Ask Away: Book in advance for smoother sailing on Croatia's Dalmatian Coast

Booking a cruise in advance will allow you to enjoy beautiful ports, such as those in Croatia. Photo / Getty Images

Eli Orzessek finds the answers to your travel questions.

In August/September my husband and I are travelling to Europe and would like to incorporate a week's sail down the Croatian coast — probably Split to Dubrovnik. We would like to book on a boat that carries 20-40 passengers and I have heard will be geared to the appropriate age group. (We are young 60s). A friend who has done this suggested that the smartest option is to just turn up and walk the marina and select which boat looks/feels 'right' for us. Being a couple of decades older than him makes me a bit nervous about this option, but I understand his suggestion. Try before you buy so to speak. Are there any readers with knowledge and suggestions? Can you advise?
Julia

If you feel nervous about not booking in advance, I think it's good to trust your instincts.

Sometimes it's good to make a spur of the moment decision, but sometimes it can end up being stressful. I'm always a fan of doing thorough research before I get to a place and I like to have things mostly sorted before I leave. August in Croatia can be quite busy, while September is less so — if it does turn out to be a busy time, it might affect you getting on the boat of your choice.

I've asked my contact at Flight Centre for some suggestions on how to handle this one and they had this advice.

"Arriving in Split's port only to hope for the best can be more expensive, stressful and lead to unpredictable circumstances. Booking in advance is definitely the way to go so you can lock in and guarantee the type of experience you're after. You'll arrive having peace of mind and no added unnecessary stress, as you'll know what to expect in terms of price and experience.

"A great place to start is by chatting with your local travel expert so they can help you find the right options. They will be able create an itinerary tailored to your needs, budget, age group and the type of experience you want.

"For a high-end, relaxing and culturally immersive sailing experience, Sail Croatia's Elegance Cruise could be a great option. You'll be on a luxury small ship for a week from Split to Dubrovnik stopping at eight destinations, to explore some of the best natural, cultural and historic sights the country has to offer."

That sounds pretty good to me — but if any other readers would like to send through suggestions, I'll pass them on to Julia and print a selection.

Email your questions to askaway@nzherald.co.nz

Eli cannot answer all questions and can't correspond with readers.