Our guests sailing stories

Our guest and RTL journalist Natasha sailing story in coronavirus time (2020)

Every year we spend our holidays on a yacht in Croatia. And so it was this year. In this time when COVID-19 is present all over the world, vacation on a yacht is a safe way to spend holidays for everybody who enjoys sun and sea.

On a yacht you are with your family, relatives or a little group of people and you can always keep social distance. On our vacation we were 5 on board.

With NCP & mare we have found a trusting company to which we are coming many years back, first of all because their yachts are very clean and we can always relay that everything will work well. Your charter vacation could be compared to a 5 star hotel. Everything is prepared for you. We start our trip and then our sailing on the nice Adriatic Sea begins. For us this is a perfect way of vacation- we say that it is like on the Caribbean but more beautiful.

On this kind of vacation you make your own plan where and when you want to go. We usually explored small islands where you can find many small "Konobas" where you can have delicious fresh fish.

And the sea... the Adriatic Sea is so nice, blue, clean... it takes your breath away. Regarding the current COVID situation we haven't visited bigger towns. Most of our time we were on our yacht or on some of the numerous small islands that Croatia is full of. Time spent on a yacht and chartering a boat is the most relaxing way of vacation.

Our day usually started with breakfast on board!

Greetings from Natasha

ŠibenikIN crew sailing story while sailing on our boat during social distancing time (2020)

Sailing is vacation for the body & soul, and in times of social distancing, there is no better way to spend your holidays. Sailing on a boat with people close to you and exploring the hidden beauties and bays of the Adriatic has never sounded more desirable. If you want to experience a dream boat vacation, one of the leading Croatian charter companies, NCP & Mare has prepared great offers for September!

NCP & mare is located in Marina Mandalina in Šibenik, and this perfect location in the center of Dalmatia, is an ideal starting point for exploring the Adriatic islands. Whether you want to enjoy the unique Šibenik waters, the beauties of the Kornati National Park, a nautical paradise, or you want to explore Vis just like the crew of ŠibenikIN or sail to Lastovo, and for the braver ones to Dubrovnik, NCP & mare charter has everything you need for a perfect vacation.

Croatia is one of the leading nautical tourism destinations in the world, and a vacation in September is ideal for those who want to avoid big crowds. Croatia is a safe destination open to tourists, and the epidemiological situation in the country is under control, with fewer active cases than other tourist destinations in the Mediterranean.

In September, you can enjoy your favorite islands and bays with much less trouble finding places to berth and much less crowds in the ports. Apart from avoiding crowds, you will also be able to enjoy the nice weather, because September in Croatia brings sunny and warm weather, but without the classic summer heat. There are of course great last minute deals and discounts that are not to be missed! Sailing is the perfect vacation in times of social distance, because you don't even have to get off the boat, and you can visit all your favorite destinations. For example, sailing through the Kornati National Park, a nautical paradise that is a combination of 89 unique islands, islets and reefs, with a view of the unforgettable cliffs for which it is famous, is the perfect destination for September sailing and enjoying life on a boat with social distancing.

The charter company NCP & mare takes great care of safety and hygiene on board, and if you are looking for the best price-quality ratio, NCP & mare offers excellent last minute yacht charter offers with discounts of up to 35%.

You can choose between luxury crewed yacht charters, motor yacht charters, sailboat rentals and catamaran charters with spacious cabins. They offer also the option to charter a yacht with a skipper, and all you need to do is to choose the right boat that best suits your needs, date and duration of vacation. NCP & Mare is Croatia’s leading charter company with more than 25 years of experience.

For all boaters from countries such as Austria, Germany and Slovenia: it is worth noting that the Tourist Board of the Šibenik-Knin County organizes testing of tourists before returning to their home country. The contact person on behalf of the Šibenik-Knin County Tourist Board with whom tourists can arrange appointments and obtain the necessary information on the manner, time and place of tests is Ivana Lušić, +385 9873 7404, e-mail: ivana.lusic@dalmatiasibenik.hr
When making an appointment, please be sure to do so at least 24 hours in advance, and the test results can be obtained 24 to 48 hours after testing.

This story was originally posted in ŠibenikIN in Croatian language by our guests - the crew of SibenikIN .

Swiss family sailing story (2018)

Thomas and I had been talking about renting a sailboat and sail Croatia for the last couple of years. After learning at NCP in Sibenik and hearing about the deal offered to RYA members it was a no brainer. So we met in Sibenik on October 4th for a week charter on board Neska II, Beneteau Oceanis 45. Thomas, Judith, Salomé 7 and Lionel 5 had driven from Switzerland, Gwyneth and I flew into Split from Manchester.

After a thorough cleaning schedule by the cleaning team, a handover and a safety brief we provisioned the boat and headed north to anchor in Murter with the sun setting and just enough time for a swim in the clear blue sea.

The following morning was a bluebird day with a north easterly breeze, ideal for a sail south. Two reefs in the main and half a jib gave 6 to 7 knots in comfort and we headed down to Grebastica bay to another beautiful anchorage. We had time to go ashore and a swim. The next morning was spent exploring the area, we hiked up a hill and over looked a 16th century old fortification wall. Some more swimming amongst the colourful fish and time to head down to Primosten, one of the most beautiful town in the area. A strong northerly breeze meant a downwind berthing. The harbor master was trying to keep control of the incoming boats with his whistle which was quite comical at times as yachts with skippers were trying to jump the queue due to a limited number of berths. We berthed and spent some the next hour watching the show. I couldn’t imagine what it could be like in full season.

The next morning brought a gentle breeze which allowed us to fly the asymmetric all the way to Drvenik, a small remote anchorage where a rope was tied to the shore to avoid swinging in the night as the forecast was for the wind to veer 180 degrees. It was late and after a quick swim and a beer (or 2) it was bedtime. The next morning Gwyneth and I walked up a hill overlooking the bay with a little church on top from where I could see that the wind had swung and it was going to be a great sail back. A preventer was set up and a course just off a run was laid and off we went at a respectable 7 to 9 knots, Thomas hand steered in racing mode all the way. We eventually reached Mirine and dropped anchor once again, Thomas wore a smile all that evening. The forecast was for a moderate breeze from the south so we tucked in as far as we could and let out some extra chain, just in case. I decided to sleep in the cockpit and was rudely woken up around midnight by a gust of wind that blew my blanket away. The wind blew for around an hour and then just as quick as it had come it disappeared. We fell back to sleep until the morning a little more relaxed.

The next day was spent on Vela Krbela, a tiny island, swimming and walking, making the most of our last day. We went back to the anchorage for the night and were greeted by an amazing sunset to end a great week. We sailed back to Sibenik on Friday, not forgetting to fill up with fuel and then tied up with Ivo waiting for us on the pontoon. A quick trip on the fully solar powered water taxi to town for some sight-seeing and a last meal in town and it was time to say goodbye and start planning our next charter as there is so much to see and do in this area.

Thanks to all the staff for preparing the boat so well, and although it was the end of season everyone had a smile and made us feel welcome!

You can read more of our happy guests testimonials here and under testimonial section.