When we decided on our project “Cool Change” we wanted to create a vessel that would be as suitable as possible for the needs of our clients who spend their summer holidays in Croatia. To do this we had to answer a few questions:

  • Who will be cruising with us?
  • How long will their usual stay be?
  • What do they want to experience sailing with us?
  • What is important/not so important to these people?

 

In the following text we will try to answer these questions and explain how we solved some of the problems.

  1. Most of our clients can be divided into the following categories:
  • Older/younger couples who decide to spend a week together on a boat (6-8 people)
  • One or 2 families with either young or teenage children (5-10 people)
  • A group of friends (ladies only or a group of men) who want to explore the Croatian islands together
  • Events: weddings, team building or people celebrating special occasions

When it comes to their sailing knowledge, I would say – the vast majority have little or no experience with sailing (half of them have never been on a boat). Sometimes we will host experienced sailors (who often own their own boat, but wanted to explore other parts of the world), but this does not happen often. The third group would be people who regularly go on a sailing trip and Croatia is on their wish list.

  1. Usually, our clients rent a boat for a week. Perhaps 5% of them will book a 2-week charter and 10% would book shorter charters (mostly 3-5 nights/days).
  2. Observing our clients we have concluded that they usually want:
  • Freedom: They most likely have a busy life at home with lots of responsibilities with a demanding schedule. When they come on board, they seem to find relief from their routine. The freedom to do whatever they want, whenever they want, they find quite nice. We want to respond to this in the best possible way.
  • To learn about our country (history, food, nature, people, etc…). We listen to what they want and try to take them to places we think they might like. Usually, it is a mix of visiting beautiful old towns and overnight stays in bays, sometimes attending parties (or organizing them on board), lots of swimming and water toys for the kids etc.

Most of our clients love to eat on board. Our standard service includes breakfast, lunches and 2 dinners prepared on board. Otherwise, our clients go out to eat. Many clients want to have more dinners prepared on board, and if possible, we will prepare 1 or 2 more dinners per week. We think the reasons why our clients love us in this regard are as follows:

– It’s easy (no need to make a reservation, wait in a restaurant, think about what to eat, get there and back, etc., etc.).

– They like our food (at least that’s what they say 😊)

– It’s more economical. Restaurants in Croatia are getting ever more expensive, so in some cases the value is not good.

  • Soak up the natural beauty around them – We imagine that coming from a big city, reconnecting with nature feels really special to many of our clients. For example, seeing the stars in a remote bay at night, using the elements of nature to get from one place to another, catching fish are all ways our clients can enjoy nature and relax.
  • They don’t want to be ordered around constantly. The Croatian Tourist Board used to have a slogan: “The Mediterranean as it used to be” – the idea was that Croatia was still not as commercialized as maybe some other tourist regions. Tourists were able to enjoy our beautiful country as it was without too much stress. Not long ago, Croatia experienced a boom in popularity, and tourism became the dominant industry here. As that happened, Croatia started to look like many other European destinations, where tourists are seen only as an opportunity to make extra money. We believe firmly that everyone would like to be treated fairly. We hope our guests feel that we value them as our clients. Contrary to many Croatian tourist traps, we try to help our guests get the most bang for their buck.

 

  1. At the beginning of our journey chartering Cool Change, some of our colleagues told us that many guests on similar yachts are complicated, demanding and sometimes “difficult”. I have to say, that we never got that impression. Most of our clients are actually quite easy going Give them what you promised and a little more if you can, and everyone ends up happy. Communication is key to setting up reasonable expectations before the trip. We try to establish direct communication between the client (preferably by phone or email) and the appointed skipper well before the charter begins. This way we can understand their needs and desires. That helps both parties get to know each other a little so we can both be more relaxed when the vacation begins.

We understand that our clients want a well-balanced experience of sightseeing, sailing, dining, relaxing, entertainment, etc… It is not good to be exceptionally good at one field, but lack quality in another. For example, many boats will have a Michelin star cuisine, but will never set sail and spend the night in a remote bay. This can be frustrating to clients. Our motto is: listen to the clients’ wishes and deliver whenever possible. If in some cases something does not work out, but we have done our best up until then, clients will usually be understanding.

So, what makes Cool Change a great choice for your sailing holiday in Croatia?

The Cool Change catamaran was designed with the idea of ​​responding to the wishes of cruise guests in the following ways:

  • Comfort: Our boat is large enough to comfortably accommodate eight guests where they can have enough private space at all times during the week-long cruise. With more shaded outdoor areas than any other boat in our class – no one has to get a sunburn!
  • Performance: Our boat sails in a wide range of winds. We can attain reasonable speeds under sail with anywhere between seven and 25 kts of wind. This is often faster than our engine cruising speed! By adding additional and better sails, folding propellers and having a very skilled crew we are able to achieve top performance.
  • Autonomy: If you want to be in a position to do what you want, you have to be self-sufficient. Cool Change has 2,000W solar panels, a super-efficient 150L/h battery-powered water generator, and an additional 280L water tank. We can do one month of charter operations without having to fill the diesel tank. On average, we only dock once or twice per week.
  • Entertainment: From our state-of-the-art four-zone sound system to our flybridge liquor bar as well as both water toys and board games, Cool Change is ready to make your vacation a fun one!
  • Food on board: Our chef Larry is at the top when it comes to preparing delicious meals and drinks.
  • Safety: Last but not least, our boat complies with all safety regulations for Croatian waters and our crew checks weather reports multiple times a day. With over 30 years of maritime experience, we are here to ensure your sailing vacation runs smoothly.

Enjoy with us!

Perfect holiday under Croatian sun..