only came every hour. It was strange. They all looked the same.  The man who claimed that “he wasn’t our taxi” allowed me to board anyway, so who knows. It was a rough ride. I ended up sitting on the floor of the tiny boat between all the passengers. At least I was protected from getting wet. Just make sure the boat is going back to the right marina.

Where to Eat:   Silk (Ul. Sveti Marak 14, 21450, Hvar, Croatia) Serving Pan-Asian Fresh Street Food. Our host recommended it.

Itinerary Day 4 – Bol

On day 4 of the itinerary, we sailed to Bol. Our skipper was the lead, so we tied up along the waterfront while other boats had to anchor in the marina and take a tender. We walked 15 minutes along the beach to the Auro Beach Bar. The bar is at the island’s tip and was very windy, so beware. There is a little train that drives back and forth if you are feeling hungover. At night, everyone headed to Club 585. I won’t name names, but someone forgot I was in the bathroom on the boat and left without me. I’m blaming the alcohol. 

Where to Eat: Taverna Riva (Frane radića 5, 21420 Bol, Croatia) – Located on the waterfront across from our catamaran. Beautiful view and delicious Mediterranean food.

Itinerary Day 5 – Sailing

Today was Regatta Day, which we thought would be a big event, but it turned out to be a simple sailing trip. We sailed together to our destination, where we anchored for the Tunnel Raft Party. Our group dressed in a Mario Cart theme for the Regatta but then changed into regular beach clothes.

The Tunnel Raft Party was a blast. All the boats were tied together in two long lines. A DJ played music from a boat in the middle, and everyone floated on their rafts and walked from boat to boat, enjoying the party. Again, we were lucky to have the lead skipper, so he ensured we were right next to the DJ. We transformed our boat into a Vegas Club with a VIP section guarded by a Velvet Rope. Damon and Johnny acted as bouncers, and anyone who passed by had to get a “Welcome to the Shit Show” tattoo. There was a rumor that our boat was the “Only Fans” boat, but that’s another story.

Itinerary Day 6 – Vis

Half of the group went on a day trip to a cave, while I decided to stay behind and find a coffee shop with Wi-Fi. At this point, I still had no idea where I was going after Yacht Week. I had no plans for the eight days until my flight back to the US. We had one last dinner with our skipper and host and went to Fort George for the final party. 

Where to Eat: Villa Rustica (Mijurovac ul. 16, 21480, Vis, Croatia) – Most of the Yacht Weekers went to Fort George for dinner before the party, but our host recommended this restaurant for traditional Croatian food. It was delicious and within walking distance from our boat.

Itinerary Day 7 – Back to Marina

Sadly, we had to sail back to the marina. We stopped and had one more opportunity to swim before packing and cleaning. 

And that is what the itinerary looks like on Yacht Week in Croatia. Would I go again? Absolutely. Have you already booked your trip? Check out the Top 11 Tips to Know Before Yacht Week Croatia .

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Top 11 Tips for Yacht Week Croatia

Everything You Need To Know About The Yacht Week

Trying to decide if The Yacht Week is for you or simply looking for more info on what exactly it entails? Skip the bad Yacht Week reviews — here is everything you need to know including what it is, how it works, the cost of Yacht Week, a detailed explanation of Yacht Week tipping, some Yacht Week tips that only a veteran will know, and more!

DON'T MISS HOW TO PACK FOR THE YACHT WEEK (INCLUDING A FREE PRINTABLE PACKING CHECKLIST!) AND, IF GREECE IS YOUR DESTINATION, THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE YACHT WEEK GREECE

Everything you need to know about The Yacht Week:

Note: all of these photos are by my dear friend Andri , the official Yacht Week photographer for our event. Check him out on Insta and give him a follow!

WHAT IS THE YACHT WEEK?

Since going to The Yacht Week I’ve been surprised by how many friends and other people I come across that have no idea what it is, so let’s start at the beginning!

Here’s the high level overview: you + a bunch of your best friends + up to 50 other boats full of your new soon-to-be best friends from all across the world sailing around one of the most beautiful places on earth for 7 heavenly days.

“Everything is online social, we’ve kind of forgotten a bit how it is to hang out. And suddenly you have this concept where you bring all these people together and it’s nothing about online socializing, it’s all about being there present in the moment"

Sound amazing? It is. Best week of your life amazing.

WHO GOES TO THE YACHT WEEK?

Young professionals from all corners of the world!  The Yacht Week Croatia average age for attendees is 27, with everyone being at least 20 or older.  One of the best things about it is that it's all like-minded people - ones that love to travel, adventure, meet new people, and have fun.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The Yacht Week website does a good job of guiding you through this, but here’s the gist:

Pick a location - There are now nine different options!

