The ferry crossing

The ferry is the cheapest route to Vieques. Its ticket and terminal rules need more planning than the short flight from Ceiba.

The basics

• Route: Ceiba (mainland, near the old Roosevelt Roads base) to Isabel II, Vieques. Puerto Rico Ferry tells travelers to allow about one hour for the crossing.
• Terminal: Marina Dr., Roosevelt Roads, Ceiba, PR 00735. No ferry to Vieques leaves from San Juan. Budget about an hour to drive east before the hour on the water.
• Fare: Puerto Rico Ferry says its nonresident increase took effect May 5, 2026. Metro Puerto Rico reported the nonresident fare at $11.25 each way, while the operator’s public rate table still shows $2. Check the live ticket checkout for the payable total. Verified Vieques residents receive a discount, and extra items can add fees.
• Operator: Puerto Rico Ferry (Hornblower). Official schedule and tickets at puertoricoferry.com.

The schedule is a PDF, published a few months at a time

Puerto Rico Ferry posts sailings as dated PDF itineraries covering a few months at a time, and moves departures inside those windows for weather and maintenance. Advance sales only go as far as the published schedule, so you cannot book a sailing six months out the way you would a flight.

Any departure time you read on a blog is a guess about today, including a time someone quoted you last season. Re-check the official itinerary the day before your crossing and again that morning.

Online and terminal inventory differ

Puerto Rico Ferry may retain inventory for the terminal window after online sales close. That does not mean walk-up tickets are guaranteed. The window can sell out on busy sailings too.

If the website is sold out, arrive early and ask at the window while keeping a flight or later sailing as your backup. An online ticket does not excuse you from arriving early: the operator requires arrival one hour before departure, and check-in closes 10 minutes before departure.

Ticket rules

• All sales are final. No refunds.
• You can transfer a ticket twice, and each transfer has to happen at least one hour before the scheduled departure. Miss that hour and you lose the fare.
• Each carry-on item needs its own ticket on the island service between Ceiba, Vieques, and Culebra. Four bags means four tickets. Add each one at checkout instead of paying at the window.
• Buy a bicycle ticket under Additional Options at checkout.

You cannot bring a rental car

Puerto Rico Ferry’s FAQ states that you may not purchase a vehicle ticket for a rental car, and that buying any vehicle ticket requires showing a valid driver’s license and the car’s registration in person at the ticket window.

The cargo ferry runs for residents moving registered vehicles. Rent on Vieques instead, and book it before you book the crossing: the island runs a small fleet and holiday weeks clear it out.

Getting yourself to Ceiba

Driving yourself is the common choice, and the terminal lot takes day parking. Sources put the rate between $8 and $15 a day, and Puerto Rico Ferry publishes no figure of its own. Budget $15 and confirm it at the booth.

An Uber from San Juan runs about $70 to $100. You are likelier to get stuck coming back: Ceiba is a small town with few drivers idle, and a 6am pickup for a San Juan flight is more than an app can promise. Arrange a named driver while you are still on Vieques.

Timing your trip around it

• Match a bio bay tour’s end time to the official schedule for your exact date. Do not assume a late ferry runs every night. Staying on Vieques removes that gamble and gives you a better chance to see the bay near the darkest moon.

When the crossing is cancelled

Your fallback is the 10-minute flight from Ceiba, or from San Juan. Vieques Air Link and Cape Air fly small planes all day, and one-way fares from Ceiba beat San Juan. Our guide to flying to Vieques covers which airport to use and the 25 lb baggage limit you will hit if you packed for a week. Build in a buffer day when you have a wedding or an international connection to catch, or book the flight from the start.