The ferry schedule is posted on www.puertoricoferry.com. They also have a Mobile phone application called City Experiences. It is best to check the schedule on the night before your travel. It can change at any moment. As of December 15, 2021, the HMS Ferries company runs the ferry system.
All ferries leave from the TERMINAL in CEIBA.
The schedule can change or be posted at the last minute.
- You can purchase tickets online at www.puertoricoferry.com.
- Only a small proportion of the tickets are sold online.
- Tickets are only $2 per person. Less for the elderly and kids.
- They are usually available at the terminal. But residents receive preference for tickets. You may find that the you can buy tickets at the last minute before the boat leaves after all the residents have been served.
- Tickets can be changed up to 24 hours after the time you would have traveled. But sometimes they do let you use them for a different trip. This policy changes and is hard to predict.
- EVEN IF YOU HAVE A TICKET, YOU MAY NOT GET ON THE BOAT.
- Tickets are sold only for the current month (or sometimes the following month). As of this writing (May, 2024), the schedule is posted about one week before the start of each month.
You should buy your ticket at the dock at least an hour before the boat departs and be prepared that it could leave late. Read this thoroughly if you are planning to take the ferry.
The cargo boats also take passengers but they may take longer and often run behind schedule. The passenger boats usually take less than 50 minutes and mostly run on time.
Casa de Kathy prefers you to check in before 8 PM. Please avoid taking any boat that leaves after 6 PM. Call me if that happens. Ground transportation in Vieques after 6-7 PM can be somewhat difficult. Call your Taxi to pick you up at the terminal in Vieques before you leave Ceiba. Car rental companies do not allow rental cars to be taken on the ferry AND it is difficult to get a reservation to take a car on the ferry (as of April 2022 only residents can reserve space for a car).
Map of the ferry route from Ceiba to Vieques
Ground Transportation to Casa de Kathy: If you arrive before 6 pm, usually there are public vans (carros públicos in Spanish) waiting at the dock or airport in Vieques to take you to my place. Call your Taxi to pick you up at the terminal in Vieques before you leave Ceiba. The fare is $5 per person to Esperanza or $20 for two people if you hire the van to take you directly with no other passengers. An additional 50 cents per bag may be charged. Tell your driver you are going to Casa de Kathy in Esperanza. The address is 367 Bromelias Street and says “Casa de Kathy” on the front of the house. My house is turquoise green with yellow trim. More about transportation around Vieques.
Driving directions from the ferry boat to Casa de Kathy
Flying as an Alternative: An alternative is to fly from the Ceiba airport for about $45.00 one way (8 minutes), SJ International Airport for about $130- $200 (20 minutes), or the Isla Grande airport in San Juan for about $89.00 (30 minutes). The last flights leaving from Ceiba and Isla Grande are about 5:00/5:30 PM. Click here for flight info.
Transportation to the Ceiba dock from San Juan:
John Gonzalez – (787) 354-5851 will take you from San Juan International Airport (or anywhere in San Juan) and bring you to Ceiba to get the ferry boat. John is bilingual, and will take away all your worries about the commute to Vieques. Please tell him I referred you. Another good taxi is Al’s Taxi: 787-590-9001.
John charges about $100.00 for the trip from San Juan International Airport to Ceiba ferry dock. If you decide to take a taxi waiting at the curb at the airport, the price could be more. The ride from the San Juan airport to the Ceiba ferry dock takes about an hour or a little more depending on the traffic.
John is willing to stop on the way if you want to eat something. He can also take you from Ceiba terminal back to the San Juan airport or to a San Juan hotel.
Another good taxi service is Julian and Awilda, (787) 385-7604.