Yacht Week Croatia, Dubrovnik route

Yacht Week Croatia, Ultra Festival route

Yacht Week Greece, Athens route

Yacht Week Carribean, BVI route

Yacht Week Montenegro, Adriatic route

Pick a week - each event is 7 days long and generally start and end on Saturday. The options vary by location, with the Europe routes running in the summer and the rest in winter/spring

Find some friends! - 1 to 12 of them, to be exact. There are two ways to book: you can either book an entire yacht and fill it yourself, or you can grab a friend and book a cabin as a duo. When you do the latter option you don’t have a say in who you’re with or which yacht you’re on. They do have a Yacht Week crew finder which allows you to join existing crews or find people to fill up any open spots you may have on your boat

Pick a yacht - this is where pricing comes into play. Depending on your budget, your crew size, your necessities (AC?), pricing will obviously vary. If you’re going on a route in the middle of summer, splurge for the AC!

WHAT WILL THE WEEK LOOK LIKE?

The exact route details don’t come out until shortly before your event starts, but you can rest assured that you’ll be visiting a new spot everyday and you’ll never have a single second of boredom. If you look at the destination page on The Yacht Week site for whichever location you’ve chosen, you’ll see an example route, route highlights, and what a typical day will look like there.

This was the itinerary for my week (Croatia Yacht Week, original route):

Saturday - Milna

Sunday - Palmizana

Monday - Hvar

Tuesday - Komiza

Wednesday - Vis

Thursday - Natural Bay

Friday - Split

Saturday - go home, cry, plan your next Yacht Week

WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY DO EVERYDAY?

Here's what a typical day looked like for me at Yacht Week Croatia:

8am : wake up, head upstairs, drink iced coffee on the deck (hostess for the win!) while people watching and waiting for the rest of the crew to wake up

10am : eat breakfast on deck as a crew, usually laughing at each other about the previous night

11am : crank up the music and start sailing towards that night's destination

12pm : stop at a bay for some fun in the sun! Splash around while your hostess whips up a delicious lunch. Eat lunch before taking sail again

2pm : drop anchor at that day's destination. Head into town for drinks or coffee or sight-seeing by foot or vespa

4pm : get ready for the night (and by get ready I mean shower off the back of the boat and maybe put some mascara on)

5pm : head out for the first party of the night - the famous Hvar white party, Hula Hula beach bar, or something else depending on the day!

7pm : eat dinner at whatever amazing restaurant your wonderful hostess booked you reservations at

9pm : head to the next party, dance all night with hundreds of your new best friends :)

Repeat x7.  I know, sounds horrible, right?

The Yacht Week Croatia was a lot different from the Greece route, for example. For Greece we spent a lot more time relaxing and we have pretty much only day parties whereas Croatia was almost always at night. If you are interested in Greece, I have a full post dedicated to it: The Ultimate Guide to The Yacht Week Greece .

HOW MUCH is Yacht Week?

As mentioned above, the cost of Yacht Week will vary depending on your yacht, your route, your crew size, etc. but we paid $1,175/person. What’s included in the price you pay differs depending on if you booked an entire yacht or a cabin as a duo.  

If you book a boat, on the top of the yacht rent and skipper + hostess fees you'll have:

Food and drink (including for your skipper and hostess)

Yacht fuel, water, shore power

Skipper and hostess tips

Yacht security deposit

Water Taxis

Full details are here .

If you want to keep it cheap you could book an economy level boat, skip a hostess, etc.  The group I was with was pretty laid back financially so we splurged a lot for the highest level of bottle service, nice dinners, etc. but it’s up to you how you want to live your week! 

What to Pack for the Yacht Week

BIKINIS/SWIMWEAR . As many as you have/can fit! You will live in these so if you have 7, bring 7 (one for everyday).

If you haven’t tried Boys + Arrows yet - you must. Their seamless bottoms are by far the most comfortable I have EVER tried (and I own over 50 bikinis). Click here for my favorite bikinis ! I also love this brand (I have black + gold and the navy colorful one), this brand , this brand , and this brand .

For my go-to inexpensive options, click here and here !

SUNDRESSES . Bring at least 3-5! If dresses aren't your thing, swap these out for shorts and tops. Click here for my favorite sundresses . I also shop for them here , here , and here .

COVERUPS . Like I said, you'll spend all day everyday in a bikini so bring a handful of coverups to switch between. Bring 1-3 of these. I tend to bring less expensive options that I don't care about ruining. To shop the places I shop for them, click here , here , and here !

WHITE PARTY OUTFIT . Most, if not all, routes have a white party so make sure to bring an all white outfit! I believe they call this "Riviera Chic" now but same thing. These can be a bit hard to find to be honest! I generally shop for these in two different places: click here for the first and click here for the second !

WET BRUSH . Not to be dramatic but this is one of the best purchases I've ever made (especially for less than $8). I use it always but especially during Yacht Week! If you don't already own one, you NEED this. Click here to see the latest prices .

DRAMAMINE . Better safe than sorry, trust me! You likely won't be able to pick any up there so do this now. Click here to see the latest prices (make sure you get these non-drowsy natural ones).

SEA BAND . This is an anti-nausea wristband! Again, better safe than sorry. Click here to see the latest prices .

CAMERA . Keep in mind each event has a professional photographer, too! Click here to see the latest prices for my Sony a7II . If you don't need a full frame camera (if you aren't sure what that means, you don't need one!), I recommend the Sony a6500 instead. Click here to see the latest prices .

