Cruise Specialists Blog

Luxury Cruise News & Reviews

Blog Home / Hosted Cruises

Yacht Life on the Dalmatian Coast

Ralph Grizzle

dalmatian coast
Le Lyrial docked in Rovinj, Croatia. Image credit to Ralph Grizzle

Rovinj, Croatia: The tangerine glow of the evening sun mesmerized us all. Even the captain and crew were out on deck with their smartphones trained on the scene before us: ribbons of reddish-orange reflecting off the rippled sea. A fishing boat sitting peacefully in the harbor looked as if someone had arranged for it to be there, silhouetted by the sunlight. It was, in fact, a picture-perfect ending to my 8-Day Best of Croatia cruise with Ponant this past June, roundtrip Venice.

I was satiated from our experiences ashore in Croatia and Montenegro – and from the relaxing moments at sea. For much of the voyage on Ponant’s Le Lyrial, I spent time ashore hiking and pedaling with Backroads, which bills itself as the world’s number-one adventure company and which partners with Ponant to provide additional active adventures on select voyages. We explored the countryside while guests on Le Lyrial chose from a variety of excursions.

dalmatian coast
Kotor, Montenegro. Image credit to Ralph Grizzle

Among the highlights: Korcula, an island where Ponant offered a three-mile hiking tour while we cycled 12 miles; Sibenik, the oldest native Croatian town on the coast, where guests visited the beautiful Krka Waterfalls; Split, dominated by the Diocletian Palace, built by the Roman Emperor Diocletian for his retirement; Dubrovnik, the well-known UNESCO World Heritage Site; Kotor, surrounded by the “black” mountains from which Montenegro takes its name and where Backroads took us on an 11-mile hike that ranks among my top travel experiences. Rounding it out: Hvar, home to Croatia’s oldest town, Stari Grad, where Ponant offered hikes and four-wheel drive excursions while we pedaled more than 20 miles through villages and over mountains with Backroads.

dalmatian coast
Rovinj, Croatia. Image credit to Ralph Grizzle

As I stood on the aft deck in Rovinj, a charming fishing port and our final Croatian port of call, I was struck by the notion that Ponant’s Le Lyrial was the most yacht-like vessel I had ever experienced. What made Le Lyrial yacht-like was its size, which raises a question: At a time when many ultra-luxury lines are building larger new ships, what does being smaller bring to the table? As it turns out, a veritable feast.

dalmatian coast
Friendly bartender making an Aperol Spritz. Image credit to Ralph Grizzle

Capable of carrying a fortunate 264 guests, Le Lyrial was intimate and cozy. That meant not only that crew and guests were familiar with one another soon after we set sail but also the yacht, with seven decks and spanning only 466 feet (only about 30 feet longer than many European river cruise ships), was easy to get around. Its small size also meant it could navigate into small harbors such as Rovinj, where larger cruise ships can’t fit. Staff were primarily Indonesian, Filipino, Indian, French and Belgian. Ponant, in fact, is a French company. As such, the language on board is both French and English, and while cuisine skews toward French tastes, international dishes are served at every meal.

dalmatian coast
Le Lyrial. Image credit to Ralph Grizzle

Le Lyrial will spend the remainder of this summer in the eastern Mediterranean region. The ship then travels south to the Antarctic Circle and then returns north toward the Indian Ocean. By next summer, she will be back in the Mediterranean, Adriatic and Aegean Seas, providing a variety of itineraries for its inquisitive passengers.

Ponant is currently in an exciting period of growth, launching six new “Explorer Yachts,” each carrying 184 guests and capable of exploring some of the world’s most far-reaching destinations.  Additionally, a luxury polar exploration vessel featuring hybrid propulsion is expected in 2021.

