Shared Saturday seats vs private charter
· Live seat counts and private quotes may change — check Departures or Private Boat for the latest.
Hop On Cebu runs the same bangka, crew, Filipino-style lunch rhythm, soft drinks, and karaoke whether you buy one seat on a Saturday or charter the whole boat for your barkada. The difference is how you book, when you can sail, and how pricing works. This guide helps you pick the path that fits your group without surprises at the pier.
Shared Saturday seats
You pay ₱1,099 / person for an open seat on our fixed Saturday calendar. Trips leave from Cordova RORO Port on the Mactan side. We cap the boat at about 20 guests and mark a Saturday as Confirmed once roughly 16 paid seats are locked in. If a date does not reach that threshold before cutoff, refunds follow our refund policy.
Shared is ideal when you are travelling solo or in a small group, you are happy to meet new people on the boat, and a Saturday morning works for your itinerary. Browse open dates and live headcount on Departures.
Private charter
You bring the guest list — birthdays, reunions, corporate outings, or guests flying in on different weekdays. You choose the date (any day of the week, subject to crew availability) and tell us your group size. Pricing is a whole-boat quote, not per seat; we reply within about 24–48 hours Manila time by email or WhatsApp after you submit the inquiry on Private Boat.
Private makes sense when you need a non-Saturday sail, you want control over who is onboard, or you want to note food and music preferences in writing before the trip. The pier, bangka, and crew culture are the same; only the booking model changes.
What stays the same
- Meet at Cordova RORO Port — not a random resort dock or Cebu City pier.
- The same professional crew and shaded bangka setup (benches, tables, onboard comfort room).
- Lunch most weeks, rice, and soft drinks; specifics are confirmed for your sail date.
- Karaoke and speakers — part of the vibe on both shared and private trips unless you ask otherwise on a charter.
- Swim and snorkel time when weather and tides cooperate; some island stops may charge small local hut or eco fees you pay in cash on the day.
- Paying guests still receive a private sail-day photo album after the trip (see our Saturday island hopping guide for album details).
Quick comparison
- Pricing: shared = fixed per seat; private = quote for your group and date.
- Dates: shared = Saturdays on the public calendar; private = you propose a day.
- Group size: shared = up to ~20 mixed guests; private = your headcount (tell us in the form).
- Confirmation: shared = seat count toward ~16 to sail; private = written quote and deposit terms in our reply.
Still deciding? If Saturday works and you do not need the boat to yourselves, start on Departures. If you need another day or a closed group, go to Private Boat.
Not sure which fits?
Message us through the contact form with your dates and headcount. We would rather point you to the right booking path than have you guess at the pier gate.
