Dubrovnik Islands Boat Tour with Lunch and Unlimited Drinks

A full day on a small boat beats Dubrovnik crowds. This Elafiti Islands cruise gives you an easygoing ride from Gruž Harbor with unlimited drinks and freshly grilled lunch served on board. I like that you get real time on three islands, not just quick stops, plus the crew keeps the mood relaxed with music and clear guidance. The one thing to watch is that the day depends on weather, so plan a little flexibility.

You’ll spend about 8 hours cruising, eating, and hopping between islands like Koločep, Lopud, and Šipan, with short talks from the captain as you arrive. My main value take is simple: when you add up lunch plus drinks plus boat time, the price feels fair, especially for a day that otherwise takes effort to piece together. Still, if you’re expecting big entertainment on the islands, you should set your expectations for slow travel, beaches, gardens, and wandering.

Key things to know before you go

• A lunch-and-drinks setup that feels like a seaside picnic with wine, grappa, soft drinks, and water.
• Three islands in one day: Koločep, Lopud, and Šipan, each with its own pace and sights.
• You order your meal in advance, with fish (grilled hake), meat (chicken breasts), or vegetarian (grilled vegetables).
• Bring your own snorkeling gear if you want to swim and explore the pebble beaches.
• Smaller-group feel with a maximum of 60 people and a boat that stays comfortable.

From Dubrovnik pickup to Gruž Harbor: the boat trip rhythm

This tour is built for an unhurried day. You start with a morning pickup from your Dubrovnik hotel, then head to Gruž Harbor to board. The start time is 9:00 am, and the whole outing runs about 8 hours before you’re transferred back.

Once you’re on board, the setup is straightforward and practical. You get tables with benches, sun shade, a toilet, and speakers for music. There’s also a kitchen and grill, which matters because lunch is not just packaged food. It’s cooked fresh during the day, and you can watch the chef working.

The boat size and max group limit also help. With up to 60 people, it’s not a cattle-car day. You can usually find a seat, grab food and drinks without lining up for ages, and still have room to move when you want to be on the deck.

For me, the best part of the “boat rhythm” is that you’re not stuck doing constant transitions on land. You travel by water between islands, then you get breaks to stretch, swim, and explore.

Price and value: $72.59 with lunch and unlimited drinks

At $72.59 per person, this isn’t a cheap add-on. But it’s also not trying to be. The value comes from what you don’t have to buy or plan.

Your ticket includes:

• Lunch cooked on board (fish, meat, or vegetarian)
• Unlimited red and white wine
• Unlimited grappa, plus soft drinks and water
• Taxes, fees, and handling charges

That’s the real math. In Dubrovnik, if you try to recreate this day on your own, you’ll spend on boat transport, then still need food and drinks. Here, those costs are bundled.

Two practical value notes:

1. You’ll want to eat when the lunch service happens, not after you’ve been busy swimming and wandering. Plan your timing so you don’t arrive starving.
2. If you don’t drink alcohol, you still get soft drinks and water, so you’re not paying only for wine and grappa.

The one price-related caution is that entrance fees to monuments are not included. So if your island wandering turns into museum mode, you may pay extra.

The all-day lunch: grilled hake, chicken, or vegetarian salads

Lunch is one of the main reasons this tour works so well. You choose your option in advance, and the crew serves it on board while you enjoy the cruise.

Your lunch choices:

• Fish meal: grilled hake with three seasonal salads
• Meat meal: grilled chicken breasts with three seasonal salads
• Vegetarian option: grilled vegetables with three salads

Because the food is freshly made and grilled during the tour, it feels like a planned meal, not a token snack. If you’re doing a full day and want energy for walking and swimming, this hits the mark.

What I like most is the pacing. You’re not waiting until late afternoon to eat. Lunch comes while you’re still in “vacation mode,” and the unlimited drinks make it feel like a long, easy break rather than a quick stop.

Food tip from a practical angle: if you have dietary restrictions or allergies, you should advise the operator when booking. The info explicitly asks for that.

Unlimited drinks without the stress: how the day stays easy

This is a drinks-included cruise, but the goal seems more about comfort than party pressure. You can help yourself to:

• Unlimited red or white wine
• Unlimited grappa
• Soft drinks and water

There’s music on board too, thanks to speakers, so the mood stays light even when you’re just cruising between islands. Several people in the experience feedback singled out drinks as plentiful, and that matches the “help yourself” setup described.

A balanced reality check: if you’re the type who prefers to stay fully sober for swimming and walking, you can still keep it simple with water and soft drinks. You’re not forced into alcohol to enjoy the day.

Also, bring your common sense for sun and heat. Eight hours on the water can be deceptively tiring even if you’re sipping wine. Hydrate, use the shade, and take breaks when you feel your energy dip.

Koločep: pine and carob shade, churches, and beach time

Koločep is one of the islands where the day feels pleasantly slow. You’ll arrive by boat, and the captain gives a brief introduction when you reach the island. Then it’s up to you to explore.

From the description, here’s the kind of experience you should expect on Koločep and the other islands:

• Ancient stretches of pine and carob trees
• Idyllic gardens
• Ancient churches and chapels
• Castles
• Pebble beaches for swimming and snorkeling

Koločep in particular tends to work well if you like shade and short walks. Pine and carob coverage makes it easier to find comfortable places to pause, especially during the midday sun.

