The state of sea travel today

I was just in Camiguin Island over the weekend to attend the culmination activities of their week-long Lanzones Festival. Since commitments prevented me from going there on Thursday (to catch the Mutya sa Buahanan beauty pageant on Friday night where they would have wanted me to judge), I had to take the boat on Friday night in time for the 8 am street dancing competition on Saturday.

The boat - Super Shuttle Ferry 7 - was scheduled to leave at 8 pm. Good thing my son told me to be there just half an hour before departure so my waiting time would not be long. By 7:30 pm, a boat junior officer - not a mere steward - escorted me to my cabin (cabin #1) and I immediately complained about the hot condition of the cabin. He explained that only one aircon unit was functioning since the boat was docked. Things would be better upon sailing since they would switch on the other aircon unit. Since the other couple in the cabin were settled on their bunks, I also tried to get some rest on mine. After all, what's a half hour of discomfort?

After over an hour, I was sweating (not perspiring, mind you!) in the heat and near suffocating so that I bolted out of the cabin for some air, and to check what was happening. The couple - a Caucasian man and a Filipina woman - also got out after me. We were still at the pier since we had to wait for another boat to get going before we could lift anchor to sail. It was almost 9:30 pm! I was loudly asking what was happening and what time were we to sail an officer who was not in uniform told me that we would be lifting anchor shortly. The ship captain, also not in uniform, was within hearing distance and deadpanned through the whole thing.

I explained to my Caucasian cabin mate that the boat had to be on low gear while we passed through the Mactan channel since maritime law forbids full throttle in these waters that would damage the two bridges that we were passing under. I told him to wait awhile after we would go full speed upon reaching the open sea for the other aircon to be switched on, so that our cabin would be habitable. We checked by 10:30, it was still as hot as before. I went down to assess the situation. The tourist class was as hot they had to open the doors. I was told by then that the other aircon was busted and that the engineer was trying to fix it. When I inquired as to when would it be fixed, I was not given any time frame.

I went back up on deck and told the couple that we just had to sit it out till about midnight, then I would go back down for another check. They were seated on a ledge while I had been standing near the bridge to better monitor the boat watchmen. Towards 11 pm, I requested for a chair since I was on my feet for almost two hours! I then started my meditation on an inky nothingness that was the sea and sky at that time. By midnight, the couple settled in since they said air was coming out of the vent. I went in by 1 am and tried to sleep despite the karaoke singing blasting away next door. By 7 am the next morning, we had to be out of the cabin because it was hot as hell again.

The toilet facility was wanting. The shower leaked so that a plastic garbage can was placed under it. I had to use that garbage can to flush the toilet after each use! There was no toilet kit - no soap or toothpaste or shampoo sachets.

By 9 am, we reached the wharf of Mambajao but we were not able to dock until 10 am. All the while, we could not do anything but wait on deck. There was no breakfast available. Only instant noodles that the snacks concessionaire would put hot water before serving. They only had two heating pads for their two sorry looking kettles. The other things on display were cookies and junk food.

I saw a SMART phone booth that was obviously not working.

By the time I reached Mambajao, the street dancing was over. I had breakfast at 11 am at my hotel, Casa Grande. My companions persuaded me to go to Cagayan de Oro and take the Cebu Ferries boat back to Cebu. Which I did.

Upon looking at the span kingly clean Our Lady of Good Voyage at the Cagayan pier, I knew I would have a restful night on the way home. Our cabin bunks looked and smelled clean. There was a curtain to make someone like me - who could not sleep with the light on - rest. What's more, there was a full restaurant where I had a good dinner onboard. The cost was prohibitive, true, but I still had the option of eating comfortably. They even had singers after dinner when I enjoyed the company of long-time friend Vince Escario over a bottle of Fundador.

This time, the toilet and bath facilities were pretty good. And we were given a "guest kit" of a soap bar, shampoo and toothpaste sachets. AND THE AIRCONDITIONING WAS COOL AND COMFORTABLE!

The cabin cost of both boats? THE SAME!!!

I noticed a lot of Koreans and some Caucasians in that Super Shuttle Ferry. Would they go back to Camiguin after that horror of a boat ride? I wonder An elderly citizen of Mambajao was indignant when I recounted my Super Shuttle ordeal. He said that this boat company is a factor against tourism development in Camiguin Island. I fully agree with him.

We must do something to assess the boats plying the island tourist destinations of our country. They can destroy whatever tourism gains we have managed to achieve with their lousy, unreliable, dirty service. I understand that this Super Shuttle also plies the Cebu-Bantayan route and they are out to destroy their competitors. If they will be the exclusive service to Bantayan, I dread the consequence.