Cartagena Colombia Cruise Port Guide | Virgin Voyages Port Day Review
- Kristin Hughes
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Cartagena, Colombia Cruise Port Guide:
A Colorful Day Exploring Beyond the Port
From flamingos and monkeys at the cruise port to the historic walled city and Getsemani — here’s how we spent a full day in Cartagena during our Virgin Voyages cruise.
Cartagena, Colombia was probably the port I knew the least about before our cruise.
And honestly? I think that’s what made it such a surprise.
During our Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady sailing, we had a late-night departure from Cartagena (midnight!), which gave us the luxury of an entire day to explore without feeling rushed. We purposely didn’t book a formal excursion because we wanted flexibility — and this ended up being one of our favorite DIY cruise port days of the trip.
If Colombia is on your itinerary and you’re unsure what to expect, let me reassure you:
👉 Cartagena’s tourist areas felt lively, colorful, historic, and incredibly walkable.
👉 And even if you don’t venture far… you NEED to at least step off the ship for the bird sanctuary alone.
Seriously.
Wait… There’s a Bird Sanctuary at the Cartagena Cruise Port?
No one prepared me for this.
You walk off the ship expecting a typical cruise port… and suddenly you’re surrounded by:
🦚 Peacocks roaming freely
🦩 Flamingos
🦜 Parrots and toucans
🐒 Monkeys
🦎 Lizards everywhere
It honestly felt like a mini tropical zoo hidden inside the port area.
We spent nearly an hour here just wandering around taking photos and watching the animals. Some cruisers we met stayed onboard because they were nervous about Colombia — but honestly, even if you decide not to fully explore Cartagena, the bird sanctuary alone is worth walking down to see.
DIY Cartagena Cruise Port Day vs. Excursion
One thing we love about traveling is flexibility.
We’re not huge fans of:
large bus groups
strict schedules
rushed stops
So instead of booking a formal excursion, we headed into the taxi/tour guide area outside the port and negotiated a private round-trip driver for the day.
💵 Cost: Approximately $100 USD round trip + Driver Tip
This gave us the freedom to:
✔ Explore at our own pace
✔ Stop where we wanted
✔ Stay longer in areas we enjoyed
✔ Skip things that didn’t interest us
For travelers comfortable with independent exploration, Cartagena is a fantastic DIY port day.
First Stop: Castillo San Felipe de Barajas
Our first major stop was the famous Castillo San Felipe de Barajas — Cartagena’s massive historic fortress overlooking the city.
Built by the Spanish in the 1600s, this UNESCO-recognized fort was designed to protect Cartagena from pirates and invasions.
The views here were incredible.
You can:
walk through tunnels
explore stone walls
overlook the coastline
see modern Cartagena rising behind the old fort
Exploring Cartagena’s Walled City
After the fort, we headed toward Cartagena’s famous Walled City, and this is where the city really came alive for us.
The vibe instantly reminded me of:
✨ Old San Juan
✨ Havana
✨ colorful European coastal towns
Think:
colorful colonial buildings
balconies overflowing with flowers
horse-drawn carriages
bustling plazas
street musicians
local vendors everywhere
We spent time around Parque de Bolívar, where the energy was nonstop.
There were:
🎤 local rappers performing
💃 street entertainers
🛍 artisans selling crafts
💆 massage vendors everywhere
And yes… Will somehow ended up getting a spontaneous shoulder massage from THREE women in the middle of the plaza while sitting on a stool with his shirt over his head. 😂
They quoted him around $60 USD afterward for about ten minutes.
I laughed, handed them $20, and said: “Come on now… mall massages in Texas are $1 a minute.” 😅
Travel lesson: Always confirm pricing upfront in tourist areas. A simple "No, Gracias" should work and do not engage in small talk.
Lunch in Getsemani
One of my favorite parts of Cartagena was Getsemani.
This artsy neighborhood had:
colorful murals
outdoor cafés
music everywhere
a younger creative vibe
It felt less polished than the Walled City in the best possible way.
We stopped for lunch at:🍴 Mar de las Antillas
And honestly? Great choice.
We enjoyed:
🍹 drinks
🦑 calamari
🍝 pasta
🎶 live music
It was the perfect mid-day reset after hours of walking in the heat.
Walking Cartagena’s Historic Streets
After lunch, we continued wandering toward the famous Clock Tower area and surrounding streets.
This entire section of Cartagena felt:
✔ walkable
✔ lively
✔ tourist-friendly
✔ historic
Everywhere you looked:
colorful buildings
old churches
narrow streets
local shops
bustling nightlife prep
This was in January and they keep up the decorations until the 6th or 7th, so that was a nice surprise and beautiful at night. We eventually ducked into a tiny local pub for one final drink before heading back to the ship completely exhausted from walking all day.
And honestly? That’s how I like to experience a city.
No rush. No giant tour groups. Just exploring.
One of Virgin Voyages’ BEST Perks: Late Night Port Stays
One thing worth mentioning: Virgin Voyages’ late-night stays are AMAZING.
Many cruise lines leave ports by 4 or 5 PM. Virgin often stays much later — which completely changes the experience.
Some sailors from our cruise:
🌇 went back out for sunset
🍽 had rooftop dinners overlooking Cartagena
🍸 experienced nightlife in the Walled City
That flexibility is such a huge perk of Virgin Voyages itineraries.
It allows you to actually experience destinations instead of just checking them off.
Important Things to Know Before Visiting Cartagena
Language
Very few people spoke English compared to many Caribbean cruise ports.
📱 Download Google Translate before arriving.
Basic Spanish phrases will help tremendously.
Safety
We personally felt safe in the tourist-heavy areas we visited:
cruise port
Walled City
Getsemani
As with any city:
✔ stay aware
✔ avoid flashing valuables
✔ confirm pricing upfront
✔ stick to populated areas
Weather
Cartagena is HOT and humid.
Bring:☀ sunscreen💧 water🧢 hat👟 comfortable shoes
You will walk A LOT.
Is Cartagena Worth Visiting on a Cruise?
Absolutely.
Cartagena surprised us in the best way possible.
Between:
🦜 the unexpected bird sanctuary
🏰 historic forts
🎨 colorful streets
🍹 local food and music
🌇 late-night energy
…it ended up being one of the most memorable ports of our cruise.
And if you’re nervous about visiting Colombia?
A cruise is honestly one of the BEST introductions to the country because you can explore comfortably while still having the safety and familiarity of the ship nearby.
Planning Your Own Virgin Voyages Caribbean Cruise?
If you’re considering a Virgin Voyages sailing that includes Cartagena, I’d love to help you plan it.
As a Virgin Voyages First Mate and frequent sailor, I help clients with:
✔ cruise selection
✔ cabin recommendations + multiple cabin bookings
✔ pre-cruise hotels
✔ excursions and port planning
✔ insider tips like this one 😉
👉 Visit my Contact Page and reach out today for more customized planning: CONTACT
And yes…At minimum, go see the peacocks.
