Yacht Rental in Cartagena, Colombia: Real Prices, and What a 'Yacht' Actually Is Here
Updated: 29 October 2026 · Written by Marta Fernández, founder of CABÚ Viajes, local operator in Cartagena de Indias (RNT 215668). We charter directly with the owners and captains — no agency fee.
In short: yacht rental in Cartagena, Colombia runs 850 to 3,800 USD for the boat for a full day, not per person, with food and drinks on board included, and the boat leaves from a marina ten minutes from the walled city. Before anything else, one honest thing: in Cartagena the word "yacht" is used loosely. Most of what is advertised as a yacht here is a 36 to 48-foot speedboat, and it is an excellent way to spend a day — but you should know what you are chartering before you pay for it, not when you arrive at the dock.
One accountable local team, one written quote. CABÚ contracts the boat, the crew, the food on board and the transport directly with their owners and runs the whole trip with its own team in Cartagena — you deal with one company, get everything itemised in a single written quote within 24 hours, and the same people answer on WhatsApp 24/7 before and during the trip. Registered local operator, RNT 215668.
What "yacht" actually means in Cartagena
In Monaco or Fort Lauderdale a yacht is a category. Here it is a marketing word. The fleet that serves day charters to Cholón and the Rosario Islands is mostly speedboats and sport boats between 36 and 50 feet, with a smaller number of larger motor yachts and catamarans. They are fast, they have shade, a sound system, a small cabin and a head, and they will get twelve people to clear water in thirty-five minutes. What they are not is a three-deck vessel with cabins to sleep in.
We say this first because the gap between the photograph and the dock is the single most common complaint about Cartagena boat days, and it is entirely avoidable: ask for the length in feet, the make and the maximum legal capacity, and you will know exactly what is coming.
The fleet, by size and price
| Boat | Day charter | Comfortable for | What it suits |
| 36–40ft speedboat | 850–1,500 USD | Up to about 12 | The standard island day. Fast, shaded, easy to anchor at Cholón. The best value on the water here |
| 45–50ft | 1,500–2,500 USD | 15–20 comfortably | Larger groups, more deck and shade, a smoother ride if the sea is up |
| Above 50ft / catamaran | 2,500–3,800 USD | 20+, or fewer with space | When the boat is the event rather than the transport: a long lunch on board, a celebration on the water |
The charter is billed per boat, not per head, which is why the per-person cost falls as the group grows: the same 36–40ft boat is 125 USD each across twelve people and 250 across six. When you rent the boat with us there is no separate park or dock tax; if there is a fee, it is the beach club's and we confirm it beforehand.
Photos from our guests in Cartagena
Real trips we have organized, photographed by our own guests: no stock images.
Specific boats we book in Cartagena
For 15 people, the boats that fit are the Lagoon 440 catamaran (up to 23 people), the Lagoon 400 (up to 18) or a 20 to 22 seat speedboat. For groups of 8 to 10 who want cabins and air conditioning, a Leopard power catamaran. These are real boats we work with, with the capacity each boat's listing publishes:
| Type | Boat | Up to (people) | Cabins | Air conditioning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catamaran | Lagoon 440 “Chicote” | 23 | 4 | Yes |
| Speedboat | “Harb” | 22 | — | No |
| Speedboat | “Charlie” | 20 | — | No |
| Sport boat | “Awa” | 20 | — | No |
| Catamaran | Lagoon 400 “Xem-3” | 18 | 4 | Yes |
| Sport boat | “Cohiba” | 12 | — | No |
| Sailboat | Beneteau First 47 | 12 | 3 | Yes |
| Power catamaran (yacht) | Leopard 47 PC “Hope 47” | 10 | 4 | Yes |
| Sport boat | “Crespa” | 10 | — | No |
| Power catamaran (yacht) | Leopard 51 PC “Valhalla” | 8 | 3 | Yes |
| Power catamaran (yacht) | Leopard 433 PC “Odysea” | 8 | 3 | Yes |
| Power catamaran (yacht) | Leopard 433 PC “Cahua” | 8 | 3 | Yes |
| Sport boat | “Sea hub” | 8 | — | No |
The maximum legal capacity for each trip, crew included, goes in writing in the quote along with the sailing permit. Food and drinks on board are included.
