General Info

[JWill2578]

Hello all, I am traveling to Cebu on the 18th of this month and wanted to know if there are any reputable car service companies in the area? I really don't want to rent a vehicle given the nature of international companies.

[WestCoast1]

Many days after I wrote to CebuPacific Customer Service I received an email back that said if I didn't like the flight they had chosen for me I could go online and change it. EOM. The problem is I can't. Through the very link they resent I could either accept the totally unacceptable date they proposed or request a refund. I wrote them back explaining that I had tried to change my flight online but couldn't. All I heard since was an email saying my issue was resolved. To which I responded that it wasn't. But I have heard nothing further.

I am sorry for your loss. Your loss of any semblance of trust in CP, or your trust in 'the system'. Don't you find it interesting that you must email CP Cust Service. You can't call them, as calling them would require employees to answer phones, and employees to help fix your issue RIGHT NOW. Employees cost money, and they are not interested in your issue. Instead, they reply to your email inquiry / complaint about a week after you send it. Or alternately, they just don't reply. And each time the do reply, a different CSR handles your issue.

PAL has a flight from Manila (instead of AC) that would work for me (and, hey, I'd get Mabuhay Miles!) but it doesn't seem like BMs thin much higher of PAL than Cebu P.

CP is typically the crappier of the two organizations. Regarding cancellations. As an example. PAL offers 3 flights on any give day from your departure city to your arrival city. Most flights are full each day. OTOH, CP offers 6 flights from the departure city to the destination, daily. Each flight is usually half-full. Three of the flights are then cancelled, pushing the passengers on cancelled flights over to the remaining CP flights, mostly filling them (or alternately pushing some CP passengers to flights a different day). CP flights are a bit cheaper.

Six of one (CP), half a dozen of the other (PAL).

I know this is a first world problem, but as a PI newbie I'm open to input.

Recently someone on the board said that its just easier to take your lumps, show up, sit in whatever seat they assigned you at the check-in counter, and shut up. Flights are at most 90 minutes and you can live thru anything for such a short period of time. At issue: Why should you have to live thru your issue without being able to talk to someone about it TODAY?

[Errol Flynn]

There is no customer service in the Philippines when it comes to airlines.

Many days after I wrote to CebuPacific Customer Service I received an email back that said if I didn't like the flight they had chosen for me I could go online and change it. EOM. The problem is I can't. Through the very link they resent I could either accept the totally unacceptable date they proposed or request a refund. I wrote them back explaining that I had tried to change my flight online but couldn't. All I heard since was an email saying my issue was resolved. To which I responded that it wasn't. But I have heard nothing further.

PAL has a flight from Manila (instead of AC) that would work for me (and, hey, I'd get Mabuhay Miles!) but it doesn't seem like BMs thin much higher of PAL than Cebu P.

I know this is a first world problem, but as a PI newbie I'm open to input.

[Shining Wit]

From an aviation related site I frequent, it seems United are now operating non-stop flights to Manila. Daily ex-LOS Angeles, already started. I think this is the only non-PAL non-stop flight from North America.

[WestCoast1]

Tourism. Last full pre-Covid year was 2019, with 8. 2 million foreign visitors (see graph, first pic). Extrapolating from the bar graph, that would add about a half million to a million per year, if not for the pandemic. Website: https://www.statista.com/statistics/...rist-arrivals/.

For the first 10 months of 2023 (see second pic), 4 million foreign visitors. Extrapolating to include the last 2 months, it should be close to 5 million. Not yet back up to the pre-pandemic extrapolation (about half as much this year), and a given is that Phils has been re-opened for 18 months. Website: http://tourism.gov.ph/files/2023/11/...23-October.pdf.

And for fun, you can see the list (third pic) of countries with foreign visitors to Phils, ranked in order from most to least. N Korea is #1 so far this year (1.1 million tourists), then the US (740K), Japan, China, Australia (207K), Canada (180K), Taiwan, and UK (125K). No wonder we're getting waxed in AC. Website: http://tourism.gov.ph/files/2023/11/...23-October.pdf.

[Jarango]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-67305693

This is a report on how Thailand is getting a different sort of Chinese tourist: top tier and rich LGBT only. I guess the Philippines is still, ahem, virgin territory, helped by itb only catring to Koreans, Western losers and grand papas like us.

[TooDirty]

Thanks for the feedback.

