IS MONTENEGRO A RIP OFF ?

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grumpygit

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The plan is to cruise down the Adriatic on our trip South this summer and we where hoping to visit Montenegro. We have heard and read quite a few horror stories on charges for cruising permit, mooring fees, food, fuel etc. They also seem to have an over zealous lust for bureaucracy.
Can anyone out there please enlighten us on their experiences or is just a place to transit.

Just to go off on another tack slightly, does the forum think the whole of the Med is just gearing up for the charter business and sod all others? Turkey seems to be another place that is starting to find extra ways to generate more income through bureaucracy!
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An Atlantic crossing is looking a better option................................. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
We visited Montenegro last year and had no problems. I advise you to check in at Zelenica near Hercegnovi, and not at Kotor . We found the officials friendly and the prices moderate, altho others have had different experiences at other entry ports according to Noonsite. You can read an account of our similar trip on my Sailblog.
 
Not in my experience 2 years ago. Compared to the Croatian cruising permit, theirs didn't appear such good value for money and, being part of the € area, prices will strike us hard in our newly devalued £.
The officials I met were neither over zealous or grasping and marina prices appeared very reasonable in Bar and utterly unreasonable in Budva, but the latter appeared so because they only recognised boats above 12m.
For those attuned to the informalities of intraEC travel, the process of Customs, Immigration may have appeared excessive, but it used to be so different everywhere, mon enfant, in the old days.
 
We visited Montenegro last year and enjoyed it. The cruising permit is more expensive than Croatia in 2007. We paid E100 for a month. You would probably not want to stay for more time as there is a limited coast line and few harbours. We checked in at Kotor and found them efficient but lacking a proper welcome (as we found in Croatia). Kotor and the inland sea is a must. Budva is a very noisy, expensive holiday resort. Discos to the small hours. Bar is very nice with a large marina. But do hire a car and explore. All in all intersting and worth a visit.
 
We are liveaboards on a 40ft ketch and have been based in Montenegro since December 2007. When we arrived, the cruising permit was extremely reasonable (around 100 euros for a year) and the officials were fine, checking in at Zelenika. Since then the prices have rocketed. The first visiting yacht arrived this week and they paid 137 euros for a week's permit (they are 45 foot). Apparently it is the same for a month as a week, according to the Kotor officials. I am not sure that this is the case and if anyone is really interested, I'll get hold of the current permit rates and post them.

We are not flavour of the month with the authorities at the moment as they would not allow us to renew our annual permit as our insurance runs out in July (they would only give us 3 month permit (over 200 euros), annual permit is 400 euros). So we are in dispute with them and Porto Montenegro have taken it to the Ministry on our behalf as clearly, it is extremely unlikely that your insurance year and permit year are going to coincide.

One thing to note is that prices for boats up to 12m (luckily, us), are not so bad but 12-24m dramatically increase (I think the annual permit is almost double). So unlucky if you are a 45 footer.

The other thing to note is that this is a country in transition. Officials can appear officious and this is partly because they have no room for flexibility. They apply the rules (as they see them, which can differ) steadfastly as they are not allowed to use their initiative. The Balkan people can also appear unfriendly but this isn't personal; it is just their manner and a few smiles often help to break down the barriers.

As for other costs: food is similar prices to the UK. Fresh fruit and vegetables are fantastic and locally grown. Check the price before parting with your cash at the market opposite the quay in Kotor as some of the stall holders can take the piss if you are not careful. Eating out is not cheap (or particularly inspiring) but neither is it expensive. Usual Balkan tourist fodder/prices.

Alcohol, on the other hand, is cheap. Very cheap if bought from supermarket - less than 50 cents for bottles of great local beer including one dark beer called Tamno which is worth a try if you are tired of Med lager. Wine also cheap and very good. Drinking beer in bars is also cheap (usually around 1.20 for draught, 1.50 for bottle). Wine not so cheap. Spirits stupidly expensive in bars, local firewater cheap, imported spirits in supermarkets ridiculously priced. (so if anyone is coming our way, good single malts are always appreciated!).

