Catch the Ferry from Fajardo to Culebra or Vieques

Use La Lancha Entre Fajardo y Culebra o Vieques

Posted on May 7th, 2007 by Gwenn • Updated on May 11th, 2013
Category: Beach, Culebra, En español, Porta Antillas (East), Vieques

Servicios de Traduccion prestados por la New School of Languages

Update 5/11/13 The “Fast ferry” contract has been extended until June 30th 2013 and maybe more! Keep posted for updated schedule. You need to be very flexible with your plans if you plan to use the ferry system as things can change very quickly (due to weather or maintenance issues). Flying is always a good option. I was told 5/2/13 that they don’t sell tickets to Culebra prior to the day of departure, but they may sell tickets to Vieques a day or two before the travel date.

Fajardo Ferry

An economical way to get to the out-islands of Culebra and Vieques is by using the passenger ferry (La Lancha). These ferries, operated by the Port Authority Maritime Division, carry about 200-600 passengers and run during the day hours, 365 days a year.

Depending on the particular ferry they’re using the day you go, you may be able to get a seat outside on the upper deck. There are fewer seats outside than inside. Depending on the wind, the diesel exhaust can make for a smelly ride if you’re outside. I normally try to get a seat outside, because it is a nice view, and the breeze is nice. Inside the main cabins, it is air conditioned to about 65 degrees! Bring a jacket or wrap up in a beach blanket, especially for the ride home when you may still be wet from swimming. Note: they do not always allow people to use the outside seating.

The trip over can be a little rough. Sea sickness bags are available on-board. If you are prone to motion sickness, take sea sickness medicine at least one hour before boarding the ferry so that is ready to work when you need it. Sometimes the seas are flat, and sometimes they’re not. I find the trip back to Fajardo to be less rough than the trip to the islands.

There are only a limited number of tickets available for each ferry. It is recommended to get to the ticket office (across the street from the actual terminal) about 1-2 hours before the scheduled departure. Residents of the municipal islands have priority over other travelers. There are sometimes long lines, and they do sell out (especially on weekends in the summer and holidays). When you buy your tickets, buy the round trip, so you don’t have to wait on line to buy your return ticket. In the past, we have gone a day or two early before a desired trip and bought the tickets ahead of time, but this is not always allowed (see note above). Supposedly the ticket windows are now (2/13) open for ticket sales from 3am-8pm weekdays and 7am-7pm weekends.

Ferry Terminal in Fajardo

They announce the ferry boarding in Spanish. If you are unsure if you are boarding the correct ferry, just ask the ticket takers or some locals.

You can bring coolers, beach chairs, beach umbrellas, snorkel gear, etc. with you. The coolers and large things will be stored away from the seating areas- usually outside and/or in the front or the back of the boat – the crew will tell you where to put the items, and you have to go pick it up on the way off the ferry. There is a charge if you have extra stuff, just a buck or two each (see DTOP webpage for full details) – supposedly only “one bag” per person allowed. Tell them what you are bringing at the ticket counter, or you will have to run back and pay the additional fee before they allow you on the ferry. Animals are allowed on the ferry if they are in a crate or cage and you have paid the fee for them. Bikes are only allowed on the cargo ferry.

The ferries usually run "on-time", give or take a little.

When you get off the ferry on either island, you’ll find a little town right there, where you can find something to eat or drink, and places to rent snorkel gear, etc. There will also be plenty of taxis available.

There is a cargo ferry that runs from Fajardo to the islands, but this is mainly for the locals and supplies. Anyone can ride as a passenger on this ferry, but for cargo and cars, it is a locals only thing. Most car rental companies do not permit their cars to leave the mainland. Reservations must be made in advance for the cargo ferry, and you may be bumped off even if you have a reservation if there is something that has to get to the island at the last minute. Taking a car on the cargo ferry is not something I would recommend anyone try to do on vacation. There are rental cars available on the islands – reserve a car. On Culebra, there will be a car rental representative available for you when you get off the passenger ferry. On Vieques, it is better to take a taxi to the car rental agency.

If you drive to the Fajardo ferry terminal, there is a public parking lot that is available 24 hours/day. Cost $5 per day plus tax. Your car should be fine parked in this lot. Note- take your ticket with you, you have to pay before getting back to your car. Also, there are locals that have parking available in small lots in the area around the ferry terminal.

A one-way ticket to Culebra costs $2.25 per person. A one-way ticket to Vieques costs $2.00 per person. Kids 3-11 years old and seniors 60-74 years old cost $1.00 per person, seniors 75 years and older are free. Parking in the public lot costs $5.00 per day plus tax.

Here is the passenger ferry schedule, accurate as of May 1 2013 (still awaiting to update for new 5/11/13 schedule):

Fajardo to Culebra (7 days/week & holidays)
9:00am • 3:00pm • 7:00pm.
Culebra to Fajardo (7 days/week & holidays)
6:30am • 1:00pm • 5:00pm.
Fajardo to Vieques (7 days/week & holidays) 9:30am, 1pm, 4:30pm, 8pm.
Vieques to Fajardo (7 days/week & holidays) 6:30am, 11am, 3pm , 6:00pm.

Note- passengers can also get onto the cargo ferry, these ships run frequently, but may (or may not) take longer. See our article for times of the the cargo ferry out of Fajardo.

