Culebra Island Ferry and Flamenco Beach
This article was updated May 25, 2019. Please note that the ferry was originally located in Fajardo but has been moved to Roosevelt Roads military base in Ceiba, which is very close by. There now a website, though the functionality is still limited. I’m working to get as much information about the new process as I can while not being present on the island. I’m writing emails and making phone calls to get details for you all, I promise! For now, I’ve updated the information below.
Although Culebra is a separate island, it is part of Puerto Rico. The Culebra ferry runs regularly to shuttle locals and tourists between the small island and mainland Puerto Rico. Previously, the ferry did not have a website, but launched one in April 2019. It lists the schedule, but it’s important to note that online reservations are limited. So if you don’t see availability, don’t panic!
While plenty of tour companies will offer tours and services once you arrive in Culebra, you’ll likely end up paying more than you need to, and you’ll still have to board the same ferry as everyone else (unless you take a small plane from the Ceiba airport on the mainlaind). It’s actually really cheap and simple to visit this island, which is home to one to the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world, Flamenco Beach. I highly recommend spending at least a day on the gorgeous beach, so here’s what you need to know about the Culebra ferry.
Culebra Ferry Location
The ferry location is now located on an old naval base, Roosevelt Roads, in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, the next town over from the previous location in Fajardo.
Getting from San Juan to Ceiba generally takes around an hour an half, so if you are not staying in the area, be prepared to leave your hotel early. Honestly, if you plan on taking an early ferry, it’s usually easier to spend the night before in a closer town such as Luquillo or Fajardo. Ceiba is VERY small so you will not likely find a hotel there, but Fajardo is 30 minutes away and has plenty of places to stay.
I lived in Fajardo so I can tell you it’s a beach town worth visiting. Seven Seas beach in Fajardo is gorgeous, and nearby Luquillo beaches are nice as well. Puerto Rico is lousy with gorgeous beaches, so take your pick.
Culebra Ferry Schedule
As on April 2019, you can view the itinerary online. The photo below shows the updated Ceiba – Culebra itinerary as of May 2019.
The above schedule is in English but for reference, “Pasajeros” are the passenger-only ferries. You’ll notice there is a “Ceiba to Culebra” and a “Culebra to Ceiba” section; make sure you are looking at the right one! When Pedro and I went, he made the mistake of looking at the Culebra schedule, so we thought our ferry was leaving at 6:00am. It was a pretty unpleasant discovery when we got in line at 5:00am. Also note that there is a separate schedule for Vieques, which is a totally different island.
The cargo ferries are for anyone bringing large things such as cars. You have to make an advanced reservation to bring large cargo. The reservations generally have to be made weeks in advance. You can make the reservations at the terminal or by calling (787) 497-7790. There is an English option if you press 9. At the moment, there doesn’t seem to be a way to make cargo reservations online.
Unless you plan on spending several days exploring Culebra, you probably won’t need a car. You can rent jeeps, scooters, and even street-legal golf carts to get around. There are also shuttles, which I’ll explain in the Flamenco Beach section.
When to arrive
I’m hoping to take another trip to Culebra soon so I can give you updated first-hand information about arrival time, but I’ll base this off my experience with service of all kinds in Puerto Rico.
While the website now allows for online reservations, which is a huge improvement, they sell only limited tickets, so it’s very possible that you’ll have to try your luck without a reservation.
If you do not have reservations, I cannot stress this enough: you need to get to the terminal early. There is one boat for each departure time. When it’s full, you’re out of luck. Keep in mind that all the locals from Culebra use this as their connection to the mainland. The ferry has even been known to stop selling tickets before the boat is actually full just to prevent too many tourists from flooding the small island at once. I recommend getting there around an hour and half before departure time. I arrived 3 horus before my departure and there were already people in line.
Culebra Ferry Prices & Tickets
Here’s the great news: the Culebra ferry is cheap! The bad news? The aforementioned issue with limited reservations. One big plus is that when purchasing tickets in person you can still buy roundtrip fares for the same day. If you are just doing a day trip to Culebra, this is essential. The last ferry from Culebra leaves at 8:45pm, so if you don’t buy ahead of time, you’ll have to stand in line for tickets again later in the day.
Culebra Ferry Prices*
Basic fare is only $2.25 if you buy in person. If you make reservations, you’ll be charged a $3.00 service fee per ticket, plus tax. If you’re purchasing child or senior fares, you will have to purchase in person so that you can provide proof of age.
Additional Fees
The basic fare pretty much only includes you and a small personal items. If it’s larger than a beach bag or backpack, you will be charged extra. This includes items such as coolers, beach chairs, tends, surf boards, bicycles, etc. The fees range from $2.00-$6.00 for small items. Check out the full rate chart here.
Keep in mind that Culebra is an island off an island, so everything has to travel quite a ways to get there, which means the prices are higher than on mainland Puerto Rico. When my boyfriend and I went for a day, we packed a rolling cooler full of essentials like water, sandwiches, and champagne. (Hey, it was our anniversary, champagne was definitely essential). Glass is technically not allowed on the beaches, but…
Honestly, had we properly thought it through, we would have just stored the champagne in something plastic, but hey, this photo wouldn’t have been as great with an unmarked plastic bottle, am I right? Don’t worry, I made sure this bottle was properly disposed of and no beachgoers were harmed in the taking of this photo or thereafter. Note: We took this photo under the cover of palm trees because we were warned by a not-very-official looking dude that he “had guys all over the beach” ready to pounce on anyone who was carrying glass. But once again guys, do as I say, not as I do. Pack plastic and cans and clean up after yourself!
Other Things to Know
- The duration of the ferry ride is about an hour and a half.
- The ride can be choppy. If you get motion sick, take something before you get on. I stupidly tried to power through and ended up desperately popping Dramamine, chewing anti-nausea ginger gum, and slapping on “Sea bands” 15 minutes into the ride. Note: I have read that the new boats offer a smoother ride, but have yet to verify!
- The new boats (as of April 2019) have an air-conditioned option
- The top of the ferry isn’t always open. This was pretty upsetting for me, because I wanted to take photos. I also wanted to breathe in the fresh sea air in hopes of easing my motion sickness. No such luck. If you want photos, or at least a view, you’ll have to battle it out for a window seat. Note – I’m not sure if the window seat/open air battle is still as intense on the new boats. I will report back!
- There are very few services at Flamenco beach. You’ll see a couple kiosks selling overpriced drinks, pizza, and fried foods at the entrance to the beach, but nothing else. You either need to bring what you need for the day to Culebra, or buy supplies at the stores near the terminal.
- Bring soap and toilet paper. There are several bathrooms on the beach, but almost none of them have soap or toilet paper.
- You can camp on the beach. If you want to stay for more than a day, you can bring a tent and set it up right behind the beach on one of the camp grounds.
- There are a couple of abandoned WWII tanks just hanging around the beach. Go climb on them.
- The clear waters make Flamenco an excellent place to snorkel. It’s not uncommon to see sea turtles!
- The UV rays on Culebra are intense. Bring sunscreen and reapply often.
I absolutely adored Flamenco Beach. It was gorgeous and incredibly relaxing. The time to leave for the last ferry off the island came all too soon. I’ll definitely be going back! Now that the ferry process has changed, I hope to return to Culebra to give you all first-hand experience notes, but all fo the above information should get you to the island and allow you to enjoy it!
