Payments
| Date Due | Per Person | Per Cabin |
| 10/28/24 | $960 | $1920 |
| 1/21/2025 | $1120 | $2240 |
| 5/2/2025 | $1120 | $2240 |
| 5/30/2025* | $75 | $150 |
Pay by check (to Dianne or Tom Lookabaugh), by Zelle (to Tom’s number (720) 323-6261 or Dianne’s number (619) 733-3456) or by Venmo (@Dianne-Lookabaugh or @Tom-Lookabaugh).
*Exchange rates have been running the wrong way; we need this to catch up.
The current exchange rate (as of 7/26) is about 1.17 dollars to the Euro. If you take a price quoted in Euros and increase it by 20% (1/5) you should have about the equivalent price in dollars, e.g., 15 euros = 15 + 1.5 + 1.5 = 18 dollars.
What is included in the total charter rate
- 13% Croatian VAT
- 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, and 2 dinners. Complementary coffee and mimosas at breakfast.
- Daily cabin clenaing
- Bathroom towels changed every other day and linen changed mid-week
- Free unlimited Wi-Fi (signal quality may vary depending on ship’s position)
- Jacuzzi on Sun deck with deck-beds
- Rear swimming platform for easy access to/from the sea
Special Dinner
We’re including a special treat to the cruise for dinner the evening we are docked in Stari Grad – a traditional Croatian ‘Peka’ Croatian Peka: A Tasty & Traditional One-Pot Dish (With Recipe!)
We will be picked up at the boat and taken to an organic farm/winery called Hora Hvar. They sell their own olive oil, lavender products and wine, and host private dinners overlooking their lovely vineyard. There will be no extra charge for this. Here’s their website:
Though the Peka is not on the website, it is featured in their Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/horahvar/
What is not included in the total charter rate
- Remaining dinners – these will be in the towns we are visiting. Our agent warns that cash may be needed for restaurants and Visa and Mastercard are the only credit cards likely to be accepted.
- Visitors tax and keelage (50 Euros per person payable in cash at the end of the cruise).
- Beverages on board (see Lastavica Drinks and Cigars Price List). Note that passengers cannot consume their own alcohol on board. Bar bills can be paid with MasterCard or Visa or euros.
- Travel insurance. Individuals can purchase this; our agent recommends Allianz.
- Tips. Our agent recommends 200 euros per guest.
Tipping
Other than tipping the boat crew (see above), ChatGPT (via Bing) suggests that tipping is common in Croatia, 10-15% on restaurant bills, 10% on taxis and private transfers, 1-2 euros for bellhops, a few euros per day for hotel maids, 10-15% for tour guides, 15-20% for haircuts, manicures, etc.
Getting to the Swallow
Port Locations for the Swallow
See this from Ivana.
Getting on the Boat
Fly into Spilit, arriving at least the day before as check-in is at 11:00 AM on August 2 from nearby Sibenik. Split is the second largest city in Croatia after Zagreb so there are many flights.
Check-in between 11 AM and Noon on August 2
Departure at 1PM. (If you miss the boat, maybe we can sync back up in Skradin that evening…looks like it’s a 22 min drive.)
The Swallow should be docked opposite the Bellevue Hotel in Sibenik.
Transfers
Transfers from Split to Sibenik and back are not included. Our agent recommends the following (and suggests we mention the Lastavica for a preferred rate):
Split or Sibenik: Marko Cvitanovic – Airport Taxi Split (email: info@airport-taxi-split.com)
If you want to look at coordinating with others, you can also post and look at others’ plans here.
Hotel
For the night before our agent recommends staying at the Hotel Bellevue Šibenik but there are also other hotels nearby. If you still need info on our group rate, email Dianne.
Laundry
No access to a washer and dryer, but for 30 Euros you can have a bag of laundry washed (we don’t know how big the bag is). Several of the ports seem to have local laundromats.
Weather
Looking on July 26, the weather seems to be hot and sunny (highs in upper 80s, lows in lower 70s).