Croatia Group Tour Review: Catamaran Four Day Island Hopping Tour, Split, Brac Island, Swimming, Biking, Walking Old City Streets

Our trip to Croatia (two moms and 7 teens) did not disappoint.  Our travel specialist and her team were incredibly thoughtful with their suggestions, responsive to our interests and tastes, and most importantly available consistently before during and after our trip (I'm not sure when they slept).  We started our trip in Split with a welcome dinner at a restaurant serving tapas of locally made dishes.  It couldn't have been a better introduction.  We were seated in the kitchen and had the full attention of the chef and staff. It was a wonderful introduction to Dalmatian cuisine and we all loved trying the different dishes.  When we decided to change things around from our original itinerary on day 2, our travel specialist was open and helpful and we ended up having a great day on Brac island that required our specialist and her team to pull together a guide and water equipment at the last minute.  The highlight of the day was lunch at a secluded castle in a very tiny village with a view from the terrace that  was amazing.  Our guide, was accommodating and helpful.  Each day, we received emails and/or texts with updates on what the next day or two held for us.  We were given the names and contact numbers of drivers and guides which helped us to stay on schedule and limit travel hiccups.  None of our guides was late, surly, or anything less than knowledgeable, helpful, and polite.  After our time in Split we headed to a catamaran for a four day tour of 4 different islands.  Our travel specialist helped us to choose the islands, and make meal reservations ahead of time.  Our captain was not only skilled (he was on the national sailing team) but also just the right mix of personable, funny, and hands off when we wanted some down time.  He also used a drone to take shots of the boat and our families that were spectacular.  The chef and assistant was lovely, and prepared meals for us that were tasty, and perfectly timed.  She anticipated what we needed, before we did, and we very much enjoyed getting to know her. There are so many highlights from our island hopping but to name a few: renting electric bikes on the island of Mljet and taking a dip in the lake there; Jumping off the boat into the the greenest sea you can imagine; dining on Hvar and walking around the small streets and alleys.  Our trip ended in Dubrovnik.  We spent the day before our last on a kayak tour outside the city walls which was a great way to see the city and get wet on a hot day.  The guide was knowledgeable and ensured that our three hours had just the right balance of information, kayaking and swim time.  We ended the day with our another guide who took us through the streets of Dubrovnik, on the city walls and up the gondola for a great birds eye view of the city.  He was a wealth of information (his family has lived in Dubrovnik for hundreds of years) and was able to communicate what he knew in a way that our teens found both interesting, engaging and funny.  The country was gorgeous, the activities were great for our active crowd, and while traveling outside of your country can be stressful, this was among the most stress free trips I have ever taken, because when I had a question (e.g., what's the appropriate tip, the best beach), our specialist was always a text away with a great suggestion.  Thank you travel company!