[GDreams]

TD I am not sure of that $6 (p300) price, as Manila prices are often a few bucks higher ($10 maybe) than elsewhere. To twist it a bit more, my province city's prices (which should be lower than Manila) were pre-covid p300, then jumped to p600 for standard 1-hour massage after the post-covid re-opening and remained that way for 2 years, before settling back down to p400. In AC last month p400 was standard, and the place across the street from Scorebirds was p300.

I usually go to a massage shop opposite Robinsons in Malate. I was shocked in July that the price had risen to 350 p which is $A10. I did get a haircut for 100 p and the girl sorry LB was so excited with my 100 p tip. The cut was pretty good BTW.

[Goferring]

Yes. You must wait to make the reservation during the stated sale period (in this case, you must make the reservation between Nov 1 and Nov 15), and only for flights within the travel period (in this case, flights between those particular cities between Nov 1 and March 31 2024). They run this type of special 2-3 times per year. I have noted that during the sale period, starting Nov 1 thru Nov 15, the website often slows to a crawl as everyone is attempting to get the discount.

Even if you have jumped through all the hoops mentioned, often there is only a certain number of discounted seats available on each flight. Sometimes it's a crazy low number like 5 or so. If you are number 6, then it's bad luck.

G.

[WestCoast1]

Are there lots of legit cheap massage spots in Philippines? Like $6 for an hour foot massage?

You monger in the Phils to have BBFS with mostly average looking English speaking girls. Thats about it.

Usually I agree. But:

You don't go there for food or massage or 7-11.

I have discovered that there is a percentage of fellas that are primarily rub-and-tug fellas. They can go to an asian sexpat destination and spend all of their nawty dollars in massage places. Or alternately they are just massage afficianados who have 1-2-3 massages daily (a full-body each morning, a foot massage every afternoon, a nawty massage caps off the evening). They barfine or find FL girls as a second option only. I find it odd that anyone of such persuasion would go to AC, but I have found them having lunch at Kokomo's.

TD I am not sure of that $6 (p300) price, as Manila prices are often a few bucks higher ($10 maybe) than elsewhere. To twist it a bit more, my province city's prices (which should be lower than Manila) were pre-covid p300, then jumped to p600 for standard 1-hour massage after the post-covid re-opening and remained that way for 2 years, before settling back down to p400. In AC last month p400 was standard, and the place across the street from Scorebirds was p300.

[Expat American]

Is 7-11 in Philippines as good as 7-11 in Thailand? Are they as prevalent everywhere like in Thailand? Wrapped meals ready to be microwaved?

Are there lots of legit cheap massage spots in Philippines? Like $6 for an hour foot massage?

Massage is about 350 to 400 P per hour but the quality is much lower than Thailand. Why 7-11 should be a consideration for any travel planning is beyond me but yes, there are 7-11 in the Philippines and probably carry the same food, but again, why that would matter is really strange.

You monger in the Phils to have BBFS with mostly average looking English speaking girls. Thats about it. You don't go there for food or massage or 7-11.

[WestCoast1]

I've tried to book those piso fares and can never get them, even if the promo is for the destination and date I'm trying to book. Are they actually real?

Yes. You must wait to make the reservation during the stated sale period (in this case, you must make the reservation between Nov 1 and Nov 15), and only for flights within the travel period (in this case, flights between those particular cities between Nov 1 and March 31 2024). They run this type of special 2-3 times per year. I have noted that during the sale period, starting Nov 1 thru Nov 15, the website often slows to a crawl as everyone is attempting to get the discount.

[AussieGaigin]

I've tried to book those piso fares and can never get them, even if the promo is for the destination and date I'm trying to book. Are they actually real?

Usually only a limited number of these cheap seats on each flight. You really have to be quick, they often go within minutes of being announced.

[Aml3740]

CP has announced a round of promo fares, both domestic (as low as p199 before taxes / fees) and international. See pic for a domestic teaser, and link for all such fares.

https://www.cebupacificair.com/en-PH/seat-sale

I've tried to book those piso fares and can never get them, even if the promo is for the destination and date I'm trying to book. Are they actually real?

[Jarango]

Is 7-11 in Philippines as good as 7-11 in Thailand? It is an international franchise so it should be near enough

Are they as prevalent everywhere like in Thailand? I never saw one in Thai jungles or paddy fields but there are plenty where lazy mongers go
and the motorbikes are ubiquitous

Are there lots of legit cheap massage spots in Philippines? Like $6 for an hour foot massage?

The unit of currency in the Philippines is the peso, not the American (56), Australian (36) or Canadian (41). I previously gave the rates blind folk charge in various malls. Do you think you could rtff or would you like me to do that and convert into the currency of your choice?