I don't want to repeat what has already been said by RaeW and Katiae in their reviews other than to say that everything they said was spot on.

MS Eos

20 cabins - some twin, some double, some double plus bunk spread over three levels.The ones on bottom level were dark and a bit airless but if you ask the crew they will open your bathroom port hole.  The upper cabins were good but you could be disturbed by other boats' music at night.  The dining room is adequate and there are two large outside seating areas - one covered, the other on top deck with chairs and loungers. Most of the group secured their cabin doors open when at sea but you must lock them when the boat is docked.  We often connected up to other vessels in port - at one time we were sixth in the row so you do get strangers walking through the middle of the boat to get to theirs.  With this there can be a large gap between boats which can cause problems for people with mobility issues.  Also the decks are separated by steps which have to be navigated backwards.  Although we had a couple of people on the tour who used walking sticks they did opt out of a few excursions.  

Two towels are provided with a mid week towel and bedding change.  If you plan to swim you may wish to bring your own towel.  On that subject there was an option to swim each day off the back of the boat.  The water was 'refreshing' (ie cold) but worth a dip for a short time.  You had to be careful of strong currents which caught a couple of people out.  The safety measures are superb - there is a life buoy in the water with you and two crew members keeping an eye on everyone.  

I had a hairdryer in my cabin but I understand that not everyone did.

The bar runs a tab system which they like you to pay at the end of the trip in cash (local currency).  The food on board is delicious.  Breakfast is a selection of cereals, delicious fresh bread, fruit, some cooked food.  Lunch is three courses as is the evening meal but with no choice of menu.  If something is served which you do not like you can fill up on salad and fresh bread.  Mealtimes are fixed - generally 8am, 1pm and 7pm.  Breakfast can be eaten in the outside seating area however this is not allowed for some reason at lunch or dinner.

Drinks are available all day.  You are not allowed to bring your own drinks on board and although this didn't seem to be policed everybody abided by this.

The crew were fantastic - really hard working and cheerful.  

Excursions

Each day consisted of a move to a new location, free time to wander then a guided walk.  It did seem a bit odd to have free time before the guided walk but maps were provided and the free time was easily spent browsing the shops or having a coffee / ice cream.   Each place we visited was different from the last ranging from the tiny village with no cars to trendy harbour towns with super yachts.  

Tour Manager

As with the trip Rae did in May (and the impending August departure) we had Milnja as our TM who worked for Katarina cruises.  She is really fantastic and nothing is too much trouble.  She has endless amounts of patience (why do people insist on talking when the TM is trying to give you information!!!) and good humour. Her English is very good and we enjoyed her daily ‘speeches'.  She has a real passion for her country which comes through in everything she does.

Negatives

If I had to give one negative it is in relation to the first day.  The Heathrow crowd arrived last out of the other flights and we were given five minutes for a comfort break before heading out for a walking tour of Split. None of us had had any food or drink since breakfast (four lumps of cheese and crackers on the plane does not count!) and we were all extremely hungry, tired and hot.  We then had no time to change before going out to dinner which was a 40min drive away.  By that time we were all grumpy and moaning although the location for dinner and the food provided soon improved our mood.  

A couple of days involve the ship setting off at an early hour (the earliest being 5.30am) and the engine noise can be quite disruptive.  This can't be helped in order to get the most out of the itinerary but you need to be prepared for this.

Positives

This is a brilliant way to see Croatia.  Instead of spending hours stuck on a coach you have freedom to move around, sunbathe, have a lie down in your cabin or sit and watch the stunning coastline pass you by.  If you are not a great reader of books and are easily bored you may wish to bring a pack of cards or games to keep you occupied as every day has a few hours of sailing but our group were happy to chat and catch up on reading.  Having the boat to ourselves meant it really felt like home and the crew became our family.  I would be very interested if JY adopted the MS Eos cruise from Split to Dubrovnik as an option.

The food and wine are fantastic as is the architecture and scenery.   As Rae has previously said drink and food are very reasonably priced on shore with plenty of restaurants to chose from when needed.

Each night you moor up in a different port and are able to get on and off as you wish.  There was a good mix of included meals on board and being able to go ashore and suit yourself.

I would definitely recommend this holiday and will be sending some photos to the JY Facebook page if anyone is interested.  If there are questions please do not hesitate to ask.

Sally