Blue Lagoon and three islands from Split: 5-hour speedboat or 8-hour cruise?
Updated October 10, 2026 · 5 min read
The choice here is between a 5-hour speedboat and an 8-hour cruise, and food is what you pay the extra hours for. For most visitors the small-group speedboat tour is enough: 5 hours, €54, 4.8 stars from 4,878 reviews. If you want lunch and a day that does not end by mid-afternoon, the cruise with food and drinks is the cheaper of the two long days at €64.60.
Four tours, one lagoon
| Tour | Hours | From | Rating | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small-group speedboat tour | 5 | €54 | 4.8 (4,878) | Luxury speedboat, snorkelling, Trogir, Čiovo or Maslinica |
| Premium speedboat trip | 5 | €55.30 | 5 (4,176) | Small group, snorkelling gear included, Labadusa |
| Cruise with food and drinks | 8 | €64.60 | 4.7 (4,338) | Island hopping, local food and drinks |
| All-inclusive cruise with lunch | 8 | €85 | 4.5 (2,849) | Swimming stops, island visits, lunch |
The two speedboats are almost the same trip
Both run 5 hours for about €55, and both are small-group half-days. The difference is in what the description spells out. The first adds Trogir, Čiovo or Maslinica on Šolta to the lagoon swim. The premium one has the history of Trogir, the Blue Lagoon with snorkelling gear included, and a stop at Labadusa. With a perfect 5 from 4,176 reviews it is the higher-scoring of the two for €1.30 more; only its description names the snorkelling gear explicitly, so ask about the first one if you do not own a mask.
See prices and dates for the premium speedboat trip
What the cruise adds
Going from the speedboat to the cruise costs €10.60 and buys three more hours: the Blue Lagoon plus Šolta, Drvenik and Čiovo, with locally made food and drinks on board. The pace is slower, which is the point. You also lose the early finish, so do not book it if you have a dinner reservation in town.
See prices and dates for the cruise with food and drinks
Is the all-inclusive cruise worth €85?
The all-inclusive cruise has the same 8 hours and lunch included, and costs €20.40 more than the cruise with food and drinks. It also has the lowest rating of the four, 4.5 stars on 2,849 reviews. Its description is thin on what the food and drinks include, so ask for the menu before assuming the premium buys anything specific. For most people the cheaper 8-hour cruise has the better case.
Who should not book any of them
Speedboats are the bumpier format, so anyone prone to seasickness should ask the operator about the vessel before choosing one over the cruise. If you want one outing with fewer hours, see the island tours from Split.
Notice how the prices cluster: the two speedboats differ by €1.30 and the two cruises by €20.40, so the choice is first about format and only then about money.
Our recommendation
Take the small-group speedboat tour if five hours is enough, and the cruise with food and drinks if lunch matters.
