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M/S Dalmacija - Croatian cruise

vagabondWestport

By vagabondWestport,
in Other Cruise Lines

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Smister

Smister

Posted
Posted

Thank you for the response. We are considering a trip in early April.

We will be travelling in northern Italy before and don't want to take too many extra clothes. Have you been on this ship before and if so, how did you like it?

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Smister

Smister

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Hi GypsyWillow..I just went back and read that are going in Sept 2007. If you are looking for a good hotel but not too expensive in Venice, I have stayed at the Hotel Antiche Figure. It's not the cheapest but not the most expensive and is quite nice.

www.hotelantichefigure.it

It is right on the Grand Canal and close to the train station so convenient for train travel...you can walk right across the bridge. Since it's near the train station, it's not centrally located to the popular Venice sights but the water transport is extremely reliable and easy to use there.

Enjoy!

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Gypsywillow

Gypsywillow

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Thanks. We are booked into the Lux in St Marks square. Its not cheap but appears to be in a great location. We are told that it is only 5 mins or so from the dock, but need to catch water bus to get us around to it. using it as our night before & night after Cruise stop. Keep us posted on your decision re the Cruise. We look forward to your feedback should you choose to do it. To us it appears to be a relaxing, interesting itinary to an amazing number of sights.

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Smister

Smister

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Okay, we are officially booked for the MS Dalmacija for the 7 April sailing.

I will try to remember to come back to this site and post a review. I'm looking forward to seeing this beautiful area of the world for sure.

Also can't wait to get back to Venice....went three years ago and knew I'd be back for sure.

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lavinia3

lavinia3

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I just read from gypsywillow that the cruises have been cancelled after may 2007. I am signed up for a October sailing and have not heard from our travel agent if it is cancelled. Have you heard why? had you heard any recent passenger reviews?

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Gypsywillow

Gypsywillow

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We were told that there were not enough bookings, although plenty from NZ, not enough to fill the sailings and hence the ship would not be sailing. Our cruise was confirmed so we were disapointed and found the news Iritating. I suggest you check with your agent as our cruise was to be late September. We have now changed to another cruise. Has anyone else out there had their cruise cancelled like this?

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Smister

Smister

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This is disturbing news. We are sailing on 7 April. I hope we aren't going to be standing at the dock with our luggage looking at an empty berth.

It's strange that the earlier cruises weren't cancelled but maybe that's because they are sooner and they just decided this. I'm nervous though because we paid all our money (60 days ahead).

 

Good thing I checked this board. I'll call my travel agent today and post again later.

 

Keep your fingers crossed that we didnt' lose big bucks!

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Smister

Smister

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Apparently the dalmacija has been repositioned after May due to poor sales so she will still be sailing just somewhere else.

I'm still a bit nervous as to where she'll be waiting for us in Venice but we shall see...an adventure!

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lavinia3

lavinia3

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Our travel agent did not report the poor sales but he said it had been chartered to a German company May - September. The 29th of September she will resume the Croatia cruise. Smister - please post your review after your travels - we have a group of friends (4 cabins) planning on taking the trip in Oct. 2007 - with deposits made. So all are anxious to hear your report, as you know they are few and far between.

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Aussie Bruce

Aussie Bruce

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We just received the news about Dalmacija from our TA and have been offered cruise on MV Arion departing Venice July 29 - one day later. Similar cabin category. It goes to Zadar, Kotor, Sarande (Albania!), Corinth, Paxi (both Greece), Korcula and back to Venice Sunday-Sunday.

 

Does anyone know anything about this ship. I have read a few reviews which were quite favourable and seems a similar ship.

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dougnewmanatsea

dougnewmanatsea

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ARION is extremely similar to DALMACIJA. The two ships are sisters, ARION's original name being ISTRA. (Dalmatia and Istria are two areas of Croatia.)

 

The two ships served together for Jadrolinija - the Yugoslavian (now Croatian) state shipping company, still around but operating ferries - until ISTRA was sold in 1991 to Ukrainians and became ASTRA and then ASTRA I. In 1999, after the Ukrainian owners had gone bankrupt, she was bought at an auction by the current Portuguese owners, Classic International Cruises, who gutted the entire ship down to the hull and engines. As a result, she is far more modern inside than DALMACIJA (basically a new ship) and also has larger cabins (though they are still rather small).

 

I have heard only good things about ARION and I would be quite pleased to sail in her. Assuming similar date and itinerary, I would have a hard time choosing the two, given that DALMACIJA should have more of her original charm intact while ARION is - within the same basic framework - a more modern vessel with better cabins and more facilities.

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Aussie Bruce

Aussie Bruce

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Thank you Doug for your quick and positive reply. We have decided to switch to the Arion subject to a few negotiations on the Category available that they promised us.

 

Have a great time on the Queen Mary 2. Both she and the QE 2 were in Australia recently and in Sydney Harbour at the same time. A magnificent sight of two grand ships.

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Aussie Bruce

Aussie Bruce

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Hi. We have been rebooked on this ship too (MS Arion) and are keen to hear if anyone has been on it & what it is like. We sail 23 Sept.

 

We have now returned after world trip to Japan, Russia, Venice and England and this included the eightday voyage on the Arion Venice to Venice July 29 to August 5.

 

Pret-trip we stayed at the Hotel Antiche Figure on the Grand Canal opposite the railway station. Venice was packed with people. Arriving was a trial wheeling suitcases and carrying them over a few bridges. Once settled it was very comfortbale and we had a great visit for two and a half days despite the heat and the crowds.

