Croatia ferry options - explore the land of 1185 islands!There is no better way to explore the coast than by Croatia ferry. The state company, Jadrolinija, has an impressive fleet of 36 car ferries and 8 catamarans, which ply their trade internationally and connecting the islands. There are a lifeline for islanders in the winter and crammed with tourists in the summer. There are other companies who offer limited services, particularly from Italy, and more information will appear here shortly. The Jadrolinija website, www.jadrolinija.hr, is multilingual and can help you plan your journeys in advance. International ferries - Ancona - Croatia - Bari can be booked online but crossings inside Croatia cannot, so get there early in peak season. There can be sizable queues at some ports from mid-July to mid-August (for example on eastern Hvar, where the Drvenik-Sucuraj route is the logical approach from Dubrovnik - the boat has a capacity of 32 cars only). If demand is large, often the timetable is ripped up and ferries go back and forth as quickly as possible. Waiting times and the cost of taking a car are considerations when hiring a car - it might make more sense to pay the higher daily rate on an island. Croatian ferries are generally very comfortable and there are restaurants on the longer journeys. Elsewhere, drinks and snacks are available, although it would be cheaper to buy before you board. A 33cl beer costs 15 kuna on board, versus a 50cl costing 7 in the supermarket, for example. Cars and passengers registered as resident on the islands are entitled to discounts.
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