Cebu Ferries Corporation

Cebu Ferries Corporation was a Philippine inter-island ferry company whose overnight passenger and cargo services in the Visayas and Mindanao now operate under the 2GO Travel network. Founded on 1 January 1996 and headquartered at Pier 4 in Cebu City, Cebu Ferries served the "VisMin" (Visayas–Mindanao) routes of the William, Gothong & Aboitiz group. It is no longer an independent brand: in 2012 it was consolidated with its sister lines and rebranded, so travellers who once sailed "Cebu Ferries" routes today book the same crossings through 2GO Travel.

What Cebu Ferries was and the routes it served

Cebu Ferries operated overnight passenger-and-cargo vessels linking Cebu with ports across the central and southern Philippines. Its network was built around the Visayas–Mindanao corridor rather than the Manila trunk lines run by its sister brand. Ports commonly associated with the line included:

• Visayas: Dumaguete, Ormoc, Tacloban and Jagna (Bohol).
• Mindanao: Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Ozamiz, Surigao and Butuan (via Nasipit).

These were typically multi-hour, overnight sailings with cabin and economy accommodation plus roll-on/roll-off cargo capacity.

Its place in the Aboitiz and 2GO consolidation

Cebu Ferries began as a subsidiary of William, Gothong & Aboitiz (WG&A), the 1996 merger of William Lines, Carlos A. Gothong Lines and Aboitiz Shipping. The passenger business was later reorganised under the Aboitiz Transport System (ATSC), whose brands were SuperFerry, Cebu Ferries and SuperCat. In 2010 these brands passed to Negros Navigation, and on 1 January 2012 they merged with the Negros Navigation passenger division and were rebranded as 2GO Travel — the second-largest consolidation in Philippine shipping history. Cebu Ferries ceased to exist as a separate operator on that date.

How to book these routes today

Because the Cebu Ferries brand was retired, its former routes are now sold and operated (where still served) under 2GO Travel, the passenger arm of 2GO Group Inc. Schedules, fares and tickets are available through 2GO's official channels and authorised agents. Note that specific port pairs and sailing frequencies have changed over the years, so current 2GO timetables should be checked rather than assumed from the historical Cebu Ferries network.

Background

Cebu Ferries formed part of a lineage tracing back to some of the Philippines' oldest shipping names, and its integration into 2GO reflects the broader consolidation of the country's inter-island passenger fleet under a single national brand.