GORPO . Great option since it is waterproof, of course! Also because it is small and therefore easy to transport. Click here to see the latest prices .

For the full packing list (free printable checklist included), click here for how to pack for the Yacht Week !

IS IT INSANE?

Yes and no. I can’t tell you how many times I get asked this question because Yacht Week definitely has a reputation and not everyone wants to have a trip like that.  From what I’ve been told, it’s mellowed out a bit compared to what it used to be but yes, it is still crazy.

However, it doesn’t have to be super  crazy.  Each night there are 1-3 different Yacht Week organized events.  If you want to drink all day, go to all three parties, and stay out until 6am, you can.  We, on the other hand, spent most of our days adventuring sober (saving our drinking for the organized events) and some nights even headed home early to lay on the boat star-gazing and talking about life together.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Get a hostess. Why? Imagine waking up on a boat, possibly sea-sick, possibly hungover, and having to cook for yourself and/or for your entire crew in a hot yacht kitchen below deck possibly during stormy weather. Sound fun? No. There's nothing better than a hostess because they make the magic happen - they cook for you, they make dinner reservations for you, they really do everything your skipper does not.  If you want to have a relaxing vacation, free of work, you need one.  They are worth it 100 times over, I promise.

The official hostess responsibility list, according to The Yacht Week site:

The food shopping on arrival and throughout the week (accompanied by a crew member)

Clean the galley, saloon, cockpit and toilets, but not the bedrooms

Whip up something special for breakfast, lunch and dinner (dinner x2 nights a week)

Guide you and your crew through the bewildering array of exotic delicacies

Serve drinks with dinner

Wash the dishes and clean up after meals

Yacht Week tipping: you gotta tip your skipper and hostess! Their site doesn't tell you a suggested amount so we asked a friend that works at The Yacht Week who suggested 10% each. If your yacht booking price is really low, you might want to instead think of it in terms of days and tip each ~$15/person/day (~$105 each).  Most crews give them the tips on the last night (usually Friday) in case some people leave early.

Couples - to go or not to go? Most things I read online say no, and I have to say I agree for the most part. We had a couple in our group which worked out wonderfully for two reasons: (1) they are the most chill, awesome couple ever and (2) they didn't do couple-y things. Instead we all hung out as a group, or the girls would hang and the boys would hang separately. If you and/or your relationship are crazy or you don't want to spend any time apart, skip The Yacht Week. This is not a couples type of trip ;) 

SO, WOULD I RECOMMEND THE YACHT WEEK?

The final Yacht Week review: Yes, yes, a million times yes. I have done my fair share of traveling and have been on many an adventure but never have I had a week like this. It was hands down the best week of my life and something I will remember forever. I'm already counting down the days until my next one - Greece! If the info above sounds like something you'd enjoy, then you will absolutely not regret your decision to go.

What do you think? Are you gonna take the plunge?

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The Yacht Week Croatia: 15 Tips From One Who Survived

So you’ve decided to round up a group of friends or (if you’re really feeling adventurous) book a cabin with a boat full of strangers for The Yacht Week Croatia . Congratulations. You’re about to have the most fun you’ve ever had in your life, a fact that, at times, may seem hard to believe when you’re simultaneously wreaking absolute havoc on your mind and body. As I write this, I’ve just returned to Split and am on a bus headed for Zagreb. The world is still perpetually swaying like ocean waves, I have a TERRIBLE tan line from a massive glitter necklace, my body feels like a stiff board, and I’ve pretty much forgotten what sleep is. I also can't stop talking about the week with all of my friends and looking back at our pictures and videos.

When my friends threw TYW invite my way, I accepted with next to zero hesitation. Who doesn’t want to sail around the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic Sea with some of their best friends? For a 10-person crew, we were looking at $900 USD per person for the week, plus some vague additional costs that I didn’t fully understand or care to investigate. Well, having walked blindly into this situation, I’m here to share the 15 lessons I learned as a guest on The Yacht Week Croatia, and give you an idea of just how much money you’re actually going to throw down.

1. Join the Facebook Crew Finder.

This can be advantageous for a few reasons. If you’re having trouble filling up your boat or someone drops out last minute, this is where you can find replacement crew. You’ll also see boats that are desperately trying to meet a 50/50 male female ratio giving spots away or at a discounted rate. Free Yacht Week, anyone? It's a closed group, so request ASAP here.

2. There are multiple float parties. You need a float.

Hit people up in the Facebook group to find guests on the previous yacht week and see if they’re willing to sell or part with their floats when they get back to Split. Alternatively, do what I did and search #theyachtweek on Instagram to find people to ask. I unknowingly contacted a yacht week skipper who pulled through with a glorious golden-winged swan for free. I also bought a giant watermelon on which one could easily throw a party. It was around $30 USD at the Mall of Split. If you're willing to put in the effort, you may be able to sell yours off to the next week's group when you return.

