Sunbathers enjoying the heat in Hvar, Croatia. Photo / Sarah Pollok
For an effortlessly luxurious European summer that feels free, a small cruise ship may be the perfect option, writes Sarah Pollok
It’s only after ordering the cocktail of the day I realise I’ve forgotten my cabin number. “It’s not needed Ma’am, the drinks are included,” the Frenchman says while measuring out limoncello and prosecco, a view of the Croatian coastline glittering behind him through the cruise ship window.
Despite his perfect English, I’m convinced he’s confused, so after collecting our drinks, I beeline to reception next door. “Yes, so all of the drinks are included,” the woman echoes. All of them? Well, top-shelf liquors, fine wines and elaborate cocktails are extra but everything else is free.
The disbelief dissolves into delight as I join my husband on the back deck of L’Austral and cheers to the start of our nine-day journey along the Adriatic Coast.
An open bar isn’t the only thing you won’t see an extra bill for, as with other cruise ships, tour groups or hotels. Also included is room service and a stacked minibar, all meals (yes, even at the fancy on-board restaurant), fast internet. That’s even before mentioning the twice-daily room clean (when staff fold all the clothing you’ve strewn around), fresh towels every time you leave the ship and sweet treats left during turndown service. I list these because sailing around breathtaking European coastlines for nine days without having to retrieve your wallet, sign a bill or even give your room number is a particular flavour of luxury you don’t come across often.
Of course, you can choose to spend extra on a delicious massage at the on-board spa or buy a crisp lemon beer at an ocean-front bar. But if you wanted to enjoy a week of luxury without paying a single extra euro, it’s easily done..
“It makes it feel like the entire trip is free,” says Mark, an Australian who, like most guests, was on L’Austral with his wife as part of a longer trip. Over a buffet lunch at Le Rodrigues, the more casual of L’Austral’s two restaurants, the couple say paying up front months ago means Ponant’s luxurious inclusions simply feel like delightful extras.
There’s even a minimum of one free excursion at every port, and we’re not just talking basic walking tours, but wine tastings and island boat rides, oyster lunches and private coach trips. There are, of course, hits and misses. The Bol walking tour involves a patchy microphone and a slightly humdrum tour guide (although options are likely limited in a town of 7000 people). Yet, the Pula historical tour brought the historic seafront town to life as we entered attractions such as a perfectly preserved Roman amphitheatre and WWI war tunnels without buying tickets. Instead, our local guide waves us through while providing a real-time audio guide to the attractions and their storied history, happily answering questions that arise as we explore.
Prefer to travel at your own pace? Simply hop on one of the multiple tenders that run between ship and the port towns every day and spend your time as you wish. While disembarkation is typically a lengthy affair on big ships, involving tickets and groups and queues, it takes mere minutes on L’Austral and each day, after checking the departure and arrival times, we head to the back of the ship, scan our cabin cards, grab a fresh white towel and walk on to the little tender, which reaches the historic towns in just a few minutes.
In the coastal towns of Bol and Hvar, we spend the morning hours camped at quiet pebble beaches, soaking up the sun with books. Then, as the heat hits its peak, we drag our weary, warm, salty bodies back on to a tender for a life-giving icy shower, fresh clothes and gourmet lunch with a glass of chilled wine and broad view of the towns laid before us.
It may seem silly to return for lunch but you’ll understand on board L’Austral. While Le Coromandel on deck two is silver service, we often find ourselves at Le Rodrigues, which has a highly sought after selection of tables outside.
The options at the seven buffet stations change depending on the meal. However, it’s the perfect amount of choice; not overwhelming like on larger ships, where buffets stretch the length of football fields. Instead, each option is carefully considered, and challenges all judgments I had about buffets being quantity over quality. That being said, the options are far from scant. At breakfast there are trays of cooked treats such as crispy bacon, cured salmon and juicy roast tomatoes to accompany your eggs-any-way, as well as bowls of freshly cut fruit, creamy yoghurt, a pot of oatmeal and multiple kinds of bread and pastry.
Lunch offers an “always-on” salad bar of my dreams, with vibrant bowls of produce ready to be slathered in dressings, plus a selection of hot items like seared sea bass with mint oil and gnocchi or thinly sliced mushroom tart with crispy pancetta. That’s even before trying the “speciality” the chef prepares on the deck, which could be perfectly tender slabs of tuna or savoury crepes. For dinner, alongside the salad bar and soup of the day, we tuck into specialities that showcase Croatian produce and French culinary prowess. Think seafood bouillabaisse ravioli or basilic duck foie gras with peach marmalade. Round things out with a wine pairing suggested by the joyful sommelier Rudi and a stop by the “cheese table” boasting dozens of varieties amongst dried fruits, nuts and bread.
However, it’s the desserts that truly take the cake. Despite my typical disinterest in dessert, one look at the bench laden with freshly prepared treats has me grabbing one of everything at lunch… and dinner. There were decadent tiramisus and creamy creme brulee, profiteroles filled with fluffy chocolate mousse and buttery apple tarts, which one simply had to pair with one (or two) scoops from the four ice-cream tubs that change flavour each day.
The ship is positively tiny compared to the mega ships that boast shopping malls and water parks. But don’t fret, L’Austral is small enough to reach little ports most ships can’t, but large enough for an outdoor pool and lounge with board games and books, a boxy little gym with a few treadmills and a theatre that seats all guests. For pampering, the spa has several treatment rooms, free steam room and a salon (perfect for getting your “do” done on the two gala nights), but insider tip; book any treatments the moment you board, for the best time slot.
Interiors are a blend of creams and blacks, navy and various shades of gleaming wood. L’Austral is due for a refurb next year, so it’s elegant but slightly worn, much like the 264 guests on board, who are mainly stealthily wealthy couples in their 50s and 60s. So far, so par for a luxury cruise, yet one detail surprises me. While half of the guests speak English, mostly the American kind alongside four Australians, the rest are French. It’s a detail that seems insignificant (until you realise Ponant is a French company), yet creates a cultural immersion one rarely feels while cruising.
Yes, you’re on a ship of fellow tourists, but as you sip a crispy sav or play Scrabble in the panoramic lounge, you’re surrounded by effortlessly classy Europeans; men in pink trousers and chunky glasses reading Le Figaro, women in chic linen outfits gossiping in French over cigarettes on deck three.
Beyond being entertaining to observe, they remind me that top-shelf luxury, much like a table of free, chilled champagne or an excursion to a village undiscovered by tourist crowds, isn’t taxing or showy but effortlessly included.
Ponant Explorations’ ‘Cities and Splendours of the Adriatic’ departs on July 16 and August 13, 2026, starting from $8040 per person.
New Zealand Herald travelled courtesy of Ponant.