Anchoring/marinas: I am only familiar with the Boka Kotorska and surrounds so cannot comment on further down the coast. The quay in Kotor is very handy and if you can afford it (I think 3 euros a metre), is an interesting setting. There are no marina facilities other than water and leccy. Porto Montenegro will be opening in the next few weeks and it is likely they will have some deals this summer so it is worth having a look at them. There are a number of anchoring spots, none of which are in the pilot book, but you need to have a decent amount of chain as it is deep on the whole and the wind can get vicious. The simplest anchoring spot is on the other side of the bay from Kotor harbour and the holding is good here and only about 8-10m.

There are other spots too - I will post some more details if anyone is interested.

In fact, now I'm on a roll and it is peeing it down outside and the wind is howling, I think I will just write something properly and stick it up somewhere.

Just to finish, the Boka Kotorska is a unique place in Europe and well worth a visit. Monte isn't a rip off per se, but you can get ripped off! The locals, other than officials, are generally very honest people though and this is an extremely safe and culturally interesting place to visit. You must hire a car and venture inland while you are here too - Mt Lovcen is a must. One of the most stunning views in Europe.
 
Hi Tim and Katie

Thank you for the time and trouble you have put into your post, excellent, ( also for the input from the others too ).
Unfortunately we are 15.35 metres so that looks like it might be expensive for the few days while heading South.
Although we are quite keen to take a look at Monte it will depend on the cost, so when you can get hold of some permit prices I will interested on knowing how much please.

If we come into Monte we will share a few malts I feel sure of that.......! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
I would appreciate those anchoring spots in Kotorska, thanks.
Do you take your dinghy back to the town quay, or just leg it along the road?
 
Budva is a super old walled town but the harbour/marina is a rip off. The bureaucracy when we checked in at Budva last year was mid blowing - we were sent backwards and forwards between harbour master, port police, customs immigration etc seven times ! (each time getting something stamped); to be honest it was fun and we were in no hurry but don’t expect a quick process ! We enjoyed the Boka Kotorska and in particular Kotor; we also really enjoyed meeting Tim & Katie (beormakate) and having a beer with them but I felt that beyond the Boka, the cruising was pretty limited and wont be going back in a hurry unless curiosity draws me to the new development at Tivat where I hear that the yachts that are too big for Monte Carlo will be based in future. I wonder what that will do to cruising prices in Monte ?
Steve (Affinite II)
 
[ QUOTE ]
One thing to note is that prices for boats up to 12m (luckily, us), are not so bad but 12-24m dramatically increase (I think the annual permit is almost double). So unlucky if you are a 45 footer.


[/ QUOTE ]
Unfortunately I don't know how to post a table here but you can find the current cruising fees HERE - Brace yourself.

Bob
 
Silly question:
If I winter my boat on the hard in Bar, do I have to pay cruising fees for the whole year? ( even for 7-12 m it's quite expensive).
Or only for the 2 or 3 sailing weeks?
 
Late Post I know. At 220€ a month on top marina fees bound to be 50€+ it would seem to us to be excessive. Are the Montenegro authorities just being greedy or do they want to keep it exclusive? Surely with more reasonable rates more cruisers would be tempted to visit. We would.
 
I'm sure they must be doing it wrong for whatever reason they decided, after all they have such a small coastline.
Compared with the cruising fee for Croatia and what they have to offer I feel that it is a rip off. It's a pity really as we would like to go and take a look, but it is a lot for a week or so as we travel down.

If I remember correctly last year we paid somewhere around €220 for 12months for Croatia, no contest really !

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I agree, is it excessive - which is why we spend most of our time on anchor. However, Porto Montenegro opens in a few weeks and I've heard that they will have some reduced rates for this summer which will definitely be cheaper than Kotor. As for greed v exclusivity - definitely the former. I'm sure they will find a middle ground, eventually, but they seem to be taking their lead from Croatia without considering that their cruising ground is very different. I'd love to spend a day with them, just giving them a few pointers! It would make a world of difference and they'd make more money in the long run.
 
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