3. When you’re stocking up on booze for the week, make your alcohol decisions wisely.

You don’t have to buy it all ahead of time, as you’ll be docking most nights and can pick up more. It’s going to be more expensive on the islands, but it’s better than being left with 12 full bottles that you’re trying to sell on Facebook for half price. This is what happens when you take the advice “buy 4x more than you think you need.” Before we set sail, the four girls on my boat went on a booze run and spent about $350. Then the guys went out and easily doubled that. It was WAY too much. But, maybe you’re a superhuman- to each their own! Also, if you are female, and this is often even applicable to the males, people are going to be giving drinks away like water. The Yacht Week has this strange generous effect on people.

4. You don’t need as much food as you think.

If you ball out for a hostess, you’ll get breakfast and lunch daily and you won't have to think about a thing. However, you’re going to pay for the groceries, about 750 USD for her services, and her dinner, too. If you’re trying to eat on a budget, you can always pick up some stuff at the grocery store and cook yourselves. You’ll also have the opportunity to eat lots of meals on land, and some days, you’re probably sleeping right through breakfast anyways.

5. You pay for your skipper’s dinners, too.

Along the same lines as the hostess, keep in mind that you’re paying for your skipper’s meals unless you go to a TYW recommended restaurant where they’ll eat for free. There are some amazing restaurants on the islands that aren’t recommended (BLACK PEPPER ON HVAR!!!) but that’s totally up to you!

6. Plan to replenish those electrolytes.

We’re talking PEDIALYTE, vitamin tablets, and ALL THE WATER. 2 liters per person, per day. 

7. Take into consideration the mooring fees.

Every boat sets up what is called a “kitty”- a communal pot of money that everyone contributes to for general mooring fees, water taxis, etc. These may set you back an additional 1600 kuna per person, or about $250 USD.

8. Bring earplugs, an eye mask, and the will to snuggle.

Unless you’re splurging on your own room, you’re likely sharing a cabin slash tiny bed with someone else. Space is not abundant. It gets hot. It also gets bright AF in the mornings. You’re getting little sleep as it is, so make the most of what you do get by poppin’ some earplugs in and putting an eye mask on. The sun comes up early, and on nights when the boats are tied up together, people are constantly boat hopping and are likely loud, drunk and obnoxious.

On another note, if you booked a catamaran, you’ve made a brilliant choice. They are by far the most amazing boats you can snag. If you don’t get one, prepare to be jealous once you see what could’ve been. At the very least, make sure to party on top of someone else's during one of the raft parties. It’s the perfect vantage point from which to take in all the chaos below with a drink in hand all while dancing up a storm.

9. Download the yacht week app, Day 8.

If, like me, you have no earthly idea what the week’s itinerary is, this app will be your new best friend. Each day it will let you know what’s going on, where to be, and when. Not only that, but it connects you with your crew and other yacht weekers, while also offering a place to post your photos from the week.

10. Prepare to be bruised.

On yacht week, people go around making bad decisions and thus break limbs, drop or lose valuables, or best case scenario, emerge resembling a giant bruise. It’s inevitable. And you’re not even going to know where they came from 99% of the time.

11. Toilet flushing is a real mission.

Ten pumps to the left, ten to the right, and eventually what went in will go down. You’ll have a new appreciation for land toilets and that one magic button you’ve always pressed.

12. Prepare for the themed nights!

During the course of The Yacht Week, there are three themed nights. Tropical Retro, Riviera, and Regatta Day. The latter was by far one of my favorites. The boats all sail together while each crew shows off their costumes in an attempt to win the best theme. My boat waited until the last minute and ended up going with “Bae Watch”, but unfortunately we weren’t the only ones. The boats that stood out were ones like the Jazzercise crew, sporting head to toe spandex in every highlighter color you can think of while doing a synchronized workout routine, the one with the inflatable T-Rex costumes, or the one with bare asses and cooking aprons. Put some thought into it, it’s an absolute riot.

13. There are parties EVERY SINGLE DAY.

By the end of the week, your check liver light is going to be flashing HARD. Silly me, I packed a Kindle thinking I might have some time to chill out and read. Nope. Nope. Nope. Yacht Week is a giant party, from afternoon til the sun comes up. There will definitely be nights that you will drink until the sun comes up, because a lot of the parties don't even begin until 11:00 PM. If you’re an old lady like me though, you’re going to equal parts love and hate this. “This is the best night of my life!” will be followed by “I’m never doing this again” as you face plant into bed.

14. Getting a table at parties is overrated.  

They’re going to suggest that you book a table at the big parties, but I personally did not think it was worth it. They were hardly exclusive at most of the venues, and there was always a minimum spend that resulted in wasting quite a bit of money just for a couple of drinks. There’s also the babysitting factor- which results in you hovering around your table of expensive alcohol praying that drunk strangers don’t drink it all. Pregame, buy a few at the party, mingle, and be free.

15. Book a recovery room for post-yacht week.

You’re going to want a comfortable recovery day or two post-yacht week, and your whole world is going to be rockin’ for a while. I may be on land, but my body is very much still at sea. A good bed, a warm shower, and a flushing toilet will do wonders.

So there you have it, all the things I wish I'd known before Yacht Week began. It's safe to say your bank account may see a deficit that hovers on either side of the $2,000 mark depending on the choices you make, so be prepared. That being said, can you really put a monetary value to one of the best weeks of your life? I think not.

