“You’re gonna travel for 37 hours on a RORO ferry from Manila to Bohol? Are you crazy?”

It was with much incredulity and disbelief when our friends heard of our plan to travel from Manila to Tagbilaran via 2GO’s MV St. Francis Xavier. The fact that we can actually get to Bohol in just one hour by plane versus going at it for almost three days at sea made everyone scratch their heads.

BG AND KID A AT THE TOP DECK OF 2GO MV ST. FRANCIS XAVIER

But why not? We’ve been to cruise ships before, and the travel time was much longer. Granted, 2GO’s ships aren’t really cruise ships, but still, we wanted to try a long voyage using a ferry in the Philippines. We heard it was actually fun—a sailcation sort of travel. Plus, with lots of spare time to spend, it’s gonna be a different sort of adventure for us. A fitting start to our annual summer travel, PreKinderTrip2024.

➤ CHECK AFFORDABLE HOTELS IN BOHOL HERE!

2GO TRAVEL STAYSCATION BLOG REVIEW TABLE OF CONTENTS ~ WHAT’S INSIDE? Manila To Tagbilaran Boarding Experience First Impressions Our Accommodation: Tourist Class Our Final Accommodation: Stateroom For Two 2GO MV St. Francis Xavier Facilities Food Experience The Final Verdict

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2GO MANILA TO TAGBILARAN

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2GO MV ST. FRANCIS XAVIER’S ENTRANCE HALL

As of this writing, 2GO sails every Tuesday from Manila to Tagbilaran via MV Masinag—we actually used MV St. Francis Xavier during our trip; I think they rotate ships for their destinations every so often.

BG AND KID A PLAYING PLAY-DOH AT THE COMMON AREA

MV Masinag has five different ship accommodations. Note that for the Stateroom and VIP Suiteroom, you’re paying for the entire room, so the rates are relatively almost the same if you’re booking for two persons. Terminal fees are also included in the rates. Here’s a list of their RORO accommodations, from the cheapest to the most expensive.

₱1,741.00 - Mega Value Class
₱1,879.00 - Tourist Class
₱2,379.00 - Business Class for 4
₱8,293.00 - Stateroom for 2
₱11,529.00 - VIP Suiteroom

 

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2GO BOARDING EXPERIENCE

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The first order of business was knowing where MV St. Francis Xavier would be sailing from. The vessel is named after the Jesuit founder, not after the X-Men founder, by the way. I have actually no idea—having never boarded a ferry or RORO from Manila before—my previous RORO experiences were always from the Batangas Pier.

MANILA NORTH PORT PASSENGER TERMINAL IN TONDO, MANILA

We found through the 2GO Travel website that it was at the Manila North Port Passenger Terminal 4 in Tondo, Manila. Perfect, since it was relatively near our place in Malabon. And since we have two full suitcases, a large snack bag, and a toddler with us, we took a Grab Car going there. Cars and taxis are allowed to go inside the pier.

TERMINAL WAITING AREA

Upon alighting, we were directed to pay for the terminal fee—as of this writing, terminal fees are now included with the ticket fares. We then waited for the terminal building door to open. And once inside, our stuff was scanned through an x-ray machine, our tickets validated, and we were ushered to the gate leading out to the berthed 2GO MV St. Francis Xavier ship. The process was very similar to boarding a plane, only the terminal’s much smaller and wasn’t airconditioned. The place was also very clean, although the process is somewhat a bit disorganized.

BOARDING 2GO MV ST. FRANCIS XAVIER

Unlike with cruise ships, where they have a gently sloping ramp up the vessel, the one at MV St. Francis Xavier was a bit of a challenge. The way going up was through a flight of stairs—no ramp to roll your luggage through. You can either carry your luggage or ask for a porter to carry it for you for a fee. Easy enough if you’re hauling just one piece of bag, but if you have two or three—like us—then it gets quite challenging real quick.

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2GO FIRST IMPRESSIONS

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THE FIRST THING YOU’LL SEE AFTER BOARDING 2GO MV ST. FRANCIS XAVIER

I was pleasantly surprised upon boarding 2GO MV St. Francis Xavier—this definitely is no ordinary RORO ferry. It is very clean, the interiors are modernly decorated, and it even has a lobby with a front desk. Off the left is a Watsons Quickmart and on the right is a salon. Further ahead, there’s a café, then a dining hall with live performers. It doesn’t look like your typical RORO at all, and it definitely has that mini-cruise ship feel to it!

