Our Tour And Crew - Alessandra the Pirates of San Blas

Our Tour

Sailing through the San Blas Islands from Panama to Colombia and Colombia to Panama with the Alessandra, You will experience the adventure of a lifetime and the legends of the classic sailboats.

Enjoy this unique experience discovering this hidden paradise of the Caribbean sea. Our trip on the Alessandra lasts 5 days and 4 nights, visiting the best parts of the San Blas Islands Archipelago, also called the Guna Yala region.
The price for the trip is 680 USD per person or 730 USD for the New Years/Xmas special tour. Included are the 3 delicious and daily changing meals per day, breakfast, lunch and dinner and fruits, coffee, tea, and drinking water can always be taken. Of course included is the accommodation for the nights at sea. As room types on the boat, there are double beds and single beds in three shared cabins. Snorkeling gear and fishing equipment are also available for free.
To ensure our all safety, the boat is equipped with all the safety gear required by the Colombian Port Authorities for international travel and passenger transportation: life jackets, emergency life raft, VHF radio, navigation devices, GPS spot device and SAT line.

Our Food

The boat is famous for its tasty food, we prepare Italian Pasta and Risotto with vegetables and fresh fish. Lobster, Crab, Cambombia, Octopus, Tuna, Snapper, Sierra, Bream, Wahoo, Sailfish and more. We are also able to accommodate any kind of diet (vegetarian, vegan, pescetarian).

From Colombia

We depart from Cartagena, the port of departure is the Club Nautico marina in Avenida Miramar Manga. 7-10 minutes in taxi from the center of the city. MARINA CLUB NAUTICO GOOGLE MAPS

From Panama

We pick you up in Panama City with a shuttle and bring you to the port of San Blas, from there a small boat brings you to the island where captain Rudi welcomes you on board of the Alessandra for the tour. Transportation costs from Panama City to the boat are 45 - 60 USD per person depending on the departure point and is not included in the tour price.

THESE ARE THE LEADERS OF THIS GREAT ADVENTURE

Our Crew

Rudi Gamberoni

Our Captain

Was born in South Tyrol - Italy, in 1958.

Experience: 40 years in sailing boats.

Hobbies: Sailing, Fishing, Paragliding, Skiing.

Languages: German, Italian, Spanish, English

Yamile Vergara Torres

Captain’s Right Hand

She was born in 1981 in the beautiful country of Colombia.

Experience: 5 years with the captain at sea.

Hobbies: Cooking, Dancing and Music.

Languages: Spanish, Italian.

You will enjoy a unique and unforgettable experience!

Phone: (+57) 312 556 3931

WhatsApp: (+507) 6031 2380

Email: info@cartagenasailing.com

Restyling Of Alessandra

Florian Christen

20:59 02 Jul 24

The sailing trip on the pearl Alessandra was definitely one of our highlights whilst travelling.We spent a few days in paradise, chilling with drinks in the Caribbean water, snorkeling and playing volleyball.The group dynamic was great and we spent hours playing games and enjoying life together with spectacular views.Three times a day we were spoilt with delicious food. Italian based, with fresh fish and lobster, what more could you want.Although the waves weren't too big crossing the open water, everyone felt it a bit and were glad to have pills with us.Thanks Rudy, Yamile and Calmis for everything you did to make unforgettable memories.

Philipp Jott

23:14 23 Mar 24

🏴‍☠️ Best way to cross a borderrrrrr!🏝️ San Blas Islands are tranquil and wonderful. White beaches, crystal clear water, lonely islands, lovely and welcoming Kuna Yala with their handcrafted and colorful Molas.⚓️ The pirate ship Alessandra is a well aged and authentic pearl of the caribbean.👨🏼‍✈️ Captain Rudy knows what he does and shares his passion with everyone interested (in german, english, spanish, italian)👩🏽‍🍳 The crew came up with the best service, Arrrrrrrrsome food and good vibes.They took care of special needs and wishes.🙆🏽‍♂️ TPA: Tall Person Approved (195cm)📝 Looking for an experience you will not forget?Book a trip with Alessandra and Cartagena Sailing! ⛵️

Małgorzata Ociepa

19:58 23 Mar 24

I had an amazing adventure with captain Rudy and his crew on board of Alessandra! San Blas is a real paradise, I enjoyed every island chosen by the captain. The food was so tasty, fresh and lot of seafood every day. The whole experience 10/10!

Marianne C

19:06 23 Mar 24

A great experience sailing from Panama to Cartagena on the boat Alessandra. The captain was always attentive and looked out for our safety, the food was excellent and there was plenty of space to socialize on the deck. Fantastic crew!Ricardo Chacon

Mia Ihamuotila

21:50 17 Mar 24

I was sailing with a fantastic group from Cartagena to Panama. Rudi, the captain, is a very experienced sailor and will take you even over the biggest waves. He is very funny and takes care of everything. The crew, Jamila, Kelmin and Carlos, are amazing, so friendly and funny and do their job so extremely well as well. Food is delicious. The boat is so unique and offers a once in a lifetime experience. Rudi decides the islands that you will visit according to the conditions and he knows the area super well. Nothing to complain. Loved every second of this trip! Despite the first night/day sea sickness, take your pills in time hah! Thank you, Alessandra!