It's Not Hou It's Me

Houston & travel blog, a houstonian’s guide: the yacht week in croatia.

It all started with an Instagram post — well, for me at least. I remember specifically being in Riva’s (celebrating something?) and someone at the table mentioned Yacht Week. I felt dumb. Was this a reality show? Or….what? I am not used to being out of the loop on pop culture.

The first picture was of crystal blue water and stark white boats in a circle. In the middle were all these fun-looking floats. The next picture was a bunch of beautiful people wearing white being super tan. Soon I was months deep on this account and we were talking logistics: When were we going?

So, it’s not a reality show. It’s a travel company. Think of it as a deconstructed cruise but for young people (I described it to my mom like this). You hop from destination to destination and are in a marina at a different location each night — but instead of having your own cabin, you have your own boat.

Our expectations were this: We’d be a group of 7 or 8 and get our own boat with our own skipper and hostess to sail and feed us and we’d relax to the gorgeous backdrop of the Adriatic Sea and the Croatian coast. Sounded perfect.

And it absolutely was.

But add in amazing people (33 other boats, to be exact) and an experience I could never have even imagined being so perfect. I know it sounds like I’m romanticising a simple vacation. But The Yacht Week is no simple vacation . It’s actually nothing like any vacation I’ve ever had — and probably ever will. That is, unless I do it again at one of the ten other destinations. Which I plan to do. See you soon, British Virgin Islands.

The concept is a little insane, and while you can watch all the videos and read all the other blogs out there, here’s what I think you should know about this trip that’s nothing like the real world. Absolutely nothing.

How It Works

I think TYW’s goal is honestly to make things super easy for you (note: making it cheap for you is not a main goal of theirs). Everything is pretty much planned for you on the vacation, and booking is just as easy.

The first thing we did was head to TYW website . We actually had to wait a little for the summer listings to go live. But when we did, we hopped online and browsed. Step one was deciding on a week, which was relatively easy for us since we were working so far in advance. There’s at least 12 weeks of Croatia, and we signed up for the first week (Week 23) . The only downside to the beginning of the summer we didn’t realize until later is that it’s still a little “chilly” with highs of 85 and lows of 65. As Houstonians, we were scared. It ended up being PERFECT. Most boats don’t have A/C, so a chilly night is welcomed. Yes, the water was cold, but we got used to it and I ended up LOVING it. I did pack (and use regularly) a sweater. I also brought a cuter jean jacket for nighttime activities, but never used it.

Next: You pick your crew. How many girls, how many guys, would you need a skipper or hostess? (Unless you can sail a boat, you need a skipper.) Hostesses are a little more optional, but such a life changer. 10/10 would recommend one — you’re on vacay, after all!!! Hostesses clean common areas and cook breakfasts, lunches and some dinners.) We picked 8 girls, skipper, and hostess for a boat total of 10. Note: You do have to have your gender ratio approved — the safest thing to do is book half and half. We booked all girls, and it was fine.

Then it was boat picking time. We had four categories: Economy, standard, premium, and premium plus. It basically just has to do with yacht age and equipment. We chose standard and started browsing the available boats. We found one with four bathrooms and unlimited wifi, which swayed us despite no A/C.

Once booked, we had three payment due dates . Not sure how exactly the payments were divided up — it wasn’t even thirds. But we all paid one third of our total individually owed by each deadline, and we were all paid off more than a month before our trip, which really helped us saving wise.

It was honestly pretty affordable. We got the hostess, skipper, boat, alcohol and food packages for about 850 euros per person. When you realize that’s your lodging, most meals, and where you’ll spend a lot of time, it seems pretty reasonable.

When you get to TYW, you do have to shell out some more cash. We each put in 1500 kuna ($1 = 6 kuna) into the “kitty”. Our skipper used this money to pay for gas, port fees, water taxis, etc. Basically anything that had to do with your aquatic transportation. Plus, whatever was left you get back at the end of the week. (We actually added to it and gave it as a tip to our skipper and hostess).

Perks of having a hostess exhibit A and B.

The other big expense was a 2,000 euro deposit for the boat. Which we were told had to be cash. After a not-so-brief panic session, we figured out that, in at least our case, it was ok to put the deposit on a card. Whew. Considering ATMs have a cash maximum and we had already withdrawn so much kuna for the week, we were pretty tapped out on cash.

Before we boarded, a couple of us went to grocery shop with our hostess. Which was a whooooole thing. A. Bc grocery shopping in a foreign country when you don’t know the language is hard. B. We just wanted to be on the boat and it took sooooo long. Groceries ended up being another $63 per person we weren’t expecting — but would have been way more had we not had the food and alcohol packages . But again, not a huge expense when you think about it for a whole week of foods. And it turned out our food package didn’t include a lot of things: produce, meat, cheese. It was basically just dry goods.

