From Dubrovnik: Premium Three Island Cruise with lunch and drinks

The best part of this eight-hour island cruise is its change of pace. You leave Dubrovnik’s crowded roads and stone lanes behind, then spend the day between quiet villages, sandy beaches, olive groves, and clear Adriatic water. I especially like the fresh lunch served on board and the chance to reach three islands without arranging separate ferries.

I also like the simple freedom of the schedule: swim, walk, stop for coffee, or sit on deck and watch the coast slide past. Lopud is the star, but the shorter stops on Šipan and Koločep add variety. The main drawback is the timing. Three hours on Lopud may feel long if you do not want a beach day, while one hour on each of the other islands can feel rushed.

Key points to know before you book

• Lopud gets three hours: Use the time for Šunj Beach, the village, historic sights, lunch-area walks, or a relaxed swim.
• The food is included: Choose grilled hake, chicken fillet, or seasonal vegetables, served with potato salad and bread.
• The cruise has two seating areas: You can sit in the closed, air-conditioned salon or on the open upper deck.
• Šipan and Koločep are shorter visits: Each stop lasts about one hour, so plan for a walk, swim, coffee, or a quick look around.
• Hotel pickup is limited: Pickup and drop-off are offered only within Dubrovnik city, if you select that option.
• Bring your own beach kit: Towels and snorkeling equipment are not supplied, and a swimsuit is one of the smartest things to pack.

Leaving Dubrovnik for the Elaphiti Islands

This is a full day on the water, roughly eight hours from pickup or meeting time until you return. The cruise visits Lopud, Šipan, and Koločep, the three main islands of the Elaphiti group near Dubrovnik.

The boat gives you a useful choice of settings. The enclosed salon is air-conditioned, which matters on a hot summer day or during a breezy ride. The upper deck is better for views, fresh air, and sun. During the busiest periods, arriving early is sensible if you care about choosing a particular seat.

The group can be as large as 110 people, so this is not a private sailing trip or a quiet yacht outing. It is a proper passenger boat with a working crew of five. That size helps keep the price down, but you should expect a shared excursion, especially during peak season.

The crew serves lunch and refreshments during the day, and several people particularly appreciated how often drinks were available. The published inclusions list bottled water, lemonade, juices, and wine with the meal. Coffee, tea, beer, and other drinks are available to buy on board. If the drink arrangement matters to you, check the exact terms shown when you book, since the supplied tour details describe included and extra drinks separately.

Lopud: make the most of the three-hour stop

Lopud is where you should plan your day. The boat gives you about three hours here, far more than at the other islands, and there is a good reason. Lopud offers the clearest mix of beach time, village wandering, small sights, cafés, and island scenery.

The village has stone houses, green gardens, local shops, and cafés. You can simply stroll near the waterfront and enjoy the slow pace, or use the time for a more active outing. Views across the Adriatic and toward nearby islands reward even a short walk.

Šunj Beach is the main draw. It is on the far side of Lopud, so reaching it takes planning. You can walk there, but the route can take around 30 minutes each way and includes an uphill section. Several people found the local golf-cart taxis useful, particularly if they wanted to save energy for swimming and exploring. The taxi costs extra, and the precise fare is not included in the tour details, so carry some money and ask locally.

The beach has a sandy shore, a marked swimming area, loungers, and umbrellas available for separate payment. It is a strong choice if you want a traditional beach break rather than a rocky Adriatic swim. Pack your towel because the tour does not provide one.

Lopud also gives you options beyond the beach. The 15th-century Franciscan Monastery offers a quiet historic stop, while the botanical garden has Mediterranean plants. Conditions at the garden can vary. At least one visit found parts of it poorly maintained, with a warning sign at the entrance, so do not build your entire Lopud plan around that attraction.

You might also hear about the island’s fort and other uphill sights. These can take real effort and time. If you walk slowly or prefer not to tackle steep paths, stay near the village and beach instead. Three hours sounds generous, but it disappears quickly if you combine the beach, a long walk, and a historic stop.

For many people, Lopud is the best value part of the day. It has the most to do, but it can also feel too long if you do not sunbathe, swim, or enjoy an unhurried café stop. I would decide in advance what kind of Lopud day you want. Beach day, walking day, or gentle sightseeing day all work better than wandering off without a plan.

