Marinero Elaphite Islands Cruise: Lopud First, Then Šipan and Koločep, With Drinks
Quick answer
The Marinero Elaphite islands cruise is a 7.5 to 8 hour day trip to Lopud (3 hours), Šipan (1 hour) and Koločep (1 hour), from $17 per person.
It is rated 4.7/5 from 5,868+ reviews on GetYourGuide, includes wine and soft drinks, and lunch and hotel pick-up are paid options.
MARINERO excursions
Elaphite Island Cruise w/ Drinks & Optional Lunch
4.7 (5,868) · from $17
The Marinero Elaphite islands cruise is a full-day boat trip from Dubrovnik that visits Lopud, Šipan and Koločep in that order, with a three-hour stop on Lopud, drinks all day and a lunch you add as an option.
I'd book it if you want the longest beach-and-lunch stop of the Elaphiti day trips and like an air-conditioned saloon to retreat to; I'd pick a different boat if you want Blue Cave time or a small group. My Dubrovnik boat tours guide compares every trip, and my Harbour Advisor home page lists the other cities I cover.
The detail that changes the decision is the order of the islands. Marinero spends 3 of its roughly 7 hours on land at Lopud first, then gives Šipan and Koločep one hour each, so the later islands are short.
| Operator | MARINERO excursions, sold on GetYourGuide |
|---|---|
| Boat | Open-top deck plus a lower air-conditioned saloon, two toilets and a crew of five (listing); passenger capacity is not stated |
| Price | From $17 per person (about €15.11 at the 2026-10-16 rate); lunch and hotel pick-up are options priced when you choose a date |
| Duration | 7.5 to 8 hours |
| Departure times | Not published; GetYourGuide shows the starting time when you check a date |
| Meeting point | Depends on the option: hotel pick-up in the Dubrovnik area, or a meeting point shown at checkout. The listing names no pier |
| Route | Sailing 30 min, Lopud 3 h, sailing 20 min, Šipan 1 h, sailing 45 min, Koločep 1 h, sailing 30 min, drop-off |
| Food and drink | Croatian wine, water and soft drinks served on board; optional lunch with fish, chicken or veggie plates and a potato salad |
| Languages | Croatian, English, German, Italian |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours before for a full refund |
| Rating | 4.7/5 from 5,868+ reviews on GetYourGuide |
What is the Marinero Elaphite islands cruise and what do you see?
It is a hosted day cruise to the three inhabited Elaphiti islands, with free time on each to swim, walk or eat, and a boat that does the sailing between them.
The islands matter for what you will actually do. According to the Elaphiti Islands entry on Wikipedia, only Šipan, Lopud and Koločep are inhabited, with about 850 people between them, so you are visiting small villages, not resorts.
- Lopud: the long stop. The listing mentions the sandy Šunj Bay beach on Google Maps, car-free roads for a walk and the Franciscan monastery of St Mary.
- Šipan: the largest of the group, with vineyards and olive groves to walk through during a one-hour stop.
- Koločep: pine forest paths and a swim, again for one hour.
Between the stops the boat sails for 30, 20, 45 and 30 minutes, which is where the wine, water and soft drinks are served.
Where does the Marinero cruise leave from?
The listing does not name a pier: your meeting point depends on whether you pick the hotel pick-up option, and it is only displayed when you choose a date.
That matters because pick-up is limited. The listing states that hotel pick-up and drop-off exist only in the Dubrovnik area, and the itinerary shows three drop-off points. If you stay outside the city, ask the operator before you book.
For orientation, Koločep sits about 5 km from Dubrovnik's Gruž harbour according to Wikipedia, and Dubrovnik Port at Gruž on Google Maps is where Dubrovnik's ferries and many excursion boats operate. I am not saying this boat sails from there; confirm the dock when you check availability.
If you do get yourself to a dock by bus, Libertas lists €2.50 for a ticket bought on the bus and €5.31 for a 24-hour ticket; its price list carries no date.
What is the route, island by island?
