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Sail to your Adventures from experience
Cartagena to Panama through the
San Blas IslandsBookingSail to your Adventures from experience
Cartagena to Panama through the
San Blas Islands
This is what you should know about this great experience.
The unforgettable trip on the boat Alessandra. Join us on one of our sailing tour from Colombia (Cartagena) to Panama or Panama to Colombia (Cartagena). Enjoy nature, amazing food, snorkeling, swimming, relaxing and meet people from all over the world. Discover the paradisiac San Blas Islands: an idyllic place. Enjoy this unique and wonderful experience, knowing the prettiest of the Caribbean Sea and its beautiful nature, in the islands of the Kuna native, with their ancient civilization.
Luxury Sailing Experience
We sail for only about 14 hours in open sea
Passengers enjoy 5 full days exploring the islands.
No hidden fees or additional costs for passengers.
EXCELLENTTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We would love to review the beautiful looking boat or the delicious sounding food but unfortunately, we can't. In Jan26 we inquired about a trip from Panama to Columbia in March. Except for the standard automated reply there was no response. Despite a few reminders no answer until end of Feb26. We are not sure if Cartagena Sailing is still operating at allPosted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I cannot speak for the charter itself, but whoever is running this is completely inconsiderate to neighboring boats. They anchored themselves right next to us later on in the day and started blasting music until the early hours of the morning, where we had no chance of moving. I went on deck and tried shouting as loud as possible for them to quiet or turn it down. The guests heard and looked at me, but decided to ignore me. There were countless spots to anchor somewhere else secluded. If you see them, stay clear EDIT: The business owner has specified that they have a strict policy to turn music down at 11pm and have it off by midnight. Well that was a lie, as I was up shouting on deck at 1AM. I think the music was off by 2. Perhaps I was not part of the tour, but it is the business' responsibility to ensure that people who are affected (neighbors) are not disturbed by the business.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The islands are beautiful, but the quality of service is significantly lower compared to Europe. In Greece or Croatia, you can get a private cabin for a lower price for an entire week, not just four days, without having to share a bed or sleep in a cramped space with others. Of course, the islands there may not be as magical.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The sailing trip from Panama via the San Blas Islands to Cartagena was a mixed experience for me, with both good and bad. On the first day, Captain Rudi seemed unexpectedly moody, which irritated me, as he made a very likeable impression in the pictures and descriptions. Maybe he was having a bad day, which is why I didn't think too much about it at first. The crew, on the other hand, was always friendly, hardworking and helpful - there is absolutely nothing to complain about here. Our trip began with a stop on the first island, where Rudi gave us a detailed briefing. He pointed out that if we lost snorkeling equipment, we would have to pay $25. Unfortunately, the equipment was in poor condition: many parts were damaged or obviously not disinfected. What was particularly worrying was that some snorkels had black mold on them, which is an absolute no-go for me. The food on board consisted of three meals a day, which were good. However, there was nothing for in-between meals, which I didn't specifically ask for but would have been welcome, especially on the long days on the water. A big problem, however, was the sleeping situation. There were nine of us sleeping in the first cabin, five on one side and four on the other. The air was extremely bad, especially when the top had to be closed due to rain. So no fresh air coming in during bad weather. There were also no blankets and the mattresses were anything but comfortable - I woke up every morning with back pain. This combination made for very poor sleep, which significantly reduced energy for the day. Often only medicine could help to relieve the discomfort. After two days on the islands, we continued on to the open sea towards Cartagena. The crossing was a challenge due to the strong waves: many fellow passengers got seasick and had to vomit. This should definitely be considered before deciding on this trip. When we finally arrived in Cartagena, I was honestly relieved not to have to sleep on the ship anymore. At the end, Rudi invited us for a pizza - but only on the condition that we leave a positive review on Google or Tripadvisor. I found this offer extremely dubious, especially since it made me realize why so many reviews appear to be exclusively positive. All in all, the trip was impressive in terms of scenery, but the poor sleeping conditions, the inadequate snorkeling equipment and the generally mixed organization significantly spoiled the overall impression. Additional note, 16. February 2025: After receiving a response from the author, I’d like to adress a few points: 1. Snorkeling equipment – I understand maintenance on a boat is challenging, but “regularly maintained” doesn’t match what I saw. Black mold and broken parts are more than minor issues. Functional gear should be standard, especially when guests could be charged for lost or damaged items. 