Cataño Ferry
Encyclopedia
La Lancha de Cataño is a ferry
service that is widely known by Puerto Ricans
and used by tourists that visit Puerto Rico
. Despite what the service's name might lead people to think, this ferry service is provided with multiple boat
s, not just one ship.
's dock to Cataño's ferry terminal. Since most people who used the service initiated the trip in San Juan, it became known as "La Lancha de Cataño", because, it is believed that people use the service mostly to travel from San Juan to Cataño.
Soon after it was inaugurated, the service became popular with native Puerto Ricans, Puerto Ricans born outside Puerto Rico and tourists of other nationalities. Since the services are carried out from Old San Juan to Cataño and viceversa, its relative closeness to San Juan hotel
s made the service approachable to tourists. It is also popular with Puerto Rican and American
soldiers who are based at nearby Fort Buchanan
.
During the 1960s,service on La lancha cost only five cents one way. The ticket prices began to rise, however; by the 1980s, it cost 25 cents, and it currently costs $1.
Tickets are usually bought at the ferry terminals.
Also during the 1980s, a famous salsa music
singer filmed a well known television
commercial for a beer
company at one of the ferries comprising the "Lancha de Cataño" boat fleet.
In 1988, the "Lancha de Cataño" service stopped being the only ship service that took people on San Juan-area trips only, when a small company introduced cruise
services around Northern San Juan; these services typically lasted one hour and were carried on luxury ships, but their popularity eventually faded and the "Lancha de Cataño" regained its status as the only ship service taking place exclusively around the San Juan area.
On January 1, 2000, the Puerto Rican Government passed ownership of all legal passenger ship services to the Puerto Rican Maritime Transport Authority. While this was made mostly to enhance service between Culebra
, Fajardo
and Vieques
, the deal also included the "Lancha de Cataño" service.
In 2004, slightly more than 1,100,000 passengers were transported by the "Lancha de Cataño" service. It is estimated that the numbers of passengers transported by the service will remain around that area for the next few years.
Occasionally, and under rough water conditions, passengers on the lower decks might be sprayed with water with for a few seconds. No major accidents or incidents have been reported, however. Passengers who choose to ride on the boats' upper decks may stand up and hang by a fence, to look over at some touristic attractions and at ships located at the San Juan port.
Round-trip services leave both Catano and San Juan's terminals every five minutes, and, very often, passengers on one "Lancha de Cataño" ship find themselves waving at passengers on another "Lancha de Cataño". Sometimes, the "Lancha de Catano" may take passengers on a trip around the El Morro Castle before arriving at its actual destination.
Services are run from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on most days. This is to help Cataño residents who work in San Juan get to their jobs faster. The services are available seven days a week.
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
service that is widely known by Puerto Ricans
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and used by tourists that visit Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. Despite what the service's name might lead people to think, this ferry service is provided with multiple boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s, not just one ship.
Brief history
"La Lancha de Cataño"'s services were first introduced around the 1950s. It essentially covers only one route: from San JuanSan Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
's dock to Cataño's ferry terminal. Since most people who used the service initiated the trip in San Juan, it became known as "La Lancha de Cataño", because, it is believed that people use the service mostly to travel from San Juan to Cataño.
Soon after it was inaugurated, the service became popular with native Puerto Ricans, Puerto Ricans born outside Puerto Rico and tourists of other nationalities. Since the services are carried out from Old San Juan to Cataño and viceversa, its relative closeness to San Juan hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s made the service approachable to tourists. It is also popular with Puerto Rican and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soldiers who are based at nearby Fort Buchanan
Fort Buchanan
Fort Buchanan is the name of two United States Army forts:* Fort Buchanan, Arizona, is a former United States Army base in Arizona to control land purchased in the Gadsden Purchase* Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico is the only active U.S...
.
Tickets are usually bought at the ferry terminals.
Also during the 1980s, a famous salsa music
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
singer filmed a well known television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
commercial for a beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
company at one of the ferries comprising the "Lancha de Cataño" boat fleet.
In 1988, the "Lancha de Cataño" service stopped being the only ship service that took people on San Juan-area trips only, when a small company introduced cruise
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
services around Northern San Juan; these services typically lasted one hour and were carried on luxury ships, but their popularity eventually faded and the "Lancha de Cataño" regained its status as the only ship service taking place exclusively around the San Juan area.
On January 1, 2000, the Puerto Rican Government passed ownership of all legal passenger ship services to the Puerto Rican Maritime Transport Authority. While this was made mostly to enhance service between Culebra
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Isla Culebra is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico originally called Isla Pasaje and Isla de San Ildefonso. It is located approximately east of the Puerto Rican mainland, west of St. Thomas and north of Vieques. Culebra is spread over 5 wards and Culebra Pueblo...
, Fajardo
Fajardo, Puerto Rico
Fajardo is a small city in Puerto Rico located in the east region of the island, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Ceiba and east of Luquillo.Fajardo is spread over 7 wards and Downtown Fajardo , which serves as the administrative center of the city...
and Vieques
Vieques, Puerto Rico
Vieques , in full Isla de Vieques, is an island–municipality of Puerto Rico in the northeastern Caribbean, part of an island grouping sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands...
, the deal also included the "Lancha de Cataño" service.
In 2004, slightly more than 1,100,000 passengers were transported by the "Lancha de Cataño" service. It is estimated that the numbers of passengers transported by the service will remain around that area for the next few years.
Features
Ferries used by "La Lancha"s services are two story ships, which are painted in white, with a peach and orange drawing that resembles a wave to the front.Occasionally, and under rough water conditions, passengers on the lower decks might be sprayed with water with for a few seconds. No major accidents or incidents have been reported, however. Passengers who choose to ride on the boats' upper decks may stand up and hang by a fence, to look over at some touristic attractions and at ships located at the San Juan port.
Round-trip services leave both Catano and San Juan's terminals every five minutes, and, very often, passengers on one "Lancha de Cataño" ship find themselves waving at passengers on another "Lancha de Cataño". Sometimes, the "Lancha de Catano" may take passengers on a trip around the El Morro Castle before arriving at its actual destination.
Services are run from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on most days. This is to help Cataño residents who work in San Juan get to their jobs faster. The services are available seven days a week.