From Split: Islands & Blue Lagoon Cruise with Lunch & Drinks

The best part of this nine-hour cruise is the variety. You get a short taste of historic Trogir, two swimming stops, lunch on board, and long stretches of open water between Split and the islands. It is a full day rather than a quick harbor outing.

I like the friendly crew and the generous drinks service, especially the included water, wine, and homemade iced tea. I also like the easy mix of sightseeing and swimming. The main drawback is that the advertised details do not always match the day on the water: breakfast, the slide, snorkeling equipment, food, and timing can vary.

Key points at a glance

• Trogir gets only one hour: Enough for a quick walk, but not enough for a relaxed visit to every major sight.
• Blue Lagoon is a swimming stop, not a quiet lagoon: Plan for water time, sun, and shared boat activity.
• Nečujam Bay has the sunken Kontessa: You can snorkel around the wreck, though it may feel less impressive than the promotional images suggest.
• Meals and drinks are included: Breakfast is listed as coffee and a croissant, lunch offers fish, meat, or vegetarian choices, and fruit is served later.
• The $91 price buys a full day: Value is strongest if you want transport, food, drinks, and several stops in one booking.
• Bring flexibility: The captain may alter the schedule because of weather, and seating is assigned randomly.

A full day from Split, with three very different stops

This cruise is designed for people who want to see several Dalmatian highlights without arranging separate ferries, taxis, and restaurant stops. You leave Split in the morning and return around 6:30 p.m., with an optional earlier boarding point in Slatine.

The day combines three kinds of Croatian coastal experience. Trogir gives you stone streets and medieval architecture. The Blue Lagoon gives you a long swim. Nečujam Bay on Šolta adds a little underwater exploration around the wreck of Kontessa.

I see the appeal. You do not spend the day sitting in one place, and the food and drinks reduce the usual cost of an all-day boat trip. At the same time, this is a shared excursion with a fixed structure. If you want a private boat, long time in Trogir, or a quiet cove with no activity around you, this is not the right format.

The meeting point is Gat sv. Nikole, berth 6A or 6B, where you should look for the Bura Travel flag. Boarding from Split is scheduled between 9:00 and 9:15. An earlier departure from Slatine is available between 8:00 and 8:30, with return there around 7:00 p.m.

The first sail past Čiovo and the morning snack

The cruise begins with views of the south side of Čiovo, the island joined to Trogir by bridges. One notable sight is Gospe od Prizidinice, described as one of the oldest churches on Čiovo.

The boat serves coffee or tea and croissants during the morning voyage. On paper, this is a light breakfast rather than a full meal, so I would eat something before boarding if you need more than a pastry. One confirmed account of the day found only a croissant and no coffee or tea, so I would treat the hot drink as an inclusion that may not always be available.

That detail matters because the cruise starts early and the first proper meal comes later. You are on the boat for roughly an hour and a quarter before reaching Trogir. The ride gives you time to settle in, but seating is random, so you may not sit with your own group for the whole trip.

The random seating is one of the less polished parts of the setup. If sitting beside your companion is important, be prepared to ask politely about changing seats, though there is no promise that space will allow it.

One hour in UNESCO-listed Trogir

The boat reaches Trogir at about 11:00 and stays until noon. This is enough time to walk into the old center, see the main squares, and get a quick look at the cathedral and fortress area.

Trogir is compact, which helps. You can use the hour for a brisk circuit rather than trying to cover a large city. The Cathedral of St. Lawrence is one possible stop, and climbing its tower can give you a view over the old town and surrounding water. Kamerlengo Fortress is another strong choice if it is open and you can enter without a long wait.

You can also look for the Three of Love and the Kairos relief. These are small details, not major attractions that require a long visit, so they work well within a short walking window.

I would not plan a sit-down coffee, a detailed museum visit, and a full old-town walk in this hour. The timing is simply too tight. One of the most common frustrations with this kind of schedule is that Trogir deserves more time than the cruise allows. Still, the stop works well as an introduction. If you have never been to Trogir, you can see its character and decide if you want to return independently.

Keep an eye on the time. Missing the boat is not a practical problem to test.

Lunch while sailing to the Blue Lagoon

After Trogir, the boat heads toward the Blue Lagoon. Lunch is served during the voyage, which makes good use of the travel time and leaves roughly two hours for swimming once you arrive.

The listed choices are fish, meat, and vegetarian meals, with fruit later in the day. Drinks included throughout the cruise are water, wine, and homemade iced tea. This is a real part of the price calculation. A boat day can become expensive when you add restaurant food, bottled drinks, and snacks at each stop.

Food quality appears less predictable than the advertised menu suggests. One account described a tasty fish risotto, while another found the meal closer to pasta than a clear fish, meat, or vegetarian main course. I would expect a functional group lunch, not a carefully prepared restaurant meal.

You may purchase extra drinks and food on board, but those are not included. If you have strict dietary needs, the vegetarian option is listed, though the available details do not explain how special requests are handled. Bring any essentials you know you need rather than relying on the snack service.

Two hours at the Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon is the main swimming stop, and the cruise allows about two hours there. This is the most appealing part of the day for anyone who wants time in the sea rather than a series of rushed photo stops.

You can swim, sunbathe, and use snorkeling equipment. A waterslide is also advertised, along with WiFi on board. Some equipment requires a €10 safety deposit. The sea stop is long enough to settle into the water instead of climbing out after a quick dip.

I would keep your expectations realistic. This is not necessarily a secluded, untouched cove. The stop is built around shared boat activity, swimming, and onboard entertainment. The name can also create a stronger image than the actual setting. One account felt that the lagoon and the shipwreck were presented in a way that did not match reality.

