Ormoc to Cebu My First Class Blunder

Yesterday I posted on my ferry ride from Cebu to Ormoc on Ocean jet. The ride was a turbulent one with rough seas that canceled my first scheduled ride. The second one probably should've been canceled as well, but they went through with it at the expense of many sick passengers.

On the return trip, I contemplated buying my ticket online again as I did the first time. But I changed my mind because I still hadn't received my refund from the canceled trip earlier. Also, knowing that the ferry was far from being full, I was quite confident it wouldn't be sold out, and I could just buy it at the ticket Office at the terminal. So that's what I did.

The return trip was the same price of US$32 in first class or $22 in coach. I don't recall what the tourist class price was. Once again, I chose the first class experience for only $10 more, but this time it turned out to be a mistake.

Fortunately, for all of us, this trip went much more smoothly than the last. The seas were quite calm, and I didn't see anybody who got seasick. I never realized how rough these seas could be between the islands of the Philippines.

Anyway, I secured my ticket and proceeded through the terminal. First thing you must do is pass through security as you must do everywhere these days. I had to show my passport and my ticket and put my luggage through the screener, but that went fairly effortlessly.

After security, I took my seat to wait for boarding, which takes place about 15 minutes before the boat takes off. In the waiting area it's kind of cool, because there are these blind masseuse people who will come up to you and ask if you want a head neck and shoulder massage while you're waiting. The price is only 100 pesos or about two US dollars. I really didn't want one at the time, but knowing that they needed work I paid the hundred pesos for the 30 minute massage which only lasted 10 minutes because I had to board.

Upon boarding the boat, you show your ticket and your directed which way to go. The economy class is directed to the open air downstairs seating, and the first class are directed upstairs under the covered seating. So, I went to where I was directed to the upstairs seating.

When I got to the top of the stairs, I looked around, and all I saw was lawn chair seating in the open air. Well, I didn't go downstairs to see what the seating looked like but I couldn't imagine it could be much worse than up here. Had I been duped? Where was the comfortable first class seating I had on my voyage over? This certainly wasn't worth the incremental $10 I spent. But regardless, I sucked it up and I took my seat. At least it wasn't overly crowded up here.

Well, the three hour voyage back was rather uneventful, and nothing much to talk about. But when we were about to disembark, that's when I realized my huge blunder. I was in no hurry to exit the boat as I usually just let the crowd go through like cattle, and then I wait and get off as one of the last passengers.

I was seated at the very front of the section I was in, and there was a closed door in front of me. All this time I had assumed that that closed door was where the captain was and the crew. But when the door opened and I saw all the passengers come out, that's when I realized my huge blunder. I looked inside, and I saw all the comfortable first class seats in the air-conditioned closed section. What an idiot I was! How could I not even try to open that door and look to see what was inside knowing that I wasn't in the first class section. I obviously was in the tourist section.

Anyway, the voyage was over now, so didn't matter. I just felt like a fool, for having sat where I did, knowing all that comfort was just a few feet away.