It allowed me to make a temporary booking and issued a confirmation number, it is also sent to my email.
It says in the payment instruction that I should be able to pay before midnight of the day at I placed the reservation at “various payment centers” . I thought this is really cool.

And so I went to Banco De Oro in the mall to catch it before they close, unfortunately, I only had 20 minutes from the time I reserved online to make it to the bank, and with the Christmas rush, driving is a story in itself, and so I decided to proceed to the Cebu Pacific Branch at Robinson’s Galleria instead to pay directly at their ticketing office. While I was getting in the door, getting out is a lady looking really mad and cussing, expressing disappointment about Cebu Pacific for reasons I no longer asked. I got my number and waited, then when I was called, I gave my confirmation code to the girl in the counter. She searched for it and responded, oh “Ma’am you booked online and chose Bank payment, you have to pay only to the bank you chose.”, I responded by saying, “Please realize that its now beyond banking ours that’s why I came all the way here. I am sure you can do something, anyway my deadline is until 12 mignight, its barely 8pm.” She excused herself and made a call, came back to me to say she can’t process the reservation I made, because I really have to pay only to the bank. I am like.. What? It doesn’t make sense to me, this is Cebu Pacific ticketing office and that’s the solution you will tell me?.

She then suggested that she can make a “NEW” reservation for me, i said cool…the thing is the rate has changed, and the fare increased by a few thousand pesos already…Of course, I complained telling her, that how come I can’t pay for the tickets based on my reservation that is supposed to be valid until midnight. To cut the story short…they have no way to do that. A new reservation right there had to be made.

I don’t understand what kind of system that is… Cebu Pacific should be able to accept what is supposed to be paid to the bank if the account reserved is being paid at their very own office already, as long as it’s within the time your reservation is still valid. I am sure there is a way for Cebupacific to take the money, and make a transfer from their Cebupacific account to whatever bank, and credit the payments accordingly. But No! It means, the time I spent booking online, and rushing to the cebu pacific office to get the reservation I made to make it before the deadline they gave to pay plain useless, because they had to make me a new booking anyway and pay a higher fare rate, which was about P3,000 pesos in difference.

I hope they make improvements on this particular payment system soon. By the time I was getting out, I sort of understood why the angry lady was angry lol…

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My Mom and i was on the same flight, while my sister Rich and Gracie on another, but just 30 minutes apart last Feb 14, yeah it was a Boracay Family Valentine. Then the following day, friends Karla, Pamela and Sheryl arrived at 630am in Caticlan Airport, followed by Madel, Rene, Yen and Kyle,  then Kalibo Party of Tita Laurie, Feby, Ansel, Clane, Lara, Bel, Doods and Samantha came before lunch time. Lastly, Kuya Bong, Ate Jane, Jaepher and Chrysha at 3pm flight..whew!!!

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My family and I took 3 Villas at Nirvana Garden Villas, Rene and Company at BNB Resort, then the rest to friends houses. We just gathered together for swimming and meals. It was really a blast… Both of our resorts are all great places for families.  Spacious rooms and living areas for kids to move around.

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Boracay offers a really great place for fun, relaxation, quality time for the family. It has something to offer for all ages, shapes and interests.

Boracay Stations took care of all our bookings.  We usually swim at Station one, near the Willy’s Rock, at times at Pearl of the Pacific. We like it there because the sand is finest, and kids enjoy creating castles.

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This particular stay was at Willy’s Beach Club, located at Station 1, right across the Willys’ Rock (Grotto) which they also own. Their  promo rate was P 12,000 for the 3 nights/4 (SINGLE occupancy in the room, meaning just me sleeping in the room) days which included daily breakfast and 1 dinner at Willy’s or at Club Paraw. My room had a good view of he ocean from the veranda. Nice Shower area, comfortable big beds, very nice friendly staff. It also included escorted Airport- Resort Land(willy’s nice van), boat transfers and terminal fees. I was satisfied with my stay. Hmmm… maybe i should start writing Boracay Resort, and restaurant reviews.

Enjoyed the Salads and wine at Aria along the beach front in D’Mall, as well as the Mint Shake and Nicoise Salad at Lemon Cafe. Salad is about P 250.00 and fruit share about P 130.00

A must visit for Fruit Shakes is at JONAH’s at the STation 1, Luzette and I went there and saw Gilbert Remulla and Angel Aquino with some other friends, they were quite very busy on their cellphones while on vacation very hard working tv personalities. I  had Avocado Shake, i usually like combining mango and chocolate or pinaapple and banana. Fruit shake is about P 80.00 for single fruit, P 110 for mixed fruit.

The beachfront transforms to a line of buffet restaurants at night, offering all kinds of food, Mongolian, a lot of grilled seafoods, steaks, international dishes to satisfy your palate.  We ate at Paradise Grill, Liehevol (both at D’Mall) some other restaurants i no longer remember the name lol…  In Paradise grill, its not a buffet, you have to choose and buy fish, vegetables or whatever by grams then you select how you want them to cook it for you. Shake Servings are really huge, you can get full with it. Buffet is usually P 285 per person, excluding drinks.

