Here is the rule that surprises people at the Ceiba counter:
“Each passenger may board with (1) small carry-on baggage free of charge. Additional items such as coolers, umbrellas, beach chairs, surfboards and others require additional tickets.”
Not “may require”. Require. And there is a published price for each one.
The full item tariff
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Beach cooler | $2.00 |
| Beach chair | $1.00 |
| Beach umbrella | $1.00 |
| Bicycle | $2.00 |
| Surfboard | $6.00 |
| Bodyboard / sandboard | $3.00 |
| Camping cabin | $2.00 |
| Sleeping bag | $1.00 |
| Case of beverages | $1.00 |
| Hand truck | $5.00 |
| Caged animal | $2.00 |
The operator adds a clarification that is worth reading twice:
“Charges for articles is to bring items onboard the vessel. These are not items that are for rent.”
You are paying to carry your own cooler. Nothing is being provided.
And the rule is explicitly for these routes:
“Do I have to pay for hand-carried items? Yes, for Island Service (travelling between Ceiba, Vieques and Culebra), each carry-on item requires a ticket. This can be added during the ticket purchase process.”
Run the numbers before the counter does
A family of four going to Culebra for a beach day with a cooler, two chairs and an umbrella:
- 4 adult fares at $2.25 — $9.00
- 4 Culebra environmental fees at $2.00 — $8.00
- Cooler — $2.00
- Two chairs — $2.00
- Umbrella — $1.00
$22.00 one way. Still the cheapest crossing in the Caribbean, but not the $9 you had in your head. The $2 fee is Culebra’s, and it applies to every non-resident, including a baby or a grandparent whose fare is free — the operator’s FAQ is explicit that all non-resident passengers on the Culebra route owe it. Where the fee comes from is on the costs page.
Then there is the cap that catches people:
“A passenger may purchase up to (5) tickets in a single transaction.”
Item tickets count. That family is at eight tickets and needs more than one transaction.
Bikes are the easy one
Of everything on the list, the bicycle is the item the system handles properly:
“Yes, bicycle tickets are available for purchase online through the app, the website and the three terminals located in Vieques, Ceiba and Culebra. Select ‘bicycle’ under Additional Options — Items’ during the checkout process.”
$2.00, bookable in advance, no counter line. On islands where rental cars are scarce and expensive, bringing a bike is a genuinely good idea.
Pets
“Any pet that is not a guide or service dog must be crated.”
A caged animal is $2.00. Service animals are different and free:
“For service tickets use the ‘additional’ option to add a free ticket for your service animal to your order.”
with the condition:
“All service animals must wear appropriate service attire and documentation must be provided to support that the animal is a service animal.”
Cars: almost certainly not
The vehicle rule, in the operator’s own words, typo included:
“At this time vehicles can only be brought onboard if they are owed by a resident of Vieques or Culebra.”
They mean owned. And separately:
“You may not purchase a vehicle ticket for a rental car. You must show a valid driver’s license and car registration to purchase vehicle tickets.”
So the answer for a visitor is no. Rent on the island instead, and book it before you sail. On Vieques, Coqui Car & Island Jeep Rental’s office is about 100 feet from the ferry port, and Maritza’s and Vieques Car Rental both pick up at the dock. On Culebra, Jerry’s Jeep Rental is across the street from the airport and Carlos Jeep Rental is on the road to Flamenco Beach. Who they are and where is on the getting-around page.
The vehicle price list, if you are curious or resident, is on what the ferry really costs.
One more rule
“Children under 18 cannot travel alone and must be accompanied by an adult at all times.”
The free carry-on, and the suitcase after 31 December
The operator gives the free carry-on no size or weight. “One small carry-on baggage” is the whole rule, on the rates page and in the FAQ, and the agent at the counter applies it.
Regulation 9682 ends the ambiguity when it takes effect. It keeps one carry-on free per passenger and prices a suitcase (maleta) at $3.00 as an item of its own, along with higher prices for most of the list above:
| Item | Today | From 31 December 2026, as filed |
|---|---|---|
| Suitcase | — | $3.00 |
| Beach cooler | $2.00 | $5.00 |
| Beach chair | $1.00 | $2.00 |
| Beach umbrella | $1.00 | $2.00 |
| Bicycle | $2.00 | $5.00 |
| Surfboard | $6.00 | $10.00 |
| Pet in a carrier | $2.00 | $5.00 |
| Hand truck | $5.00 | $10.00 |
Pack so that one bag each is your carry-on, arrive with the hour the operator asks for, and have a few dollars ready for everything else you are carrying.
If you are crossing to Vieques for the bio bay, leave the kit at home for that night: the tour supplies the boat, and the Mosquito Bay page has the new-moon dates and the operators that leave from the island itself.