5/13- Currently I don’t think they are taking “reservations” for the passenger ferry. It is almost useless to do it, but you can try to call to buy your tickets with a credit card ahead of time. Note – this is not a reservation, it is more of a "hold". It is very difficult to get through to someone in the ticket office. If you are able to purchase tickets ahead of time, on the day of your ferry trip, you can go to a separate window to pick up your tickets (it is to the far right). But be aware, your passage on the assigned ferry is not guaranteed- you don’t have a reservation. Until you have a ticket in hand, you do not have a seat on the ferry. The ticket office will be selling tickets that day also. So if you’re late, they will fill the ferry with passengers that were waiting in line ahead of you, selling your ticket. So still get there early. I really wouldn’t bother trying this.

As of Nov. 2008, there is no ferry service between the islands of Vieques and Culebra. Also, there is no high-speed ferry service to either island from the San Juan area.

Depending on wind and sea conditions, the trip between Fajardo and either island takes about 1 to 1½ hours each way. If the seas are too rough, or there is mechanical failure, they may cancel the trip. It does occasionally happen.

Not that I would bother: 787-860-2005. This numbers are only answered by humans Monday to Friday, from 7:00am to 5pm.

You can visit the Puerto Rico Port Authority web site for more info.

Take Route 3 to Fajardo, and turn onto Route 194. There’s a traffic light and a Shell station at this intersection. It’s right near where Route 3 and Route 53 (the toll road) come together. Stay on Route 194 (it’s a winding road) until you get to Route 195. There’s a traffic light at this intersection, and a Burger King just through the light on the left. There’s also a sign for the ferry terminal on the corner. Turn right onto Route 195. Continue on Route 195 (it goes through a little town) until it ends. Pass through the arch at the end of the street (this will make sense when you see it), and the parking lot is on the right. The ferry terminal and ticket office is to the left. Just walk along the water after you park your car.

The ferry terminal in Fajardo is about a 45-minute drive from Rio Grande

Una forma económica de transportarse hacia las islas de Culebra y Vieques es el usar sus lanchas de pasajeros. Estas embarcaciones, operadas por la División Marítima de la Autoridad Portuaria, llevan de 200–600 pasajeros y viajan durante las horas del día, los 365 días del año.

Hay la posibilidad de que pueda conseguir un asiento en la cubierta superior, dependiendo de el ferry o lancha en particular que se esté usando el día que vaya, Hay menos asientos en el exterior que en el interior del navío. Los gases de escape diésel pueden hacer del paseo uno maloliente si se esta sentado en el exterior del barco; claro, dependiendo de la dirección del viento. Yo normalmente trato de conseguir un asiento exterior para apreciar la vista y disfrutar de la brisa. ¡Dentro de las cabinas principales, el aire acondicionado se mantiene a 65 grados! Es recomendable llevar un abrigo o envolverse en una manta de playa, especialmente en el viaje de retorno a casa, si todavía usted está húmedo por la natación o la playa. Ojo: no siempre permiten a la gente sentarse en los asientos al aire libre.

El viaje puede ser un poco áspero. Hay bolsas de mareo disponibles a bordo. Si usted es propenso al mareo, debe tomar medicamentos al menos una hora antes de subir al ferry. A veces el mar está tranquilo y a veces no. A mi me parece que el viaje de regreso a Fajardo es menos duro que el viaje de ida a las islas.

Hay sólo un número limitado de entradas disponibles para cada barco. Se recomienda llegar a la taquilla (que esta localizada al cruzar la calle del terminal) alrededor de una hora antes de la salida. Los residentes de las islas municipio tienen prioridad sobre los otros viajeros. A veces hay largas colas, y los boletos de agotan (sobre todo los fines de semana en el verano y en las vacaciones). Cuando usted compre sus entradas asegúrese de comprar el boleto de ida y vuelta, para que no tenga que volver a esperar en fila para comprarlo al regresar.

Ferry Terminal in Fajardo

Es casi inútil hacerlo, pero usted puede intentar llamar para comprar sus boletos con tarjeta de crédito antes de tiempo. Nota: esta no es una reservación , es más bien un "hold". Las entradas se pueden comprar hasta con un año de anticipación. Es muy difícil conseguir a alguien de la taquilla por teléfono, así que tenga paciencia e inténtelo unas cuantas veces.

Si usted compra boletos con anticipación, el día de su viaje en el ferry, se puede ir a una casilla separada para recogerlos (que esta en el extremo derecho). Pero tenga en cuenta, que su admisión al ferry asignado no está garantizada; no hacen reservaciones. Hasta que usted tenga un boleto en la mano, no tendrá asiento en el ferry. La taquilla venderá entradas ese día también. Así que si llega tarde, se llenará el ferry con los pasajeros que esperan en fila delante de usted Así que hay que ir con suficiente anticipación pues de lo contrario venderán su asiento.

Ellos anuncian el embarque del ferry en español. Si no sabe español y no está seguro si es el ferry que debe abordar, simplemente pregunte al encargado o a otra persona.

Usted puede traer hieleras, sillas de playa, sombrillas, equipo de bucear, etc. Las neveritas (especialmente si son grandes y contienen bebidas alcohólicas) y otras cosas de gran tamaño, se almacenan fuera, en el frente o en la parte de atrás del barco – el personal le dirá dónde ubicarlas, y donde recogerlas al abandonar el ferry. Hay un cargo extra si tiene “extra” cosas – supuestamente admiten sólo "un equipaje de mano" por persona. Se admiten animales en el ferry si se encuentran encerrados en una caja o jaula y si se ha pagado la cuota por los mismos. La bicicletas sólo se permiten en la lancha de carga.