Cartagena yacht party for 20 or 30 people
For 20 people or more, the answer is a catamaran or a larger vessel with crew, 2,500 to 3,800 USD for the full day, billed per boat and not per person. For 30, it is usually a large catamaran or two boats sailing together: what decides it is each boat's maximum legal capacity counting the crew, and that figure goes in writing in the quote with the day's sailing permit. Food and drinks on board are included. For a sunset on the bay instead of a full island day, see our private bay of Cartagena boat trip.
Where the day actually goes
- Cholón — the sheltered bay on Barú where the boats raft up. Shallow, warm, social; floating bars come to you. Busy at weekends, which is either the point or the problem depending on the group.
- Rosario Islands — further out, clearer water, quieter anchorages and the beach clubs. Better for a group that wants a long lunch somewhere and a swim rather than a party on the water.
- A beach club stop — most days end with one. They charge a minimum spend per person that is separate from the charter, and it is worth knowing the number before you arrive.
Departure is from a marina in the city, typically ten minutes from a house inside the walls. There is no hour-long road transfer, which is one of the real advantages Cartagena has over other Caribbean charter destinations.
What to verify before you charter anything, here or anywhere
This is the part of the page we would keep even if it cost us bookings. The United States travel advice for Colombia warns specifically about small tourist boats to the islands, and the warning is fair: the fleet is large, and not all of it is compliant. Ask for four things in writing:
- The captain's licence, valid and in his name.
- The vessel's insurance — passenger liability, not just hull.
- The port clearance (zarpe) for the day, which is what makes the trip legal and is refused when the sea is unsafe. A boat that offers to leave without one is telling you what kind of operation it is.
- Maximum legal capacity, and that your group fits inside it with the crew counted.
Every boat we put in a quote has all four, and we will send them. If another operator will not, that answer is the information you needed.
What is included, and what is not
- Included in the charter: the boat for the agreed hours, captain and crew, fuel, life jackets and the port clearance.
- Included: food and drink on board, with no separate park tax. Quoted separately: beach club minimum spends and water toys where the boat carries them.
- Hours: a full day is normally eight to nine hours, leaving mid-morning and back before sunset. Extending on the day is possible if the crew's hours allow and is paid at the dock.
- Weather: if the port refuses clearance for sea conditions, the day moves. That is the reason we put the island day early in an itinerary rather than on the last morning.
What a CABÚ proposal always includes
- Transfers: airport pickup and drop-off, and transport to every activity.
- Breakfast at the house every day.
- Housekeeper with daily cleaning.
- CABÚ concierge for the whole trip, at no extra charge.
- Food and drinks on the boat, chosen by the group when confirming, with no separate dock tax.
Not included: dinners and nights out (we book them at no cost and you pay at the venue), club cover and bottles, and tips for the boat crew. The boat is matched to your group, taste and budget: from a fast speedboat to a yacht or a catamaran.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to rent a yacht in Cartagena, Colombia for a day?
850 to 3,800 USD for the boat for a full day, depending on size: 850–1,500 for a 36–40ft speedboat comfortable for up to twelve, 1,500–2,500 for a 45–50ft for fifteen to twenty, and 2,500–3,800 above that. It is billed per boat, not per person, and there is no separate park tax.
Is a "yacht" in Cartagena really a yacht?
Usually not in the sense the word carries elsewhere. Most of what is advertised as a yacht in Cartagena is a 36 to 48-foot speedboat: fast, shaded, with a sound system and a small cabin. They are very good for a day on the water. Ask for the length in feet, the make and the legal capacity and you will know exactly what you are chartering.