The boat may anchor some distance from the main attraction, meaning you need to swim rather than simply step onto a beach or dock. That makes the stop less suitable for anyone who is not comfortable in open water. It also means you should take the swimming conditions seriously and use the available equipment carefully.

The waterslide is another point to treat with caution. It is part of the advertised experience, but one account found no slide and only inflatable equipment. If the slide is a major reason you are booking, this cruise may disappoint.

Nečujam Bay and the Kontessa wreck

The final stop is Nečujam Bay on Šolta, where the boat moors near the sunken ship Kontessa. The scheduled time in the bay is about an hour, with snorkeling around the wreck.

This gives the day a different type of swimming stop. Instead of simply floating in clear water, you have an object to look for beneath the surface. The shipwreck is not presented as a major archaeological site, and you should not expect a large underwater attraction. It is a modest snorkeling feature that adds variety to the cruise.

The available equipment may not be complete for everyone. You may need to bring your own mask and snorkel if you have them and want a dependable fit. The boat also may remain far enough from the wreck that you must swim to it.

One account found the wreck underwhelming, so I would rank this as a bonus rather than the reason to book. The bay itself gives you another chance to swim and enjoy Šolta from the water. If you are hoping for a dramatic shipwreck visit with a long guided explanation, this will likely feel too simple.

Before the return trip, liquorice tasting is listed among the inclusions. Fresh fruit, including watermelon, is served later. The fruit is a welcome practical touch after swimming and sun exposure, especially on a long day when lunch may have been light.

Food, drinks, snorkeling, and the real value of $91

At $91 per person, this cruise sits above the cheapest boat outings but includes more than just transport. You are paying for a full day on the water, breakfast, lunch, fruit, water, wine, iced tea, the listed activities, and the convenience of visiting three places without arranging connections yourself.

The value is strongest when you use the inclusions. If you drink the supplied water and iced tea, eat lunch on board, snorkel, and enjoy both swimming stops, the price can make sense. It is also useful for people who want a ready-made day rather than comparing ferry times and finding meals in three separate locations.

The value is weaker if you mainly want Trogir. You receive only one hour there, and the rest of the day is built around swimming. It is also weaker if you expect premium food, guaranteed equipment, or a fully reliable waterslide.

The same applies to the schedule. The planned return to Split is around 6:30 p.m., but the day can change because of weather or the captain’s decision. One account described the cruise ending about an hour early, while another found that the schedule did not always hold closely. Do not book this on a day when you need a precise evening connection.

The score of the experience depends heavily on what you want from a boat tour. The crew is often described as friendly, polite, and helpful, and the drinks service is one of the stronger parts. The weak spots are organization, food consistency, equipment availability, and the gap between promotional images and the actual stops.

Who will enjoy this cruise most

I would choose this trip for you if you want a social, all-day boat outing with swimming, basic sightseeing, and included meals. It suits couples, friends, and families who are comfortable in the water and do not mind a shared seating arrangement.

It also works for a first visit to the area. You get a quick look at Trogir and Šolta while spending much of the day outside Split. The crew’s friendly approach can make the long schedule pleasant, especially when drinks are available throughout the day.

I would be more cautious if you have limited mobility or cannot swim comfortably. The boat may stop away from the sights, and reaching the water attractions can require swimming. The supplied details do not describe a ramp, beach transfer, or other easy-access arrangement.

I would also skip it if you want a slow cultural tour. Trogir receives too little time for that, and the rest of the day centers on sun and water. A separate Trogir visit would be better for architecture, churches, and the old town.

Pack swimwear, a towel, sun protection, and anything you need for time in the water. A personal snorkeling mask may be useful, since equipment is not guaranteed to be complete for everyone. Keep valuables secure, and remember that the €10 safety deposit for snorkeling gear is not part of the headline price.

Should you book this island cruise?

Book it if you want the convenience of three coastal stops in one day, with lunch, drinks, and plenty of swimming included. The friendly crew, fruit service, and long Blue Lagoon stop help make it a pleasant day at sea.

Book a different option if your priorities are reliable timing, polished meals, guaranteed equipment, or a serious visit to Trogir and the Kontessa wreck. At $91, this is a reasonable all-in-one boat day, but it is not a premium, tightly managed sightseeing cruise.

My practical advice is simple: choose it for the overall day, not for one promised feature. The best memories are likely to come from the sailing, swimming, scenery, and easy social atmosphere. The biggest disappointments come when you expect the waterslide, menu, snorkeling setup, or schedule to be exactly as described.

FAQ

Where does the cruise depart from in Split?

It departs from Gat sv. Nikole, berth 6A or 6B. Look for the Bura Travel flag.

What time does boarding begin in Split?

Boarding in Split is scheduled between 9:00 and 9:15. An earlier boarding option in Slatine is listed between 8:00 and 8:30.

How long is the cruise?

The planned duration is nine hours. The scheduled return is around 6:30 p.m. to Split and around 7:00 p.m. to Slatine.

Is Trogir included?

Yes. The cruise reaches Trogir at about 11:00 and allows about one hour for sightseeing before departing around noon.

How long do you stay at the Blue Lagoon?

The planned swimming and sunbathing stop at the Blue Lagoon lasts about two hours, from roughly 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch is included, with listed fish, meat, and vegetarian choices. Fruit is also served later in the day.

Which drinks are included?

Water, wine, and homemade iced tea are included during the day. Additional food and drinks offered on board cost extra.

Is snorkeling equipment included?

Snorkeling equipment is offered, but a €10 safety deposit is required. Equipment availability may vary, and the supplied information does not guarantee a complete set for every person.

Can the schedule change?

Yes. The captain may change the route or timing because of weather or other conditions. Seating is also assigned randomly.