Las lanchas generalmente salen "a tiempo", más o menos.

Al bajar del ferry en cada isla, encontraras un pequeño centro urbano frente a ti, donde se puede encontrar algo para comer o beber, y lugares para alquilar equipos de buceo, etc También hay una gran cantidad de taxis.

Hay un ferry de carga que va desde Fajardo a las islas, pero este es usado principalmente para transportar a los habitantes de las islas y su carga. Cualquier persona puede ir como pasajero en este ferry, pero se usa esencialmente para transportar la carga y los automóviles de los habitantes de la isla municipio. La mayoría de las compañías de alquiler de autos no permiten que sus vehículos salgan de la isla grande. Las reservaciones para la lancha de carga deben hacerse con antelación y existe la posibilidad de que se la cancelen con o sin reservación. Tome esto en cuenta en caso de que por casualidad tuviese que llevar algo extra a la isla a última hora.

Llevarse su carro en la lancha de carga no es algo que yo recomendaría a nadie en sus vacaciones. Hay automóviles de alquiler disponibles en las islas. En Culebra, habrá un representante de alquiler de carros disponible para usted cuando usted baja del ferry de pasajeros. En Vieques, es mejor tomar un taxi que alquilar un auto.

Si usted conduce hasta el terminal del ferry de Fajardo, hay un estacionamiento público que está disponible las 24 horas del día. $5 por dia. Su carro debe estar bien estacionado en el lote. Además, hay otros locales pequeños disponibles para estacionamiento en los alrededores de ese terminal.

Un boleto de ida a Culebra cuesta $2.25 por persona. Un boleto de ida a Vieques cuesta $2.00 por persona. Niños 3–11 años de edad y adultos mayores 60–74 años de edad pagan de $1.00 por persona, las personas mayores de 75 años entran gratis. Aparcarse en el estacionamiento público cuesta $5.00 por día más impuestos.

Este es el horario del ferry, Feb. 2013:

Fajardo a Culebra (7 días/semana y días festivos )
9:00am • 3:00pm • 7:00pm.
Culebra a Fajardo (7 días/semana y días festivos)
6:30am • 1:00pm • 5:00pm.
Fajardo a Vieques (7 días/semana y días festivos) 9:30am • 1:00pm • 4:30pm • 8:00pm
Vieques a Fajardo (7 días/semana y días festivos) 6:30am • 11:00am • 3:00pm • 6:30pm.

Desde noviembre del 2008, no hay servicio de ferry entre las islas de Vieques y Culebra. Además, no hay servicio de ferry de alta velocidad a cualquier isla de la zona.

Dependiendo de las condiciones del viento y el mar, el viaje entre Fajardo y la isla tarda de 1 a 1½ horas en cada dirección. Si el mar está demasiado agitado, o hay una falla mecánica, se puede cancelar el viaje. Esto sucede de vez en cuando.

Si usted desea tratar de comprar los boletos para La Lancha con anticipación puede intentarlo llamando a uno de los siguientes teléfonos: 787–860–2005. Estas lineas sólo son contestadas en vivo de lunes a viernes, de 7am- 5pm. Una vez que usted logre comunicarse puede comprar sus entradas utilizando su tarjeta de crédito. Ellos le darán un número de referencia . El día de su viaje, usted podrá recoger sus boletos en la ventanilla de Fajardo sin tener que esperar en la línea habitual. Debe haber un guardia u oficial, cerca de la ventana, le indica que ya han pagado por sus boletos y que desea recogerlos. Asegúrese de tener su número de referencia. Debe llegar temprano, incluso si es pre–pagado. Recuerde nuevamente que usted no tiene un asiento garantizado en un viaje de la lancha. Debe llegar temprano para recoger sus boletos.

Puede visitar el sitio web de la Autoridad de Puertos de Puerto Rico para mayor información.

Como llegar: Tome la Ruta 3 a Fajardo, y gire en la carretera #194. Hay un semáforo y una gasolinera Shell en esa intersección. Está justo cerca de la unión de la Ruta 3 y la Ruta 53 (la del peaje). Manténgase en la carretera 194 (esta carretera tiene algunas curvas) hasta llegar a la ruta 195. Hay un semáforo en esa intersección, y un Burger King a la izquierda. Hay también un letrero de el terminal de la lancha en la esquina. Gire a la derecha hacia la carretera 195. Continúe por la 195 (atravesará un poblado pequeño) y continúe hasta el final . Pase por el arco en el final de la calle (esto tendrá sentido cuando lo vea), y el estacionamiento se encuentra a la derecha. El terminal del ferry y la taquilla están a la izquierda. Sólo tendrá que caminar un tramo junto al mar después de estacionar su coche.

La terminal de la lancha en Fajardo está a unos 45 minutos de Río Grande

Use this map to locate places mentioned in this article. You can click on a placemark to view the GPS coordinates for that place.

Utilice el siguiente mapa para localizar los lugares mencionados en este artículo. Puede hacer clic en cualquiera de las marcas de posición para ver las coordenadas GPS de ese lugar.

