The day began with Lindsey waking up to plenty of birthday decorations and well wishes. Celebrity Cruises had decorated her cabin with a Happy Birthday banner and delivered a small cake and bottle of wine the night before. Then a couple of birthday elves, Kelsey and Karen, added their own touches, decorating inside and outside the cabin with balloons, banners, and a “Happy Birthday Lindsey” door magnet.
There was no hiding the fact that someone was celebrating a birthday. Lindsey even overheard another passenger walking by say, “Wow! That’s one well-loved person.”
Indeed!
Today, the Celebrity Ascent docked in Split, Croatia, and Greg had planned a special excursion for Lindsey’s birthday. After leaving the ship, we walked just a few minutes along the harbor to meet our two-person crew and board a small motorboat for a private tour of the islands and coastline around Split.
Our first stop was Šolta, a small island just off the Croatian coast. We pulled up to a beach with hammocks, a beach bar, and another opportunity to swim in the beautiful Adriatic Sea.
Once again, it was a rocky beach. But after our painful experience in Dubrovnik the day before, we were much better prepared! This time, everyone put their shoes as close to the water as possible. Kelsey even carried hers into the water to make sure she wouldn’t have to crawl across the rocks again.
We spent about half an hour swimming, relaxing on a hammock suspended over the water, and enjoying the beautiful surroundings. Lindsey also celebrated with her first Aperol Spritz of the day. After all, it was her birthday!
Back on the boat, we headed to our next destination, the Blue Lagoon, a popular swimming and snorkeling spot known for its remarkably clear turquoise water. We were a little concerned when the crew handed us masks but no snorkels, but it turned out there wasn’t a tremendous amount of sea life to see anyway.
The water, however, was absolutely gorgeous: crystal clear, warm, and an incredible shade of blue. We spent about 30 minutes swimming, watching the occasional fish, and simply bobbing around in the Adriatic.
Once everyone was back on board, the crew served us delicious focaccia sandwiches and chia seed pudding cups for lunch while we cruised toward our final stop, the historic town of Trogir.
Trogir’s historic center sits on a small island connected to the mainland and is filled with centuries-old stone buildings and narrow pedestrian streets. We spent our time wandering through the little walled town, exploring shops and enjoying the architecture.
Kelsey was particularly excited to find bubble tea, allowing her to officially add Croatia to her growing list of countries where she has enjoyed one of her favorite drinks. Meanwhile, after a hot and sticky morning, Karen was equally happy to find some gelato.
When we returned to the boat, our crew had one more birthday surprise waiting. They presented Lindsey with a small fruit tart topped with a birthday candle, giving her a pretty unique place to celebrate turning 26.
A 20-minute boat ride brought us back to Split around 2:30 p.m., leaving us plenty of time for more exploring.
We knew Diocletian’s Palace was located right near the harbor, but we weren’t entirely sure what to expect. Despite the name, it isn’t simply one large palace building. Roman Emperor Diocletian had the enormous complex constructed around the beginning of the fourth century as his retirement residence. Over the centuries, the palace became part of the city itself. Today, its ancient walls, passageways, and buildings are intertwined with shops, restaurants, homes, and public spaces.
We wandered through the maze of narrow alleys, admiring the ancient architecture along the way. There were museums and several historic sites we could pay to enter, including a bell tower and crypt, but after a full morning on the water and another very hot afternoon, we decided not to battle the crowds.
Instead, some of us explored a huge outdoor market while others wandered through the alleyways, occasionally popping into shops for the added benefit of air conditioning. Throughout the Old Town, we saw beautiful arches, columns, stonework, and other reminders of just how old this city really is.
One particular highlight was finding the enormous statue of Gregory of Nin, a medieval Croatian bishop. Naturally, Greg couldn’t resist posing like Gregory for a photo. With a name like that, the opportunity was simply too good to pass up.
After another round of bubble tea and gelato, we decided we’d had enough of the heat and headed back aboard the Celebrity Ascent. Between the hot Croatian sun and several hours in the sea, everyone was more than ready for a shower.
Since it was her birthday, Lindsey got to choose our restaurant for dinner. She selected Cosmopolitan, where we enjoyed another excellent meal. Dinner ended with yet another birthday surprise as the waitstaff gathered around to sing “Happy Birthday” and presented Lindsey with a small chocolate cake and candle.
We lingered over dinner long enough to miss the evening show, but there was still time for one of our favorite cruise activities: another late-night Silent Disco.
From birthday decorations and an Aperol Spritz on Šolta to swimming in the Blue Lagoon, exploring Trogir and Split, multiple birthday desserts, and dancing at the Silent Disco, Lindsey certainly packed a lot into her special day.
It was a memorable way to celebrate a birthday in another new corner of the world.
Happy 26th birthday, Lindsey!
Hammond Adventures 