I've been wanting to travel by sea but the airlines offer competitive rates that made the airfare and seafare almost the same. Not to mention the long journey time on the ship that could bore me. Gladly I heard about 2Go Superferry's fleet. The ads showcased how fun it is to travel by sea and instantly I knew I had to experience that. It's finally my chance to ride a big ship.
2Go Travel - Batangas to Boracay
The Route: 2Go offers several trips from Manila. The destination I chose is Boracay. It's been 3 years since I last saw the paradise island. Anyway, travel time from Batangas to Boracay is 10 hours. Sounds uncool because of the long journey ride, but what the heck, this 2Go ship looks fabulous compared to the old and boring RoRo ships.
2Go Tickets: Free! Thank you teh Nicole, a former employee of 2Go/Negros Navigation para sa pagtupad ng pangarap kong makasakay ng barko. *teary-eyed*. Anyway, you can book your 2Go tickets on their website or at any 2Go shops.
wee, 2Go gift certificates!
Last March 8, Friday - my housemate and I both filed half days leaves in the office for this 2Go night trip to Boracay. Since the ship is scheduled to leave at 8pm, we agreed to left Manila before the dreaded Friday rush hour takes place. We left C5-Taguig at 5pm and we reached Batangas Port just 1.5 hours after. Honestly, we could have left later but we're worried about the parking area. Gladly, we found out that Park 'N Sail in Batangas Port has a number of parking slots.
parking at Batangas Port
Hey look, we got a 2Go priority parking slot!
bye Leila, see you in 2 days!
parking fee for 2 nights - P322 (ang mahal! hehe)
2Go Boarding Gate
While Remay and I were having a chat, a lady looked at my toes and suggested a pedicure for me. Ang harsh! haha
ang harsh mo teh ^_^
As early as 7:30pm, the employees opened the gate and announced that they were ready to accept guests. Im not sure why everyone immediately lined up. Relaks guys, may seat/bed number naman ang tickets so why rush?
We were delighted as we board the 2Go Superferry ship. Actually the ship is not new, but it is repainted and maintained. The staff are the best. They are very well trained, very courteous, and very
accommodating. Para silang flight attendants which wear smiles all throughout.
the lobby of 2Go ship
magenta is the color!
everyone's enjoying the ride
infernes, the ships looks very photogenic!
The crew assisted us to our accommodation. This pathway leads to the Tourist, Cabin, and State rooms.
Cabin and State rooms
Okay, newbies talaga kami. Our accommodation type is Tourist. We didn't know that we could stay anywhere we want. Kaya pala nag-uunahan sila. Toinks. Nonetheless, there were not so many passengers that night. We didn't have a hard time looking for a spot to settle.
Tourist Accommodation
with aircon and tv
Tourist is an aircon type accommodation. There is a bed and a pillow but there are no linen and pillow case. You still have to rent them for a minimal price. Since the area is spacious, this is just perfect for families and big groups. Shared bathrooms are located on the rear end. Infernes, the bathrooms are clean, but not really maintained. It gets dirty after a few hours. Hehe
perstaymers sa barko!
We checked the upper deck and found the Super Value type of accommodation. Most foreigners prefer to stay here because the air comes from the ocean breeze. I think this is already comfortable enough, specially the air is refreshing at night.
Super Value
non-aircon / upper deck
Meals are usually included but for more options, there is a canteen on the upper deck which serves good yet affordable meals.
Horizon Cafe
a meal costs P115, already includes drinks
Since we were dying to experience the Cabin accommodation, we registered ourselves in the front desk and made a reservation of ever we can avail of an upgrade. The upgrade rate from Tourist to Cabin costs P250. The upgrade rate from Tourist to State Room is P800. Well, a cabin will do for us. Luckily, our names are paged right after the ship started to sail.
welcome to our Cabin Room
room for 4, with sockets, tv, private bathroom
This is fabulous! For just P250 each, we had our own space and own bathroom! Unlike the Tourist, our beds have comfy linens, fleece blankets, pillowcases, and our own window separator for privacy. Lovely!
finally, pwede na magcharge! hihi
clean bathroom with mirror
with hot and cold shower
I really recommend this Cabin accommodation. Honestly, we didn't realize we already arrived in Boracay because we had a very good sleep. Sadly on our way home, we did't get lucky enough to avail of an upgrade. Nakakastress ang magbyahe sa umaga na maingay lahat ng tao.
2Go Review: For me, this is a must try. I loved how smooth the trip was. Walang hilo at all. The staff are the most friendly and most helpful. This is a good alternative way to travel, specially when you avail 2Go promo fares. Very good option for barkadas and company outing!
now it's more fun to travel by sea
where 2Go next? ^_^
2Go website: http://travel.2go.com.ph
Schedule: departs Batangas at 9:00 pm; arrives in Boracay at 7:00 am
departs Boracay at 8:00 am; arrives in Batangas at 7:00 pm
2Go ticket prices: Tourist P900. Super Value P800