PuertoRicoDayTrips.com assumes no responsibility regarding your safety when participating in the activities described in this article. Please use common sense! If your mother or that little voice in your head tells you that you are about to do something stupid ... then don't do it! Read more about Safety →

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76 comments
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This was very helpful! I was completely unaware that you could reserve tickets in advance. I’ll plan on doing that now!
Comment by Mark on August 3rd, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Thank u so much, this info answered all my question!!!
Comment by Liz on August 10th, 2007 at 11:54 am
very comprehensive information
Comment by Hina on August 30th, 2007 at 9:37 am
How can I book on-line? We’ve been trying for three days. Please help us. We need 7 tickets to Culebra. Thank you very much.
Comment by FRANK on January 22nd, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Unfortunately, you cannot purchase ferry tickets on-line. Your best bet on getting through on the phone is to call right around the time that the ferry leaves. See our ferry schedule above for those times.

The majority of the people just go to the ferry terminal the morning they want to travel and buy tickets at the ticket window.

Unless you’re going on a _really_ popular day (day after Thanksgiving, Easter weekend, etc) you should have no problem getting tickets.
Comment by Ray on January 22nd, 2008 at 9:52 pm
i am taking my rent a car…..is there a schedule for this?
Comment by frances on January 26th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
It is our understanding that cars rented on the “big island” cannot be transported to Culebra or Vieques. You should verify that with your rental car company. In most cases, it will void your rental contract.

There is no “car ferry” to the islands. There is a “cargo ferry” used to transport goods and construction materials and equipment. There is no posted schedule for this cargo ferry. You need to make a reservation to get onto it, and you may very well be bumped off if there’s a shipment that has higher priority.

There are ample cars for rent on both Culebra and Vieques, and you can park your rental car in the lot near the ferry terminal for about $5/day.
Comment by Ray on January 27th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Can we park the rental in the terminal parking lot for more than 1 day? We are planning on picking up and using the rental for 3 days on the mainland then spending 4 nights on Vieques. We will then drive ourselves back to the airport from the ferry terminal after our visit to Vieques. Is this possible?
Comment by Denise on September 2nd, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Yes. You can park overnight in the parking lot near the ferry terminal for about $5/day.
Comment by Ray on September 3rd, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Great info! We’ve taken both the cargo and the passenger ferry and I completely agree that unless you absolutely HAVE to take the cargo ferry, don’t. And the info about the passenger ferry being cold, is right on….it’s downright chilly, especially after being in the sun all day!! Thanks for the updated schedules and numbers!!
Comment by Beth on December 29th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
could anyone recommend a way of getting between the san jose airport and fajardo?
we’re arriving at SJU and our ultimate destination will be culebra (or possibly vieques).
is it worth flying from SJU to the islands or driving to fajardo and taking the ferry?

thanks for the help!
Comment by raffi on January 29th, 2009 at 8:29 am
I guess it really depends on how many people are in your group. The cheapest way to get from San Juan to Fajardo is a private driver for about $60 one-way. The other option is a taxi @ about $80 one-way. A flight from San Juan to one of the sister islands costs about $70 per person each way. The ferry is about $3 per person each way. So you need to do the math and divide out the per person costs versus the time involved.
Comment by Ray on January 29th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
TRAVELER BEWARE! There are a few other things you need to know about the ferry from Fajardo to Vieques/Culebra. (1) Local residents get to jump in line ahead of you to purchase tickets for the ferry – they live there, you don’t, so they get first dibs on tickets. If a ferry is close to full, you can get “bumped” in favor of a resident who’s returning home. (2) The Fajardo terminal does not appear to be well-organized or well-run, and no one appeared to be in charge on the day I was there (2/18/09)…if you have a question or complaint, there’s not a manager present who can help (or is willing to admit that they are the manager). (3) Several of the locals I spoke to were very frustrated because they say that the PR Port Authority does not provide adequate preventative maintenance to keep the ferry fleet moving on a regular schedule. Based on what I saw – there were three ferries tied to the docks that did not move all day 2/18/09, and one that went out of service later in the day – causing 7+ hour delays in departure schedules – I’d have to agree with their assessment. I suspect that part of the reason for all of this is (4) the fact that adult tickets are $2.50 each, meaning that this is a government-subsidized venture with no profit potential – and in turn, that creates an environment for sloppy operations management and maintenance practices. TRAVELER BEWARE! Use the Fajardo ferries only if price is your primary motivation, and you have no time committments on Vieques or Culebra. If you have any kind of schedule to keep, take a commuter flight from San Juan instead (about $160 per person, round trip as of 2/17/09).
Comment by dstyes on February 21st, 2009 at 12:05 am
I agree- the ferry is far from perfect.
The ferry is actually public transportation for the residents on Vieques/Culebra. These locals need the ferry to go to school or the doctor or to pay taxes etc. It is the only way they can live their daily lives. It is not a money making venture. So- yes, these locals do and should have priority for tickets. I would hate to see a child stuck in Fajardo for the night because a tourist took the last seat.
Yes, it is not well organized. And I doubt you will ever find anyone in charge at the ferry terminals. The head offices are elsewhere.
Tourists need to be flexible. If you HAVE TO get to Vieques or Culebra, then fly. You can get a flight from Ceiba airport for under $30.
If you only want to spend $2.50 for the ferry, then you will need to deal with some inconvenience- that is the way it is.
Luckily, there is a new person in charge of the ferries this year, and he is making some improvements. I hope it helps!
We always say- if you have more money than time- fly. If you have more time than money, take the ferry.
Comment by Gwenn on April 3rd, 2009 at 7:19 pm
we are flying into san juan late friday night and then thinking of staying at the gran melia in rio grande (since it is one of the less expensive places) and then need to get to the ferry terminal the next day and hopefully take the 9am ferry to culebra and staying (camping ) in culebra until monday am and then will have to head back from culebra to the airport. would it make the most sense to rent a car and just keep it at the ferry terminal until monday when we get back? since it seems like all of the taxi prices will cost more and the car is only about 80 something from friday night until monday evening… ?
Comment by Jaimie on May 1st, 2009 at 11:55 am
The cost of a taxi from the SJU airport to Rio Grande will be about $63 one way. Then by the time you figure in taxi from Rio Grande to Fajardo (metered fare) and taxi from Fajardo back to SJU at the end of your trip (around $80) … it may be more cost effective to rent a car and leave it sit in the lot at the ferry terminal. Just don’t forget to factor in parking (about $5/day) at the ferry and the possibility of a charge to park at your resort.
Comment by Ray on May 2nd, 2009 at 8:55 am
Can bikes be brought on the Culebra Ferry?
Comment by LPQ on July 1st, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Yes. I believe they can.

