Important Tips for Riding the Ferry to Culebra

One of the highest locations to go to in Puerto Rico is Culebra Island, which is positioned round 20 miles off the east coast of Fajardo. To get there you possibly can both take a brief 15 minute flight from Ceiba, or you possibly can journey the Culebra Ferry, which takes anyplace from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. 

Since my pal didn’t need to fly in a small airplane, we determined to take the ferry as a substitute. To get there it takes some planning and it was undoubtedly a tiring day, however there are issues you are able to do to make the journey go lots smoother.

Below are my high suggestions for driving the ferry to Culebra:

Essential Tips for the Culebra Ferry Ride

Buy Your Tickets Online 

The greatest solution to get your Culebra ferry tickets is to buy them on-line on the official Puerto Rico ferry web site earlier than you go. Try to do that a number of weeks prematurely, as they promote out quick. Tickets go browsing a month prematurely they usually’re tremendous low-cost – costing simply $2.25 every approach for non-resident adults. 

Payment will be made along with your debit or bank card, so long as it’s a Mastercard or Visa card. Puerto Rico ferry doesn’t settle for American Express. Once tickets have been bought, you’ll obtain a affirmation e-mail along with your reserving reference and a QR code. If you need to make life simpler, you too can obtain the City Experiences app and buy them through the app.

When we went to Culebra, a lot of the ferries have been bought out, so we ended up having to purchase a ticket for the three.30am ferry. This wasn’t preferrred, since we arrived in Culebra at 5am and needed to wait 2 hours on the ferry terminal till dawn. Nothing was open and the breakfast locations didn’t open until 7 or 7.30am.

If you’re planning on doing a day journey to Culebra, ideally you need to catch the 6am, 6.30am, 7.30am or 9am ferry from Ceiba to maximise your time on the island. Then you possibly can take the 5.30pm or 9.30pm ferry again from Culebra.

If the Ferry You Want is Sold Out, Keep Checking

If the ferry time you need is bought out, preserve visiting the app or the web site to see in the event that they launch new tickets on-line. Originally we booked the 9.30pm ferry again as that was the one time out there, however the day earlier than our journey I checked once more and there have been a couple of tickets out there for the 5.30pm ferry. 

So preserve checking again occasionally to see if tickets turn into out there. 

If You Do Want to Buy From the Box Office, Go Early

When in search of tickets you’ll discover that it additionally tells you what number of tickets can be found on the field workplace. If the ferry you need is bought out on-line, you possibly can drive to the field workplace in Ceiba. Box workplace tickets additionally promote out shortly, and choice is given to native residents. 

If you do need to attempt your luck on the field workplace, attempt to go down the evening earlier than you need to journey, or present up at the least a couple of hours earlier than the ferry you need to take. You’ll have higher luck on weekdays than you’ll on weekends. 

Pay for Luggage and Equipment

When buying a ferry ticket to Culebra, you possibly can pay for extras like coolers, baggage, surf boards, umbrellas and different items of apparatus. Make certain you add and pay for any extra gadgets you want to convey. 

Park Your Car on the Ferry Terminal

The ferry to Culebra goes from Ceiba close to Fajardo, which is on the east coast of Puerto Rico. 

The greatest solution to get there’s by renting a automobile from San Juan and driving your self to the ferry terminal. There’s a car parking zone close to the Ceiba ferry terminal, which prices round $11 per day. Once you’ve paid for parking, you’ll be given a ticket to show in your dashboard after which you possibly can park wherever within the car parking zone. There’s a shuttle that can take you to the ferry terminal, or you possibly can stroll (the stroll takes round 7 minutes). 

Bring money to pay for the parking, and to pay for taxis/snacks once you get to Culebra island. 

Rental automobile corporations in Puerto Rico don’t permit guests to take rental vehicles on the ferries, so that you’ll want to depart your automobile in Ceiba and decide it up on the best way again. 

Check Your Boarding Time

Once you’ve bought your ferry ticket you’ll be given a boarding time. The passenger and cargo ferry begins boarding roughly an hour earlier than departure, however for those who don’t have a automobile, it’s effective to point out up about half-hour earlier than departure. 

The ferry employees will scan your tickets utilizing the QR code and then you definitely’ll be invited into the pre-boarding space. This part is separated into residents and non-residents. Residents board the ferry first, adopted by vacationers and non-residents. 

The ferry terminal in Ceiba has merchandising machines promoting snacks and drinks, plus porta potty-style bogs in case you might want to go to the toilet. 