A note on the alcohol package we got: We didn’t know what it was, but it ended up being a set list of liquor, water and mixers. We got fanta, cokes, sprite, juice, plus: 2 bottles of jager (ew, why?!), 1 rum, 4 vodkas, 1 whiskey, 12ish champagnes/proseccos, 48 beers and a smattering of other things I can’t even remember. Oh and a shitton of waters. It kinda sucked not having a say over what we had and we way overpaid, but it was nice to have that taken care of. As it was, we had two FULL grocery carts of food. (TYW shuttle took us and our full carts to the marina, lol).

We’d get to land between 3-4 pm each day, and we’d hang out on the boat, get ready for dinner and head for shore — which sometimes meant climbing over boats to get to land, sometimes hopping into water taxis, occasionally walking a short, unstable board to dock, and one time it meant pulling the dingy by a rope and climbing rocks up to land. Not kidding.

When you’re on land, you’re responsible for feeding your hostess and skipper . It’s not a huge expense since you’re splitting it among all your crew, but you do have to do some math at the end of dinner — which caused bickering on more than just our own boat. Math is hard, y’all. And you never have exact change.

After dinner, we usually had some time to kill before the parties, which started at 11 or so each night, but there were two day parties that started at 5, then dinner followed. Then, after killing some time, there was yet another party. #CantStopWontStop on #TheYachtWeek.

I’m done talking generally. Let’s talk about land!

The Towns/Islands

Every week on TYW is different . We didn’t have our set schedule until two weeks before our trip — they don’t set it until last minute so they can see the weather forecast. Also, there’s an app called “The Week” that you download and get a password to log into your specific week (“Week 23 Croatia 2017”). On the app, you can see the itinerary, other boats and crews, and everything you need to know.

Here’s where we went on our week.

Not a bad view heading toward Trogir at sunset.

We flew into Split, Croatia, then actually stayed in a hostel the night before we headed to our marina — there are multiple starting marinas. Ours was called Marina Kastela, and was apparently the best because it had a grocery store really close and was only 20 minutes outside of Split. We Ubered to the marina and, after checking in/grocery shopping/our safety talk from our skipper, we sailed into the sunset headed for Trogir.

Since we were the opening week, we had special programming: a free dinner with all you can drink wine. Dangerous start to the week. Dinner was in a castle. Casual. We could see Il Castello del Camerlengo on our way in as the sun disappeared behind it.

Opening party in a castle. Casual.

We docked, dressed and headed to land, by way of climbing over boats. Dinner was three courses and average. The wine was amazing and we plowed through so many bottles — hey, there were 9 of us!

Eventually people left the tables and headed for the dance floor, where we spent the next few hours.

Trogir to Komiza was long, but we stopped to float. Then I steered us there. (No, not really.)

We left Trogir at around 9 a.m. or so. Our hostess, Robyn, was up and preparing the most gorgeous spread of food and we, various degrees of hungover, came out, made plates and headed up to eat on deck (it was pretty hot down in the galley anytime the sun was up.

Trogir to Komiza was a long trip and we stopped somewhere in between to swim with some of the other boats. It was glorious. Floats were floating. Mimosas were mimosaing.

Dinner and walking around Komiza.

When we finally got to Komiza, the sun was setting but we all took deck showers: Bathing suit stays on and you use the hose at the end of the boat to rinse off. Once dressed, we went on land via water taxi to grab dinner at a so obviously overpriced restaurant (we had a special menu I am willing to bet was 10-20 kunas higher in price than the regular menu). It was yum, math was hard and then we started wandering around Komiza. The water taxis stopped at 10 pm and didn’t start again until 1 am at the party — which was a 15 minute walk away from where we came in.

So, even though not everyone was down for a party, we all had to go to catch our ride at the very least. This party in Komiza is really chill and right on the beach . There’s a DJ and a dance floor, but there’s also quieter tables and couches literally on the beach, which you’re a monster if you can’t enjoy. There’s no real theme for the party, but they recommended a sort of glow theme — face paint, glow sticks, etc. We later realized that this was apropo for any TYW party.

Enjoy we did and we abandoned the party sometime after one to go hang out on our boat.

At some point during the first two days, we told our skipper, Ante, that we really wanted to see the Green and Blue Caves and Stivina Bay , a spot he really wanted us to see. We all decided: We gotta do those three things.

Watch your head entering the Blue Cave — but once you’re in, it’s gorgeous.

Since Komiza and Vis were really close, our day heading to Vis was to be the day we explore the caves. So, at 8 am on day 3, we were headed to the Blue Cave. And…. at 8:30 a.m., we were awoken to be alerted that we were there. I remember being SO tired and just… hot. I jumped into the water immediately, with no regret, then we got in a small boat and a tour guide took us into the cave. It was breathtakingly blue (duh) and apparently you aren’t allowed to take pictures (oops, broke that rule) or swim (ugh, wanted to break that rule). The tour was super short and we were at the bay by, like, 10 am.

Just some of the MANY shots from the perfectly picturesque Stiniva Bay.

Stiniva Bay was bay far the best part of the day (pun intended). It’s got a narrow opening so only small boats can fit through. We had to swim or take the dingy in. Once there, the beach is rocky but incredibly picturesque. We had a lil photoshoot.

After exploring the bay, we headed back to the boat because we assumed it was time to go to the Green Cave. Instead we found a sleeping skipper and floated near the boat instead.

