The Cataño Ferry () is a single route ferry service between Cataño and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Its route consists of Cataño ⇆ Old San Juan docking at the AcuaExpreso Cataño Terminal in Cataño on the route's southwestern point at the AcuaExpreso San Juan Terminal in Pier 2 of the San Juan Port in Old San Juan on the route's northeastern point. The ferry crosses the San Juan Bay with its services running from mornings to evenings seven days a week as the weather and maritime conditions permit. Although the service is heavily used by tourists, its primary purpose is to serve as a transportation hub for those who live nearby Cataño but work in San Juan in complementation with AcuaExpreso. Despite what the service's name implies, the service has been provided by multiple boats, not just one ship. The ferry is an icon in Puerto Rican culture. History The Cataño Ferry started operating in 1853, when the Cataño Steam Company used a small boat to transport cargo and passengers to San Juan. During its history, the ferry was managed by Férrea del Oeste and Compañía Popular de Transporte. According to passengers, the old boat was "a wooden boat; they called it the turtle because it was a small boat". In 1960, the Puerto Rico Ports Authority acquired the franchise, building a new terminal and buying five new ships. The ferry covers only one route: from San Juan'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. Despite notable decreases in its use, the service is widely known on the island, and popular with Puerto Ricans and tourists. Since the services are carried out from Old San Juan to Cataño and vice versa, its relative closeness to San Juan hotels 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 50 cents (one way). Tickets are usually bought at the ferry terminals. Also, during the 1980s, a famous salsa music singer filmed a