2GO MV ST. FRANCIS XAVIER APPROACHING CEBU CITY

The ship is huge, and the sea during our trip was pretty calm; our voyage isn’t rocky, and we didn’t experience any sea sickness at all.

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OUR 2GO ACCOMMODATION: TOURIST CLASS

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We were initially booked on 2GO MV St. Francis Xavier’s Tourist Class cabin—the second most affordable class of accommodation on the ship—along the C Deck. The area where we were assigned in has four sections, each one having two double deck beds—that’s four beds per section, for a total of sixteen beds. The cabin is centrally airconditioned with shared toilet and baths that can be accessed along the hallway.

2GO MV ST. FRANCIS XAVIER TOURIST CLASS

The beds are made of painted wood and are fitted with a foam mattress and a pillow—this can be covered with a pillow and blanket cover, which you need to secure in the main lobby.

WE TRIED THE TOURIST CLASS, BUT DECIDED IT’S REALLY NOT FOR US

While it was comfortable to lay on. It was kinda hard to sit on the bed as the head rooms on the lower bunk are a bit low. There are also no dedicated lockers for you to secure your belongings in, so if you’re gonna get this class, be sure that your bags have locks, and your valuables are in a smaller bag that’s with you all the time.

TYPICAL 2GO PUBLIC CHARGING AREA

There are also no electric sockets for charging your electronic gadgets—you can either bring your own powerbank or you can charge at the power stations located on certain parts of the ship for a minimal fee.

A TYPICAL HALLWAY IN 2GO MV ST. FRANCIS XAVIER

With all these considerations, we decided that the Tourist Class cabin wasn’t for us. We went up the front desk and asked if we could upgrade our tickets to a higher room class. Our names were promptly written on a list, and we were told to wait until the ship departs to see if there are rooms available. Some minutes later, as the ship departed Manila, we found that they do have rooms available for us.

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OUR FINAL 2GO ACCOMMODATION: STATEROOM FOR TWO

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2GO MV ST. FRANCIS XAVIER STATEROOM FOR TWO

There was a Stateroom For Two—a single-room cabin with an en suite toilet and bath. We paid an additional ₱500.00++ each for me and BG, to our original ticket fee to get the upgrade. Kid A’s ticket wasn’t upgraded since the room is supposed to accommodate a maximum of two persons only. But since Kid A is just a toddler, they allowed the three of us to use the room. Bless your kind hearts.

LOOK WHO’S HAPPY ABOUT OUR NEW ROOM

The upgrade was totally worth it even if the room seems in need of a make-over soon.

We had it all to ourselves—it’s really spacious, airconditioned, has two very comfortable double beds, a flatscreen smart TV (no cable channels though), a mini-fridge, a closet, a desk workstation, power outlets for charging, and most important of all, an en suite toilet and bath with a bidet and hot shower. Toiletries and bath towels are also provided for.

IT HAS A FRONT ROW WINDOW

I love the fact that the room also has a window—and not just any window—but one right in front of the ship. We have a front-seat view of where we’re going, ladies and gentlemen.

TOILET AND BATH WITH BIDET AND HOT SHOWER

The only thing missing, really, was an electric kettle for making coffee or tea. Although there is drinkable hot water available in the dining hall area of the ship, a room of this class, in my opinion, should at least have one.

WATCHING OUR FAVORITE MORNING NEWS SHOW ON THE SMART TV

Nevertheless, our voyage definitely felt even more cruise-shippy now!

KID A ENJOYING THE COMFY BED

 

 

2GO MV ST. FRANCIS XAVIER FACILITIES

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2GO MV ST. FRANCIS XAVIER LIST OF FACILITIES

2GO MV St. Francis Xavier has four ship levels or decks available for guests.

B DECK’S OPEN WASHROOM AREA

The first level or D Deck houses the Supervalue Yellow Rooms, excess baggage area, and the livestock area.

TYPICAL SECOND CLASS CABINS

The second level or C Deck is all accommodations: Tourist Rooms and Supervalue Red Rooms.

2GO MV ST. FRANCIS XAVIER PRAYER ROOM AT B DECK

The third level or B Deck houses the reception area, clinic, prayer room, open wash rooms, Watsons quickmart, and Café 2GO.

