Darko, Cruise Director in the Unforgettable A-Team

Here at Unforgettable Croatia, we run rigorous checks on our Cruise Directors before they make it into the ‘Unforgettable A-Team’. Your Cruise Director is your main point of contact for the week that you are on board your Croatia cruise, so they make a big impact on your trip.

We carefully handpick our Cruise Directors and our top priority is a fun personality! Darko is a member of the team, and someone who gets rave reviews from our clients. Everyone who goes on a cruise with Darko has a fun and memorable time. We’re lucky to have him.

Tell us about where you come from and how you came to be a guide. 

Hi all, my name is Darko Barisic and I am 39 years old. I was born in the small town of Konjic in Bosnia and Herzegovina where I lived until I was 6 years old. My family and I then moved within Bosnia and Herzegovina, to the beautiful city of Mostar where my parents still live. When I was 19 years old, I went to study in the city of Dubrovnik in Croatia, where I live now.

After my Master’s degree, I started working at the Dubrovnik Tourist Board as assistant in the marketing department. From there it was logical for me to get a local guiding licence for Dubrovnik and the surrounding area.

To start with, I was doing local guided tours only at the weekends. At some point in 2008, I decided that guiding was my dream job, so I stopped working at the Tourist Board and started working as freelance guide full-time.

You are one of our most loved Cruise Directors. What do you think makes a memorable cruise for someone visiting Croatia for the first time?

Most of our travellers are interested in local food, drinks, culture and tradition. All of that combined with lots of fun between guests and crew definitely makes our trips the most memorable.

The most important thing is that after 7 days of cruising we all become one big family. We are all “normal” people and we all want to enjoy life, especially on our holidays. I’ve found that kindness, smiles and fun (including local wines and grappa) are the key to a memorable trip. After all, “when you are in Croatia, act like Croats do”.

Can you tell us about some funny moments that have happened whilst you were working as a Cruise Director?

Whoever knows me will tell you that I like smiling and having fun. Because of that, it’s mandatory for my travellers to follow my rule: you are on holiday. We always have a lot of fun and maybe the most memorable moment was midnight swimming in the sea front of Dubrovnik castle which was all lit up. All the guests jumped into the sea. We were playing music and the waiters onboard started bringing the drinks to our guests served on floating lilos. It was a very very fun evening.

We know you’re a big foodie. Where is your favourite place to eat in Croatia?

In Croatia, food is a big deal. It sometimes feels like we talk non-stop about food and beverages, especially coffee.

My favourite place is close to Dubrovnik, in the Konavle area which is around a 30-minute drive from Dubrovnik. The restaurant is called Konoba Vinica Monkovic.

It is a very traditionally decorated restaurant, with traditional food. It’s beautifully located, right next to Ljuta river.

In Croatia we have this traditional style of baking which is knows as “peka”. Peka is food cooked in a large dish with a metal lid shaped like a bell. The dish and lid are covered in glowing embers for hours as the meat and veg cook slowly inside.  All kind of vegetables and meat are prepared in this traditional way however my favourite is Octopus baked in peka style.

You know what??? Come to Croatia and I will take you there and then you will see what I am talking about.

Meet Darko or one of our other fantastic Cruise Directors on a Croatia Cruise this summer. Contact us or browse our dedicated page.