Would you ride the ferry?

[Dogwood_Poet 16]

After all the recent events involving the ferries in the Philippines, would you ride one?

I had been thinking about taking the ferry from Manila to Cagayan de Oro the next time my wife and I travel home. I thought it could be fun and a way to see more of the country, but now my wife is a bit nervous about the idea of spending time on a ferry.

What do you think?

(Since this is a Philippines question, I thought I would put it in the local forum.)

[rockhouse 1]

Me and my girl would ride the short ferry from Cebu to Mactan quite often. We also rode the super ferry to Bohol from Cebu. I can swim like a dolphin, but my girl just sinks, (very ironic that most filipinos can't swim but live on an island), so whenever we rode one i always made sure there were life jackets near us, as well as familiarizing myself with the exits fore and aft.

I was a commercial fishing captain in Alaska for 7 years and another old trick i often use on boats is too also memorize what the ceiling of a ship or boat looks like in case it capsizes and you have to find your way out with all the reference points inverted.

I think the main reason so many people in 3rd world countries die in ferry accidents is because most can't swim.

The FIRST thing i will teach my fiancee when she gets here is how to swim...it's a matter of survival IMO.

[MikenKyhen 0]

I can certainly understand your concern with the recent events especially over the last two years but take a look at the amount of planes that have slid past the runway in manila and Caticlan over the last year. I'd say your just as safe on the ferry.

[MikenKyhen 0]

Me and my girl would ride the short ferry from Cebu to Mactan quite often. We also rode the super ferry to Bohol from Cebu. I can swim like a dolphin, but my girl just sinks, (very ironic that most filipinos can't swim but live on an island), so whenever we rode one i always made sure there were life jackets near us, as well as familiarizing myself with the exits fore and aft.

I was a commercial fishing captain in Alaska for 7 years and another old trick i often use on boats is too also memorize what the ceiling of a ship or boat looks like in case it capsizes and you have to find your way out with all the reference points inverted.

I think the main reason so many people in 3rd world countries die in ferry accidents is because most can't swim.

The FIRST thing i will teach my fiancee when she gets here is how to swim...it's a matter of survival IMO.

No doubt. My girl can't swim either. How does one grow up surrounded by the ocean and never learn to swim?

[Passing.star 0]

I think I'll take the plane. I took the ferry once and never thought of taking a ride for the second time around.

[adiiann 163]

After all the recent events involving the ferries in the Philippines, would you ride one?

I had been thinking about taking the ferry from Manila to Cagayan de Oro the next time my wife and I travel home. I thought it could be fun and a way to see more of the country, but now my wife is a bit nervous about the idea of spending time on a ferry.

What do you think?

(Since this is a Philippines question, I thought I would put it in the local forum.)

Choose Superferry, if you decide to ride a ship. It's fun to ride esp when there's a lot of you there. Just choose summer season of the Philippines, no storm or rainy season.

[noodlesweasel 0]

A big no no for me especially during storm season. Took the superferry once going to Palawan and going back to Manila, I took the plane. The waves are so big so I will not dare. Just my 2 cents.

[Jasman0717 9]

We took the Super Ferry from Cebu to Cagayan and then from Iligan to Dumaguete. From Dumaguete we took the Super Cat back to Cebu. My two biggest problems was we couldn't shut the air conditioner off on the trip to Cagayan so it was very cold in our room and on the way to Dumaguete I got took drunk and want walking around the ship in my underware

[Robert E Lee 0]

... and on the way to Dumaguete I got took drunk and want walking around the ship in my underware

So, you were gesticulating with the crew in your underwear? But, listen, the crew members were all male, ain't they, bubba?

[getosled 0]

I was riding the Ferry from Basilan to Zamboanga all the time. Granted Short trip, and I was in an up armored HLUX! Nothing ever happened.....

[DARUMA07 25]

I would rather take a rowboat...

CHRONOLOGY-Deadliest ferry disasters in the Philippines 23 Jun 2008 07:32:29 GMT Source: Reuters (For related story see PHILIPPINES-WEATHER/ or [iD:nL22714887]) June 23 (Reuters) - Around 800 people are missing on Monday after a ferry sank in a typhoon off Sibuyan island in the central Philippines in what could be one of the island nation's worst maritime disasters in more than 20 years. Here is a list of some of the deadliest shipping disasters in the archipelago over the past two decades. * Dec 1987 - A total of 4,386 die in world's worst peacetime shipping disaster, as ferry Dona Paz, owned by Sulpicio Lines, and an oil tanker collide off Mindoro Island. * Oct 1988 - Dona Marilyn, sister ship of Dona Paz, sinks off Leyte province, killing around 300. * July 1993 - 279 pilgrims drown when an overloaded wooden temple, mounted on three boats, collapses during a religious festival as it is being towed along the Bocaue river, 20 km (12 miles) north of Manila. * Dec 1994 - Ferry Cebu City collides with Singapore oil tanker, killing more than 140. * Sept 1998 - Almost 200 die when ferry MV Princess of the Orient, sister ship of Dona Paz and Dona Marilyn, sinks in stormy seas near Cavite and Batangas. * April 2000 - At least 138 drown after the ML Annahada sinks off Jolo island in the southern Philippines. * Feb. 2004 - Superferry 14 catches fire near Manila Bay, killing 116 people. Abu Sayyaf claims responsibility, saying a suicide bomber sabotaged the boat to protest ill treatment of Muslim communities. * June 2008: MV Princess of Stars sinks 3 km (2 miles) from Sibuyan island in central Philippines in typhoon-lashed seas, leaving around 800 people missing. Source: Reuters (Writing by Gillian Murdoch, Beijing Editorial Reference Unit)

[calico1 1]

Took a super ferry from CDO to Bohol and back...not too bad going to Bohol, but on return trip was higher seas and one of the diesel engines broke down and a 7hr. trip turned into a 12 hr. trip. The ferry was rockin and rollin pretty good and a couple times everyone was pretty concerned. I don't care how good one can swim..if that thing would have rolled on it's side miles away from any shoreline..there would have been many causalties and or fatalities in rough seas. Many times the ferry's are overloaded and put out to sea when the weather conditions are hap hazard..I don't know if I would ferry longer distances again..but shorter runs like CDO to Camiguin probably safer.

[Señor Bonito 2]

I have taken the ferry between Iloilo and Bacolod many times more than 36 years ago and I liked it. I love to sniff the aroma of the salty air as the nice cool breeze brushes my face. And as the whitecaps pound like poetry in motion, the seagulls fly westward towards the setting sun!

[Kevin-n-Merlaine 14]

We rode the SuperCat from Ormoc to Cebu and I loved it! Merlaine wasn't too thrilled with it though lol.

[Jasman0717 9]

... and on the way to Dumaguete I got took drunk and want walking around the ship in my underware

So, you were gesticulating with the crew in your underwear? But, listen, the crew members were all male, ain't they, bubba?

I even found the showers so took one. Maybe the crew on the ferry you were on were male but Super 2 and some very beautiful filipina crew members