Practical consideration: pebble beaches are great, but they can be uncomfortable without the right footwear. The tour doesn’t provide snorkeling gear, so if you want to explore under the surface, you’ll need to bring your own snorkeling equipment.

How long you’ll have on each island isn’t spelled out in the details I received, but the tour structure is clear: you get free time to explore each of the three islands. For Koločep, think “wander, photos, swim, repeat,” not “full-day hiking.”

Lopud: classic island wandering, gardens, and calm beaches

Lopud is the island stop where you can slow down even more. The tour description highlights gardens and historical spots, so you’re not just looking at water from the boat. You get enough freedom to mix gentle sightseeing with a proper beach break.

The kind of things you can focus on while you’re there:

• Gardens and shaded walking paths
• Chapels and churches
• Beach time on pebble shores

This is also where the captain’s short island talk helps. You’ll hear what to see and do, then you can choose how much you want to follow the suggestions.

If you’re traveling with someone who wants different things in the same day, Lopud is useful. One person can linger near viewpoints and religious buildings, while the other can head straight for the water. The tour doesn’t force you into a set “guided tour loop.”

The only drawback is the same as with any island-based trip. There may not be much structured entertainment, so if you want constant activity, you might feel like the day is too relaxed. That’s exactly why it’s loved by people who like their vacation pace mellow.

Šipan: a medieval-leaning island stop with room to breathe

Šipan rounds out the trio, and it’s a good final island stop because it leans into the history cues in a casual way. The tour overview mentions castles along with chapels and churches, which fits the Šipan feel described here.

Expect a mix of:

• Medieval-era atmosphere
• Historical buildings you can wander around
• More beach and swimming time on pebble shorelines
• Same day convenience, since you’re not dragging bags between islands

What makes Šipan a smart “final third” stop is that by then you’ve learned the pace of the day. You know where the boat is in relation to the dock, you’ve gotten the lunch rhythm down, and you can spend your remaining free time the way you like, not the way the clock demands.

If you’re the type who collects the best swim moment of the day, save energy here. Mid-to-late afternoon often has that sweet spot for warm water and less harsh light, even though the exact timing depends on your day’s schedule.

What the captain and crew actually do for you

This tour works because the team handles the “make it effortless” parts.

From the description:

• The captain addresses you upon arrival at each island
• You get brief info on what to see and do
• The boat has speakers for music, shade, and a toilet, so comfort is built in
• Lunch is prepared and grilled fresh on board

And from the experience feedback, one guide name came up: Natasha. People highlighted her as especially good, which tells me the briefing piece matters. When the captain explains what matters on each island, you don’t waste your island time guessing.

The crew also seemed to bring energy without turning it chaotic. Multiple comments praised the crew as fun and friendly, and the overall day described is “relaxed,” not rushed.

Swimming and snorkeling: pebble beaches need your gear

If you care about water time, this is a key part of the day. The tour description points out that you’ll find pebble beaches for swimming and snorkeling on the islands. It also explicitly says to bring your own equipment.

So, plan for this:

• Pack a swimsuit and a towel.
• If you snorkel, bring your mask and snorkel gear.
• Consider water shoes for pebbles.

Even if you don’t snorkel, pebble beaches are still where the day feels most like a Mediterranean escape. You’re on a small boat, in Croatian island scenery, and you can swim whenever the island stop gives you the chance.

Weather reality: a great day still needs a backup plan

This cruise requires good weather. That matters because the whole outing involves being on the water and stopping at islands.

If conditions are poor, the experience can be canceled and you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund. In one piece of feedback, someone felt the cancellation communication could have been better when weather forced the change. So my practical advice is simple: don’t treat the morning like a mystery. Keep an eye on updates, and if you haven’t heard anything by the time you’re leaving your accommodation, confirm directly with the operator.

Also, avoid scheduling something important immediately after the tour end. Build in a small buffer so you’re not forced into stressful rebooking if the day shifts.

Who this boat tour suits best (and who might not love it)

This tour is best for you if:

• You want an easy day from Dubrovnik without complicated planning
• You like island wandering with free time rather than nonstop marching
• You enjoy boat days and water breaks for swimming
• You want lunch and drinks handled for you

It may not be ideal if:

• You’re expecting a full lineup of organized island activities on land
• You need lots of museum-style time and guided monument circuits
• You dislike any possibility of weather disruptions, even with alternatives or refunds

Should you book the Elafiti Islands boat tour with lunch and unlimited drinks?

I’d book it if you want a classic Dubrovnik bonus day that feels laid-back but still delivers island variety. For the price, the combination of boat time, three islands, fresh lunch, and unlimited wine plus grappa is hard to beat.

Book it with the right expectations: this is about comfortable cruising and relaxed island time, not nonstop entertainment. If you bring your swim gear and you’re happy to wander, you’ll likely find the day satisfying.

If your schedule is tight or you’re sensitive to weather changes, add extra breathing room to your itinerary. And if you’re trying to be precise about food needs, communicate dietary requirements when you book.

Overall, this is a good-value way to experience the Elafiti Islands without the hassle of coordinating transport, meals, and timing yourself.