Your Chance to Cruise Croatia With New LGBTQ Friends
Croatia is an increasingly popular travel destination because it offers a blend of stunning natural beauty, rich history, and vibrant culture. Now, imagine visiting the jewel of the Adriatic with like-minded and fun LGBTQ+ folks.
With the crystal-clear waters of the Northern Mediterranean and rich historical sites, Croatia and its coastline offer diverse and attractive vacation spots—the perfect place to enjoy the tail-end of Summer in Europe.
Croatia’s coast is renowned for its beauty. It features almost 2,000 km of shoreline with transparent aquamarine waters, islands, and secluded rocky coves. The country is home to over 1,000 islands, including the popular resort island of Hvar, known for its yacht harbor, and Mljet, with its stunning national park.
Croatia’s rich cultural heritage is evident in its ancient ruins, buildings, and castles, offering a glimpse into the past, which became inspiring settings for Game of Thrones. Cities like Split, with its well-preserved Roman palace, and Dubrovnik, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are lasting evidence of a multifaceted history.
Add to that a cuisine that has absorbed many culinary influences, including Italian, Greek, and Turkish—think fresh seafood, pasta, and hearty meat dishes—and you have a very happy place. We’ll certainly drink to the fact that Croatia has a well-established wine industry with a rich history dating back centuries, and around 300 designated wine regions. Živeli! (Cheers!)
Plus, Croatia is generally considered a safe country to travel to, with low crime rates. It is generally considered a safe and welcoming destination for LGBTQ+ travelers, particularly in larger cities like Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik. While public displays of affection may be met with some resistance in more rural areas or smaller towns, the country has especially made strides in improving LGBTQ+ rights and legal protections in recent years.
Now imagine experiencing all of this from the vantage point of a small luxury cruise. Croatia offers an unparalleled yachting experience due to its stunning coastline, favorable sailing conditions, and calm sea. Exploring Croatia by yacht allows for a unique blend of relaxation, adventure, and cultural immersion. Croatia boasts a mild Mediterranean climate with warm summers and mild winters, making it suitable for year-round sailing.
Whether it’s relaxing on secluded beaches, exploring hidden coves, or engaging in water sports, Croatia by yacht caters to both adventure-seekers and those seeking tranquility. Now: Don’t you wish there was a great LGBTQ+ group trip you could join? There is! And Gregg Kaminsky from KelliGregg Travel has the scoop: a Summer Mediterranean Cruise in Croatia aboard the new, fully-chartered Alfa Mario Super Yacht.
Gregg and around 30 lucky guests will form an intimate all-LGBTQ sailing cruise in beautiful Croatia and explore the Mediterranean Sea and varied ports for 7 nights and 8 days of sun and adventure, sailing from Split to Dubrovnik, Croatia, on September 21 and stopping along the way in Trogir, Hvar, Korcula, and Mljet.
By his own estimation, Gregg has taken 100 cruises during his LGBTQ+ travel career, yet he is super-excited about this one.
“Croatia has been a hot LGBTQ destination for the last 10 years,” he explains. “It’s one of those places where I finally went for the first time, I was like, How have I not been here before? It’s just incredible—the people, the food, the scenery. Our trip is on the water. We exclusively charter a gorgeous yacht, and basically, you wake up, have breakfast, and every morning is a swim stop. It’s almost a religious experience each day. Then we have lunch, we reach the ports in the afternoon, and we spend the evening in port.”
These land excursions might include a tour, a hike, a drink in a historic square, and very likely, dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant. The food is good, fresh, Mediterranean, and foodie-worthy, says Gregg. Oh, but maybe the thought of a cruise worries you?
“When people hear ‘cruise’, they think ‘I’m not a big boat person.’ But on this cruise, you’re always seeing land; we’re not out in the middle of the ocean. You’re hugging the coast; you’re having dramatic scenery at all times. The boat is really beautiful, with very comfortable accommodation,” he says.
“It’s a small enough type of experience that you know the captain, the crew, and you feel like you’re part of the family.”
And family is a big part of KelliGregg Travel—both biological and chosen LGBTQ+ family across all genders and ages. “Our niche in the market is that our trips are truly, truly mixed. We’re always 50/50 men and women, especially in the 45+ age group,” says Gregg. “We’re not the circuit party cruise; we’re more of the cocktail party crowd. We’re very laid-back. We’re the perfect trip for solo travelers because when you board on day one, you’re immediately part of the group. You have an instant group of friends.”
This is especially welcoming for Gen X and above travelers who wish to enjoy the fruits of their labors while exploring this wonderful world. KelliGregg Travel’s offerings are, Gregg says, “much more reflective of what our lives are.”
And for those LGBTQ+ travelers worried about the state of the world and safety while travel, Gregg has some reasurring words: “Croatia is extremely gay-friendly. I’ll say this as a gay man: it has the most beautiful people. They’re gorgeous people, both men and women.”
