Private Yacht and Boat Charter in Cartagena: Real Prices, and What a 'Yacht' Actually Is Here

Updated: 21 September 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: a private charter for the day runs 850 to 3,800 USD for the boat, not per person, 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.

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. The national park entry tax is paid separately at the marina, per person — it is not ours to include and any quote that hides it inside the boat price is hiding something.

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:

1. The captain's licence, valid and in his name.
2. The vessel's insurance — passenger liability, not just hull.
3. 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.
4. 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.
• Not included and quoted separately: the national park tax at the marina, food and drink on board, 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.

Frequently asked questions

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 host running the days, 200–300 USD per day as its own line.
• 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.