Cartagena pirate ship: which to book

What the evening is

The cruise is a two-hour evening on a pirate-themed ship in Cartagena Bay, timed around the sunset. You board at the Pegasus Pier, sail past the old city and the modern skyline, drink pirate cocktails or soft drinks, watch a cannon show and come back to the pier as the city lights come on. The ship on the ticket is called La Fantástica. It is a party for families, couples and friends, not a history lecture, and the history only sets the scene. The two hours cover the whole outing: the itinerary starts and ends at the same pier. If a loud, playful evening on the water appeals, read on, and if not, the comparison further down points you to calmer options.

What the ticket includes

The ticket lists a cruise through Cartagena Bay past the city's landmarks, unlimited refills of pirate-themed cocktails and of non-alcoholic drinks, a pirate cannon show, pirate props for photos, a souvenir cup and music in English and Spanish. Children get an interactive treasure hunt. The ticket names the Pegasus Pier as the meeting point, and it lists the length as two hours, with the starting times shown in the calendar once you choose a date. Everything on this list belongs to the one booking, so there are no tiers to compare before you pay. No meal is listed, so plan to eat before or after. The ticket is titled a premium sunset pirate adventure, with the drinks, the show and the treasure hunt rolled into one price.

Read next: Cartagena sunset cruise: the basics

Why pirates, in Cartagena

The theme is not invented. Cartagena was a major port of the Spanish Main, the mainland coast of the Spanish empire, and the Tierra Firme fleet of galleons loaded South American silver here. That wealth drew French and English raiders. French pirates pillaged the city in 1544, and Francis Drake took it in 1586. His expedition left Plymouth in September 1585, after war broke out between England and Spain, and Cartagena was one of the cities it captured. It was one of the few major privateer successes along the Spanish Main. Spain answered with walls and forts that UNESCO now protects. A pirate cruise on this water therefore has more history under it than most themed evenings, and the history guide tells the story in order.

Read next: Cartagena's pirates and its walls

The drinks, in plain terms

Drinks carry the middle of the evening. The pirate-themed cocktails are made with aged rum or vodka, and the ticket lists unlimited refills of them. For anyone who does not drink alcohol there is fruit punch, coconut lemonade, orange juice and Coke Zero, also with unlimited refills, and alcohol-free options are available throughout the cruise. A souvenir cup comes with the ticket. Drinking is part of the product here, so plan your way home before you board and decide beforehand who is the sober adult for any children in the group. Some guests say the drinks could be of higher quality, so judge the bar by its generosity and not by its prestige.

The cannon show and the photos

The crew stages a pirate cannon show. It is the signature moment of the evening, the reason this cruise is not just another sunset sail. Real galleons, the ships the pirates hunted, were large multi-decked sailing ships developed in the early 16th century in Portugal and Spain and used as armed cargo carriers, and the cruise plays the other side of that story. The cannon has a local echo, because Cartagena's fortresses were built around guns: the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas alone had batteries holding 68 guns. The ticket also provides pirate props, so groups can pose with them for photos while the light is still good. Guests say the crew helps to take the photographs, which is useful for a family that wants everyone in the frame.

Read next: Pirate cruise with children

Who it suits

The ticket is pitched at families, couples celebrating something and groups of friends, and that matches the format. A family evening works well, with the children on a treasure hunt while the adults sit with a drink. A group of friends gets music, drinks and a show without booking a restaurant. Couples who want a private conversation will find it lively, because the music and the show are part of the plan. The ticket says it is not suitable for people over 95 years, which is the only age limit it names. Check the booking page for any other restriction that applies to your group.

How it differs from the other two tickets

A second Cartagena ticket sells a two-hour sunset cruise on a yacht from the Bodeguita dock, with a drink and an appetizer, while the skyline lights up. It has no cannon, no props and no treasure hunt, so it is calmer and it suits couples. A third ticket is a two-hour yacht cruise with a three- or four-course meal, and it runs from Wednesday to Sunday. If you want a table, plates and wine, that is the one. The pirate cruise is built around drinks, a show and standing at the rail, so eat before you board. Both yachts sail the same bay, so decide on the mood you want and not on the view.

What guests say

The ticket carries a rating of 4.6 out of 5 from 307 reviews. Guests praise the friendly, attentive crew, the lively music and the sunset views, and they note that the team helps capture good photos. Some mention that the included drinks could be of higher quality. Reviewers also describe it as a fun, well-run outing for friends and families, and the review scores for the guide, the transportation and the value are 4.9, 4.8 and 4.7 out of 5. Several visitors from Latin America, Europe and the United States say they would recommend it. That is a consistent picture: the cruise delivers atmosphere and service, and it does not claim to be a cocktail bar.

Booking terms

On the GetYourGuide ticket you can cancel up to 24 hours before the sailing for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later, which holds a place without a payment today when your plans depend on a flight or the weather forecast. The ticket also guarantees a full refund for critical weather changes. Starting times are not fixed on the page: the calendar shows them once you pick a date. The itinerary can change, so treat the route as a plan and not as a promise. These are the terms of the ticket as booked through GetYourGuide, and the confirmation you receive is the final word on your sailing.

Read next: Cartagena sunset cruise: the basics

Who this isn't for

Skip this cruise if you want a quiet, candlelit sail or a conversation without music, because the show and the soundtrack are the point. Skip it if you need a seated dinner, if you plan to board with high heels, a large suitcase, glass bottles or a mobility scooter, since the ticket does not allow them, or if you want a history tour of the forts, which the ship names but does not visit. Travellers who want any of those are better served by one of the other two tickets or by a walking tour of the old city by day. It is also the wrong ticket for anyone who wants to step off at a fort or a beach, because the ship returns to the pier where it started.

How to decide in a minute

Ask yourself three questions and the choice usually settles itself. If your answers point to a show, a party and children, book the pirate ship. If they point to a quiet sunset or a seated meal, book one of the yachts instead. None of the three tickets is better in every case, because each suits a different evening. Whichever you pick, open the calendar first and read the starting time for your date.

• Do you want a show and a lively deck, or a quiet sunset?
• Are there children in the group who would enjoy a treasure hunt?
• Do you want drinks and a party, or a seated meal?