Montenegro - Advice and Recommendations

[Trident]

Looking at using Montenegro as a Schengen shuffle destination and wondering about anything I should know

I've noted Porto Montenegro says no grey water discharge allowed - is this really a think there? Will I get a fine if I brush my teeth or wash the dishes aboard with no grey holding tank?

Are there any unusual restrictions on anchoring etc

Any advice gratefully received

 

[AndrewB]

There was a thread on staying in Montenegro recently: see Montenegro annual berth where?.

I do not recall Montenegro as being especially restrictive, but I have only been in Bar and Kotor marinas, not Porto Montenegro which is too upmarket for me!

 

[Shaddickp]

I'd be interested to know how a 'Schengen Shuffle' works?

 

[truscott]

I'd be interested to know how a 'Schengen Shuffle' works?

Depends where you start from, but in our case our boat had been based in Turkey when we moved aboard full time. We spent that first summer sailing in Turkey before moving over to Greece for 3 months and then returning to cruise more in Turkey before settling in for the winter there.

We obtained a Greek long stay visa whilst in Turkey, and spent the next 12 months sailing Greece. We left to cruise Albania, Montenegro and Croatia, before returning to Greece heading back towards Turkey.

As it happened, I headed back to work for what has turned out to be quite a long stint, so we left the boat in Greece and have happily cruised there for 2 to 3 months of the summer. We were able to renew our TL by simply sailing out to International Waters for a day before returning and starting a new TL. We place the boat in bond with Customs when we haul out (Boat is NZ flagged, non VAT paid).

From our perspective, Albania is too small to spend a full 90 days in, as is Montenegro, but we feel you could happily split your time between the two. Croatia being in Schengen stuffs things up a little now but if you started your clean Schengen slate from Turkey (i.e you were in Turkey for at least 180 days), and didn't spend all of your 90 days in Greece, you could claw back some of your Schengen time while sailing from Greece towards Croatia, then get some of that back again while cruising back towards Turkey again (via Italy even).

I can't see us ever having the luxury of a full winter aboard in Greece again, however Tunisia and Northern Cyprus are also popular options for wintering for other Kiwi's and Aussies. We know quite a few folk who have happily wintered in Karpaz Gate.

Hope this helps.

 

[wharfbanger]

I am another Kiwi sailor planning to buy a sailboat in the Med and cruise with my family this summer/autumn.

Montenegro sounds like a great place to sail, and help with EU time limits.

Sorry if this has been asked before, but can anyone comment from experience on the need for an ICC to clear in to nations in this part of the Med (Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Greece)?

I have 25 years sailing experience but no formal qualification (i.e. ICC).

Do they often ask for it? Hoping for some recent experiences.

Thank you!
Mark

 

[Trident]

I have been told by Montenegro marinas that an ICC is definitely needed there.

 

[wharfbanger]

I have been told by Montenegro marinas that an ICC is definitely needed there.

Were you cruising in your own boat, chartering, or just talking to marinas? What about clearing into through customs/immigration? I am not chartering and plan to avoid marinas mostly.

 

[Trident]

My understanding is that it’s needed to check in and get the cruising vignette so you will need one if you have an RYA Day Skipper or above you can automatically get an ICC from the RYA without further testing- I’m certain US organisations do the same so maybe check with the NZ authorities if they do the same

 

[wharfbanger]

My understanding is that it’s needed to check in and get the cruising vignette so you will need one if you have an RYA Day Skipper or above you can automatically get an ICC from the RYA without further testing- I’m certain US organisations do the same so maybe check with the NZ authorities if they do the same

Thanks Trident, sounds like I'll need an ICC.

But can anyone comment from recent experience?

And does anyone have a recommendation for a EU-based insurance company that offers liability coverage to non-EU, non-ICC boats/captains in the Adriatic?

 

[st599]

The ICC resolutions come from the United Nations Economic Committee for Europe's Inland Waterways Committee.

The only non-European country that's signed up is South Africa, so New Zealand definitely can't issue you with one. (Nor can the USA).

Even in Europe, many countries aren't signatories, but do accept them.

 

[AndrewB]

Thanks Trident, sounds like I'll need an ICC.

But can anyone comment from recent experience?

I have not been asked to show my ICC on arrival there (or indeed anywhere else in this part of Europe). There is no mention of needing it on Noonsite's list of formalities (see Noonsite | Montenegro) , or among recent Noonsite users' comments.