A Dubrovnik Family on the Water
We didn’t start Blue Cave Tours Dubrovnik in a boardroom. We started on a dock in Gruž harbour, with one boat, a cooler of drinks, and the conviction that visitors to our city deserved something better than a factory-line tour bus on water.
Captain Marko grew up on these waters. His grandfather fished off the Elaphiti Islands before tourism reached the Dalmatian coast. His father ran cargo between Dubrovnik and the outer islands. By the time Marko earned his maritime licence, the Blue Cave had already become one of Croatia’s most sought-after natural attractions — but the tours getting people there were rushed, overcrowded, and impersonal.
In 2016, Marko and his wife Ana decided to change that. They purchased their first RIB speedboat, registered the business with the Croatian Commercial Court, and ran their first tour with four guests and zero reviews. Word spread fast.
10+ Years on the Adriatic — 1,500+ Cave Visits
A decade later, those four guests have become thousands. We’ve completed over 1,500 visits to the Blue Cave on Biševo and guided guests through the hidden coves, sea arches, and turquoise bays that only local captains know how to reach.
Every season sharpened our operation:
- 2016–2018 — One boat, one captain. We learned what guests actually want: time in the water, honest local knowledge, and a captain who adjusts the route based on conditions — not a script.
- 2019 — Added a second vessel and brought on Captain Ivan, another Dubrovnik local who spent five years in the Croatian Coast Guard.
- 2020–2021 — Pandemic years. Fewer tourists, but we invested in new safety equipment, overhauled our engines, and built out our private tour programme for families who wanted exclusive departures.
- 2022–present — Three boats, a tight crew, and a booking system that keeps groups small. We now offer sunrise tours, sunset tours, and custom yacht charters alongside our signature Blue Cave tour.
Why We Do This
Dubrovnik gets millions of visitors a year. Most see the Old Town walls, eat on the Stradun, and leave. They never discover what makes the Adriatic coast extraordinary — the light inside the Blue Cave at 11 a.m., the empty beaches on the Elaphiti Islands, the way Lokrum Island feels like stepping into another century.
We built this business to fix that gap. Every tour we run is a chance to show someone the Dubrovnik we grew up in — not the postcard version, the real one.
That’s why we cap our group tours at 12 passengers. It’s why our captains know every passenger’s name before the boat leaves the harbour. And it’s why we still personally answer every booking inquiry.
Meet the Team
Captain Marko — Founder & Lead Captain
Born in Dubrovnik. Maritime licence holder since 2010. Certified speedboat and yacht operator with advanced open-water navigation training. Marko has logged more hours in the Blue Cave than any other independent operator on this stretch of coast. When he’s not on the water, he’s maintaining the boats — he does his own engine work.
Captain Ivan — Senior Captain
Former Croatian Coast Guard. Five years of search-and-rescue experience in the central Adriatic before joining us in 2019. Ivan runs our afternoon tours and most of our private boat charters. Guests consistently mention him by name in reviews.
Ana — Operations & Guest Experience
Co-founder. Ana handles bookings, guest communication, and logistics. She’s the reason your confirmation email arrives within the hour and your pick-up is on time. She also manages our partnerships with Dubrovnik hotels and travel agencies.
Business Registration & Legal Details
Transparency matters. Here are our credentials:
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Registered business name | Blue Cave Tours Dubrovnik d.o.o. |
| Country of registration | Republic of Croatia |
| Registration authority | Commercial Court in Dubrovnik (Trgovački sud u Dubrovniku) |
| OIB (Personal Identification Number) | [Available on request] |
| VAT (PDV) registered | Yes |
| Registered office | Dubrovnik, Croatia |
We operate as a fully registered limited liability company (d.o.o.) under Croatian commercial law. All financial and tax obligations are current.
Insurance Coverage
Every guest on our boats is covered:
- Passenger liability insurance — Full coverage for all passengers, compliant with Croatian maritime law and EU Directive 2009/20/EC on insurance of shipowners for maritime claims.
- Vessel hull insurance — All boats in our fleet carry comprehensive hull and machinery insurance.
- Third-party liability — Coverage for third-party property damage and bodily injury.
- Professional indemnity — Business liability insurance covering our tour operations.
Insurance policies are underwritten by a licensed Croatian insurer and renewed annually. Proof of insurance is available on request and carried aboard every vessel.
Safety Certifications & Standards
We hold every certification required by Croatian maritime authorities — and several that aren’t required but that we maintain anyway:
- Croatian Maritime Authority (Pomorska uprava) — All vessels registered and inspected annually. Current seaworthiness certificates on file.
- Captain licensing — All captains hold valid Croatian boat master licences (Voditelj brodice kategorija B or higher) with commercial endorsements.
- VHF radio operator certificates — Every captain is certified for maritime radio communication.
- First aid certification — All crew members hold current first aid certificates, renewed every two years.
- Safety equipment — Life jackets for every passenger (including child sizes), fire extinguishers, flares, first aid kits, and emergency communication equipment aboard every vessel. Equipment is inspected before each departure.
- COVID-era protocols — Though no longer mandatory, we continue to carry sanitisation supplies and maintain enhanced cleaning routines between tours.
We conduct a pre-departure safety briefing on every tour, covering life jacket locations, man-overboard procedures, and emergency contacts. No exceptions.
Our Boats
We operate a fleet of three rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) — purpose-built for the Adriatic:
- Fast and stable — RIBs handle open-water crossings and coastal swells better than traditional fibreglass hulls, meaning a smoother ride to the Blue Cave.
- Shallow draft — We can access sea caves, hidden beaches, and narrow coves that larger tour boats can’t enter.
- Regularly maintained — Full engine service every 100 hours. Hull inspections twice per season. We don’t run tired boats.
Our fleet is the reason we can offer everything from a full-day Blue Cave tour to a quick speed boat transfer to the islands near Dubrovnik.
What Guests Say
We don’t curate our reviews — we earn them. After 10 years and thousands of guests, our reputation speaks through platforms like TripAdvisor, Google, and Viator. Here’s what people consistently highlight:
- “Captain Marko made us feel like family.” — The personal connection is what sets us apart from large operators.
- “Best day of our entire Croatia trip.” — We hear this one a lot. The Blue Cave, the swimming stops, the Elaphiti island hopping — it adds up.
- “Small group made all the difference.” — Large boat tours pack 40+ people onto a vessel. Our limit is 12.
Get in Touch
Have questions before you book? We respond personally — no chatbots, no call centres.
- Email: info@bluecavetoursdubrovnik.com
- Phone/WhatsApp: +385-XX-XXX-XXXX
- Location: Gruž harbour, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Ready to see the Adriatic the way locals do? Check our tour options or explore our boat rental services, and book your spot today.
We’ll see you at the harbour.
— Captain Marko, Ana, and the Blue Cave Tours Dubrovnik crew