Lunch on board: simple, fresh, and useful

Lunch is served on the boat, often while you are moving toward the next island. This saves you from spending a large part of a short island stop looking for a restaurant, and it keeps the day’s costs under control.

The standard choices are straightforward:

• Grilled hake with potato salad and bread
• Grilled chicken fillet with potato salad and bread
• Grilled seasonal vegetables with potato salad and bread

The meal is not a gourmet restaurant experience. It is a practical boat lunch, and the feedback ranges from average to very good. The fish option, in particular, received strong praise, while the chicken and vegetarian choices were also considered satisfying by people who tried them.

Wine is included according to the tour information, and bottled water and soft drinks are available. Additional drinks such as coffee, tea, and beer can be purchased. Portions were described as generous, but you should still choose this tour for the islands and the day on the sea, not as a food-focused excursion.

The lunch works best because of its setting. Eating potato salad and grilled fish while the boat moves between Croatian islands is part of the appeal. It also means you can spend the full three hours on Lopud as you wish, instead of using that time to find a meal.

Šipan: olive groves and a slower village stop

Šipan is the second island, with about one hour ashore. Compared with Lopud, it is quieter and less packed with obvious activities. That is both its charm and its limitation.

The island is known for olive groves, vineyards, rolling hills, stone houses, and walking paths through green surroundings. You can take a short walk, look around the village near the pier, stop at a café, or swim in the clear water.

Do not expect to cover the whole island in an hour. This is a brief taste of Šipan, not a full island tour. The short stop suits you if you want a peaceful walk and a look at local Dalmatian life. It may feel thin if you are looking for major sights or a packed program.

A local wine tasting near the dock was singled out as worth considering for people who enjoy wine. It is an optional extra, not a stated part of the cruise price, and the one-hour stop means you will need to keep an eye on the departure time.

The best approach is to keep Šipan simple. Walk a little, take in the stone buildings and planted hillsides, then return to the boat without trying to force too much into the hour.

Koločep: a calm final swim

Koločep is the last island and another one-hour stop. It is presented as the quietest of the three, with greenery, olive trees, coastal paths, traditional stone houses, and small churches.

This is a good place to slow down at the end of the day. You can walk near the harbor, stop at a café, admire the sea, or swim if conditions suit you. One useful tip is to save your swim for Koločep if you prefer an afternoon dip. A sandy beach sits close to the harbor, making it easier to enjoy the water without spending much of your short stop reaching it.

The island is attractive because it does not demand much from you. You do not need a complicated plan. A short waterfront walk and a swim can be enough.

As with Šipan, the one-hour limit is the catch. You will not have time for a long island walk, a distant beach, and a leisurely drink all at once. Choose one main activity, then allow time to return to the pier.

A full day, not just three island stops

The listed island time adds up to about five hours: three on Lopud, one on Šipan, and one on Koločep. The rest of the day is spent boarding, sailing between islands, eating, and enjoying the boat.

That makes the cruise feel more relaxed than a tightly packed sightseeing trip. You have time to sit, talk, watch the coastline, and order or collect a drink. Several people liked the easy rhythm, particularly after spending a day in Dubrovnik’s Old Town.

But you should take the word full-day seriously. A morning departure can mean you do not return until late afternoon or around 5:30 p.m., depending on the schedule. If you have evening dinner reservations, a flight, or another fixed activity, leave a generous buffer.

Weather can also change the route. The cruise requires good weather, and poor conditions can lead to a different date or a full refund. On one outing, weather prevented a planned island stop, though the day remained enjoyable. The Adriatic is beautiful, but boat plans are never entirely separate from wind and sea conditions.

Pickup, seating, and what to pack

Hotel pickup and drop-off can make this a much easier day, especially if you plan to enjoy wine or other drinks. Pickup is offered only within Dubrovnik city, and you need to provide your exact accommodation address or hotel name so the best pickup point can be arranged.

Be ready at the stated time. The driver will wait no longer than two minutes after the scheduled pickup time and place. If you are staying outside the city area, pickup is not included, and you will need to reach the meeting point yourself.

