ACK. Expedition trip cancelled... what to do?

[jeremyl]

I just got an email that the Expedition Explorer II is having problems and my trip (departing in 2wks) is cancelled. They offer a refund, but that doesnt really help me with my trip (nor compensate for the local flights we have already booked). Nor get me to Tubbataha!

They offer diving to divert us to Bahura resort for Dumaguete diving. I have no idea how this compares value-wise. Nor diving-wise.

I imagine in is impossible to find another livaboard with space for the same dates (30 Apr-5 May).

FYI: The rest of my trip is/was planned for 6 days in Coron after the liveaboard, followed by a week in PG.

Advise?
Jeremy

 

[Nata]

I imagine in is impossible to find another livaboard with space for the same dates (30 Apr-5 May).

The Philippine Sirene have spaces avaliable for those dates to Southern Layte Philippine Siren
Not the Tubbataha, but some places is very good.

 

[Centrals]

That is really pathetic and unprofessional!!!!
How could they compare Dumaguette with Tubattaha???

1. Fly to Puerto Princesa and work your way slowly to Coron.
The Underwater River in Sabang is nice.
2. Forfeit your ticket to Puerto Princesa and fly directly to Coron.
3. Moonshadow(world wide web.moonshadow.ch) has a trip to Tubattaha on 27th Apr if you can make it.
4. Rearrange your trip completely. Mark of Moonshadow had been going to Tubattaha for many yrs. Dived on the Moonshadow 11yrs ago but no idea about his new boat(Dschubba).

Good luck.

 

[eagerbeaver]

I just got an email that the Expedition Explorer II is having problems and my trip (departing in 2wks) is cancelled. They offer a refund, but that doesnt really help me with my trip (nor compensate for the local flights we have already booked). Nor get me to Tubbataha!

They offer diving to divert us to Bahura resort for Dumaguete diving. I have no idea how this compares value-wise. Nor diving-wise.

I imagine in is impossible to find another livaboard with space for the same dates (30 Apr-5 May).

FYI: The rest of my trip is/was planned for 6 days in Coron after the liveaboard, followed by a week in PG.

Advise?
Jeremy

That does suck. We had a few folks here recently who has also been "postponed" on their trip with Expedition fleet.

Bahura is OK. It's now one of the less well kept resorts in Dauin and the restaurant is not great. Which is an issue as you won't be able to wander around and find much else other than Atmosphere which is next door.

Diving-wise is completely different and you're going to do mostly macro other than Apo island. So it's not really comparable to Tubby.

Have you emailed around the other liveaboards to look for a single spot - quite often they'll be one open last minute.

Good luck and enjoy.

Matt.

 

[jeremyl]

Sucks indeed. They have 5 other boats doing the itinerary but they are all booked that week. I emailed and asked if there was any way to get on one of them.

Would be great to find another boat for Tubbataha but I dont know who else there is. We arrive on the 29th in Puerto Princessa, and are booked to leave on 5 May (to Coron via Manila).

For the second week two boats (Apo and Borneo Explorers) have space (strange since I thought they were booked earlier) - so I could possibly swap weeks with Coron if I could get the flights swapped. How are PAL and Cebu about switching flights? I booked early and got the super-saver flights. Dont know if Expedition Fleets has any pull in this - or if they would cover any flight change expenses (as a reputable company should!).

 

[jeremyl]

FYI Update: I just skyped to Expedition Fleet. The guy (Raymond) was very sympathetic/apologetic. The second week for their boats is filled with people from our boat for that week. He is working hard to find us a spot on one of their other boats for either week, and said he will take care of the domestic flights if needs be. So we will see. But if anyone knows of companies I should check with that might have room for please let me know.

 

[kwhkg]

is its Expedition Fleet livabord that had the massive strobes in Malapascua in the NO LIGHTS ZONE?

 

[jigo]

i believe it was.

 

[jeremyl]

Gotta love em. They offered us their crappiest room on another boat the next week. We are trying to see if we can arrange flights to do that - and see how much of the flight changes they will cover (looks like we can do it for ~300pp in flights). But they are now closed for easter until Sunday night (PST)... I leave 3 days later for Manila. Ahh, what an adventure.

 

[jeremyl]

Quick update. Switching weeks and going on C-Deck of Oceanic Explorer in crappy room near engine with no bath/toilet. Getting $100 price diff + $100 "inconvenience money" per person, and they paid to rebook our flights, including fairly expensive flights to Coron so we switch our Coron week with our Tubbataha week. I think close to $600 total flight charges. Pretty surprising. Raymond has def worked hard to do what he can. Which is sadly still far from ideal and far from what we had, but since this board raves about Tubbataha we are going and hopefully the diving will make us forget all the headaches.

Have to find a new hotel for Coron as Coron Village Lodge does not have room for us for our dates (29 April - 5 May). Hopefully I find something reasonable in the next 48hrs before I leave. Sent emails to Seadive and Ralphs Pension. Anyone have any other ideas of where to check. Hoping not to pay a fortune. Coron Village was quite fair price. Guessing Ralphs is booked, probably Seadive as well (website shows even Gateway is booked).

Planned to dive with Coron Divers. Their web site is down. Anyone know of issues here? I'll try to call in their morning (called all places and nobody answers at 11pm).