Split: Blue Lagoon, 3Islands, Boat Trip, Mediterranean lunch

The best part of this full-day island cruise is the mix of stops. You swim in the Blue Lagoon, eat grilled Dalmatian food on Čiovo, and snorkel around a sunken pirate ship near Šolta. It is a busy day on the water, but each stop offers something different.

I like the included lunch, with a choice of grilled fish, vegetables, or meat, and I like the boat’s practical swimming setup, including a waterslide, shaded places, and a hydraulic ramp for jumping into the sea. The main drawback is the long day and fixed schedule. If you want a quiet beach morning or lots of time on one island, this cruise may feel rushed.

• Čiovo comes first, with two hours for lunch, swimming, snorkeling, and beach time at Borko.
• The Blue Lagoon offers the clearest water, plus a waterslide and plenty of time for swimming.
• Šolta finishes the outing with a shipwreck snorkel near Nečujam Bay.
• Lunch is included, with grilled fish, grilled vegetables, or grilled meat in Dalmatian style.
• Water and juice are unlimited, while alcoholic drinks are extra.
• The boat has shade, a sundeck, and a hydraulic jump ramp, useful on a long summer outing.

A Three-Island Day From Split

This cruise is designed for people who want a lot from one day. From Split, you travel by boat to Čiovo, Drvenik, and Šolta, with swimming, food, sightseeing, and snorkeling built into the route.

The cruise uses a comfortable ex-military vessel. That detail matters. You are not booking a small speedboat that skims from place to place. You are spending much of the day on a larger boat with shaded seating, a sundeck, and room for a waterslide and jump ramp.

The supplied schedule describes about eight hours, while the tour description calls it a nine-hour outing. The listed stops and cruising periods add up to roughly eight hours and twenty minutes, so allow most of your day for it. Check the current departure time when booking, and do not plan a tight activity immediately after your return.

The English-speaking host or greeter helps keep the day straightforward. Specific guide names are not provided, so you should expect an English-language crew rather than a named historical guide. This is mainly a swimming and food cruise, not a formal sightseeing tour with long commentary.

Finding the Boat on Split’s Riva

You meet at Obala Hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 55, on the Riva promenade. Look for boat excursions stand number 7, opposite Caffe Bar Biberon.

This is a useful meeting point in central Split, but the waterfront can be busy with boats and day tours. Give yourself enough time to find the correct stand. The cruise returns to this same location, so you will not need a separate ride back to your hotel.

The first 75 minutes are spent cruising. I like this opening stretch because it gives you time to settle in, find a shaded seat, and watch Split recede behind you. It also means the first part of the day is not a rushed swim stop. Bring sunscreen and water-ready clothing from the start, since the boat day begins as soon as you leave the Riva.

Čiovo: Lunch Beside the Beach

The first stop is at Borko beach bar on Čiovo. You get about two hours here, which is the longest single stop of the day.

The setting is simple and appealing: a cove, a beach, and a restaurant close to the shore. You can swim first, then sit down for lunch, or eat early and spend the rest of the stop in the water. The short walk from the restaurant to the beach makes this easier than a stop where lunch is far from the swimming area.

Lunch is prepared in a traditional Dalmatian style and includes a choice of:

• Grilled fish
• Grilled vegetables
• Grilled meat

This is one of the tour’s strongest practical features. At $68 per person, a full meal is already part of the price, along with the boat ride and activities. You are not left to search for food during a short island stop, and you can try a straightforward regional meal rather than relying only on snacks.

The wording says extra lunch is not included, so treat the provided meal as the included portion. Alcoholic drinks are also not included. Water and juice are unlimited on board, which helps keep the day’s extra costs under control.

Čiovo is also the place for a more relaxed swim. The two-hour stop gives you time to eat without losing the entire beach visit. Still, the stop combines several activities, so you should not expect a long, empty stretch of sand just for yourself. This is a shared cruise stop with a set departure time.

Cruising Toward the Blue Lagoon

After Čiovo, the boat makes another sightseeing cruise of about 30 minutes. This is a short transfer, but it gives you a chance to dry off, grab more water, and move between the shaded seating and sundeck.

The route takes you toward Drvenik and the famous Blue Lagoon area. The point of this part of the trip is less about a narrated tour and more about the changing sea views. Keep your camera ready, but protect it from spray when the boat is moving.

The Blue Lagoon for Swimming and the Waterslide

The Blue Lagoon is the visual centerpiece of the trip. Its clear turquoise water is ideal for swimming, photos, and watching marine life below the surface.

You get about 90 minutes here. That is enough time for a proper swim and some snorkeling, though it will pass quickly if you want to use every feature on the boat. The waterslide adds a playful touch, especially for families and groups of friends. The hydraulic ramp also lets you jump directly from the boat into the sea.

These features make the cruise more than a transport service between islands. You can choose your own level of activity. Swim from the beach at Čiovo, use the slide at the Blue Lagoon, or stay on the deck and enjoy the view.

There is a tradeoff. The Blue Lagoon is one of the best-known swimming stops near Split, so it is not a private patch of coast. The water may be the main attraction, but the setting is shared with other boats and day groups. Go for the color and the easy access to swimming, not for solitude.

The boat provides shade and sundeck positions. On a long summer day, that choice is important. You can cool off in the water, sit in the sun to dry, or retreat under cover when the heat becomes too much. I would still bring sunscreen, a hat, and a towel because included shade does not replace personal sun protection.

Šolta and the Sunken Pirate Ship

After about 25 minutes of cruising, the final major stop is Šolta. The boat visits Nečujam Bay for around one hour.