update: 7/15/09 Technically, bikes can only go on the cargo ferry, but you may get lucky and be able to bring them on the passenger ferry. I think it depends on how busy it is and how much the ferry people care that day about following the rules.
Comment by Ray on July 1st, 2009 at 5:00 pm
As a patron of the ferry for the past 40 years, I can tell you it is at best a third world operation. As a Puerto Rican, I am deeply ashamed of the complete lack of customer service, the behavior of the locals, the lack of information, and the overall attitude of everyone involved. Except for some new ships, you would think this was some ferry service in an underdeveloped country in 1920. I have called 2,000 times for information and only had my phone called answered once! The price for a ferry ride has never changed; I would be willing to pay a little more for better service.

Go to the Ceiba or San Juan airport and fly instead.
Comment by G on July 4th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
We tried to get the ferry from Fajardo to Culebra on Tuesday (july 7th) and the line wrapped down the street, around the corner and down the block. After waiting for 45 minutes in the blazing early morning heat, they announced the ferry was full. The line had only moved maybe 10 feet in that time. Everything I read said that Culebra was pretty empty except on weekends and holidays. So I don’t understand what is going on and whether we should try again tomorrow (thursday). We tried both Vieques Air Link and Air Flamenco and neither have any seats available either. We really wanted to visit Culebra and are extremely disappointed that as of right now, it does not look like we have any possible way to get there.
Comment by finnius on July 9th, 2009 at 12:35 am
What you’ve read about Culebra being empty may or may not be true for July. You see, July is the big “local” vacation month. We have 5 major holidays in July, so this is the month that locals choose to take their vacations. And where do many of them go? Culebra … expecially for “day trips”.

We live in Rio Grande, and we’ve noticed a considerable amount of “beach traffic” along Route 3 over the past couple of days.

I think what you’re running into is the normal summertime rush.
Comment by Ray on July 9th, 2009 at 6:30 am
While I don’t disagree with your observations, you have to keep in mind that it only costs $2.00-$2.25 for the ride between the islands. For many locals, that cheap transportation is a god-send and their only option for travel between the islands. And you get what you pay for. If you can afford the difference, fly.
Comment by Ray on July 9th, 2009 at 6:33 am
We plan to visit Culebra on either August 5 or August 6. Is it possible for us to get 9am tickets by getting to the ticket booth 1 hour ahead of time? Since August is in the hurrican season, ordering the tickets ahead of time sounds a bit risky.

Many thanks.
Comment by Jane on July 13th, 2009 at 10:18 am
HI Jane- It is almost impossible to book tickets early. So everyone has to go to the ticket booth. Early August is still kind of busy for the ferries, but not like crazy July. You are on the right track getting there 1 hr early and getting on line for tickets. Of course, there is no guarantee there will be tickets left when you get to the ticket window. It is a problem.
Comment by Gwenn on July 15th, 2009 at 8:14 am
The family is planning to go to Culebra on July 19, I would like to know is there only the Lancha or the Ferry is available to bring out our cars
Please answer me as soon you can!!!
Mariel
Comment by Mariel on July 16th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
The regular ferry is a passenger-only ferry … no cars. There is a cargo ferry, but space is limited and hard-to-come-by for personal vehicles unless you live on Culebra. You can contact the port authority to see if they can accommodate you … but I wouldn’t count on it.
Comment by Ray on July 16th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Thanks Gwenn for the advice. Is it possible to get tickets the day before? When does the ticket booth close in the afternoon?

Thanks in advance
Comment by Jane on July 29th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Sorry for not explaining it in details. What I meant is whether it is possible to go to the ticket booth and buy the advanced round-trip tickets for the next day in person.

Thanks again.
Comment by Jane on July 29th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Jane- yes, you can go to the window and buy tickets for a future trip. But you need to go during normal ticket hours (about 1 hr before ferry time until about 10 mins after the ferries leave). The windows are closed the rest of the time (at least that has been what I have seen).
The 9am/9:30 ferry time is crazy- loads of long lines in Fajardo. The lines are much shorter (or non existent!) during the later ferry times.
Comment by Gwenn on July 30th, 2009 at 8:46 am
It was mentioned that bikes were technically only permitted on the cargo ship, but how do you get camp gear over if you are only entitled a small amount of personal belongings? My family and I are planning on going to camp for a night and were hoping to bring our bikes to get around, but with three of them that doesn’t seem to be possible based on these posts. Does anyone have more experience with this?
Comment by SM on October 9th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
SM-
You could try to bring the bikes on the passenger ferry, but they may not allow it (I guess it dependson who is working, how busy they are , if they want to look the other way etc). They allow camping stuff (I have seen people bring tons of it!) but no flammable things like lighter fluid are allowed- they will go through your stuff to make sure you don’t have it with your grill supplies.
But the Cargo ferry also carries people and it goes to the islands a couple times/day. Check this post for times for your island:
http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/cargo-ferry/