HORIZON CAFE AT 2GO MV ST. FRANCIS XAVIER

THE MAIN HALL, ISLAND FIESTA

It has two dining areas, Horizon Café and Island Fiesta, which is also the event hall cum dining area. It also has State Room, Tourist Cabin, and Mega Value Cabin accommodations.

2GO MV ST. FRANCIS XAVIER LIVE BAND

CAFE 2GO FOR COFFEE AND PASTRIES

This deck is the main hub of MV St. Francis Xavier. People mostly congregate at the Island Fiesta dining hall, where a live band performs nightly. Here, you can actually eat meals, have a snack, or drink beer—which are all readily available from Watsons, Cafe 2GO, or you can bring your own—while watching the performance.

10-PESO PER SONG AT THE 2GO VIDEOKE

During the day, a videoke machine is available for anyone who wants to sing their hearts out while in the middle of the sea. Quite fun, actually.

THE 2GO SALON IS ALWAYS BUSY

The fourth level or A Deck are all accommodations: State Rooms, Tourist Cabins, and Cabins. It has an outdoor area where the smoking area is located.

THE 2GO MV ST. FRANCIS XAVIER TOP DECK

The ship also has a top deck available for ship guests to roam around in from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

It’s actually pleasant and relaxing hanging out at this area during the late afternoons when the sun isn’t as strong—snacking on chips and having beer while watching the passing islands and waiting for the sun to set. Don’t go looking for a swimming pool and a top-deck bar though; this is, after all, still a RORO ship, lol.

 

 

2GO FOOD EXPERIENCE

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MORNINGS AT THE 2GO HORIZON CAFE

Since we were billeted on 2GO MV St. Francis Xavier’s Stateroom, our daily meals—which are included with the tickets for all passengers of the ship—are at Horizon Café. This dining hall is exclusive for guests staying in First Class types of accommodations. That means you get better food, and you don’t need to line up with the long queue at Island Fiesta.

Note that all food served at 2GO are halal.

TAPSILOG AND SAUSAGESILOG BREAKFAST

Our first meal was for breakfast the next day. It was a choice between beef tapa and sausage, plus scrambled eggs, rice, and coffee or juice. And since Kid A still has a food pass for the Island Fiesta, we were also able to try their servings of beef longganisa. We ate with a view of the the Batangas Pier from the window.

CREAM DORY FISH FILLET AND CHICKEN CURRY FOR LUNCH

Lunch, while in the middle of the sea, was cream dory fish fillet and chicken curry with a side dish of mushroom soup, mixed vegetables, and orange juice for drinks. Island Fiesta served chicken adobo and guinisang togue.

BEEF CALDERETA AND BREADED CHICKEN FILLET FOR DINNER

For dinner, we had breaded chicken fillet and beef calderata with a side dish of guinisang upo and mushroom soup. A plate of fruit salad and orange juice completed the meal. Island Fiesta also served breaded chicken fillet, but with a very lonely piece of fried eggplant.

GUINISANG TUNA AND CHICKEN EMBUTIDO FOR BREAKFAST ~ PHOTO BY BLISSFULGURO

While docked in Cebu, our final meal was breakfast for our third day at sea. We were actually looking forward to it since the tapa the previous day was sensational. Unfortunately, the serving that morning—as we gaze out at the graceful Cordova Bridge—was guinisang tuna with grean peas and chicken embutido paired with scrambled egg, rice, and coffee.

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THEY EVEN HAVE DESSERTS!

Surprisingly, most of the dishes we had at 2GO MV St. Francis Xavier were above average—as in, honest to goodness, delicious. We can’t ever forget their beef tapa breakfast and their beef caldereta lunch—really tender meat and very flavorful. I also like that lunch and dinner were paired with side dishes and desserts. Our only gripe was most of the dishes were served cold; it would definitely have tasted even better if served hot.

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THE FINAL VERDICT

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WE ENJOYED OUR SAILCATION FROM MANILA TO TAGBILARAN

We were lucky to have good weather during our trip—the sea was calm and the voyage went smoothly all throughout. We definitely enjoyed our 2GO voyage via MV St. Francis Xavier from Manila to Bohol. From our Stateroom accommodation—which felt like we were in a hotel—to the excellent dishes served during meal times, and the entertainment on board. We were actually surprised that 37 hours flew by so fast, we actually were a bit sad as the trip ended. We wanted to stay longer and have another breakfast with that tapsilog meal again!

