Private vs Shared Charter in San Blas: What’s the Difference?
By Ninón del Castillo - Account Manager, Ulu
The short answer: a private charter means the whole boat is yours - your group, your dates, and an itinerary you plan together with the captain. A shared charter means you book a cabin alongside other travelers, on a route the captain sets.
Both give you excellent meals, quality service and a variety of beautiful islands. The real difference is how much of the trip is yours to shape and how much personalized attention you get. For most groups, that’s what makes a private boat the better trip - here’s why.
Private vs shared charter San Blas Quick summary
Private: the whole boat, your dates, a route you plan with the captain. For 2 guests, monohulls start at $500/night, catamarans from $900/night
Shared: a cabin on a boat with other travelers, from $250 per person, per night, on a route the captain sets
On a private charter you and the captain plan the route together, around the weather and your preferences
From four guests up, the smartest choice is a private boat
Excellent meals and service on both
How a private charter works
You reserve the entire boat for your group alone. It’s the choice for people who value privacy and freedom, and for special occasions - honeymoons, birthdays, family trips, groups of friends.
The biggest practical difference is the itinerary. On a private charter, the captain suggests a route based on the weather and your preferences, and you plan it together. You have a real say in where you go and how each day looks. You have the crew’s undivided attention and you get an intimate environment with just your friends and loved ones.
Private rates start at $500 per night for a monohull and $900 per night for a catamaran, for the whole boat for two guests. Full pricing is in our [cost guide].
All of our boats listed on our web do private all-inclusive charters!
Private, whole boat, per night | Monohull | Catamaran |
2 people | $500 - $720 | $900 - $2,600 |
3 people | $700 - $900 | $1,025 - $2,960 |
4 people | $850 - $1,125 | $1.150 - $3,320 |
How a shared charter works
You book a cabin on a boat that fills up with other travelers. If there are three of you, you’d take two double cabins.
It’s the sociable option and a lot of travelers choose it precisely because they want to meet others - younger travelers especially. It’s only cheaper than a private charter for couples wanting to sail on a catamaran and it’s the only charter option for solo travelers.
Dates are open on the boats that offer it. Book a cabin just like a hotel room. Pick your arrival date, select your departure date, and if we have an open cabin, you're cleared to come aboard. The captain sets the route, and passengers join or leave at different points along the way. Luxury catamarans and higher-end monohulls do private charters only.
Shared prices are per person, per night:
Monohull | Catamaran | |
Double cabin, shared bathroom | $250 - $300 | $280 - $300 |
Double cabin, private bathroom | NA | $325 - $350 |
Six catamarans and three monohulls offer shared trips. You’ll see as many islands as the length of your stay on board allows. If two of you share a double cabin, you each pay the standard shared rate above.
Shared charter catamarans:
Shared charter monohulls: Marlin, Luna, Montserrat
Travelling solo? A single traveler on a shared boat pays a higher per-person rate - from $250 on a monohull, up to $450 on a catamaran - for single occupancy on a double cabin.
The honest comparison
For a couple: A shared charter is cheaper if you want a catamaran, but there is no cost difference between chartering a shared or private monohull.
For solo travelers: A shared charter is the only option, unless you don’t mind paying for a private boat which has a 2 person minimum rate.
For a group: Private often costs the same or only a little more per person for 2 or 3 guests, but starting at 4 guests, private is actually the cheaper way to go. For groups of 4 or more, we only offer private charter.
That’s why most of our guests choose private - what you gain is a trip that’s genuinely yours.
Which one suits you?
A private charter is the better choice if:
You’re a couple, a family or a group of friends who want the boat to yourselves
You want to plan the route together with the captain, around your preferences
You want to choose your own dates
You’re marking a honeymoon, birthday or special occasion
You’re four or more - at that size, a private boat is the smartest choice
A shared charter makes sense if:
You’re solo or a couple on a tight budget
You’d genuinely enjoy meeting and travelling with other people
You’re happy to join a set route, knowing the captain’s goal is always to take you to the most beautiful islands possible
You have date flexibility to book a trip on a boat’s open dates
From four guests up, go private
For groups of four or more we only run private charters - and at that size it’s also the smartest choice. You fill the boat yourselves, the per-person cost drops, and the whole trip is yours to shape. Below four, both options are open on the six catamarans and three monohulls that offer shared trips.
Ready to plan a private trip?
Tell us your dates and how many of you there are, and we’ll put together a private charter built around what you want. We reply within a couple of hours, and no longer than 24 hours depending on your time zone.
[Fill out a Contact Form or WhatsApp us ->] · [Request a private charter ->]
Private vs Shared Charter San Blas: FAQ
Is a private charter more expensive than shared? Per person, a shared charter is cheaper on a catamaran only when it’s a couple booking. On a monohull a cabin for 2 starts at $500, but so does a private charter where you get the whole boat, and the dates and the itinerary are entirely yours to set.
Can a couple book a private charter? Yes - on any of our boats, according to the comfort you’re after. Monohulls run from $500 to $720 a night for the whole boat, and catamarans from $900 to $1,500 and up. You get complete privacy and a route planned around you.
What’s the difference in the itinerary? On a private charter the captain suggests a route based on the weather and your preferences, and you plan it together. On a shared charter the captain sets the route; other passengers hop on and off, and the boat’s route is preset precisely to plan for passenger arrival and departures.
Do solo travelers pay more on a shared boat? Yes - a single traveler pays a higher per-person rate (from $250 up to $450) because they take a double cabin on their own. It’s still the cheapest way for one person to sail San Blas.
Are the meals and service the same on both? Yes - excellent meals and quality service come with both.
Do shared charters and private charters visit the same islands?
The islands visited have nothing to do with whether the charter is private or shared, so a shared charter may or may not sail to islands visited on a private charter. The difference is that on a private charter you won’t repeat any island groups. On a shared charter, especially one longer than 3 or 4 nights, you can expect to go back to a previously visited island group to drop off or pick up guests.
=======================================================================
Ninón del Castillo has been part of the ULU team for over ten years. She has sailed San Blas almost every year both in private and shared charter experiences. Both, she says, were unforgettable.
Comments