Anna Esser

12:49 30 Jan 24

Sailing the San Blas Islands with the Alessandra was an experience of a live time. We looked for ways to travel from Panamá to Colombia without taking a flight so sailing was our favorite option but the Alessandra passed our expectations. We arrived late in the evening and the boat awaited as with homely lights. At daylight it shows its unice beauty of a pirate queen. As we traveled off season and with strikes hitting Panamá we were a quite small group and had a lot of space on the ship as well as on the islands. White beaches, palm trees and riffs in the clear water and nothing else that keeps you busy until Rudi calls for eating. We had fresh fish and seafood every day and you can literally taste how much Rudi likes cooking. For us the new route with one more day at the beach of Sapzurro and Capurganá was perfect, less time of seasickness and we could head directly towards Medellín instead of going to Cartagena as the others. Niki helped with the comunication and kept in touch with us during the whole journey. Thanks a lot!

Allan Delaney

16:36 19 Aug 23

Just finished a tour of the San Blas with Rudi and Niki on The Alessandra and it was hands down the best experience of my life. I originally booked with them 3 years ago and they honoured my deposit from the pandemic and delivered such an incredible experience making it well worth the wait.The tour was pure freedom, Rudi and Niki asked us what we wanted to see everyday, what we wanted to eat and then spent the day looking for those adventures to grant our wishes. We ate lobster, calamari, octopus, fish and more caught by the local Kuna Yala residents of the islands fresh daily (masterfully prepared by Rudi with his Italian expertise). We found a different island to explore for breakfast lunch and dinner of sizes from dense palm groves to tiny banks with only 4 palm trees.Every day was a new adventure snorkelling through crystal clear turquoise waters, diving off the front of the ship, playing volleyball, racing around an island, or swinging in a hammock as we gently sailed from anchor to anchor.We had a storm change the course of our last day but Rudi and Niki’s professionalism made sure that we sailed safely while still having fun, making us all feel like we were in safe and capable hands. The new route that the Alessandra takes, that most of the other boats do not, is also an advantage. You avoid the open water crossing, while also giving you more time in the islands and less time feeling sick.The Alessandra is truely a unique experience. Every ship we sailed past stopped to take photos because there is nothing else like it sailing through the San Blas. If you have the chance to sail with them don’t hesitate!!

Claudia Southern

16:14 19 Aug 23

The San Blas Islands tour with Cartagena Sailing was absolutely amazing, I couldn’t recommend it more! The Alessandra is a beautiful and unique boat and Captain Rudi is a great character who brings a lot of fun and energy to the boat, plus his cooking is delicious. The fresh seafood daily and pastas were great. The route of the tour is perfect as it gives you more time to enjoy the islands and less time on the open ocean getting sea sick. As Captain Rudi said, you can go to a new island for breakfast, lunch and dinner - what more could you want!

wonney jang

03:35 29 Jun 23

Hands down, best experience I’ve had in my lifetime. From sailing to eating fresh seafood everyday, living a simple dream life of swimming and creating friendships and enjoying beautiful islands, what stook out to me the most was that the crew genuinely cared about the guests. From the time and effort Yamile and Kalmis put into the food and the positivity and hardworking ethic from Carlos, this experience would not have been what it was if it was not for them. I literally dropped my phone in the ocean the first night and figured it was a lost cause but the crew went diving for it in the middle of the night and even found my phone. From the beginning to the very end when our group docked at Sapzurro (we opted to take a shorter route for less time on open sea), Yamile, Kalmis, and Carlos made sure all 14 of us got to Cartagena safely with them, making sure we even had lunch on the journey there. Highly highly suggest for anyone considering this once in a lifetime experience. Oh and bring motion sickness medicine if you get seasick.

Uriah Herr

23:29 08 Jun 23

Let me start by saying that I am a pirate/history fanatic. I'm specifically enamored with the golden age of piracy in and around the Caribbean, up and down the Spanish main.Our trip through the San Blas Islands on the Alessandra was a truly amazing experience. The boat was like no other, a beauty of a schooner built in NZ in 1988 all wood and steel, no fiberglass here! It was, and is truly magnificent sailing vessel and it even boasts some cinematic history!The crew was fantastic, providing fresh and tasty meals three times a day and tending to the sails. Captain Rudi charted our course and regaled us with his tales of adventure. He was exactly the character you'd want at the helm, a steadfast and salty mariner with a quirky sense of humor and an infectious passion for the sea.The Alessandra quickly became a comfortable home, an incredible staging point for our dreamlike island escapade. The rum did flow, and fresh fish was caught while we sailed. Local Kuna fishermen pulled their canoes next to us to sell the days fresh catch of spiny lobster, fish and other wares.To have the opportunity to sail on the same seas as Drake, Teach and Roberts in a boat (similar to theirs) was a treat beyond words. As we cruised from island to island, the wind blowing salty spray across the bow of the Alessandra, I found myself living in the words of Dampier's voyages circa 1680. From his descriptions of the Kuna people and their thatched huts, to the plants, animals and sea life in the San Blas it was all there, and it was stunning.I hope to be so lucky to have this opportunity again. To drift in and out of history, the waves lapping at the hull, sun ripening the basket of fresh fruit on the stern. To absorb the peaceful serenity of these tranquil isles, not a cell signal to be found. In all, this would be a perfectly wonderful place to be marooned. To swim in the crystalline waters, stretch out in a hammock with a bottle of rum on the warm sands of the San Blas Islands.