The Monet on the Adriatic

In late October ’04 I boarded the Monet, a small cruise ship carrying a maximum of 59 passengers, at the San Basilio pier in Venice, Italy. Our itinerary was a leisurely 7-day cruise down the Dalmatian coast (formerly Yugoslavia), terminating in Dubrovnik.

The yacht-sized ship allowed us to dock at the center of small towns such as Opatija, Pula, Hvar and Korcula, where we could walk at our leisure. Optional tours were available.

The Croatian crew was helpful, attentive and enjoyable in all regards; also, they spoke excellent English. The public areas of the ship included a lounge/library with a 24-hour snack bar also with tea and coffee as well as outdoor decks with hot tub.

The small number of passengers allowed for one seating at the gourmet meals. Soon we were all on a first-name basis and agreed that this was the best small ship, crew, itinerary and cruise we had been on.

The Monet can be booked through Elegant Cruises & Tours (Port Washington, NY; 800/683-6767 or www.elegantcruises.com) or through other booking agencies such as TravLtips (Flushing, NY; 800/872-8584 or www.travltips.com). The cost for a single cabin (one person) was $2,145 for the seven days, which included complimentary wine at each meal.

NANCY TARDY
Henderson, NV