The route runs Lopud, Šipan, Koločep and back, with about two hours of sailing and four hours on land or lunch.
| Leg | Time | What the listing says you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Sailing out | 30 min | Coastline views from the open deck |
| Lopud | 3 h | Lunch on board if booked, swim, snorkel, walk, Šunj Bay beach, monastery |
| Sailing | 20 min | Drinks served |
| Šipan | 1 h | Walk through vineyards and olive groves, swim |
| Sailing | 45 min | Drinks served |
| Koločep | 1 h | Swim, pine forest walk, snorkel |
| Sailing back | 30 min | Drop-off at one of three points |
Add the listed legs and you get about 7 hours 5 minutes; the listing's 7.5 to 8 hours includes boarding and pick-up time.
How long is it and when does it sail?
The cruise takes 7.5 to 8 hours, and the listing publishes neither a departure time nor a season.
What the listing does show is activity: its latest reviews are dated 7 to 16 October 2026, so the boat was sailing in mid-October. For other months, check the calendar for your date and ask the operator whether winter departures exist.
| Month | Sunset | Month | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr | 19:30 | Oct | 18:07 |
| May | 20:04 | Nov | 16:26 |
| Jun | 20:28 | Dec | 16:16 |
| Jul | 20:25 | Jan | 16:40 |
| Aug | 19:51 | Feb | 17:20 |
| Sep | 18:59 | Mar | 17:54 |
From November to January the sun sets before 16:45, so an 8-hour day trip that starts mid-morning would end close to dusk. Ask for the return time if you plan to be back for a dinner reservation.
What is on board and what is included?
The boat has an open-top deck and a lower air-conditioned saloon, two toilets and five crew, which is more shelter than most small excursion boats offer.
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Croatian wine, water and soft drinks | Included, served through the trip |
| Extra drinks | On sale on board |
| Lunch (fish, chicken or veggie, with potato salad) | Optional add-on when booking |
| Hotel pick-up and drop-off | Optional, Dubrovnik area only |
| Towels and snorkelling equipment | Listed as included, yet the what-to-bring list also says bring snorkelling gear: confirm |
| Entry fees on the islands | Not stated; ask before you go |
| Tips | Not stated |
| Wheelchair access | Not stated; the boat has a lower saloon and island paths are on foot |
Bring comfortable shoes, swimwear, a camera, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat, which is the listing's own packing list. Lopud's roads are car-free, so a day bag is easier to carry than a suitcase-sized backpack.
How does the Marinero cruise compare with the other Elaphiti trips?
It is the cheapest-per-hour way to see all three islands, tied on price with two other day cruises, and it differs from them on stop order, languages and boat.
| Trip | Price | Duration | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marinero Elaphite islands cruise (this page) | $17 | 7.5 to 8 hours | 4.7/5, 5,868+ |
| Dubrovnik Islands tours cruise with optional Blue Cave | $17 | 8 hours | 4.8/5, 2,552+ |
| FUN 3-island cruise with wine, French/English/Spanish | $17 | 8 hours | 4.7/5, 88+ |
| Blue Cave and 7 caves speedboat, 4 hours | $55 | 4 hours | 4.9/5, 984+ |
| HUGO private boat island tour | $223 | 1.5 to 8 hours | 5/5, 295+ |
The closest rival is the Dubrovnik Islands tours cruise, which visits Koločep first, offers an optional Blue Cave swim for an extra €20 and runs in English only. Marinero is the pick for German and Italian speakers and for the longer Lopud stop. All the day trips are listed on my Dubrovnik island hopping page.
419 residents live on Šipan, the largest Elaphiti island at 15.8 km², against 163 on Koločep.
Is the Marinero Elaphite cruise worth it vs a private boat?
At about $2.19 per hour it is far cheaper than any private boat on my list, which start at $163 for a self-drive rental and $223 for a skippered private tour.
The trade is control. On a shared boat you get set stop lengths (3, 1 and 1 hours), a fixed route and no Blue Cave swim. On a private boat you choose the islands and the pace. If your group is six or more, compare the totals on my private boat tours page before deciding.
The reviews give a feel for the value: four of the ten I could read mention value or worth, and the lunch got praise from most but a mixed verdict from one reviewer, who found the portion large but the food average.
When is the best time to take the Elaphiti cruise?
