50 Shades of Blue

The best part of 50 Shades of Blue is the mix of three very different swimming stops and small island villages in one private day. You get the bright water of Krknjaši Bay, the quiet feel of Šolta, and a boat crew that can adjust the pace for your group.

I like the clean, safe boats and the freedom of a private charter. I also like the practical touches: snorkeling gear, port pickup, fuel, and a skipper who can help shape the day. The main drawback is cost. At $783.63 for up to seven people, it makes most sense for a full group, not a couple traveling alone.

Key points to know

• Blue Lagoon first: Spend nearly two hours swimming and snorkeling around the islets at Krknjaši Bay.
• Šolta without rushing: Maslinica and Stomorska offer two different village stops, with time for a meal and a little wandering.
• Shipwreck snorkeling: Nečujam provides the day’s most unusual water stop, snorkeling over a sunken ship.
• Private boat flexibility: Only your group joins, and skippers such as Toma, Marco, and Blaž have adjusted timing and pickup plans for past groups.
• Lunch costs extra: The restaurant stop is part of the schedule, but your meal is not included in the tour price.
• Best value for groups: Seven people sharing the boat brings the per-person cost down to about $112.

A private day from Trogir or Split

This is a nine-hour speedboat outing built around water, sun, and a relaxed tour of Šolta. You can arrange pickup around the Trogir Riviera or Split Riviera, and the published meeting point is at Matejuška, Trumbićeva obala 3, in Split.

The schedule lists an 8:30 a.m. departure from Split and a 9 a.m. departure from Trogir. Since the meeting information also gives a 9 a.m. start time, confirm your exact pickup time when booking. That small check matters, especially if you are staying outside central Split or Trogir.

The boat is private, so you are not sharing the day with a busload of strangers. That gives you more room to set the mood. Families can keep children engaged with swimming and snorkeling, while couples or friends can spend more time floating, eating, or taking photos.

The crew named in past bookings includes Toma, Marco, and Blaž, while Toni has handled booking help and special pickup arrangements. Your own skipper may differ, but the company’s service is clearly built around a personal charter rather than a fixed, one-size-fits-all cruise.

Trogir coffee and ice cream, a short start

If you leave from Trogir, the day begins with a brief stop in the historic city from 9 to 9:30 a.m. This is not a guided sightseeing tour. Think of it as time for coffee, ice cream, and a quick look around before the boat heads out.

That short pause is useful if you have not yet found your bearings in Trogir, but do not expect enough time for the cathedral, fortress, or a full walk through the old town. If you are already staying in Trogir, you may prefer to explore the city separately and treat this stop as a simple meeting point.

Those leaving from Split generally head straight from Matejuška toward the islands. That option gives you a little more time on the water and avoids adding a separate transfer to Trogir.

Krknjaši Bay and the Blue Lagoon

The first major stop is the Blue Lagoon, also called Krknjaši Bay, from about 10 to 11:45 a.m. The boat makes a small tour around the nearby islets before stopping for swimming and snorkeling.

This is the part of the day built for pure water time. You can use the provided snorkeling equipment, swim from the boat, and take in the famous shades of blue that give the excursion its name. The long stop is a real advantage. You are not being pushed back aboard after a quick photo break.

The Blue Lagoon can be one of the busier places on the Dalmatian coast, particularly in the middle of the day. A private boat gives you some control over where you stop, but it cannot make the popular bay empty. If your priority is solitude, set your expectations carefully. The value here is easy access, clear-looking water, and plenty of time to swim, not complete isolation.

Bring a towel, sun protection, and a dry bag for phones and wallets. The boat includes safety equipment and snorkeling gear, but the provided details do not list beach towels, food, or drinks.

Maslinica, a small village pause

Around noon, the boat reaches Maslinica on Šolta for roughly an hour. This is a useful change of pace after the first swim. Instead of staying on the boat, you get time to explore the village and relax.

Maslinica is known for its harbor setting and compact feel. The tour description does not promise a formal village tour, so you should treat the stop as free time rather than a history lesson. Walk along the waterfront, take photos, or find a quiet place to sit before the next ride.

An hour is enough for a pleasant break, though it is not enough to see every corner of the island. That limited time is part of the tradeoff in an island-hopping day. You see several places, but none receives the attention it would get on a dedicated Šolta trip.

Stomorska and the included time for lunch

The boat reaches Stomorska at about 1:30 p.m. and stays until 3:30 p.m. This is the longest village stop, and it is set aside for lunch at a family restaurant.

The restaurant is not included in the tour price, so plan to pay for your own meal. That is worth remembering when comparing the total cost with other boat trips. The charter covers the boat, skipper, fuel, insurance, safety equipment, snorkeling equipment, taxes, and port pickup and drop-off, but not what you order at the table.

Stomorska is a good place for a proper pause. You are not trying to eat a packed lunch while the boat bobs in the harbor. Past bookings have included a reserved table in a beautiful cove, but you should confirm restaurant arrangements and menu details before departure if food is important to your plans.

The two-hour stop also helps the day feel less frantic. You have time to eat, talk, and enjoy the waterfront. Still, the stop is tied to the tour schedule, so a long, leisurely Croatian lunch may need to be shortened to keep the boat moving.

Nečujam and the sunken ship

The last water stop is Nečujam, from approximately 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. Here you snorkel over a shipwreck.

