Cebu to Bohol Ferry: Schedules, Prices and Tips

The Cebu to Bohol ferry is the fastest, cheapest, and most reliable way to cross between the two islands. Fast craft from OceanJet and SuperCat run from Cebu Pier 1 to Tagbilaran in about two hours, with departures every 30 to 60 minutes from before dawn until evening. Fares sit at roughly PHP 800 to 1,400 (around $14 to $24) one way in 2026.

I have made this crossing more times than I can count, in calm December seas and in the choppy swells of a wet-season afternoon, and I still think it is one of the easiest island hops in the Philippines. But “easy” does not mean “no surprises.” The pier system in Cebu confuses first-timers, the cheapest ferry is not the one most people should take, and a small booking mistake can cost you an hour in a queue you did not expect. This guide is the version I wish someone had handed me on my first trip: every operator, both gateway ports, real schedules and fares, and the specific things to do at the pier so you actually make your boat.

The Cebu to Bohol ferry at a glance

Here is the whole decision in one table. If you only read one thing on this page, read this. Tagbilaran is the gateway you want for Panglao, the Chocolate Hills, the Loboc River, and the tarsiers; Tubigon is a cheaper, slightly faster crossing that drops you on the northwest coast and needs an onward land transfer. Fares are 2026 estimates and shift with fuel and season, so treat them as a guide and confirm at the booth or operator site before you travel.

For most visitors, the answer is OceanJet or SuperCat to Tagbilaran. The Tubigon route exists for two groups: people watching every peso, and anyone bringing a vehicle. I will break down both below. If you are still weighing up the two islands themselves before you commit, our Cebu vs Bohol comparison is a good companion read, and the wider Cebu travel guide covers everything you will want to see on the Cebu side before or after the crossing.

The two routes: Tagbilaran vs Tubigon (and a word on Getafe)

Bohol has more than one front door, and picking the right one saves you time and money. The mistake I see again and again is travelers booking the cheapest Tubigon ticket without realizing how far Tubigon is from where they actually want to be.

Cebu to Tagbilaran: the route almost everyone should take

Tagbilaran is Bohol’s capital and its main passenger gateway. The fast-craft pier sits right in the city, a short hop from Panglao Island (Alona Beach, the dive resorts, the airport) and a sensible launch point for the Chocolate Hills, the Loboc River cruise, the tarsier sanctuary, and the old stone churches. If your Bohol plan looks like a normal tourist trip, this is your port. OceanJet and SuperCat both run it as a roughly two-hour fast-craft crossing, and between them you have a sailing almost every hour through the day.

Cebu to Tubigon: cheaper, but it lands you in the wrong corner

Tubigon is a town on Bohol’s northwest coast. The crossing is cheaper (often under PHP 450) and the fastest StarCraft sailings can do it in about an hour, which sounds appealing on paper. The catch is geography: from Tubigon you still need a van or bus to Tagbilaran or Panglao, which adds roughly 45 minutes to an hour-plus and another fare. Tubigon makes sense if you are on a tight budget, if you are bringing a vehicle (only the Tubigon RoRo ferries carry cars and motorbikes), or if your Bohol base is in the north of the island. Otherwise the few pesos you save get eaten by the extra transfer and hassle.

Other ports: Getafe and Jagna

You will occasionally see ferries to Getafe (in Bohol’s far north) and, on the longer overnight routes, Jagna on the southeast coast. These serve specific local destinations and are not what you want for a standard Tagbilaran or Panglao trip. I mention them only so you do not accidentally book one. When you search a booking site, double-check the Bohol arrival port before you pay.

Operators compared: OceanJet, SuperCat, Lite Ferries and FastCat

The names blur together when you are standing in a noisy terminal, so here is how I actually think about each one.

OceanJet: the default choice

OceanJet is the operator most travelers end up on, and for good reason. It runs the most frequent Tagbilaran service of anyone, with something close to 16 sailings a day in each direction from early morning (around 5:10 AM) to early evening (around 6:40 PM). The two-hour crossing is reliable, the boats are decent, and because departures come so often, a missed or full sailing rarely wrecks your day. You choose between Tourist class (the cheaper, sometimes breezier seating) and Business class (air-conditioned, more legroom, a calmer cabin). I usually pay the extra few hundred pesos for Business, especially in the wet season when the upper deck can get sprayed.

