By the time we stepped aboard the Princess Eleganza, we’d already crossed three countries, ridden buses and trains, climbed more stairs than I care to remember, and well and truly earned the next phase of our trip.

After a long bus ride from Sarajevo, we arrived in Dubrovnik tired but completely wowed. From endless stone steps and sunset spritzes to walking the Old Town walls and finding Game of Thrones filming spots, our first taste of Croatia was equal parts beautiful and chaotic and the perfect prelude to our Adriatic cruise adventure.

You know those days when you've been staring at a screen for too long, and your brain quietly whispers, “maybe you should be on a yacht right now”?Well… I listened. On a particularly long workday, I found a last-minute deal that felt too dreamy to ignore — a 10-day small ship cruise through Croatia aboard the MV Princess Eleganza. Croatia has always been high on our must-visit list, and suddenly, the timing just felt right.