This is a more memorable idea than simply adding another generic swim stop. The wreck gives you something to look for beneath the surface and can make the final hour in the water especially appealing to older children and teenagers. It also gives the day a different texture after the open-water swimming at Krknjaši Bay.

The details provided do not identify the ship, give its depth, or promise a particular level of underwater visibility. Conditions can affect what you see. Still, the stop adds variety and gives you a final chance to use the included snorkeling equipment before the return ride.

The boat, skipper, and private-tour feel

The charter includes a professional skipper, fuel, safety gear, insurance, and snorkeling equipment. Past arrangements used a Joker Clubman 24, described as clean and well maintained, though the exact boat for your booking is not guaranteed in the supplied details.

The strongest part of a private charter is not luxury for its own sake. It is the ability to speak directly with the skipper. Toma has been praised for friendly service, good English, and adapting the timetable. Marco has handled island-hopping days for families with adults, teenagers, and children. Blaž has taken groups to scenic swimming places while respecting their privacy.

That flexibility has limits. The skipper must work with weather, sea conditions, the boat’s safety rules, and the planned return time. You can ask about adjusting the order of stops, but the final decision belongs to the crew.

The boat may not provide much private changing space. If you plan to swim several times, wear your swimsuit under your clothes and bring a cover-up. This is a small but useful tip, especially for larger groups.

What the $783.63 price really buys

The listed price is $783.63 per group of up to seven people. With seven aboard, the cost works out to about $112 per person before lunch. For four people, it is about $196 each. For two, it becomes roughly $392 each, making the charter much harder to justify unless privacy and flexibility are your main goals.

The price includes:

• Private use of the boat
• Professional skipper
• Fuel
• Safety equipment
• Snorkeling equipment
• Insurance
• Local taxes
• Pickup and drop-off at the port

Lunch is extra, and any special pickup requiring additional fuel may also cost more. One past arrangement included a small extra fuel charge for pickup at the Le Meridien Hotel in Podstrana rather than requiring the group to reach Split. Confirm any nonstandard pickup before paying.

For a family or group of friends, the value is solid because one boat, skipper, and full day are shared among several people. You also avoid booking separate taxis between coastal towns and the marina. For a couple, compare the price with a shared boat trip before deciding.

Who will enjoy this day most

I would choose this tour for a family with confident swimmers, a group of friends, or a couple willing to pay for a private boat. The schedule gives children and teens several reasons to stay interested: a speedboat ride, swimming, snorkeling, villages, lunch, and a wreck site.

It also suits people who want a full day outside without planning each ferry, restaurant, and transfer themselves. The crew handles the route, fuel, and boat operation, while you focus on the water and islands.

This is less suitable if you dislike boats, want a serious historical tour, or need long visits in each village. The Trogir stop is only 30 minutes, Maslinica gets one hour, and the experience is centered on the sea rather than museums or detailed cultural explanation.

Most participants can take part, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Service animals are allowed, and the meeting point is near public transportation. The tour is private, but the available details do not specify the boat’s exact accessibility features, so ask before booking if you have mobility concerns.

Practical planning for a smoother day

Start with the pickup question. The tour can be arranged from Trogir Riviera, Split Riviera, and other Central Dalmatian locations on request, but extra fuel may apply. Confirm the exact place and time rather than relying only on the general 9 a.m. start.

Pack light. A swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, dry clothing, and a waterproof phone pouch will cover most needs. Since the boat may have limited changing room, changing under a cover-up is likely more practical than expecting a full cabin.

Budget separately for lunch in Stomorska. The tour includes time at a family restaurant, not the meal itself. If anyone in your group has food allergies or special dietary needs, ask the operator about the restaurant before departure.

The company offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes inside that window are not accepted for a refund, and the cutoff uses local time.

Should you book 50 Shades of Blue?

Book it if you can fill most of the seven seats and want an easy, private day of swimming, island scenery, and a good meal stop. The combination of Blue Lagoon, Maslinica, Stomorska, and Nečujam gives you more variety than a simple beach transfer.

I would be more cautious as a couple or small group unless the private setting is central to your plans. At that point, the price rises quickly. For a full family group, the clean boat, adaptable skipper, included gear, and port pickup make the cost easier to defend.

Before booking, confirm your pickup location, the exact skipper and boat, any extra fuel charge, and the lunch arrangements. If those details line up, this is a practical way to spend a full Dalmatian day on the water without having to organize the route yourself.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The listed meeting point is Matejuška, Trumbićeva obala 3, 21000 Split, Croatia. Pickup can also be arranged from the Trogir Riviera, Split Riviera, and other Central Dalmatian locations on request.

What time does the tour leave?

The schedule gives an 8:30 a.m. departure from Split and a 9 a.m. departure from Trogir. The meeting information lists a 9 a.m. start time, so confirm the exact time for your pickup.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts about nine hours. The planned return to Split or Trogir is around 5:30 p.m.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your own group participates, with capacity for up to seven people.

Is lunch included?

No. The schedule includes a two-hour lunch stop at a family restaurant in Stomorska, but the cost of lunch is not included.

Is snorkeling equipment provided?

Yes. Snorkeling equipment is included, along with safety gear, fuel, insurance, and the boat ride.

Are children allowed?

Yes, but children must be accompanied by an adult. The tour information says most participants can take part.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience starts for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted.