As maritime harbours are located at sea level, a climb is to be expected at the start of every trip. However, we are pacing our tours leisurely so that there is no rush even if you push your bicycle uphill. Once you are on top, the route mostly ondulates along the ridge before you are rewarded with a long and often spectacular descent to the next harbour where you meet the ship. Generally we recommend our tours to everyone who has acquired a basic stamina either through using their bike as an everyday vehicle or as a leisure activity, or through other sports.

Our tour guides will inform you beforehand of the nature and difficulty of the tour so you have are able to decide if you want to cycle with or rather relax on board.  

Basically, we have found that only children with a lot of cycling experience and good stamina should take part in these trips. The earliest recommended age is 10, but we would like to ask you in any case to contact us beforehand to discuss the suitability of the trip for your child.

Furthermore, we offer bicycles for rental only for people with a height of 4,5 ft/ 1,40 m or more. On some of our ships  (Linda/Romantica/Adonis/Tarin/Panagiota) there are cabins for three people available, where the third person pays a reduced fee of 50% of the basic fare. The cabins are equipped with a double bed and a single bunk bed above it.  

• Generally, bicycles can be taken along at extra cost, but there are  difficulties with the transfers to and from the ship. Furthermore, the protecting cartons and packaging cannot be stored on the ships due to lack of space.
• Therefore, we highly recommend that you rent one of our bicycles if you choose flying to the trips. In Turkey and Greece, the rental bicycle is already included in the travel price. There is no refund if you do not use your rental bicycle. (more about our rental bikes)

Part of our Croatian fleet has cabins above and below deck (e.g. Adonis/Kapetan Jure/Romantica/Linda). Also the Panagiota in Greece has cabins above and below deck. The other ships in Croatia, Greece and Turkey are of a different build and therefore have all cabins on the same level.

Whether you decide on one or the other is subject to your personal priorities. In general, our guests consider the cabins below deck as the quieter and cooler sleeping places, because in order to make up for the small portholes they can be climatized.

Above deck the cabins can be aired through the doors and of  course their larger windows offer more light in the cabins.  

The meals represent southern european standard, but taking into account the requirements of active cyclists. The ample breakfast comprises bread, butter, jam, cheese, sausage, coffee, and tea as well as some extras.

For lunch, the cook on board will generally prepare a light menu and for dinner you can expect an opulent menu of several courses that often includes fish or seafood as its central dish. Please let us know beforehand if there are any foods you may or will not eat, and we will do our best to accommodate your wishes and to provide alternatives.

Full board has several advantages for you our passengers:

1. You avoid spending your holiday time with ordering, waiting, paying in restaurants, which would be cumbersome with a large group; instead, on board you will be served typical and copious local meals, which are hard to find in restaurants.

2. As the course of the trip depends on weather conditions, we never know beforehand if a suitable restaurant on that particular route can be found or if restaurants are open in the harbours (especially in pre- and after-season). Providing the meals on board leaves us completely independent and flexible. If the participants cannot reach the ship for lunch, we will pay for the pre-ordered lunch elsewhere.

3. The cook on board is sure not to repeat any dishes during your weekly stay.

4. Of course you are free to dine out in any harbour. Please let the cook or the tour guides know if you plan to skip one of the provided meals.

The saloon of the ship is a restaurant, lounge and bar likewise, where you can order cool alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks at any time of the day.  Your orders will be listed and the amount due will be paid directly to the captain on the last evening of the trip, together with the harbour fees.  While the drinks on board are somewhat higher in price than in a supermarket, please understand that the ship is a floating hotel, and therefore, as in every other bar or restaurant, it is not allowed to consume your own drinks on the premises.

• Electricity and water are available on board, of course, but within limits. All ships have a generator for 220V, which will however not work around the clock, e.g. to ensure your night’s rest it will be switched off overnight. The plugs are ordinary flat German plugs with two round pins of 4.8 mm in diameter.

• The water tanks are large enough to provide sufficient cold and warm water for washing and showering for everyone, if it is used with consideration, i.e. if you turn it off while soaping, and do not leave it on unneeded.

• All countries have access to a local GSM 900 mobile telephone network that you can log into if your phone is GSM compatible.  

Many of our guests gladly take the opportunity to sleep under the stars on one of the decks. Please bring your own sleeping bags and mattresses for this, as for hygienic reasons the captain cannot allow mattresses and blankets outside of the cabins.

From a group size of 20 or more we will provide two tourguides  whom you can join for the bicycle tours. One of them will ride at the end of the group in order to provide quick help if there is any breakdown. However, please feel free to spend the day at your own leisure if you prefer to do so. If you would like to take a break for taking photos, for swimming or to enjoy fresh fruit from the trees, you are welcome. Also, if you would like to cycle on your own, we can provide you with maps and tips for routes.

Our bicycle guides carry tools for small repairs (e.g. punctures) and adjustments with them, and there is a comprehensive set of tools and spare parts on board of each ship.

As you will see, there are a lot of people who are looking after your well-being during your trip, be it on board of the ship or on your way across the islands. If you are satisfied with the services rendered, the ship’s crew and the tour guides will appreciate your generous donation as a sign of your contentment. You can either hand out the tips personally or contribute to the collective "tipping hats".

There are different requirements for residents of different countries for entry into our travel countries. Please find out what preliminaries apply for you from your country’s Foreign Ministry. Comprehensive information is generally provided via the internet.

The following link can give you an approximate overview of what to expect in your destination country.

current weather conditions

Evening dress and suit can safely be left at home. You’ll find relaxed leisure dress like t-shirts and shorts and swimming gear sufficient  for all occasions. For the sometimes cool evenings, have a long-sleeved jumper or sweatshirt in your luggage, and a wind- and waterproof jacket may be of use from time to time. Special bicycle gear is not compulsory but may be an advantage for comfortable riding.

As cabin space is limited, we recommend you pack your clothing in a duffle bag rather than a hard-shell suitcase which may be hard to stow. Please take care of your valuables during the trip. One member of the crew will always be on duty on board, but we advise you to leave your valuables at home.

The Croatian Adriatic is spectacular snorkeling ground. You will have many opportunities to use your gear during the trip, so absolutely bring it along.  

If you have more time on your hands and want to make the most of your travel to the country of your choice, we can book additional nights at your boarding harbour before or after your sail-and-bike trip.

Just let us know what we can do for you: info(at)islandhopping.com.