The Green Cave was similar to the bay — we had to hop into the water to swim or take the dingy in. It was a little anticlimactic — both the Blue Cave and the bay were way prettier. Plus, by this time, we had all decided we wanted to explore Vis a little more than the last places we’ve been at.

Some shots from our “Out of Vis World” tour.

Ante arranged a military tour of Vis that ended with wine and cheese. We got to Vis at 4, pulled our dingy to land by a rope (seriously), the hopped in a van with a man named Marco from Out of Vis World — a tour company that has my love for its name alone. We learned all about Vis and how it was Croatia’s military island due to its tricky port — it’s very rocky and steep so the enemy navy men are unable to easily get on land. (We learn of Vis’ unfriendly shore the next day).

The tour takes us to the top of the island and we get to see out to the most breathtaking view! That alone was worth the 250/300 kuna we paid. However, the wine and cheese at Roki’s was pretty dang good too.

Post wine, we headed back to our boat where Robyn made dinner. We ate. We drank. Then we headed to the night’s party: Tropical retro themed and in a fortress — of course. We learned during our tour that Vis has narrow roads and steep ledges — not for the faint of heart. TYW recommends renting scooters or cars to DIY your tour. Here to strongly recommend that you don’t do either. Book a tour, sleep in the van and have someone tell you what you’re looking at.

Anyways, we taxi-ed to land then started the trek up the hills in a huge charter bus with other TYW people, which was a little scary, but we lived.

The Fort George party is known for it’s huge bottles of liquor you order at your bottle-service-only table. We, instead, hung out at a cocktail table and took tequila shots chased with corona like any decent Texan would. I think this was my favorite party. The night started with a live band — not a DJ! But even when the DJ was on, he played better music than the previous nights’ parties. I danced in a champagne shower. Side note: You will never ever be completely clean on TYW.

Hvar/Palmizana

We were among the last to leave Vis, and we were going to sail to Hvar since the wind was strong. Our sailing lesson took place a little bit away from the few boats still remaining at port. A short while in, those remaining boats called out for our help. A couple boats were “crashing” (not really sure what was happening, I think their anchors were caught). Ante needed to pull one boat off the other, but after we missed catching the rope three times from one skipper, the strong wind had almost blown us into the island. (There’s Vis’ unfriendly shore/bitter wind for you). Ante tried to turn the engine on to get us out of there, but the throttle didn’t work.

With no engine to get us out nor our anchor down holding us at sea, we were drifting closer and closer to land. We had a skipper in a dingy using the dingy engine to try to push us away or at least hold us where we were. Another skipper boarded our boat to try to help. Meanwhile, us girls were holding fenders to prevent crashing into another yacht. 

The throttle kicked on in what was possibly the last second before we ran aground. Which would have been basically the end of our vacation (and 2,000 euros). Later, Ante dived down to access any yacht damage, and we had none. Relieving, since I could literally see the rocks beneath our boat at one point.

Sailing was fun, but sitting in rain to do it was not . A few hours later, we had made it to Palmizana — across from Hvar — where we would be docking. We were among the last boats to arrive, but somehow we scored a parking spot super close to land. This was the first on-land shower/restrooms we had access to, so we all pretty much immediately headed for those.

We hung out on our boats a little, but we had our first darty (day party) at Hula Hula beach bar at 5 pm. We water taxied to Hvar and walked the shore of what is quite possibly the cutest little beach town in all of Eastern Europe.

The thing to do at Hula Hula is order carafes of drinks and split it amongst your friends. We got punches and mojitos and, despite wanting them so badly, no french fries.

Kiva Kiva Bar, I love you, your alley-turned-bar and your helmet shots — no matter how painful it was.

After watching the sun set, we got pizza then headed to a TYW favorite: Kiva Bar. Beloved for its mosh pit of a dancefloor and its tequila boom shots (OJ and tequila mixed by banging it on your helmeted head), Kiva is a must-visit at least one of your two nights in Hvar. You’ll be hot and sweaty, but you’ll have fun.

Laganini Seafood Restaurant

After Hvar, we took yet another water taxi to Carpe Diem: A club on its own island. (Castle? Check. Fort? Check. Club on its own private island? Check.) I kind of hated it — just being honest. It just wasn’t anything special, overpriced and kind of empty that first night.

Day 2 of Hvar/Palmizana was nice. There was yoga in a little forest facing the beach, but we skipped it. Oops. We walked to the beach (a sand beach for once!) and hung out before treating ourselves to a fancy lunch at Laganini Seafood Restaurant . Kinda regretted it because we didn’t need to spend money, but the view was amazing. And the seafood was fresh and the pasta was, well, also fresh.

After lunch we started getting ready for The White Party — a TYW staple where everyone dresses in all white (this year had a French Riviera theme). The second darty, again at 5. We took an earlier taxi and shopped a little before: Lavender and turquoise are must-gets . The White Party was so fun and I got free face glitter that upped my already skyrocketing basic level to 1000. I stuck to white wine, since I didn’t want to spill and stain, but still got spilled on somehow — thank god it was only redbull.