 

We had a very enjoyable voyage. The ship is old but reasonably comfortable. We had a two bed cabin on Navigator Deck which was clean and reasonably comfortbale. They have plumbing problems on this deck and the toilets are difficult to flush. The service by the cabin staff was excellent. Clean towels etc twice a day, evening turndown and chocolate on pillow etc. Cannot complain.

 

Entertainment on ship in restricted show room was great. Dancers were top class and the acts were enjoyable. There is also a musical duo from Portugal on board and they were stars. keyboard player and girl singer who had just joined up and were really enjoyable.

 

Our voyage was about half full so plenty of space but also meant some of the tours did not eventuate through lack of numbers. There were about a dozen English speaking passengers on board so that also reduced choices as guides were Greek or Italian speaking. Highlights of the ports were Paxos in Greece and Korcula in Croatia. Saranda in Albania was fascinating as a country that has just found the outside world from years of the strictest Communist rule.

 

Food was very good, plenty of it and the breakfast buffets on the outside deck were ample.

 

Be warned about smoking in the dining room. There are designated smoking sections but they are right next to non-smoking so if you do not want pollution as you eat, insist on a table as far as possible from the smoking areas. The ship's program clearly says no cigar or pipe smoking in the dining room. The first night we had just got our entrees when we got the fiurst wave of heavy cigar smoke across our table. Compaints to trhe waiter, then the assistant Maitre d and finally the Maitre d were to no avail. The answer was that the ship's owner wanted to smoke big cigars so that was it. We did get moved far away on the next night but it was a great disappointment.

 

When handing over your credit card at the pursers office at the beginning to cover payment, they ask if you want to authorise I think 7 euros a day each for tips which would cover all service staff. I agreed then withdrew that authorisation the following day when lodging a complaint about the cigar smoke and we did our own tipping of cabin steward, our waiter and bar staff.

 

Embarkation and disembarkation was very smooth. If you have a late flight after disembarkation there is a storage facility at the dock for bags if you want to spend the day in Venice rather than the atrocious Marco Polo airport which was a madhouse as it was in the height of

 

We got one day when there was quite a bit of movement on the ship due to a following heavy sea which produced quite a bit of lurching. Most days were very smooth and you have part of every day in port so there are n long spells at sea.

 

I can give you more info if you have specific questions.

 

Overall: Do not expect luxury. It is an old ship, easy to find your way around and comfortable. Some of the fittings are tired but apart from plumbing on the top deck, every thing seemed to work well. The entertainment staff were a delight. One Australian, Rob, some Dutch dancers and a variety of other nationalities.

 

Hope this helps for your September trip.

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Gypsywillow

Gypsywillow

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:) Thanks so much for that review Aussie Bruce. Our cruise is on the same ship but leaving from Koper and only going as far as Kotor. It should be interesting. Thanks also for the tip on the Dining Lounge. We too do not smoke and cannot abide smelling it whilst we eat. We are not expecting too much on the ship itself but are looking forward to the scenery and company on board. We intend to be selective as to which of the day excursions we go on, and we were told that the ship is full and that is why we have had to have the category offered (5 - Promenade). Thats the level below you. Hopefully the plumbing is fixed by the time we get there. Didi you have agood look around Zadar and Kotor? On a paid excursion?

Whilst we are going to Venice too, we are only staying a few days, doing a walking tour and trip to the islands and then just browsing. I had heard that luggage could be a problem there so we intend leaving most it locked up at the Railway Station since that is how we arrive and depart Venice. We are trying to keep away from airports as much as possible.

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Aussie Bruce

Aussie Bruce

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I had a check on your itinerary and it looks great - we were disappointed we did not get Dubrovnik but were relieved when they told us it was surrounded by bushfires! Just like home.

 

We did not do the ship's tour in either Zadar or Kotor. They had walking tours in both places on offer but not enough takers for an English guide so we did our own thing. It is easy to handle yourself. Kotor (Montenegro) did have a five and a half hour tour which drove out of town to Negusi and Cetinje and just a photo stop at Budva. We spoke to people who went on it and they said it was well worthwhile but not for those who do not like buses on narrow mountain roads. Think of Arthurs Pass and szqueezy roads and steep sides.

 

Zadar was very interesting to walk around, lots of new buildings after the war damage, modern shops and still a lot of history in the old city.

 

One tip. Croatia is still on its own currency and Euros are hard to use. Montenegro uses the Euro. You can change into Croatian money easily at ATMs and on board but not so easy changing back so pace your spending.

 

Re. the plumbing on board. It was only on our deck they had problems as it was on a different system to the rest of the ship. You should be ok. We saw some of the cabins on the promenade deck and though tight they looked fine. You can shove the suitcase under the bed and there were enough drawers and hanging space. You get a personal safe in tour cabin. I think all cabins have single beds.

 

Once you are into the travel system on the vaporettos in Venice it is easy though you still find yourself lost when you wander through the back streets but that is the best part. Get the two or three day pass on the vaporettos, works out much cheaper as just one trip is 6 euros I think and they do police it. Food and drink prices are vastly lower only a few blocks away from the peak sights such as the Rialto and St Marks. Watch out for the service charges etc on your bill. That takes care of your tip so do not double up.

 

Shopping was good as the credit card accounts are now revealing on our return. You can still buy good Italian-made shoes, clothing etc but check the labels as you will find the Chinese are making it too.

 

If you want to email me your mailing address on bruceandtaz@hotmail.com I can send you a few ships programs and other info from the cruise that may be useful.

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