Cartagena, Bolivar Sep 29, 2026 (Issuewire.com) - Cartagena's Festival Náutico returns to the city's inner bay on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 November 2026, and Colombia Luxury Group, a DIMAR-licensed yacht charter and concierge company operating in Cartagena since 2012, has opened bookings for the two ways to watch it from the water: a per-person catamaran experience and private yachts for groups.
The festival's stage floats on the bay. The audience arrives by boat and stays on the water through the afternoon and evening, with the walled city lit up behind the stage. Created in 2024 to revive Las Balleneras, the tradition of parading the fiesta candidates through the bay by boat, the festival grew from one night to two days in 2025 and now closes the city's Fiestas de Independencia, the day after the Bando parade on Thursday 12 November.
The 2026 line-up, presented by the Alcaldía de Cartagena on 16 September, brings twenty artists to the floating stage: Juan Luis Guerra, Grupo Niche and Beéle on Friday 13 November, and Silvestre Dangond, Nicky Jam and Ryan Castro on Saturday 14 November, among others. The programme may change at the organisers' discretion.
Two ways to watch it from the water
Catamaran, per person. COP 1,000,000 per person for the full day, from 12:00 noon to 8:30 pm. It includes lunch (seafood rice, vegetable rice or a burger), a 375 ml bottle of Buchanan's or Aguardiente Antioqueño plus six beers per person, water, soft drinks and lemonade, the port departure tax and a DJ on board. Adults only (18+).
Private yacht, for your group. A boat only for your party of ten, fifteen or twenty guests, who choose the food, the music and the return time. The fleet has 52 vessels, from 33-foot speedboats to 96-foot yachts, each with a DIMAR-licensed captain, crew, fuel and ice included. The full fleet is listed at colombialuxurygroup.com/yacht-rental-cartagena.
The complete guide to the event, with the line-up by day and the booking steps, is published at colombialuxurygroup.com/festival-nautico-cartagena-2026.
What to know before booking
Space in the bay is limited and boats sell out weeks ahead: in 2025 the last ones went in October. Schedules depend on the event organisers and the Port Captaincy. Guests board with an ID, because passenger lists are filed with DIMAR before every legal departure in Cartagena, a point the company explains in its Cartagena safety guide. If the maritime authority suspends navigation, bookings are refunded or moved to a new date.
"The Festival Náutico is the one event in Cartagena you cannot watch from a chair," said Melanie Viaña, founder of Colombia Luxury Group. "Every year the question is the same: which boat do I watch it from? We answer it with two options: a seat on our catamaran with everything included, or a yacht just for your group."
About Colombia Luxury Group
Colombia Luxury Group has run private yacht, catamaran and speed-boat charters in Cartagena, Colombia since 2012. Its 52 DIMAR-licensed boats, from 33 to 96 feet, take groups to the Rosario Islands, Barú and Cholón with a licensed captain, crew and fuel for the route included. The company also rents private villas and plans celebrations on board: birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette parties, proposals and weddings. It is registered in Colombia's National Tourism Registry (RNT 300352). Quotes in minutes on WhatsApp at +57 304 209 1627.
Media Contact
Colombia Luxury Group info@colombialuxurygroup.com +57 304 209 1627 Cl. 32 #3-96, El Centro, Cartagena de Indias, Bolivar, Colombia https://colombialuxurygroup.com