Richie said she feels like her tummy will already explode with all the food lol!

notice how big Tina’s chocolate shake is!

Island Hopping and Snorkeling is always fun for me, we usually go to different spots , this time it was right across the new Shangrila Boracay Resort. Island hopping boat is usually 4 hours with snorkeling, at P 1,800 for up to 5 passengers. The latest i did was the Reef Walk.

Boracay is a wonderful place we are enjoying, so if you happen to be there, and see some trash, lets try to do some help to preserve the beauty and cleanliness of the island by picking up some junk food wrap on the shore.  Guys, if you happen to see any trash on the shore, please do take part, pick it up and throw it in a trash can. tnx

Look at the fish trying to swim, let’s keep the beach clean.

Btw, for a great place to stay in Station 1, where the sand is finest and usually resorts are most pricey, that will not cost you much, try Boracay Breeze, its just a minute walk to the beach front yet the price is really really friendly, you will save 50% on hotel cost yet you are at station 1.

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I took this shot from the plane, Cebu Pacific Air via Caticlan last March 10, 2009. Boracay is located in Malay, Aklan in Panay. The island is about 7 kilometers long, with a very long white sand beachfront of 4 kilometers on one side alone.

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Wonderful time in Boracay

with my niece Lorraine and Richie

 Time flew so fast, Lorraine and Richie were just small kids running around the house when i was a teenager and now they are bigger than me lol…and we’re like “barkadas”.

I would like to thank my close friend Luzette,  who is like a sister for being with us, Tina and Belle too. And big thanks for Boracay Stations, for helping us get the best family-friendly accommodation in Garden Villas- it is equipped with a kitchen and it was very spacious with enough for the kids to run around and budget rooms at B & B Resort. We are happy with it.

If you are looking for the best place to stay in Boracay that fits your needs, contact Boracay Stations, they are experts and know the island really well. Just tell them your preferences and they will help you out. Whether you are looking for Resort in Boracay that is Luxurious, family rooms, Budget rooms, cheap backpackers style rooms, beachfront rooms, long term stay kind, Boracay STations people can be of help. Ask about the resorts offering promos on your travel dates.

There was 20 of us who took the Cebu Pacific Air in 3 different flights back and forth, all were on time. We we took MANILA-CATICLAN going there and KALIBO- MANILA on the way back. Thanks for the best airfare deals, cebu pacific rocks!!!

 

 

 

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We (my family and friends) have been using Cebu Pacific for several years now. It was always Philippine Airlines then.  We switched to Cebu Pacific because of the lower pricing, its fine even if they don’t serve snacks, the price difference was very significant specially that we travel in groups.  

My friend Julie alone had 24 flights with Cebu Pacific this year, i only had about 20 ( 1 of which was via Pal Express Air from Caticlan to Manila). Most of those flights were bound to Boracay. We have probably taken more than 100 flights (counting those of my family this year).

Our most recent flights were already FREE courtesy of Cebu Pacific Air, we enjoyed flights to Boracay, Manila and Cebu this last quarter. During the early part of this  year, the flights were always late, there was one time when they already had to serve us lunch because the plane was later for more then four (4) hours alread, but as time passed, by the end of the year as i write, our flights has been ON TIME.  

I recommend you to sign up for their newsletter and announcements to take advantage of the latest promos.

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Boracay Philippines favorite destination

My favorite destination, BORACAY, seems to be the favorite of a lot of locals too, being on Yahoo Philippines Top searches for 2008. The Top search is American idol, second is already Boracay.

I took 8 round trip flights to the island this year, 7 of which via Cebu Pacific Air and 1 via Pal Express Air, 3 days as the shortest and 30 days being the longest stay. 

Five (5) things i like about Boracay?

1. The Beach – since i first set foot in Boracay in 1989, i immediately fell in love with the place and kept coming each time i could during summertime, and eventually it became an annual family destination.  Water is crystal clear blue, i could see my feet and some fish even im standing on water up to my neck high. And when i swim at night, and i waggle my hands on the water, it seems to glitter. And the sand doesn’t get hot even on broad day light, playing anytime of the day on sand is alright. Until today, the beach continous to allure me, and many from Korea, Taiwan, Europe and the United States.

2. The Food – seafoods are really fresh, i remember my cousins waking early to wait for fishermen coming in their boats with baskets of catch. Now that fishermens no longer dock on the beach front, you have to go to the market already. Now, there is already a really wide variety of international cuisines on the four kilometer stretch beach.  There is Filipino (of course), Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Morrocan, Indian, American, Mexican, Italian, Norwegian Cuisines and more. 

3. WaterSports – back then, it was only boating and speed boating, now? there are a lot of water sports to enjoy, like Banana Boat Ride, Jetski, Diving, Parasailing, Speed Boating, Wake Boarding, Kite Boarding and so much more.