  • Upcoming Ponant Cruises >>

More from my site

  • A Luxe Look at Expedition CruisesA Luxe Look at Expedition Cruises
  • Antarctica: Like Being on Another PlanetAntarctica: Like Being on Another Planet
  • 4 New Expedition Ships for PONANT4 New Expedition Ships for PONANT
  • It’s Not Cruising, It’s YachtingIt’s Not Cruising, It’s Yachting

Hosted Cruises, Ponant Cruise Reviews, Ralph Grizzle Croatia, Montenegro, Ponant

SEARCH ARTICLES

Article Categories

  • Cruise Destinations
    • Africa Cruise Reviews
    • Alaska Cruise Reviews
    • Amazon Cruise Reviews
    • Antarctica Cruise Reviews
    • Arctic Cruise Reviews
    • Asia Cruise Reviews
    • Australia/New Zealand
    • Baltic Cruise Reviews
    • Canada/New England Cruise Reviews
    • Caribbean Cruise Reviews
    • Cuba Cruise Reviews
    • Europe Cruise Reviews
    • Galapagos Cruise Reviews
    • Grand Voyages
    • Hawaii Cruise Reviews
    • Iceland/Greenland
    • Mediterranean Cruise Reviews
    • Mexico Cruise Reviews
    • Panama Canal Cruise Reviews
    • Scandinavia and Northern Europe Cruise Reviews
    • South America Cruise Reviews
    • South Pacific Cruise Reviews
    • Transatlantic Cruise Reviews
    • World Cruise Reviews
  • Cruise FAQs
  • Cruise Lines
    • Abercrombie & Kent Reviews
    • AmaWaterways Cruise Reviews
    • American Cruise Line Reviews
    • American Queen Voyages Reviews
    • Aqua Expeditions Reviews
    • Atlas Ocean Voyages Reviews
    • Avalon Cruise Reviews
    • Azamara Cruise Reviews
    • Celebrity Cruise Reviews
    • Celebrity Galapagos Cruise Reviews
    • Cunard Cruise Reviews
    • Cunard World Cruise Reviews
    • Disney Cruise Reviews
    • Explora Journeys Cruise Reviews
    • Holland America Line Cruise Reviews
    • Holland America World Cruise Reviews
    • Hurtigruten Reviews
    • Lindblad/National Geographic Reviews
    • Norwegian Cruise Line Reviews
    • Oceania Cruise Reviews
    • Oceania World Cruise Reviews
    • Paul Gauguin Cruise Reviews
    • Ponant Cruise Reviews
    • Princess Cruise Reviews
    • Quark Expeditions Reviews
    • Regent Cruise Reviews
    • Regent Seven Seas Cruise
    • Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
    • Royal Caribbean Cruise Reviews
    • Scenic Eclipse Discovery Yacht Reviews
    • Scenic River Cruise Reviews
    • Seabourn Cruise Reviews
    • Seabourn Expedition Cruise Reviews
    • Silversea Cruise Reviews
    • Silversea Expedition Cruise Reviews
    • Silversea World Cruise Reviews
    • Star Clippers Cruise Reviews
    • Tauck Cruise and Tauck Land Tour Reviews
    • UnCruise Adventures Reviews
    • Uniworld River Cruise Reviews
    • Viking Cruise Reviews
    • Viking Expedition Cruise Reviews
    • Viking Ocean Cruise Reviews
    • Virgin Voyages
    • Windstar Cruise Reviews
    • Zegrahm Expeditions
  • Cruise News
  • Cruise Ports
  • Cruise Specialists Benefits
  • Expedition Cruises
  • Hosted Cruises
  • Ralph Grizzle
  • River Cruises
  • Ship Reviews
  • Solo Cruising
  • Tom Mullen
  • Tours, Trains & Resorts
    • Palace Resorts Reviews
    • Safari Reviews
    • Shore Excursions
    • Trains

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Maggie Blehert

Her ideal travel day: venturing to a new place, learning something interesting and sharing a smile.
View My Blog Posts

Steve and Wendy Bodenheimer
Cruise Specialists Voyage Hosts reporting on their round the world journeys.
View My Blog Posts

Ralph Grizzle

The Avid Cruiser. Well-traveled and insightful. Helping you make informed cruise decisions.
View My Blog Posts

FOLLOW US ON

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter