Now sitting on my boat in the Adriatic .... some info on Croatia

[Baggywrinkle]

Travelled down to Croatia on Saturday, took a covid test, filled out the form on Enter Croatia and set off, transitted Austria and Slovenia without issue (I live in Germany), big queue on the Croatian border at Umag but otherwise very little traffic.

Got to the marina, very quiet compared to normal - weather s**t - locals say it's been unseasonably cold all year so far, with snow on the boats at the start of the season. My boat was filthy, caked in that dark brown dust with patches of green algae on the damper parts of the deck ... not typical at all. Spent ages jet washing it all off. Otherwise, the boat was fine. Fitted the newly upholstered wall panels for the forecabin, refitted the refurbished autopilot and the biggest surprise, which I completely missed, was the changes to tourist tax. There is now an online portal Tourist tax for boaters | Online payment of tourist tax for vessel owners or users offering much more favourable prices than the old 3 month, 6 month rates based on boat size.

Now sitting in Medulin bay with a beer enjoying what must be one of the quietest holidays I've had here for years. Bars and restaurants are open, as are all shops, usual Covid mask restrictions. Will have the boat hauled out, anti- fouled and serviced before our summer hols in July.

Croatia is open for business ... getting here by car is pretty straightforward ... and it's very quiet. Cheers ?

 

[RichardS]

Travelled down to Croatia on Saturday, took a covid test, filled out the form on Enter Croatia and set off, transitted Austria and Slovenia without issue (I live in Germany), big queue on the Croatian border at Umag but otherwise very little traffic.

Got to the marina, very quiet compared to normal - weather s**t - locals say it's been unseasonably cold all year so far, with snow on the boats at the start of the season. My boat was filthy, caked in that dark brown dust with patches of green algae on the damper parts of the deck ... not typical at all. Spent ages jet washing it all off. Otherwise, the boat was fine. Fitted the newly upholstered wall panels for the forecabin, refitted the refurbished autopilot and the biggest surprise, which I completely missed, was the changes to tourist tax. There is now an online portal Tourist tax for boaters | Online payment of tourist tax for vessel owners or users offering much more favourable prices than the old 3 month, 6 month rates based on boat size.

Now sitting in Medulin bay with a beer enjoying what must be one of the quietest holidays I've had here for years. Bars and restaurants are open, as are all shops, usual Covid mask restrictions. Will have the boat hauled out, anti- fouled and serviced before our summer hols in July.

Croatia is open for business ... getting here by car is pretty straightforward ... and it's very quiet. Cheers ?

That is brilliant. I've never heard of that. With only a couple of people on the boat we will only pay half of what we paid in 2019. It's been a big unfairness which the Croatians finally seem to have addressed, all credit to them.

Being able to pay online is also so much easier. We didn't mind the trip into Rogoznica to pay the Harbour Master but we're lucky in having a car and trying to catch him actually in the office was always a bit of a lottery.

I had to attach that Entry form to my windscreen when I popped down for a few days in late 2020 but I didn't know that they were still continuing with it. Still, it's no problem and seems to work well.

One of our favourite restaurants is "Salt and Pepper" on the left as you walk from the anchorage into town. I hope it's still there as must be 2016 that we last went to Medulin.

Many thanks for the update. Apart from the weather, it all sounds good. Enjoy your cruise.

Richard

 

[Skellum]

Just cancelled my two week charter from Kastela for the second year running as I would need to quarantine for 2 weeks on return to Hong Kong. Hopefully we can go next year....

 

[Metabarca]

I've had a look at the website (thanks Baggy) but there's a point I'm not clear about: do you now pay EITHER the tax by vessel length OR passenger/nights (which the site seems to suggest), or do you have to pay both?

 

[RichardS]

I've had a look at the website (thanks Baggy) but there's a point I'm not clear about: do you now pay EITHER the tax by vessel length OR passenger/nights (which the site seems to suggest), or do you have to pay both?

It appears to me that you can choose which way to pay. On our boat, if we have more than 4 people on board then paying by boat length will usually be cheaper. For 2 or 3 people, it's better to pay per person.

Baggy - what about the annual Vignette? Did you visit the Harbour Master to pay that or can we now do that online?

Richard