4. Night Life – There is no nightlife like Boracay as some foreigners would say. Bars line up the beach front walk way, with techno, disco, reggae, live bands, folk singers and more while you enjoy some rhythm and hues. Our favorite is Summer Place in station2 .

5. Resorts – The kind of resort you stay at depends on your needs. There are budget resorts, luxury, backpackers, family room resorts and more to choose from.  I have stayed in more than a couple dozen resorts already.  Almost each time i go, we stay in a different resort, in different stations (Boracay has there major stations, which are stations 1, 2 and 3).  My family

Station 3 - is located on the left side of the Island which is mostly part of Manoc Manoc. Resorts here are mostly on the lower priced rooms. My family stayed in La Isla Bonita a number of times, and we get about 4 – 5 rooms here.

Stations 2 – is located on the middle, mostly part of Brgy. Balabag , a lot of new resorts are here, price are also very reasonably priced, this is where D Mall can also be found, D Mall is where the mini  marts, restaurants, souvenir stores are.  This area is the most dense at any given time. I stayed in Giulius Resort in this area, near the Tourist Center

Station 1 – located on the left side of the island, this is where the sand is really finest, like powder. Most of the resorts here are quite pricey (but not all). This is where i like to stay the most. I stayed one month at Boracay Breeze Resort, the castle like resort near the Willy’s Rock. 

To go to Boracay, you can go by boat of by plane. By boat its a 13 hours or so ride from the Pier in Manila, or yuo can take the RORO (bus to Batangas, then Boat from Batangas to Caticlan).

By plane its about 45 minutes via Cebu Pacific Air, Pal Express Air, Seair and Zest Air.  Airfare is about P 3,500 and up round trip.

Resort Accomodation is about P 1,000 and up at Station 3. P 2,000 and up at Station 2 and P 3000 and up at Station 1.  There are hotel rooms as much as $300-500 per night.

Condominium hotels are also an excellent investment in the Island. There is Alta Vista De Boracay, Crown Regency, The Pearl Residences and The Shambala among others.

Come and enjoy Boracay…

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Now, its time for some R and R (rest and recreation), our boating experience is sponsored by Ms. Olive Antes, our Boracay Crown Regency team head, our entrance to Crystal Cave is complimentary, and food sponsored by Boracay Stations.   To our sponsors, thank you for making this time possible.

We went snorkeling, island tour at Crystal Cave, swimming at ilig iligan in Fairways and Blue Waters Beach front.

Truelly a fun time in Boracay Island.

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BoracayStations, Inc. SEC registration is out and we are all very excited to launch our boracay online reservation website what would offer the best service in getting a cheap to luxurious accommodations in the island.

The next thing is to secure the Mayor’s Permit and the BIR registration and we are good to go. As of June 18, 2008, we have partnered with 112 Resorts in Boracay and counting.

It has been a great experience talking to Resort Managers and having photo/video shoots.

I feel like I’ve stayed in all those resorts…its just lovely…Each resort has it’s own uniqueness. Some are in the beachfront and some are not but all has its own charm that has been very inviting to tourists worldwide.

I personally like Boracay Breeze because it’s reasonably priced and located at Station 1. It’s not in a beachfront, rather a minute walk away but I don’t mind, it gives me the quiet night I need after a full day.

I also like Boracay Terraces because it has a very good view of the ocean and the beach front is really impressive, very powdery and fine white sand and crystal clear blue waters greet you at your window. It’s very private too, located at an enclave part of the island.

Nigi Nigi is Julie and Gerard’s favorite resort, as Julie put’s it, you just have to tumble and you are already on the water. It’s a nice beach front resort, where we spent several dining together and had our laughters. I still remember the bailey’s with the Razo’s.

Grand Vista is so far the grandest I’ve seen that’s perfect for honeymooners, it has a breathtaking view of the ocean from any suite room, and from the Swimming pool compensates for it not being in the beachfront. They have an hourly transport to the main beach so going for a swim there is not a problem.

Giulius Bamboo Italian Resort is great too, it’s totally brand new with nicely done rooms with Queen Size bed, Superior Rooms with two Big Beds and even a 2 Bedroom loft for families who want some space. They are offering 50% off as Promo, as low as P 1,500 per night which is really a bargain.

In whatever Boracay Station you would like to stay in, im sure there is something that fits your preference.

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Im so delayed in posting my blogs, i wrote this in Boracay last June 26, 2008.

 

It’s an early morning Pal Express flight for me (8am, yes that’s early to me) and Paul back to Manila, the Sun is beginning to shine in Boracay  as it has been the last 2 days after typhoon Frank. Electricity and water are both back here at Boracay Breeze Resort where I stayed for a month. It’s been a great and wonderful stay in this resort, people are nice and location is great being at Station 1, the best part of the island having the finest sand.

 

Julie, my friend and college school mate is arriving today from Manila with her Irish fiancée and we agreed to meet at Lonely Planet at the Caticlan Airport to discuss about their website requirements.

 

I don’t have much stuff, just 3 sets of clothes coz I’m leaving the rest of my things here in Boracay. I’m scheduled to be back in two weeks.

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