 

 

2GO Travel
Contact Number: +63 (2) 8528-7000
Email: travel@2go.com.ph
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Once known as the home of Manila’s high society, Ermita’s streets were lined with lavish mansions. Unfortunately, this famous district was heavily bombed during the Second World War, which turned the posh neighborhood to rubble. After the war, Ermita bounced back with major commercialization that transformed the upscale suburb into a flourishing commercial district with plenty of banks, malls, and hotels. As a tourist, you can take your pick of any hotel in Ermita Manila folks speak highly of. The area has various accommodations from traveler’s inns with essential amenities to the more upscale five-star hotels.

Even with the sprawling modern commercial establishments, Ermita retains its link to the past through the various historical places that still stand today. So if you want to travel back in time or want to learn more about Manila’s colorful history, make sure to visit these historical places in Ermita.

Hostels. Walls covered in scribbles. Lounges teeming with rough backpackers. Fridges filled with beer. Rooms overflowing with used clothes. Toilets, messy and dirty. Last week, we booked a stay at a new one that opened right in the heart of Manila, and it is nothing of the sort.

JAPANESE-INSPIRED CAPSULE BEDS AT TAMBAYAN HOSTEL

Tambayan Capsule Hostel & Bar. The name evokes a place where friends meet, tambayan being a colloquial term for a place to hang out. But you'd be surprised if you're expecting a ramshackle space converted into sleeping quarters. What you'd find here instead is swank.

► CHECK OUT: RED CARABAO MANILA

Sweaty, muscled guys pumping iron at the gym on the ground floor greeted us as we got off the cab. We were quite confused, isn’t this supposed to be a hostel? An elevator graffiti exclaiming that there are no strangers at Pink Hostel confirmed that we were indeed at the right place. We squeezed our boozed-up selves (we started drinking quite early, like before sunset) on a tight elevator more fitting for old seedy malls in Cubao, punched number 5 and opened up to a floor resounding with clinks of beer bottles, laughter, and travel stories. Welcome to Pink Hostel Manila, my friends.

PINK MANILA HOSTEL’S BAR

From our weekend staycation at Hotel H2O, not wanting to go home just yet, we searched high and low across the interweb for a place to extend our weekend ramblings. Since we were in the Manila area, Malate was our intended target. With most places too expensive for us and the affordable ones already fully booked, we ended up at Pink Manila Hostel. It’s still in Malate but is situated on the Vito Cruz area, quite a long ways away from Silya, our watering hole of choice.

Schools of fishes and a mad lot of people. That about sums up my entire six-hour tour along the only oceanarium in the Philippines, the Manila Ocean Park. I’ve been forever hankering to explore its watery halls ever since it opened last 2008, and it’s only now—seven full years later—that I was able to go. As they say, those places nearest to you are often the ones you forego the most.

MANILA OCEAN PARK TOUR WHAT’S INSIDE? • OCEANARIUM • THE JELLIE EXHIBIT • SHARKS & RAYS ENCOUNTER • SEA LION SHOW • SYMPHONY EVENING SHOW

MANILA OCEAN PARK’S MAIN LOBBY

It was a Saturday and we were staying at Hotel H2O, the water-themed hotel located right inside the complex along Manila Bay. Even with the weekend crowd in full force, we were unable to resist the urge to use the complimentary tickets given to us by the hotel right away. So right after checking out the next day, we immediately mixed in with the throngs of weekenders and queued up for five of the thirteen featured attractions of the park.

► CHECK FOR DISCOUNTED HOTEL H2O ROOM RATES

Manila Bay has always been famous for its sunset. During weekends, people flock over to the baywalk fronting its waters just to sit still and watch the fiery sun descend over the horizon. This time though, we were watching it not from the prominent boulevard but from the comforts of our own room at Hotel H2O. And what a grand view it was.

HOTEL H2O’S CHIC INTERIORS

It was indeed a weekend, and weekends at the Manila Ocean Park is probably the worst time to visit the place since it transforms to a mad bedlam of park-goers and students on their field trip to the only oceanarium park in the Philippines.

But, we were willing to brave the crowd.