Have fun!
Comment by Gwenn on October 9th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Just small tidbits I have learned. The ferry is as mentioned above but some other thoughts you might like are these… It is beautiful to lay on the top benches on a clear night and stargaze if you are on the last ferry. It will be cool but you can snuggle under a blanket or what not. There will be taxis (vans) when you arrive and they will only take cash so have some handy but they will take you just about anywhere. In Vieques and I am sure Culebra too, some of the locals will hang around the beach and take you snorkeling for a small fee. I find that you can have a great time if you have fewer people snorkeling with you as the fish get stirred when you go in bulk. The ferry ride itself can be enjoyable if you get there with time to spare and relax. The locals will roll up a shirt and take a nap on deck, as did I. Have fun!
Comment by GeoTravelCat on January 19th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
I just called the Lanchas to purchase my tickets in advance for myself and my three kids. The gentleman on the phone told me that we can no longer purchase over the phone and would have to buy them the day of the trip and wait on line. This is such a problem…I really wanted my kids to see Culebra
Comment by Lucie on August 2nd, 2010 at 8:47 am
Very informative page but I don’t see anything about travelling with pets. I have a small 7 pound yorki that I would need to travel with.
Comment by Richard Seifert on October 11th, 2010 at 8:52 pm
The dog is allowed on the ferry as long as it is in a crate and you have paid the fee for it. I did not see the fee for a dog, but I assume it is just a few dollars.
Comment by Gwenn on October 23rd, 2010 at 5:43 pm
“The ferries usually run “on-time”, give or take a little.”

Hardly. As the day goes on the ferry runs later and later. We had wanted to go out to Vieques on the 3 pm ferry which, after the incredibly long delay, finally pulled into the dock around 5 pm and finally left around 5:45 pm.

So a note – if you want to get to your port on time, GET THERE EARLY!
Comment by Glenn on November 15th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
We’ve tried getting on the culebra ferry three times without success. The last time I arrived about three hours early and only had 20 people ahead of me. As soon as they started selling tickets locals cut in line until all the tickets were gone. Very disappointing! A local small time car rental guy said next time we could arrange for him to get our tickets for a small premium. It’s a shady operation. We love visiting PR but the ferry to Culebra is our worst memory.
Comment by Greg on February 25th, 2011 at 6:10 pm
I’ve made the trip a few times and the best advice I can give is get there early. You need to find a place to park, get you tickets, and get in line for the ferry.

Parking – If it’s not busy, you can find a place on the street nearby or in a public parking lot just before the ferry dock. On a busy day, you can try to find a parking spot on the street, but if you can’t, people will advertise parking for about $5 on day on small private lots. Beware that if someone tells you they have parking right around the corner, and you don’t see the lot, they may lead you several blocks away.

Ticket Line – I’ve never had a problem with locals filling a ferry since there are not that may of them, but the general disorganization on lines can be very unpredictable. If you go on a weekday when the Puerto Rican kids are in school, the lines are pretty short and you would probably be fine getting there 45 min. early. On a weekend or in the Summer, the line can get longer and you probably need to be there at least 1.5 hours ahead of time. On a holiday weekend…. well it’s just not going to happen unless you are there several hours ahead of time. If you get there and the line stretches around the corner, consider looking to see if the Vieques line (in the same terminal) is shorter and going there instead.

Getting on the ferry – Everyone will be getting in line for the ferry early, and so should you (at least 30 minutes before departure). Being as it’s Puerto Rico, everybody (and their entire families) will be pushing and shoving to get on the boat first and get the best seat (or a seat at all on crowded days).
Comment by Steve on April 9th, 2011 at 7:58 am
Great article! Found all the information I needed!Thank you!
Comment by Tanya on April 15th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
Is there a place on Culebra to rent scooters?
If so, does anyone have a link to their site or a phone number?
Thanks.
Comment by NYC2PR on April 20th, 2011 at 11:31 pm
A bag of Beers and Rums is allowed on the ferry to Culebra?
Comment by LAGuy on June 20th, 2011 at 12:34 am
By “bag of beers” I assume you mean a cooler?

Anyway, the answer is “yes”, you can bring alcohol onto the ferry to take to Culebra.

It costs an extra couple bucks to bring a cooler on the ferry.

Once on the ferry, they will store all coolers in one area … they don’t want people drinking on the ferry, obviously.

If you’re taking bags and/or coolers to the beach (especially Flamenco), they will check (at the beach) that you are not bringing any GLASS bottles. Cans and plastic are OK.
Comment by Ray on June 20th, 2011 at 7:46 am
As a tourist you can forget about catching a ferry over. It will never happen.
Comment by Adam on July 2nd, 2011 at 10:55 am
Adam- during peak times (summer and holiday weekends), it is near impossible for day-trippers to get on the ferries. It seems everyone wants to go to the small island beaches for the day. You will have better luck going mid-week and mid-day.
Comment by Gwenn on July 2nd, 2011 at 11:22 am
Has anybody experienced taking the ferry on thanksgiving weekend? We’re planning on catching the 9am Sunday ferry to Culebra. Are there long lines too? We might need to change our plans if this is not a good idea.
Comment by Annie on November 3rd, 2011 at 1:28 pm
Gwenn — I’ve seen conflicting times on the morning ferry from Fajardo to Vieques. Can you confirm it departs at 9 a.m.? I saw here that it leaves at 9:30 a.m.: http://www.viequestravelguide.com/Vieques-Ferry-Schedule.html. We’re planning to go mid-week next week (there are nine of us). Do we have any shot of getting on the ferry?