I would pack:

• Swimsuit
• Towel
• Sun protection
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Some cash for beach chairs, umbrellas, golf-cart taxis, cafés, or optional drinks
• Your own snorkeling equipment if you want to snorkel

Snorkeling gear is not supplied. Swimming is a more realistic priority for most people, since the island stops are short and carrying extra equipment on a busy boat can be awkward.

The boat has an air-conditioned lower salon and an open upper deck. Seating can feel tight during peak season, although the boat is designed to seat the full group. Arriving early gives you a better chance of settling where you want.

Is the $48.39 price good value?

At $48.39 per person, this is strong value for a full day if you want transport between islands, lunch, drinks listed in the inclusions, and the convenience of one organized boat trip.

You would otherwise need to arrange separate transport, decide where to eat, and coordinate ferry schedules. The tour also removes the worry of getting back to Dubrovnik after a day involving wine. Hotel pickup adds another useful layer if your accommodation is within the covered area.

The value is strongest for you if:

• You want a beach and swimming day
• You like sitting on a boat between stops
• You want three islands in one outing
• You prefer an organized schedule to working out ferry connections
• You want lunch included
• You are happy with a shared group boat

The value is weaker if you want detailed guided sightseeing, a private boat, long walks on every island, or a small group. The crew provides information and assistance, but this is mainly a scenic cruise with free time, not a lecture-heavy guided tour.

The schedule also affects the price calculation. Lopud offers enough to fill three hours, but Šipan and Koločep are brief introductions. If you prefer one substantial destination, a half-day Lopud outing might suit you better. If you want variety and enjoy the journey itself, the three-stop plan makes sense.

The experience has a 4.7 rating from 248 reviews, with 94 percent recommending it. The strongest praise centers on the friendly crew, good value, plentiful refreshments, tasty fish lunch, and the beauty of Lopud and Šunj Beach. The recurring cautions are the long day, crowded peak-season conditions, ordinary lunch for some people, and limited activity on the shorter island stops.

Who should book this cruise?

I would recommend it to couples, families, and first-time visitors who want an easy day away from Dubrovnik. It is especially good after a busy day exploring the Old Town, when you may want sea air and a slower rhythm rather than more monuments.

It also suits you if swimming, beaches, cafés, and scenic boat time sound better than a formal guided tour. The free time lets you choose your own pace, which is useful for mixed groups where one person wants the beach and another prefers a village walk.

I would think twice if steep walks are difficult, if you dislike large shared boats, or if three hours at one island sounds excessive. Lopud rewards planning, but the route to Šunj Beach can involve walking uphill, and the attractions beyond the village may not all be in perfect condition.

Book at least a day ahead if your dates are fixed. The tour is often booked around 22 days in advance, and peak-season boats can be busy. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure, with a full refund. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted, except when poor weather causes the operator to cancel.

Should you book the Premium Three Island Cruise?

Book it if you want a good-value island day with lunch, refreshments, three different settings, and no ferry-planning headache. Make Lopud your main event, bring swim gear and a towel, and treat Šipan and Koločep as short scenic pauses rather than major sightseeing stops.

Skip it if you want a private, quiet sailing trip or a detailed history tour. For most people seeking an affordable break from Dubrovnik, though, this cruise offers a pleasant mix of beaches, small villages, Adriatic views, and time to simply sit back.

FAQ

How long does the cruise last?

The experience lasts approximately eight hours, including sailing time, island stops, lunch, and the return to Dubrovnik.

Which islands does the cruise visit?

The cruise visits Lopud, Šipan, and Koločep in the Elaphiti Islands.

How long do you stay on each island?

The planned stops are about three hours on Lopud, one hour on Šipan, and one hour on Koločep.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch is freshly prepared on board, with a choice of grilled hake, grilled chicken fillet, or grilled seasonal vegetables. Each option comes with potato salad and bread.

Are drinks included?

Bottled still water and assorted soft drinks such as lemonade and juices are included. Wine is listed as included with the tour. Coffee, tea, beer, and other extra drinks are available to purchase on board.

Is hotel pickup available?

Pickup and drop-off are available if you select that option, but only within the Dubrovnik city area. You need to provide your accommodation address or hotel name.

Do I need to bring a towel or snorkeling equipment?

Yes. Towels and snorkeling equipment are not included, so bring your own if you plan to swim or snorkel.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The experience requires good weather. If the operator cancels because of poor conditions, you will be offered another date or a full refund.