This stop has a different character from the Blue Lagoon. Instead of focusing mainly on bright water and a waterslide, you get a short visit, a walk, views of the bay, and snorkeling around a sunken pirate ship. The wreck gives the water activity a clear purpose. You are not only swimming in open water, you are looking for an underwater object surrounded by marine life.

The word pirate ship gives the stop a little theater, but keep your expectations sensible. The supplied details do not describe the wreck’s size, depth, or exact condition. What you can count on is the chance to snorkel around a submerged vessel and see aquatic life in the area.

One hour is enough for a quick snorkel and a look around Nečujam Bay. It is not enough for a slow island exploration. If you care more about the shipwreck than the beach stops, plan to enter the water promptly and have your mask and swimwear ready.

The final cruise back to Split lasts about 100 minutes. That is the longest return sailing of the day. It can be a pleasant time to rest after swimming, but it may feel long if you are tired, wet, or sitting in full sun. Choose your seat with the return journey in mind, not only the first hour of the trip.

What the $68 Price Really Covers

At $68, the value depends on how much of the included package you would use separately. You get transportation by boat, three island-area stops, lunch, unlimited water and juice, snorkeling around the wreck, a waterslide, and access to the boat’s jump ramp.

The included meal is especially useful. Food near popular coastal stops can add up, and you avoid spending one of your short stops looking for a restaurant. The choice between fish, vegetables, and meat also makes the lunch more practical for mixed groups.

The tour is less valuable if you do not enjoy swimming. Much of the day is built around the sea. Čiovo offers beach time, the Blue Lagoon centers on swimming and snorkeling, and Šolta includes the shipwreck activity. The cruise itself is scenic, but it is not meant to replace a detailed visit to each island.

I also like the unlimited juice and water. Alcohol is not included, so budget separately if you want alcoholic drinks. There is no hotel pickup or drop-off, but the central Riva meeting point makes that less of a concern if you are staying in Split’s center.

Who Will Enjoy This Cruise Most

I would recommend this outing to families, friends, and first-time visitors who want a simple way to see several coastal spots without arranging separate ferries or restaurants.

It works particularly well for you if you want:

• Several opportunities to swim in one day
• A meal included in the tour price
• Playful boat features such as a slide and jump ramp
• A short snorkeling experience with a clear point of interest
• A full day on the water rather than a land-based island tour

It may not suit you if you prefer small boats, quiet coves, long walks, or flexible timing. The schedule is fixed, and the day involves several boat transfers. You also need to be comfortable with a full day exposed to sun, sea spray, and changing weather.

The tour is listed as wheelchair accessible. That is useful, but the supplied details do not explain how boarding, the beach, the restaurant, or water activities are handled. If you need specific assistance, confirm those arrangements before booking.

What to Bring for an Easier Day

Pack swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, snacks, and beachwear. Snacks are worth carrying even with lunch included, since the day is long and the meal comes at a set stop rather than whenever you feel hungry.

A dry bag or waterproof phone case would be sensible for a boat day, though these items are not listed as included. Keep your essentials close when moving between the deck, water, and beach.

Wear something that dries quickly. You will likely swim at more than one stop, and the final 100-minute cruise back to Split is easier when you are not sitting in heavy, wet clothing.

The tour needs good weather. If poor weather cancels the outing, you can receive a different date or a full refund. That policy is reassuring for a sea-based activity, but it also means you should keep some flexibility in your schedule.

My Verdict on St. Damian Boat Tours

I like the way this cruise combines the main ingredients of a Dalmatian summer day: bright water, grilled food, island scenery, and plenty of chances to get wet. The crew’s friendly and helpful approach is an important part of the experience, especially when a group is moving between lunch, snorkeling, and boat activities.

The best moments should be the meal beside the beach on Čiovo, the clear water and slide at the Blue Lagoon, and the unusual shipwreck stop at Nečujam Bay. Together, they give the day more variety than a simple beach transfer.

The weak point is the pace. You visit three island areas, but you do not get long, independent time on any one island. The return sailing is also lengthy, and the popular Blue Lagoon may not feel secluded.

Book this cruise if you want an active, good-value day from Split with lunch and water activities already arranged. Choose another type of excursion if your priority is peace, serious snorkeling, or a slow island visit. For families and friend groups, the slide, jump ramp, meal choices, and easy meeting point make this a practical pick.

FAQ

Where does the cruise start?

It starts on the Riva promenade at Obala Hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 55, at boat excursions stand number 7, opposite Caffe Bar Biberon.

Where does the cruise finish?

The boat returns to the same meeting point on Split’s Riva promenade.

How long is the activity?

The activity is listed as eight hours, while the tour description calls it a nine-hour cruise. The stated schedule totals roughly eight hours and twenty minutes, so plan to spend most of the day on the water.

Which islands and locations does the cruise visit?

The route includes Čiovo, the Blue Lagoon near Drvenik Island, and Šolta, including Nečujam Bay.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch includes grilled fish, grilled vegetables, or grilled meat prepared in traditional Dalmatian style. Extra lunch is not included.

Are drinks included?

Unlimited water and juice are available on board. Alcoholic beverages are not included.

Is snorkeling included?

Yes. Snorkeling around a sunken pirate ship is included, along with swimming and marine life viewing at the Blue Lagoon.

What should I bring?

Bring swimwear, a towel, snacks, sunscreen, and beachwear.

What happens if bad weather cancels the cruise?

If poor weather causes cancellation, you can choose another date or receive a full refund. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund.