From Split: Islands & Blue Lagoon Cruise with Lunch & Drinks

Two swims, one wreck, and a fast UNESCO stop. This day cruise strings together the Blue Lagoon swim, the Trogir Old Town hour, and a Šolta snorkeling session near the Kontessa shipwreck. The big win is how much water time you get in 9 hours, but the tradeoff is that the plan can shift with the captain and conditions, and the onboard food experience can be hit-or-miss.

I like that drinks are included all day (water, wine, and homemade iced tea) and the crew keeps things moving with coffee and croissants early on. You will also get snorkeling equipment for the swim stops and use of the waterslide onboard, but there’s a catch: there is a 10 EUR safety deposit for snorkeling gear, and some days equipment availability may not match expectations. Seating is random, so go in flexible and enjoy the ride.

Key takeaways before you go

• Blue Lagoon time is tight but sweet, with 2 hours to swim, sunbathe, and use snorkeling gear and the water slide.
• Trogir is a focused taste, with exactly one hour in the UNESCO-protected center and key stops like Kamerlengo Tower and St. Lovre Cathedral.
• Lunch and drinks are part of the value, including 3 meal choices and water, wine, and homemade iced tea all day.
• Šolta means Nečujam and Kontessa, with mooring near the sunken ship and snorkeling in the bay around the wreck.
• Small deposits matter, because snorkeling gear use requires a 10 EUR safety deposit.
• Expect a flexible schedule, since timing and the exact route can change with the captain’s call or weather.

Boarding in Split or Slatine, and getting set up fast

This cruise runs from two starting points, which matters if you are staying outside central Split. From Slatine, boarding is 08:00-08:30. From Split, boarding is 09:00-09:15. The trip is marketed as a 9-hour experience, and the return times follow that rhythm, with arrival back in Split at 18:30 and back to Slatine at 19:00.

Meet at Gat sv. Nikole, berth 6A or 6B. Look for the Bura Travel flag. It is a simple, clear meeting point, and once you find the right berth, the day starts quickly.

One smart touch is the early on-boat breakfast. On the way toward Trogir, you get coffee or tea plus croissants. It is not meant to be a long breakfast sitting. It is there to keep you comfortable on the sail and ready for the one-hour Trogir window.

Seats are assigned randomly, so I treat this like a “choose your vibe” day. If you get a spot that makes you feel stuck looking forward the whole time, no problem. The main show is outside the window anyway, especially during the approach to Trogir and the Blue Lagoon swim.

Sailing past Čiovo and using your one hour in Trogir

The cruise sails next to the south side of Island Čiovo. That means you get coastal views without doing any extra transfers. You can also spot one of Čiovo’s older landmarks along the route: Gospe od Prizdinice, a church with a long historical feel, even if you see it from the water.

Then you land in Trogir at 11:00, and you get until 12:00. That hour is short, but it is enough if you pick a few priorities. If you go in with a plan, you can feel like you got something real instead of just standing in crowds.

Here are the specific things you can target during the Trogir hour:

• Kamerlengo Tower climb, if you enjoy city views from above
• St. Lovre Cathedral visit
• Three of Love (you’ll have time to see it on the walk)
• Kairos relief (another Trogir detail you can hunt for)

The value of this stop is not that it replaces a full Trogir day. It is that it compresses the essentials into a time slot that fits a boat itinerary. If your goal is first-hand Old Town moments without giving up your swim time later, this format works.

The drawback is also obvious: you will not see Trogir slowly. You will see it efficiently. Wear comfortable shoes and be ready for stairs if you choose the tower. Also, since the ship timetable is the backbone of the day, you do not want to get distracted so hard that you run toward the wrong meeting point later.

Lunch on the move, then Blue Lagoon swimming and waterslide time

After Trogir, you sail to the Blue Lagoon. The timeline is built so you are fed while you travel: lunch is served fresh between about 12:00 and 12:45, right after departure from Trogir.

You can choose between 3 lunch types. Drinks are included throughout the day, not just during the meal. That means water, wine, and homemade iced tea stay available while you are on board.

Then the best part arrives, the Blue Lagoon. You get about 2 hours for swimming, sunbathing, and snorkeling. Snorkeling equipment is offered, and you can also use the waterslide onboard.

This is one of those stops where you should decide what you want most:

• If you want photos and a quick swim, spend more time near where the boat supports easy entry.
• If you want snorkeling, keep your eyes on the water and move with purpose, since your time is capped.
• If you want the playful onboard break, the waterslide use can be exactly that, a reset after time on land.

One practical warning from experience people share is that the onboard setup can vary by day. Some passengers have reported that the waterslide was not operating as expected, and others found the snorkeling gear situation not fully matched to what they thought would be available. You can still have a great swim here. I just recommend going in understanding that this is a sea day and equipment realities can change.

Šolta at Nečujam, plus Kontessa shipwreck exploring

Next stop is Island Šolta, specifically the bay at Nečujam. You moor close to the sunken ship Kontessa. This is the portion that turns a typical swim cruise into something more story-like.

Between 15:00 and 15:45, the plan includes a stop with liquorice tasting as part of the experience. It is a small cultural moment, and it helps break up the late-afternoon rhythm before the more water-based activity.

Then the cruise shifts into wreck time. From 16:00 to 17:00, you can snorkel in the bay around the Kontessa shipwreck. The shipwreck itself is the focus. You’ll have a chance to explore the area around it from the water and see why this spot draws people who like the idea of a “wreck dive” without needing a full training setup.

Two things you should keep realistic:

• There is a snorkeling gear safety deposit of 10 EUR for using the gear, so bring a payment method you can use if you do not want surprises.
• Some people have noted that access can require swimming out farther than expected, so if you are not comfortable in open water or you prefer easy step-in entry, you should plan carefully and ask what the approach will be like before you commit to snorkel time.

If you love boats, saltwater, and a bit of adventure, this stop is a highlight. If you are expecting a guided, formal wreck tour, it is not that. It is freedom in a set time block, which can be perfect, as long as you match your expectations.

Drinks, WiFi, and the real-world food situation

This day cruise advertises a full set of included meals and drinks, and the price reflects that. Here’s what is listed as included:

• Breakfast: coffee or tea plus a croissant
• Lunch: fish, meat, or vegetarian menu, plus fruit snack
• Drinks: water, wine, homemade iced tea, and licorice tasting
• Waterslide use
• WiFi use
• Fresh fruit served on the way back to Split

In practice, the biggest question is consistency. Some passengers report that breakfast was limited to a croissant without the coffee or tea they expected. Others say lunch choices were not what they anticipated, including pasta-based meals instead of the meat or fish they planned for. And there are reports that the waterslide did not seem available on at least some days.

On the other side, there are clear positives. People who enjoyed the food noted that drinks stayed available and that at least one lunch item like fish risotto was tasty. The common thread is that the crew can be friendly and helpful, and the boat day itself is hard to dislike if your main goal is sun, swimming, and a few anchored stops.

My practical advice: go with a “good enough, not gourmet” mindset for the onboard meals. If you are picky about seafood or texture, be ready to adapt. Bring a light snack if you are the type who gets hungry after a long swim, but keep it simple so you do not feel weighed down. For drinks, since wine is included, pace yourself. You’re also planning to swim and snorkel, so you want energy, not a ship-sized buzz.

The schedule is the rule, and weather can move it

This is a full-day sailing plan, but it is not locked in like a museum tour. Itinerary can vary due to the captain’s decision or weather conditions.

The planned flow looks like this:

• Boarding: Slatine 08:00-08:30, Split 09:00-09:15
• Voyage to Trogir: 09:30-10:45
• Trogir: 11:00-12:00
• Blue Lagoon: 13:00-15:00 swim time, with lunch served before that
• Šolta and Nečujam: stops around 15:00-15:45, with snorkeling 16:00-17:00
• Return: Split 18:30, Slatine 19:00

A few people have reported the trip running late or finishing earlier than expected. That is exactly why I recommend planning your evening like a local. Keep dinner flexible. Do not book a non-refundable reservation the second you get back to Split.

Also watch the small details: seating order is random, so arriving early matters only because you want to pick any comfort spot you can. Once you are on board, the day is about being ready for each timed window, especially Trogir and Blue Lagoon.

Is this cruise worth about $91 per person?

At $91 per person, you are paying for the whole package: boat time, two major swim stops, lunch, drinks, and onboard extras like WiFi and the waterslide use. That can be good value compared to piecing together transport, guided entry, and separate meal plans.

The value gets even better if you care about convenience. You start in Split, sail to two islands or island areas, and you get structured time in Trogir without dealing with buses or parking.

The main value risk is food and equipment consistency. If you are the type who needs a guaranteed exact meal choice, and you need full snorkeling equipment availability for your entire group plan, you might be happier with a tour that feels more standardized day to day. Similarly, if the waterslide is a must-have for you, treat it as a bonus rather than a promise.

Still, if you want a one-day hit list, this is built for it:

• Blue Lagoon swim window
• Trogir Old Town highlights
• Šolta Nečujam wreck experience
• Included drinks to keep the day relaxed

If you go in knowing it’s a sea day with a schedule, you get a lot for your money.

Who should book this, and who should skip it

Book this cruise if you want a classic Dalmatian mix in one day: Old Town sights, then water time that actually gets you into the sea. It is also a fit if you like structured cruising, where you do not have to coordinate your own hopping between stops.

You might skip it if:

• You are very time-sensitive and cannot handle schedule changes due to weather or the captain’s call.
• You expect a full guided tour of Trogir. You get one hour.
• You need guaranteed snorkeling gear quality and full availability at every stop.
• You dislike any situation where you might have to swim a bit farther than expected to reach the best water access.

Should you book the Split Islands and Blue Lagoon cruise?

If your ideal day is sun, swimming, and a quick taste of Trogir’s UNESCO center, this cruise is a strong choice. The included drinks, the direct nature of the stops, and the Kontessa shipwreck snorkeling setup give it a clear identity beyond a generic boat ride.

My advice is to book if you can be flexible about timing and if you are comfortable with onboard meals being simple rather than restaurant-level. For added peace of mind, you can reserve with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance, so you have a safety net if the weather looks questionable.

If you want, tell me your travel month and whether snorkeling is a big deal for you. I can help you decide if this is the right day for your priorities, especially around water conditions.