Wear Warm Clothes and Bring Blankets

One rookie error we made was not carrying heat garments. Dressed in bikinis, sundresses and flip flops, we weren’t ready for the arctic situations contained in the ferry. We couldn’t actually sit on deck as a result of it was the midnight (and moist), so we have been pressured to sit down inside. 

The AC is basically actually chilly, and the locals have been all carrying sweatpants and hoodies. Clearly they knew what to anticipate, and had even introduced pillows and blankets. 

So come ready carrying at the least a comfy sweater.

Ride the Passenger Ferry

The web site advertises a ferry time of 45 minutes, however what it doesn’t point out is that the cargo ferry takes for much longer. The passenger ferry takes round 45 minutes, however a lot of the ferries are passenger/cargo ferries, which take round 1 hour half-hour to succeed in Culebra. 

When the ocean is tough, 1 hour half-hour looks like a lifetime, so attempt to get a ticket on the passenger ferry if you wish to get there shortly. 

Consider Dramamine

I gained’t lie, the ferry journey on the best way to Culebra was fairly tough and we felt tremendous sea sick. Since it was the midnight we couldn’t sit on deck, and the rocking motion inside made us really feel actually nauseous. If you get sea sick and don’t need to throw up, take into account taking dramamine earlier than you go. On Culebra island, quite a few outlets by the terminal promote dramamine.

Pack Snacks & Line Your Stomach

We had empty stomachs once we boarded the ferry, which made us really feel fairly nauseous when the ocean received tough. I’d suggest packing some snacks and a few ginger sweet to forestall movement illness. 

Sit on Deck

If you undergo fairly badly from movement illness, attempt to sit outdoors on deck, particularly if it’s a pleasant sunny day. You’ll really feel lots higher for those who can see the horizon and get some contemporary air. It’s additionally a lot hotter outdoors than inside – simply be sure to place some sunscreen on so that you don’t get burnt earlier than you get there. 

We sat on the highest deck on the best way again from Culebra and had a ravishing view of the sundown. 

Is Taking the Ferry to Culebra Worth It?

If I have been to journey the Culebra ferry once more I’d undoubtedly do issues a bit otherwise. I’d purchase tickets on-line properly prematurely so I may catch probably the most handy ferry. I’d additionally choose to take the passenger ferry over the pax/cargo ferry because it takes solely 45 minutes to get there. 1.5 hours felt a bit too lengthy, particularly with the 1 hour 15 min drive to/from San Juan. 

Our day journey to Culebra was fairly tiring, involving a really early begin and a late end. It was a protracted day, and subsequent time I’d most likely take the flight over the ferry for comfort. Another possibility could be to take a flight there and the ferry again, though you’d should organise a taxi between the ferry terminal and airport to choose up your automobile afterwards. 

Culebra was cool, however I felt like Flamenco Beach was a bit overhyped. Yes it’s a beautiful seashore with stunning turquoise water, however I’ve seen even whiter sands and bluer waters in locations just like the Dominican Republic and the Philippines. A day journey to Culebra was sufficient for me, and I undoubtedly wouldn’t keep on the island for a couple of evening. Accommodation/restaurant choices are restricted and there’s simply not lots taking place there in comparison with San Juan.

Puerto Rico’s primary island has tons of lovely seashores and cities to find, so I most likely wouldn’t head over to Culebra a second time. It’s a type of locations I’m joyful to have ticked off my bucket listing for the expertise, however it may be pricey and includes various effort to get there. 

We picked our rental automobile up at 2pm on a Wednesday and returned it round 9pm the next day. The complete was $120 with insurance coverage, plus round $12 in gasoline, $11 in parking and the ferry ticket of $4.50 every spherical journey. If we took a airplane it will have value round $120 every spherical journey. 

The automobile journey from Isla Verde took round 1 hour quarter-hour, then we waited round 1 hour on the ferry terminal, and spent round 1.5 hours on the ferry. So that’s a complete of round 3 hours 45 minutes in journey time in every course. 

If you get seasick. I like to recommend flying to Culebra or ensuring you sit on the highest deck. The water will be uneven and the boat strikes round lots, so for those who’re sitting inside it is going to most likely make you are feeling sick!

I hope these Culebra ferry suggestions assist! Also try a few of my different Puerto Rico articles, together with this 3 day Puerto Rico itinerary and a listing of all of the issues Puerto Rico is legendary for! 

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