SuperCat: the comfortable alternative

SuperCat covers the same Pier 1 to Tagbilaran route in the same two hours, but with fewer daily sailings, roughly six each way. The cabins are tidy and air-conditioned, the Tourist fare is often a little cheaper than OceanJet’s, and the boats feel a touch newer. If a SuperCat departure lines up with your schedule, take it without hesitation. The only reason it is not my automatic first pick is frequency: with OceanJet you almost never wait long, while SuperCat needs you to plan around its timetable.

Lite Ferries, FastCat and StarCraft: the Tubigon crowd

These operators run the Cebu to Tubigon route rather than Tagbilaran. Lite Ferries is the budget standby, with very cheap fares and frequent (if slower) sailings. StarCraft runs a genuinely fast craft that can reach Tubigon in around an hour. FastCat is the one to remember if you are shipping a vehicle, since it is a roll-on/roll-off ferry that takes cars, motorbikes, and even trucks. For a foot passenger heading to Panglao, none of these beat OceanJet’s convenience, but for the right traveler they are the smart pick.

Schedules and frequency: when the boats actually run

The single best thing about this crossing is how often it runs. On the Tagbilaran route, OceanJet and SuperCat between them push out a sailing roughly every 30 to 60 minutes from before 6 AM until the evening. OceanJet’s first departure from Cebu is around 5:10 AM and its last is around 6:40 PM; the return pattern from Tagbilaran is almost identical, with the last boat back to Cebu around 6:30 PM. SuperCat slots its half-dozen daily sailings into the same window.

On the Tubigon side the rhythm is different. Lite Ferries runs sailings spaced through the day and night (some routes have departures as early as 1 AM for cargo and budget travelers), while StarCraft and FastCat run a handful of timed trips. Because Tubigon services are sparser, this is the route where you genuinely need to check the timetable in advance rather than just turning up.

A practical note on timetables: I do not list every exact minute here on purpose, because Philippine ferry schedules get adjusted for season, demand, dry-docking, and weather more often than any printed list can keep up with. The frequency is what matters, and the frequency is excellent. For your specific travel day, pull the current schedule from the operator or a booking site the week before, and again the night before. If you want the bigger picture on inter-island logistics, our guide to getting around the Philippines puts the ferries in context with flights and buses.

Prices and fees: what you really pay

The headline fare is only part of the cost, so let me lay out the full picture for the Tagbilaran fast craft, which is what most readers will buy.

• OceanJet: Tourist class around PHP 800 to 960, Business class around PHP 1,200 to 1,400, one way.
• SuperCat: Tourist class around PHP 500 to 800, Business class around PHP 900 to 1,200, one way.
• Lite Ferries / FastCat / StarCraft to Tubigon: roughly PHP 330 to 450 depending on class and operator.

On top of the ticket, budget for two extras. First, the terminal fee, a small port charge of around PHP 25 to 30 at Cebu (a little less at Tubigon), paid in cash at the pier on the day, never included in your ticket. Second, baggage fees: a normal carry-on or day bag is free, but checked luggage is charged by size, typically PHP 50 to 100 a bag. Discounts of around 20 percent usually apply for children, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities with valid ID.

One honest caveat on prices. Philippine ferry fares move, sometimes mid-year, because of fuel costs and seasonal demand, and operators publish surcharge adjustments from time to time. The figures here reflect what I found in 2026, but I would never want you to arrive expecting an exact peso amount and feel misled. Confirm the live fare when you book. If you are budgeting a whole trip, our breakdown of Philippines travel costs shows how a crossing like this fits alongside accommodation, food, and tours.

How and where to book (and the mistakes that cost you an hour)

You have two ways to get a ticket, and both work. The right choice depends on the season and how much you hate uncertainty.

Walk up to the pier

For most of the year, walking up to the OceanJet or SuperCat booth at Cebu Pier 1 and buying a ticket for the next sailing is completely fine. Departures are frequent, and outside peak periods you will usually be on a boat within the hour. This is how locals travel and it keeps your plans flexible.

Book online in advance

During Philippine high season (December to February, Holy Week, and the summer travel months of roughly April to early June) and on weekends, the popular midday sailings can sell out, especially Tourist class. If your schedule is fixed, book online a day or two ahead through the operator’s own site or a reputable booking platform, and consider Business class, which sells out far less often.

The booking mistake almost no one warns you about

Here is the pitfall that catches first-timers, and it is the single most useful thing in this section. Booking online does not skip the pier counter. Even with an e-ticket, you still have to show up at the terminal, queue to have your seat assigned and your ticket printed, pay the terminal fee in cash, and check any luggage. People assume an online booking means they can stroll up ten minutes before departure, then lose half an hour in a line they did not budget for and watch their boat leave. Treat the online ticket as a guaranteed seat, not a fast pass. