The subject of this paper are previous nautical experiences of the local population of Novi Sad and Belgrade. The aim of this paper is to determine how local population (who has already cruised, but as well as those who have not) is experiencing our country in terms of cruises. The research was based on conducting interviews with local people in Novi Sad and Belgrade. Interviews with a structured questionnaire, were performed from March to June 2010 with the task to determine past and potential cruise destinations, as well as attitudes about the potentials of Serbia in terms of nautical tourism. The importance of this paper is primarily based on the enrichment of knowledge on the segment of tourism that is the subject of this paper. Obtained results may help further studies of the causal link between cruises and experiences of local population in nautical tourism. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 176020: Transformations of Geo Area of Serbia - past, current problems and suggestions of the solutions]