Thanks, Erin
Comment by Erin Gifford on March 27th, 2012 at 9:21 pm
Erin- the morning ferry from Fajardo to Vieques is at 9:30am (as our schedule also says). The ferry to Culebra is at 9am.
However, next week is Holy Week. The ferry system will be crazily busy. They will be adding additional ferries to help get everyone to/from. So the schedule doing Holy Week may be different from the usual one.
Comment by Gwenn on March 29th, 2012 at 5:17 pm
you are the best! this is so helpful and will make the trip more at ease!!!!!
Comment by JS on May 15th, 2012 at 8:37 pm
Do we need to buy a ticket for kids under 3.
Comment by ss on May 17th, 2012 at 2:33 pm
According to their price list, I would say no- children under 3 don’t need a ticket.
Comment by Gwenn on May 20th, 2012 at 6:50 am
Greetings

Would you recommend going to Culebra on the Sunday afternoon 3pm route or could it be packed out on May 27th, 2012.

Thanks for all the good info!
Comment by JS on May 22nd, 2012 at 12:36 am
The beaches will be busy, but most people will already be there and will be leaving Monday on the 5pm ferry.
I think you will be able to get on the Sunday afternoon ferry without too much of a problem. At least that is my best guess. Good luck!
Comment by Gwenn on May 23rd, 2012 at 10:01 am
I am a tourist traveling to Vieques and did not want to pay the extra cost to fly. One of the individuals in my party rides an ecv which is a transportable scooter (almost like a wheel chair but not). Will they be able to board the ferry and is there an extra cost? Also is it difficult to get a ticket from Vieques in the middle of the week on the last ferry? Do we have to get to the terminal in Vieques early in order to make it back to the main land?
Comment by Beth on May 28th, 2012 at 12:56 am
I am unsure if they would have to pay extra for the scooter, but I would think no. Ask at the ticket counter when you get there. Yes, they will be able to board the ferry. How hard it is to get a ticket on the ferry depends on the week. Holiday weeks can be touch, but usually the later ferry is not as crowded. As long as the weather and ship maintenance is all good, it should be ok. You can buy a round trip ticket in Fajardo, so you don’t have to get to Vieques terminal too early. The person with the wheelchair scooter will probably get preferential boarding, but I don’t know about the rest of your party. Check with the people working the boarding gate.
Comment by Gwenn on June 4th, 2012 at 8:59 am
im planning a day trip (weekday) trip to Culebra and back to Fajardo same day. is there a chance the 5pm would be full and i would have to wait until the next day? thanks
Comment by peter competiello on July 25th, 2012 at 2:44 am
We are scheduled to check-into a Viequez hotel on Sunday, August 15th in the afternoon and will be taking the ferry there. We are thinking about taking the 1:00 pm ferry. What do you think should be our strategy for purchasing the ticket? I saw that some folks commented that they were not able to purchase their tickets in advance (a day or two in advance) at the location. Thanks!
Comment by Javier on July 29th, 2012 at 9:32 pm
I think you should be ok getting tickets at 1pm on a Sunday, just by showing up at the window 1 hr before the ferry. That is not the popular time.
There is also a cargo ferry( which has room for about 60 passengers) that goes to Vieques at 11am and 5pm and another passenger ferry at 4:30pm. So with all those options, barring any mechanical or weather-related troubles, you will get to Vieques that afternoon.
Comment by Gwenn on July 30th, 2012 at 7:39 pm
If you buy a round trip ticket, they will get you back to Fajardo some time that evening (and most probably on the 5pm ferry). If there is some problem with the 5pm ferry, they have backups they run until all are taken home. This is barring any weather related issues that may prevent the ferries from running. Not usually a problem.
Comment by Gwenn on July 30th, 2012 at 7:43 pm
Can one person stand in line and purchase for let’s say 5 people. Or do all 5 people have to be present? On the return ferry. Do we have to be there one hr early even though we purchased the round trip? Thanks
Comment by Tatiana on August 15th, 2012 at 6:24 pm
One person can stand in line and buy up to 10 tickets. Others do not have to be present. On the return trip, they recommend you get there 1 hr ahead of time, but if you don’t care where you sit, you can arrive later and hope to get seats somewhere near each other.
Comment by Gwenn on August 15th, 2012 at 6:42 pm
How safe is it to leave your belongings in the car and park in the parking lot at the ferry? We are switching hotel from Wyndham to gran melia or Waldorf but we won’t be able to check in yet since the ferry leaves at 9am. Would it be safer to leave our belongings at the front desk of the new hotel or in the parking lot of the ferry? Or should I take things like passport and cash with me to Culebra? It’s only going to be a day trip and we will be doing water sports so I didn’t want to bring too much with me to the island. Also we are thinking of Culebra on Sunday would that be a busy time to go or should we just go with the plane? Thanks
Comment by Pu on September 2nd, 2012 at 2:41 pm
We have been taking the ferry to Vieques and Culebras for 25 years while there in the winter .
This is a great trip. You MAY see whales along the way. The best trip is to Culebras now at 9am.
Try to get seats outside on top deck. When you get there take a publico to Flamenco Beach ( one of
the most beautiful beaches in the world. There is food there and showers. Rent an umbrella from Joe from Hoboken on the beach. The sun is very strong. The water is blue and like a swimming pool!!
Enjoy the ride home at 5 PM Leave the beach at 3 and stop at Mamamcita’s for a drink and nachos.
The trip back is a beautiful sunset cruise. Bring a snack and a drink with you. You will arrive back in Fajardo around 7pm Parking is $5.35 Try to have exact change. Enjoy your trip Also you may purchase your tickets the day before in the afternoon. Remember in March spring breakers fill the boats and you may not get on. Midweek is the best time to go.
Comment by Nicholas Egan on September 3rd, 2012 at 8:50 am
Hi, do you know what is the cost to bring a cooler and do they charge per item “inside” the cooler as well?
Comment by Mcee on October 2nd, 2012 at 12:38 pm
Whoever you are, you will go to heaven for posting this info
thanks a lot.
Comment by SKC on October 3rd, 2012 at 1:53 pm
I have never heard about robberies at the ferry parking lot, but I can’t guarantee they never happen. If you could, I would try to leave your stuff at the front desk of the new or old hotel. If not, put stuff out of sight in the locked car.
However, I would never leave anything in the car that would ruin my vacation if I lost it (like my passport or spending cash). I would get a waterproof pouch and put your valuables in it and take it in the water with you (I wouldn’t leave it on the beach unattended).
Culebra will be busier on a Sunday- locals like to visit it also on the weekend. If you go in the off season (non-holiday weekend in winter months) you should probably be ok with the ferry. However, having taken both plane and ferry there, we always choose the plane trip from Ceiba. And use the time you would spend waiting and on the ferry (about 4 hours total RT) actually enjoying what you went over to Culebra for!
Comment by Gwenn on October 3rd, 2012 at 4:52 pm
It costs $2.00 for a cooler and they do not charge for what is inside it.
Comment by Gwenn on October 3rd, 2012 at 5:18 pm
You are welcome, we are glad we can help!
Comment by Gwenn on October 3rd, 2012 at 5:20 pm
I am thinking of taking the ferry to Culebra on a Friday morning in mid February, but I will be in Fajardo the Wednesday before for a bio bay tour. I just want to confirm that I can still purchase my ferry ticket for future trips in advanced at the window. Please advise. Thank you for all the great info.
Comment by thao on January 12th, 2013 at 8:44 am
I can’t guarantee it since I haven’t been to the ferry dock in a while, but I believe you can.
Comment by Gwenn on January 16th, 2013 at 7:30 pm
Looking to take ferry to Culebra July 1 a Monday will I be bumped as there is 1 child 3 adults tourists wanna spend a day there..thanks on advance
Comment by rene on January 23rd, 2013 at 12:13 pm
If you are asking about the passenger ferry, you won’t be bumped, but it it always possible for tickets to sell out. You will be going during a high use time so that could be a worry. But many people do get on the ferries everyday with a problem, so hopefully that will be your experience. Maybe by then they will have extra trips over scheduled due to the holiday week.
Comment by Gwenn on February 1st, 2013 at 9:27 am
Gwenn – first and foremost… THANK YOU for this great post and all your replied to the oodles of comments/questions!!!!!!!!

