What our guests say
We were indeed fortunate to have found Sanja for our group catamaran sail through the Croatian Adriatic. Not only did she propose appropriate craft but also identified the captain, whom we greatly enjoyed. As our concierge afloat, Sanja provisioned according to our preferences, prepared our morning and noon repasts, and ensured that we were never out of water, coffee, beer or terrific Croatian wine. In fact, on occasion, it seemed Sanja anticipated our desires before we’d even voiced them! All of our itinerary “musts” were built into the voyage that Sanja and the captain mapped, weather and traffic-adjusted. As if her skill set was not already complete, she proved a ready and tireless DJ when her guests were ready to blow off steam. And, through her experience and full service, we ended the week, not as guests, but as family. Can you top that?
We were very happy that Sanja was available at short notice to come with us when our own person had to cancel last minute. Speaking the language and knowing the villages we were going to made it a great deal easier by having Sanja with us . She had all useful telephone numbers available and had already made reservations before we could ask. In Vis she was able to open the local museum for us on a monday , where we wanted to see the artifacts found there. The museum was opened for us in a private tour ! We did not want to use her as a cook for dinner as we always prefer to dine outside. The recommended restaurants were nice and sometimes even a speciality. Breakfast and lunch she made and served every day and we enjoyed her cooking. No complaints on this. Entering the harbors, she knew the way and which berth to go, and assisting with fenders and lines, all as expected from her. There was one incident for which she apologized and we accepted this. She feels embarrassed by this , but it does in no way disqualify her as a sailor. It should not be taken out of context since I personally saw it as a sign that we were running an attitude where every body felt at ease, which is the right thing for a holiday. Of course it is your call to recommend her services to future renters of your yachts, but if they would ask me an opinion or a reference, I certainly would recommend Sanja. Thank you again for a nice time last week kind regards Gerben Kuijper.
We spent a week with Sanja on one of the catamarans and will simply not go again without her. She was very outgoing and friendly, always very helpful and was a fantastic cook. We lived in Italy for a couple of years and are quite spoiled in regards to food but Sanja exceeded our expectations and made it a wonderful holiday. Regards Nino
Our family of 7 (2 parents + 5 children ranging from age 8 -20 years) sailed around the islands of the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia with Sanja Galaso as our hostess on a Lagoon 400 catamaran during the summer of 2014 (July). Sanja efficiently and helpfully took care of all our family needs on board the boat in planning for and during our cruise. This included preparing and serving meals on board (mostly breakfast and lunches). Sanja cooked a range of delicious and nutritionally balanced home-style, Mediterranean-themed meals for using fresh daily ingredients from local markets. Her repertoire included some wonderful fresh salads, pastas, risottos, simple tasty meat dishes (e.g. schnitzel, chicken fillet, grilled sausages) as well as cold meat and cheese platters, Being a large family with many often hungry children, Sanja was one-step ahead of us with keeping the pantry and fridge full with popular snack foods and desserts, as well as a healthy fresh fruit bowl and fresh breads from local bakeries. She also anticipated our drink preferences, particularly in terms always ensuring a supply of fresh milk and yoghurts for the children and good local bottles of white wine for the adults in the chiller. In summary, it was an absolute pleasure to spend our sailing family holiday in her company and be spoiled by her hospitality!
I have very specific dietary needs, so I was not only impressed but delighted that Sanja not only was able to prepare me fantastic meals, but introduced me to new ideas to incorporate into my strict diet…And she did it all in such a small kitchen!!! She might not be a schooled Chef schooled, but she is a very good cook and besides she is not here just for cooking as she is a hostess and she really does a great job in all things.
Sanja, Sanja, Sanja,
It was a bliss being in Croatia, I cannot thank you enough for the wonderful experience and hospitality. Coming from India, Croatia was something very different and very special thanks to you. Thanks for your cooking, for your wine tours, for the great local restaurants you brought us to and for making us understand Croatia. We would love to come back some day.
Keep in touch and hope to see you in the near future.
I would like to offer the strongest possible recommendation for Sanja Galaso as a yacht hostess and local expert/guide. I’d also like to share a bit of our rationale for hiring a hostess, and why we are so glad that we did.
In June of 2015 we bare-boat chartered a 40 foot Lagoon catamaran out of Split on the Dalmatian coast. From past experience on our own boat and on charters, we knew that kitchen duty is thankless, and pre- provisioning for a full week is a risky proposition. We originally thought we’d hire a chef, but didn’t want to be committed to eating aboard three meals per day, especially with so many great cafes and restaurants. So we decided to bring a hostess instead. That way we would have some light meals prepared for us on board, and also have someone with local knowledge when we went ashore. We do not regret this decision one bit.
We hit the jackpot when we secured Sanja as our hostess. From the moment she came aboard, it was like having another friend aboard. There was no awkwardness… she fit right in. On Sanja’s recommendation we were able to depart Split a bit early, allowing us to get ahead of the fleet. The weather kicked up, so we were only one of two boats that reached Vis, while all other charter boats turned around headed into ports closer to the mainland. Sanja was a weather forecasting wizard, and we adjusted our itinerary based on her recommendations. Every time we came into port, we appreciated having Sanja aboard. She vastly improved communication with the harbor staff, and when mooring she was a huge asset handling mooring lines and directing the crew. We don’t Med-moor back home, so the having an expert aboard was invaluable. At every village Sanja knew the best place to moor based on the weather and wind direction. She knew the best chefs and the most unique shops. Sanja handled the daily produce shopping, and even coordinated our laundry with local washer-women. She kept us one step ahead of the other charter boats, got us discounts on Vespa rentals, and helped us learn about the islands and their people. And as to the meals, Sanja was an excellent chef, preparing amazing meals using fresh, local ingredients. She even brought aboard her own live basil plant for seasoning!
Without Sanja, I’m sure we would have had a great trip. But we would have been more stressed-out, in more crowded harbors, near louder bars, and would have learned far less about the country we were visiting. And we would have spent time cooking, cleaning, and grocery shopping rather than enjoying the islands. Next time we go back, we will definitely bring Sanja with us. The only change will be duration… next time we will go for 2 or 3 weeks!
I hope all is well. After getting back to the real world and adjusting I wanted to write you and tell you what an amazing time we had in Croatia. It was mostly due to the incredible people you chose to captain and host the boat we chartered from you. Everywhere we went we felt like Exceptionally Important People and Sanja made all that possible. Sanja was way above our expectations. She not only always had some amazing food served but acted as our tour guide the whole time, made sure we went to the best places and restaurants available and always made sure we were well taken care of.
Lastly, thank you for making all if this happen and we look forward to coming back again!