Originally Posted by OrangeCrow

The prices vary depending on the boat, but it is somewhere around 550USD per person. They say it's getting more expensive every year, but in 2010 the prices were 500USD pp, so it's not skyrocketing. These boats are catering to budget travelers (mainly backpackers), so it is expected that you help around the boat and help with the navigation when captain is sleeping (the boat goes on autopilot, so you just sit there and watch if there are some unusual numbers on the monitor and if there are - wake up the captain).
We got lucky, because Micamale is a luxury boat among the others on the route and there was an extra crew member (Felipe). We could sit back and enjoy the ride. In case somebody wanted to learn sailing or navigating, the captain was willing to teach you and let you try things.
Most of the boats also offer private transfer; most of them carry 8 passengers, so I assume the price can't be much steeper than 4400USD to charter a boat with crew for your private use.
I think it's a great value for money, it includes transfer, island hopping for 3 days and food and non alocoholic drinks (I'll cover it in later segments). Before the trip my knowledge about boats was pretty basic (it floats - must be a boat) and I never had an aspiration to try sailing, but I'm glad that I took this trip.
I also think it's a great way to experience sailing for the beginners. There is a big chunk where you sample how does sailing in open waters feel like, it's not too short and not too long. And then, you get to try island hopping on semi-private boat: you get a say in the decision making of where to go next and how long to stay there.

There are 3 ports in Cartagena, one is for big cargo ships and cruise ships and and two smaller for yachts and sailing boats. We left from Club Nautico and it's a small port, it had 2 wooden jettys. In the first picture, where S is pushing a bike, you can see 1/4 of the whole port.
The customs officials never checked our boat, neither in Colombia nor in Panama. The small private boats aren't their biggest interest. I assume they have a right to visit any of the boats, and they do that occasionaly, but deffinetely not checking each boat. All the paperwork is done by the captain, he collects the passports a day before the departure and gives them back only after arrival. I think the captain also needs to declare things to customs, but nobody really cares what's inside your backpack.
As there aren't much of control, drug trafficing is a prolem there (surprise, surprise). The colombian and panamanean military send planes that fly very low and seek for any illegal activities. I assume they have their system how to control things.