Cholón or the Rosario Islands?
Cholón is the sheltered bay where boats raft up together — shallow, warm and social, and busy at weekends. The Rosario Islands are further out with clearer water, quieter anchorages and the beach clubs, better for a group that wants a long lunch and a swim. Most full days can include both.
What should I check before chartering a boat in Cartagena?
Four things, in writing: the captain's licence in his own name, passenger liability insurance on the vessel, the port clearance for that day, and the maximum legal capacity with the crew counted. US travel advice warns specifically about small tourist boats to the islands, and these four checks are what separate a compliant charter from the rest.
What happens if the weather is bad?
If the port refuses clearance for sea conditions, the day moves rather than going ahead. It is the reason we place the island day early in an itinerary and never on the last morning: it leaves a spare day. Rainy season runs May to November, with afternoon showers and the occasional closure.
How far is the marina from the walled city?
About ten minutes by car from a house inside the walls. There is no long road transfer to reach the boat, which is a real advantage over Caribbean destinations where the charter fleet sits an hour from where you sleep.
What usually goes with the boat day
- A staffed villa inside the walls: from about 600 USD a night for a house sleeping 16, with the staff itemised.
- A local concierge running the days, included at no extra charge.
- The 3, 4 and 5-night itinerary, and why the island day goes first.
- Which boat fits a group of 6, 12 or 18.
- Who we are and how to verify any operator before paying a deposit.
How we compare with the rest of the market: the villa, yacht, chef and driver prices other Cartagena luxury operators publish, side by side with ours — including where they are ahead of us — are in Cartagena luxury operators compared. Weighing Cartagena against Mexico? See Cartagena vs Los Cabos vs Tulum. Travelling over Christmas or New Year 2026? See Christmas and New Year's Eve in Cartagena: villa, yacht at midnight, what is still bookable. Celebrating a 40th or 50th? What a milestone birthday in Cartagena costs, per unit. Planning a company offsite? Corporate retreats in Cartagena, with company invoicing. Paying a deposit in Colombia for the first time? The five checks to run on any Cartagena operator, including on us.
Planning around a long weekend? The 2027 US long weekends that work best for Cartagena, the nonstop flights including the new United routes from December 17, 2026, and what it costs: Cartagena long weekends 2027 from the US.
Which month? Rain, wind and sea for island days, month by month from IDEAM data: best time to visit Cartagena.
Write to us now, and what happens next
Message us on WhatsApp → +1 754 201 9833 · answered at any hour, 24/7. Prefer email or a form? Ask for your quote here.
Send these five things and nothing else is needed: the dates or the month, how many nights, how many people, what is non-negotiable for this group, and the city everyone is flying from.
- Within 24 hours on a working day you get two or three houses or boats that actually fit those dates, with what we checked on each one, and an itemised quote: each line priced separately, what is included and what is not, and the payment calendar. No agency fee.
- You choose. Nothing is held or booked until you confirm in writing. If nothing fits, we say so instead of pushing a substitute.
- Deposit against a company invoice — never 100% upfront, never to a personal account — and each traveller can pay her own share and receive her own receipt.
- One named contact on WhatsApp before, during and after the trip, who answers at eleven at night on the 31st. RNT 215668, verifiable in the public Colombian registry.
December and the first week of January are quoted on the actual house, in writing, because those two weeks sell out first.
Tell us what you need and get it back in 24 hours
The date, how many people, and whether the day is Cholón, the islands or both. Within 24 hours you get a written quote with the boat named and its length, what the charter includes, what is paid at the marina, and the licence and insurance attached. No agency fee, and nothing is booked until you confirm.
Ask for your quote here · Local operator in Cartagena, RNT 215668.
Travelling as a couple? Read the Cartagena honeymoon guide: boutique hotel or private house, private boat and islands.
Planning a trip with friends or family rather than a bachelor party? See the Cartagena group trip and girls trip guide: villas, boats and cost per person.