June to September gives the warmest sea (23.3 to 25.9°C) and almost no rough-sea days, which is when three swim stops make most sense.
| Month | Air high / sea temp (°C) | Rain days (1 mm+) | Days with 1 m+ waves | Sunset (15th) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13.7 / 16.1 | 17 | 16 | 16:40 |
| Feb | 13.2 / 15.3 | 9 | 10 | 17:20 |
| Mar | 15.9 / 15.7 | 16 | 14 | 17:54 |
| Apr | 18.8 / 16.5 | 10 | 6 | 19:30 |
| May | 21.3 / 19.3 | 13 | 7 | 20:04 |
| Jun | 29.1 / 23.3 | 0 | 0 | 20:28 |
| Jul | 30.0 / 25.6 | 5 | 2 | 20:25 |
| Aug | 30.0 / 25.9 | 6 | 5 | 19:51 |
| Sep | 26.2 / 25.1 | 6 | 3 | 18:59 |
| Oct | 19.5 / 20.3 | 14 | 12 | 18:07 |
| Nov | 16.3 / 18.7 | 15 | 17 | 16:26 |
| Dec | 14.7 / 17.2 | 7 | 13 | 16:16 |
May and October still work for sightseeing. October's sea averaged 20.3°C in 2025, so expect only a short swim.
The wave column is an offshore model estimate and runs rougher than the sheltered channel between the islands, so use it as a ranking of months, not a promise. Open-Meteo's 2025 wind data counted 2 days at 30 km/h or more in October and 5 in March.
What do passengers say?
All ten recent reviews I could read give five stars, so they tell you what works, not how often it fails: the crew, the lunch and the value come up most.
- Crew: described as friendly or well organised in most of the ten.
- Food and drink: served throughout the trip; a vegetarian option drew praise.
- Time on land: one reviewer wanted more, another said it never felt rushed.
- Language: a visitor suggested Italian commentary on audio, even though Italian is among the listed languages.
The listing's review summary asks for more time at the second and third islands, which fits the 3-1-1 split. Sub-scores are Guide 4.7, Transportation 4.8 and Value for money 4.7.
Who should skip it?
Skip it if you want a quiet small-group boat, a Blue Cave swim or a precise departure time you can plan around before booking.
- Blue Cave seekers: not part of this route; see the Blue Cave and 7 caves speedboat.
- Seasick travellers: the lower saloon helps, but you are still on open water for about two hours.
- Mobility-limited visitors: the listing gives no accessibility information; the islands are explored on foot.
- Families with small children: the listing states no age limits; ask the operator.
How do you book the Marinero Elaphite islands cruise?
The Marinero Elaphite islands cruise costs from $17 per person for 7.5 to 8 hours, three islands and drinks on board, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check availabilityI earn a commission if you book through this link, at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Marinero Elaphite islands cruise?
It runs 7.5 to 8 hours, including about 2 hours of sailing and stops of 3 hours on Lopud, 1 hour on Šipan and 1 hour on Koločep.
How much does the Marinero Elaphite islands cruise cost?
It starts at $17 per person on GetYourGuide, about €15.11 at the 2026-10-16 rate; lunch and hotel pick-up are options with their own prices.
Which islands does the cruise visit?
It visits Lopud, Šipan and Koločep, the three inhabited Elaphiti islands, in that order.
Is lunch included?
Lunch is optional: you add it when booking, and you pick fish, chicken or a veggie plate, each with potato salad. Drinks are included.
Is hotel pick-up included?
It is an option, and only in the Dubrovnik area; the meeting point is shown once you pick a date.
What languages does the cruise use?
The listing names Croatian, English, German and Italian.
Do I need to bring snorkelling gear?
The listing says snorkelling equipment and towels are included, yet it also lists snorkelling gear in what to bring, so confirm with the operator.
Does the boat have toilets and shade?
Yes; it has two toilets, an open-top deck and a lower air-conditioned saloon.
What time does the boat leave?
The listing does not publish a departure time; it shows the starting time when you check a date.
Does the cruise run in winter?
The listing gives no season; its reviews are dated up to 16 October 2026, so ask the operator for winter dates.
Is the Marinero cruise better than the other Elaphiti cruise?
Choose Marinero for German or Italian, a 3-hour Lopud stop and a saloon with air conditioning; choose the other if you want the optional Blue Cave swim.
Sources: GetYourGuide listing; UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Dubrovnik Tourist Board; Libertas Dubrovnik price list; Wikipedia, Elaphiti Islands (island geography); Open-Meteo archive and Marine APIs (2025); sunrise-sunset.org; Nager.Date; Frankfurter.
