Are there two ferry services to Vieques? I know the one that leaves from Fajardo, but I just saw something about a high speed ferry that leaves from Old San Juan. If anyone has any information on it (reliable, does it still exist, etc.), that would be great.

I know that most folks fly from SJU to Vieques, but I'm not able to do that. So, ferry is the only choice for me. If there is one that leaves from San Juan rather than Fajardo, that would be ideal.

Thanks.

There is a ferry service that leaves from San Juan to Vieques. The ferry dock is in Old San Juan, next to the main cruise-ship pier, and the company is called Island High-Speed Ferry (www.islandhighspeedferry.com). I'm not sure if it runs year-round though.

I looked into the High Speed Ferry, too, for my trip in May, but I ended up not doing it for a variety of reasons--there's only one departure each day from San Juan, around 10:30 am, which didn't work for our schedule; it stops at Culebra before going on to Vieques, which increases the time; and it doesn't run when the seas are rough. It ended up being more reasonable for us to fly. If flying isn't an option, your best bet is to ferry out of Fajardo for the sake of convenience, I'd imagine.

thanks for the info. How long is the drive to Fajardo? (I thought it was about an hour) Are there car services or shuttles that do that run? If so, do you know if you can book them in advance or just connect at the airport?

We're thinking that we will fly in late on a Friday night, stay over in San Juan and get the first ferry in the a.m. or early afternoon.

The high speed ferry sound (sounded) great - but if it doesn't run in bad weather, that would be a problem.

Depending on the time of day, it might be an hour to an hour and a half to Fajardo. A taxi to Fajardo from San Juan should cost about $80 or so, but I don't think there are shuttles. You're going to be better off negotiating a price with a taxi driver. It might actually be more cost-effective to rent a car in San Juan and drop it off in Fajardo. I hope this helps.

The high speed ferry costs almost as much as flying over on a hopper!!

There are taxi's at the airport waiting to take folks to Fajardo. Do ask the price before getting into the van. I think there is some kind of taxi asso. that manages the comings and goings of taxi's at the airport, so probably cannot negotiate much. But on your return trip, it is "each man for himself" for the taxi guys! You can get a better deal then. Also, if you can find a passenger van, they may charge less. The best part is that the ferry is only $2!! (and runs many times during the day)

By the way, is there a reason why you don't want to fly to Vieques? In terms of costs, you're not going to save much by driving or taking a taxi to Fajardo. If you are staying over anyway, why not just take the flight the next morning and save all that time?

Thanks for the info. I'm hoping the high speed ferry will be operational. If not, we will make our way to Fajardo.

BTW - it's not a question of expense - I don't do small planes.

My opinion, unless you have a bona fide medical condition, would be to take a valium if necessary and get on the little plane. It's a beautiful flight over the rainforest, and the first site of Mosquito Pier and the mountains on the island is something I'll never forget.