Sailing the way is of course the trip well worth it. Trucking from
Croatia might be an alternative as many trucks are going up and down, looking for return freight. But it will cost you plenty. I would not be surprised if the bill will end up somwhere around 10.000-12.000 Euro.
Sailing the distance might be the cheapest choice. Be aware of the fact that sailing north is considerably more difficult than the trip south.
You have to plan well ahead.