Slovenia and Adriatic Cruise
onboard M/V Arion
14 days featuring Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania
Included Features
- First class hotels, rooms with private facilities
- Service charges and hotel taxes
- In hotels: breakfast daily and 2 dinners
- Roundtrip airport transfers
- Travel by modern air-conditioned motor-coach
- Professional English speaking Cruise manager/ Tour director
- Luggage handling
- 7 nights cruise aboard M/V Arion in inside cabins Cat. 1; upgrades to categories 2 - 6 are available
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily onboard the ship
Itinerary
Day 1, (Mon) arrive in Venice or Ljubljana
Transfer to your hotel in Ljubljana. The rest of the day is free to relax. This evening, meet your fellow travelers for welcome orientation meeting including welcome drink. Overnight in Ljubljana.
Day 2, (Tue) Postojna and Lipica
The day is reserved for the Karst region. Visit Postojna Cave and continue to Predjama medieval castle perched in the middle of a cliff. Drive to Slovenian coast. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Piran. (B,D)
Day 3, (Wed) Piran, Portoroz & Goriska Brda
Morning tour of Piran followed with the visit of Portoroz, popular tourist resort and then continue to Secovlje salt pans. We will turn inland and travel to Nova Gorica. Rest of the day at leisure or you can take a part in an optional tour to the vineyard region of Goriska Brda where you will have the possibility to taste local cuisine and wines. Overnight in Nova Gorica. (B)
Day 4, (Thu) Soca Valley
Morning drive upstream the emerald green Soca river, through Kobarid (mentioned in Hemmingway's Farewell to Arms) and visit of the WWI museum. After the visit you will travel to Bled and end the day in this peaceful town beautifully situated in the Alps. Overnight in Bled. (B)
Day 5, (Fri) Bled
A sightseeing tour of Bled features the charming town with the lakeshore, and imposing Bled Castle, perched on a cliff high above the lake. The rest of the day is at leisure or you can take an optional tour to Skofja Loka - the medieval town with castle that rises above the confluence of the two Sora rivers. Overnight in Bled. (B)
Day 6, (Sat) Bled and Bohinj
Day at leisure in Bled. Possibility to join the optional tour to the other Alpine beauty - lake Bohinj. You will visit the Shepherd's museum and taste the best Slovenian cheese. Return to Bled. Tonight enjoy dinner at local restaurant and overnight in Bled. (B,D)
Day 7, (Sun) Bled to Koper
Breakfast. Morning at leisure. Afternoon transfer to Koper port for embarkation between 4 PM and 10 PM. Late evening departure towards Zadar (overnight sailing). (B,D)
Day 8, (Mon) Zadar
Monday morning arrival in Zadar, the oldest Slavic city on the Adriatic, once famed cultural center. Optional tour to Plitvice National Park with breathtaking scenery of 16 terraced lakes surrounded by thickly wooded mountains and lush vegetation, also listed in UNESCO's World Heritage list. Optional tour of Zadar includes the ruins of the Roman Forum, the Romanesque Cathedral of St. Anastasia, the Church of St. Donat, the Church of St. Mary and Benedictine Convent. Depart Zadar at 8 PM sailing to Ploce. (B,L,D)
Day 9, (Tue) Ploce and Korcula
Morning arrival in Ploce, a large commercial port located
in Central Dalmatia.
Optional tour to Mostar, a famous old city in Bosnia and
Herzegovina where you will see the reconstructed old
bridge built by the occupying Turkish forces some 500
years ago. Depart Ploce at 2:30 PM sailing to Korcula.
Arrive in Korcula, birth place of Marco Polo, on Tuesday
afternoon. You can visit the main square and see the
Cathedral Square and nearby Marco Polo's family house.
In the evening enjoy optional performance of Moreska, the
island's unique version of Morris Dance. Depart Korucla at 11 PM. (B,L,D)
Day 10, (Wed) Kotor
Morning arrival in Kotor, Montenegro. The Bay of Kotor and the old town of Kotor are both on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Bay of Kotor is actually the largest European Fjord outside of Norway. Optional tour to the former capital city of Cetinje or Montenegro's Grand Tour of the Riviera. Leave Kotor towards Albania at 10:30 PM. (B,L,D)
Day 11, (Thu) Durres
Morning arrival in the port of Durres, the most important maritime gate of Albania, also well known for its nice Riviera. Optional tour to Tirana, the country's capital city, only 40 kilometers away. Spend a full day discovering the city, including typical lunch in a local restaurant. At 10:00 start sailing towards Dubrovnik. (B,L,D)
Day 12, (Fri) Dubrovnik
Arrive Dubrovnik in the morning. Entering the gates of this over 1000 years old architectural marvel is like a step back in time. Optional tour: City tour includes the Rector's Palace, Bell Tower clock, Orlando's Column and the Sponza Palace. Also see the Dominican's Monastery and Franciscan Monastery housing one of the oldest pharmacies in the world. Optional Folklore Performance. (B,L,D)
Day 13, (Sat) Split
Morning arrival in Split. Optional tour of Split features the historic inner city, built around the Roman Emperor Diocletian's Palace, a UNESCO world heritage sight. See the remnants of Split's Roman heritage, its Renaissance and Gothic structures, Jupiter's Temple, the Peristyle and the Cathedral. Optional tour to nearby Trogir, the center of artistic activities. Scholars from around the world gather to study and paint here. In the afternoon sail back to Koper. (B,L,D)
Day 14, (Sun) Disembark
Disembark after breakfast (9 AM). Transfer to Venice or Ljubljana airport for your flight home.
| Ports of Call | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Day | Port | Arrival | Departure |
| Sunday | Koper (Slovenia) | 23:00 | |
| Monday | Zadar (Croatia) | 10:00 | 20:00 |
| Tuesday | Ploce (Croatia) | 07:30 | 14:30 |
| Korcula (Croatia) | 18:00 | 23:50 | |
| Wednesday | Kotor (Montenegro) | 08:00 | 22:30 |
| Thursday | Durres (Albania) | 07:00 | 22:00 |
| Friday | Dubrovnik (Croatia) | 08:00 | 23:00 |
| Saturday | Split (Croatia) | 08:00 | 16:00 |
| Sunday | Koper (Slovenia) | 09:00 | |
| Departure dates and prices | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Start date | End date | Per person in twin | Single room supplement |
| Departure dates and prices | |||
| 20 September 2010 | 03 October 2010 | $ 2,995 | $ 1,695 |
| 06 June 2011 | 19 June 2011 | $ 2,725 | $ 1,542 |
| 05 September 2011 | 18 September 2011 | $ 2,725 | $ 1,542 |
| 19 September 2011 | 02 October 2011 | $ 2,725 | $ 1,542 |
Note
- Rates based on category 1 inside cabins
- Port taxes: $78 net per person
- Gratutity: $60 net per person - has to be pre-paid
- Upgrade per person to category 2 outside cabin (port-hole, ocean deck): $210
- Upgrade per person to category 3 outside cabin (port-hole, main deck): $420
- Upgrade per person to category 4 outside cabin (window, upper deck): $660
- Upgrade per person to category 5 outside cabin (window, promendade or navigator deck): $795
- Upgrade per person to category 6 outside cabin (superior window, navigator deck): $960