2. Sleeping arrangements – I didn’t expect luxury, but basic comfort matters. Packing nine people into a poorly ventilated cabin with no blankets and thin mattresses should be clearly communicated when booking. Transparency helps setting the right expectations. 3. Captain’s behavior: The captain was a bit moody on the first day, but that wasn’t a big issue for me. What stood out to me, was the comparison to a commercial airline pilot. On a plane, passengers rarely see the pilot because flight attendants handle the customer experience. But on a sailing boat, the captain plays a much more visible and interactive role. Guests naturally look to them as both a leader and a host. Saying their only job is to steer the boat overlooks the reality of this kind of trip 4. Blaming the guest – Honest feedback isn’t an attack. My review was balanced, mentioning positives and areas for improvement. Rather than deflecting criticism, using it to improve would be the better approach. SincerelyPosted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. It was an amazing experience. I started from Cartagena and went to Panama City. The first two days were over the open sea, but already this was very exciting. The last three days on the different islands were even better. You see beautiful nature, can relax on the boat or doing bonfires on the island. On top of that, the boat itself is very unique and adds to the experience. Furthermore the captain and the crew were lovely and made delicious food. Would love to do it again.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Thank you for this unique and unforgettable (pirate) experience on the Alessandra! We had such a great time with countless magical moments. Whether it was being accompanied by dolphins on the open sea, exploring the stunning San Blas Islands, snorkeling in coral reefs, eating fresh fish, watching the stars by the campfire in the evening, or celebrating like real pirates! Thanks to Rudi & the crew for this very special time!Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Yesterday at East Lemmon Cays anchorage in the San Blas Islands, Alessandra II anchored practically on top of us, despite plenty of space. Their party disrupted our ability to sleep until 1AM! We left the anchorage this morning. Is that really necessary!?Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Alles in Allem eine spannende und einmalige Erfahrung. Wer einen empfindlichen Magen hat, muss sich das sehr gut überlegen, da es körperlich sehr belastend werden kann, wenn die Seekrankheit denn eintrifft. Die Überfahrt auf hoher See dauert zwischen 30-60h (je nach Segelverhältnissen). Dies stellt eine sehr lange Zeit dar, wenn es einem nicht gut geht. Da 17 Leute (+4 Crewmitglieder) mitreisen und jeder Winkel des Boots dadurch besetzt ist, werden es irgendwann auch sehr kuschelige und enge Verhältnisse. Klar, dass da irgendwann auch die Hygiene zu wünschen übrig lässt. Viel Platz und Stauraum hat es nicht, Berührungsängste sollte man daher nicht haben. Man ist auf dem Meer und es herrscht eine hohe Luftfeuchtigkeit, feucht wird irgendwann alles. Die Crew hat ihren Job gemacht, das Essen war sehr lecker. Die Platzverhältnisse auf dem Boot sind eng, der Aufenthalt findet nebst den Kajüten nur auf dem Deck statt (auch bei Regen). Es hat zwar einen Regenschutz, aber man ist grundsätzlich draussen. Bei gutem Wetter macht das nichts, wenn es regnet, wäre eine Alternative sehr wünschenswert. Gewünscht hätte ich mir zudem eine bessere Schnorchelausrüstung (die war echt eklig und verschimmelt) und mehr Hygiene in den Toiletten. Ich denke nicht, dass die zwischenzeitlich mal gereinigt wurden. Auch eine Form von Zwischenverpflegung, wie Kaffee, Tee und Snacks, fehlte gänzlich. Auch hatte man teilweise das Gefühl, nicht wirklich erwünscht zu sein, was in den sehr vulnerablen Momenten zusätzlich belastend war. Der Kapitän hat seinen Job gemacht und uns sicher von A nach B gebracht. Wirklich zugänglich fand ich ihn jedoch nicht. Die San Blas Inseln sind ein Traum und wenn das Wetter mitmacht, lassen sich da ein paar wirklich tolle Tage verbringen. Auch hatten wir eine wirklich gute Gruppe, die dieser Reise tolle Erinnerungen einverleibt hat. Wer das im Vordergrund hat, der wird eine tolle Zeit haben.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The trip with Rudi, the crew and it's Alessandra was an amazing experience that I would always recommend to my friends and anyone that wants to explore the san blas islands! The food was incredible too! Alessandra is now our second home and surely the best ship you will encounter. Looking forward to a next time!Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Rudi and his crew made the sailing trip very enjoyable. A great way to enjoy the water and take in amazing views.