We used TripAdvisor to find Duran Duran tours and booked a city tour for 6 people in a van. Our tour guide, Hernand, was a top 10 guide of the dozens and dozens and dozens of countries that we've used! That said, the port times of 0700 - 1400 were way too short and early for such a large city! ...
Very good tour of the fort, walled city and a boat tour of the city sights. Cesar, our guide, was very informative and there was a rest stop with air conditioning and a place to sit. ...
We did a private excursion with Dora of Cartagena Tours which was good. There is definitely a problem with aggressive vendors. Two days in port were too many, the ship was crowded like a sea day on the second day as maybe people didn't feel safe? Not much to do after you explored the city and the cool aviary at the cruise terminal. ...
Not sure it is the safest port. The old city is interesting however the ships excursions I have been on the tour guide talks TOO much and does not leave enough time to walk around the sites (eg, the Fortress). Also, the local vendors are EXTREMELY pushy.
One of the nice things is right at the port there is a duty free shop but also a number of parrots and other birds that live in the trees. ...
The problem was not the city or the elements of the town/country. The issue was that there were 3 other cruise ships docked - so there were 10,000 cruise tourists overwhelming the tourist infrastructure! ...