White Party/Riviera Party at Carpe Diem Hvar.

Post party 1, we went to dinner at a restaurant that was not very yum — I barely touched my gnocchi (maybe I’m a gnocchi snob). Then, instead of Kiva Bar, we went to another Hvar favorite: Seven, where TYW peeps got free drinks . Too bad they were not very tasty and BRIGHT blue. Who thought, “Oh, white party night. What drinks should we serve? I know! Blue Curacao and Sprite!” (IDK if this was what it actually was, but it tasted like it.) We all skipped the second night at Carpe Diem and opted for gelato then drinks on the boat. Note: I did hear that Carpe Diem was less disappointing the second night , so maybe skip the first night instead.

We went instead to another bay where we would stay for the night. We rafted differently this time: Two straight lines. Everyone brought out the floats and jumped in between the two lines. A boat had a DJ, and the day’s party was a float party.

Robyn made us dinner and we played card games and hung out with new friends. I loved this day — so simple and chill.

Regatta day and Split

TYW’s regatta day means group costumes. We went fruity, by way of DIY.

The last day of TYW is a race back to your original marina. Each boat has a costume theme (we were fruit — other boat costumes included: ’80s, risky business, baywatch, Canadian I think?), so in addition to your sailing skills, you’re showing those off. We weren’t really about the competition. Instead, we took our time savoring our last day on the boat. All too soon we were back in Marina Kastela and ordering pizza for dinner on the boat so that we could drink more of our remaining alcohol (we had a LOT left). After dinner, we headed to the last party at one of the fancier venues: Vanilla club. 

Vanilla ended up being my favorite party. Maybe it was because it was the last night and I was super sad. Maybe it was because all my crew was there — rare since there was always 1-2 people not up for a party. Maybe it was because the music was a little more mainstream and more our taste. Whatever it was, I had a freaking blast. Didn’t want it to end.

But end it did and we had to be packed up and off the boat by 9 am the next day, which we managed to do somehow. Bye perfect paradise. A few hugs with Ante and Robyn, we left the marina and found our hostel before spending the rest of the day in Old Town Split.

What I Wish I’d Known

If you didn’t watch the sun rise at least once, did you even go to TYW?

• TYW has photographers that float around during the week taking pictures of everyone doing fabulous things. You gotta be fab to get in these photos. I’m in quite a few, but only one is really good of me. They post (probably what is only a fraction of the shots) on Facebook a week after your week.
• That you don’t have to go to every single party, but you will regret not going. At least I did. What’s more important to remember, is that you don’t have to drink at every single party . If you have FOMO like me and want to make all the events, then just pace yourself. I did do this, but I could have done it better some nights.

• You contribute to helping sail the boat — but you really got to step up. Tasks include: Pulling up or putting down the anchor, fastening the fenders on the sides of the boats, holding the helm straight, tossing or catching ropes, etc. When sailing, you have to: Find the right ropes and wench to raise or lower the sails, give slack to help the person wenching, bumper and unbumper the ropes. Does this sound like sailing/boat things? I’m still not sure. I was queen of anchoring, fendering and wenching.

• Trogir: Tro-Gear (roll the “r”, hard “g”)
• Komiza: Co-mi-sha (the “z” sound is v weird in Croatia)
• Hvar: Far (with not a lot of emphasis on “f”)
• Palmizana: Pal-me-shana (like parmesan + a)
• Strategically pick a day to stay up until sunrise. We didn’t do this, but we got lucky. The first night in Hvar was perfect since we didn’t have to wake up to sail the next day.
• Hvala: Kwalla (not a lot of emphasis on the “k”). Means thank you (I remembered this as being like koala.
• Živjeli: Juvilee (like jubilee!). It means cheers, and you circle your drink around your head after clinking.
• Oprostite: Oh-pro-sti-te. Pardon me, like when moving through a crowd.
• On plaća: Ohn plasha. He is paying. Pick a random dude, gesture to him and tell the bartender, “On plaća”
• You do need to plan to get to Split a little earlier than need be (we had a hostel the night before) because flights get delayed or canceled and you don’t want to miss a second.

• You don’t, however, really need to stay another night after TYW is over . We booked another hostel for another night after we were off the boat. Yes, it was nice to shower and sleep on land, but it ended up being super depressing to be staying five minutes away from where you just disembarked from the best vacation ever. I wasn’t ready to go home really, but it was just torture being there where another TYW had just begun and I’m over here sad in a hostel about to fly back home to the real world.

What to Pack

Mission: One week on a yacht in Croatia, all packed in one carry on. (Mission accomplished)

Flags, flat shoes, themed clothes, GoPros, floats and more. Read our complete packing guide here.

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Police officers have been accused of "brutality" after a shocking video emerged of a man in his underwear being tackled to the ground and "punched in the face." An onlooker and her family were waiting for a table outside a restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina on Saturday, September 14, when she witnesses the troubling encounter. A video shows the man in his underwear and sunglasses standing on the sidewalk - before he is tackled from behind by a cop. Two more officers join in "repeatedly punching" the man "in the face and kneeing" him.

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