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On a Freighter Even the Routine is Extraordinary
And the Destinations are Some of the Most Exotic in the World


Croatia South Coast
Cruise Story

by Ranko and Maja Zunic


Starting from Split, where we arrived 50 years ago traveling overnight from Dubrovnik on a local passenger liner. Just married, we spent the wedding night nicely dressed in deck chairs. Now we are in jeans, having deluxe accommodations and service on a 7-day roundtrip cruise.


Capt. Ranko and Maja Zunic at Hotel Osejava, Makarska, summer 2015 Capt. Ranko and Maja Zunic cruising in Croatia


Map Southern Croatia We sailed along the northern coast two years earlier, this summer we went south, and asked our good friends Rita and Massimo Brandinali, from Bologna, Italy, to be our guests.


Nearly 2,000 years ago the Riva, one of Europe's finest seafront promenades, won the heart of Roman Emperor Diocletian who hoofed it to Split after he abdicated. A guided tour take you in his footsteps, visiting his palace, a lavish colossus with vaulted basements and a graceful colonnaded courtyard, Peristil, is the town's most remarkable man-made attraction. Walking out through the Old City, you squeeze down the narrow Pusti me da Prodjem (Let me Pass) streets.


On the visits to Split, Korcula and Peljesac (Trstenik) we met with our old friends, while in Dubrovnik, where we stayed a day and two nights, time was short to greet all the friends and Maja's family. Map Southern Croatia Coast


Capt. Ranko and Maja Žunić, family home at Sumartin, Croatia Captain Damir Naranca did us a favor and passed by the Zunic family home in Sumartin on the Island of Brac. No stopping, just sending our greetings by waiving and blowing the ship's horn.


Maja with Rita and Massimo, talking about Dubrovnik's old walls Maja Žunić with Rita and Massimo Brandinali


The highlight of the cruise was the visit to Palmizana Island; an exciting taxi boat ride on Mistral waves from the town of Hvar, and dining on fresh local seafood and wine. Captain's dinner followed on the last night of the cruise, while the vessel was resting alongside at Bol, island of Brac. At the table, Captain Naranca is the first on the right, then Massimo and Rita, tour manager Tanja, myself and Maja, and Spanish guests, Ana and Tomas.

Brandinali, Zunic and Capt. NarancaCaptain's Dinner on the Fortuna


One of the topics at the table was our common satisfaction with the cruise: a variety of destinations, from the Mljet National Park, the vineyards and wineries of Grgic and Milicic on the Peljesac Peninsula to historic and cultural centers like Split and Dubrovnik.

According to Massimo and Rita "... the Futura is an elegant yacht; everything was spotless and shiny, a welcoming and courteous crew, spacious cabin with two picture windows made it very bright, good food Mediterranean style, generous buffet breakfasts ...". Since 2003, Massimo and Rita have booked with us at Maris five long roundtrip voyages on freighters, including an around-the-world cruise:


Rita and Massimo BrandinaliRita and Massimo Brandinali

The photos above show Mr. and Mrs. Brandinali on the CMA CGM Utrillo sailing around-the world. On the left, Neptune is blessing passengers and cadets who are crossing the Equator for the first time, and a dining scene with fellow passengers and officers.

What attracts Brandinalis to freighters is a relaxed, friendly atmosphere among passengers, officers and crew, similar to what they found here on the Futura in a small group of 27 guests, coming from Australia, Canada, Italy, Spain and the USA. On larger cruise ships, by contrast, this quality is lost, as is the intimacy with the sea and nature.


Capt. Ranko and Maja Zunic, at Hotel Osejava, Makarska, summer 2015 When we disembarked we spent a couple of days in Sumartin with relatives, and a night at the Hotel Osejava in Makarska, where we lodged first time after that wedding night in deck chairs.

Mobility is required to negotiate the stairs on board, as well as some energy for walks ashore.

A brief story from our
Cruise in Northern Adriatic
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Maris Int'l
Freighter Specialty Cruises
Since 1993