Katarina Line offered its first small-ship cruise of the Croatian coast in the early ’90s, and as the company celebrates 25 years, its marketing director Daniel Hauptfeld reflects on its success.
“We are clearly market leaders in Croatia for small-ship cruises, but it didn’t come easy,” he says. “Together with our captains, we have set our standards for different ship types, helped develop new categories of ships, and helped build new and modern ships, while still keeping the traditional Croatian originality.”
Today, Katarina Line uses 52 ships for its itineraries, and it offers an ever-expanding catalogue of land and sea packages. Its seven-night Southern Explorer cruise is its most popular itinerary.
“[It] covers all the must-sees for someone traveling to Croatia for the first time—Split, Hvar, Korcula and Dubrovnik are the highlights … but in the seven nights we also visit Makarska, a famous beach riviera; Trstenik on the Peljesac Peninsula, famous for wine; and the National Park Mljet.”
Another frequently requested option is the nine-day Croatian Rhapsody land tour. The itinerary starts in Zadar and finishes in Dubrovnik, and it combines the country’s natural beauty of the UNESCO-listed Plitvice Lakes with gastronomic experiences, including truffle tasting in Istria and fresh oysters in Ston.
For 2018, the company is adding a new one-way cruise between Opatija to Dubrovnik as part of its guaranteed departures. The cruise will visit Rab Island, Zadar, Split, Korcula and the estuaries of the Krka and Neretva rivers, and it will be offered on Katarina Line’s newest and most luxurious vessels, which make up its Deluxe Superior ship designation.
“Everyone is welcome in Croatia, and you can feel it on every corner,” says Hauptfeld. “Croatia’s nature is still untouched, and the whole coastline and our islands seem like a national park. Still, the people make the country.”
For more information about Katarina Line, contact Katica Hauptfeld or go to katarina-line.com.
Top photo by Katarina Line
