DETOUR - 2GO Travel

off via a private van,” clarifies Bessie who was acting asliaison officer for our trip.As darkness fell, we finally get our first glimpse of ourship which was newly-painted in white with the huge 2GOTravel logo emblazoned on its sides.Honestly, up to this point, I felt that the “cruise” partof the trip was simply a marketing man’s ploy to give thenew shipping line a premium to sell but with no real legs tostand on. Boy, was I wrong.We boarded the ship, pretty as we pleased, walkingup the ramp and into a modern hotel lobby! It had doubleheight ceiling, comfortable lounge chairs, welcome drinks,and even more seating at the mezzanine lounge which couldalso double as a piano bar. Very spiffy.! This trip was turningout to be more than just getting from Point A to Point B.“What we’re trying to sell here is an ‘experience’,”Stephen explains. “2GO Travel offers a new way of arrivingto your destination.” With 2GO’s Boracay cruise, thevacation starts on the boat itself, while you travel acrossthe blue seas, enjoying the breeze, the food, the onboardentertainment, and the leisurely pace.“We call it domestic cruising,” Stephen proudly claims.To provide passengers that deluxe cruise experience,the ship is treated like a floating hotel. While it is still theship captain who is responsible for the safe and smoothtransport of the passengers, a hotel manager is in charge toensure the passengers’ safety and comfort, and make themfeel more like hotel guests rather than cargo. On this ship,that would be Alain Frigillana.“My personal objective is to make your travelexperience exciting and memorable so you will tell otherpeople,” Alain confesses.Very much like a hotel, we were checked-in at the deskand were then guided to our respective cabins. My room canaccommodate six people, but there are also four-bunkcabins as well as a couple of staterooms for the morediscriminating. Each cabin is air-conditioned and hasits own private toilet and bath. At the back of the cabinswere the Tourist Class accommodations which are twobig air-conditioned halls lined with comfortable doubledeck bunks. The economy class bunk is located at thewell-ventilated upper deck, at the same level as theopen-air lounge and bar.There is also an onboard restaurant which is openall throughout the trip. Given the ship’s limitations,choices for breakfast, lunch or dinner is limited, butexcellently catered by Negrense, a food handlingaffiliate of the 2GO Group.As the ship started pulling away from theBatangas pier, the hotel staff directed the guests’attention to the numerous LCD TVs all over the shipas it played 2GO Travel’s ship safety video in English,Filipino and Visayan. Safety is the main concern of2GO Travel and watching the video made me feel moresecure.april - june 2012 travel time 71