Here are my questions. I will be visiting Friday, May 10, 2013 a from Fajarao to Vieques. How busy do you think the ferry will be? What is the best time that day to take the ferry?

Also, how much would a taxi from Fajaro Ferry station to the Cieba airport?

thanks!
Comment by lily on February 22nd, 2013 at 10:40 am
If you can, the 1 pm passenger ferry or the 10:30 cargo ferry would probably be your best bets.
The taxi would be a metered rate- I would estimate about $10 taxi rate. It is only abut 5 miles away.
Comment by Gwenn on February 27th, 2013 at 4:03 pm
Simple put: inefficient.

Friend and I drove to Fajardo and arrived to the ferry dock by 6:30 a.m. in order to get on the 9:30 a.m. trip to Culebra. We had a pre-existing scuba diving trip planned on the island and were definitely looking forward to it. After three hours in line we were informed that the 9:30 was sold out. Fortunately there was a 10:30 trip as well. We continued to wait in line and after another hour of waiting and 20 people in front of us… we were informed the 10:30 was now sold out. I don’t know how this was possible since they only sold tickets for this ferry for approx. 30 people. They also informed us that they didn’t pre-sell tickets since it was a holiday weekend. Things didn’t add up and my friend and I had to cancel our scuba trip & culebra trip. So much for the dive & flamenco beach!

PS – they had one booth open to sell tickets to 400 people in line. Why not sell tickets online or open more booths? Beware and good luck.

Good luck!
Comment by Ryan on March 27th, 2013 at 9:23 pm
Hi,

Thanks for all the great info ! I have a question; I am traveling to San Juan this Thursday. We will be staying at the Gran Melia in Rio Grande. We are planning on going to Flamenco Beach on Friday for a daytrip, what would be the most efficient way for me to get there? (On the ferry)

Thanks !

Pravesh
Comment by Pravesh on April 29th, 2013 at 3:50 pm
Sorry- we are too late in replying. I hope you were able to get on the ferry and enjoyed Flamenco!
Comment by Gwenn on May 6th, 2013 at 5:42 pm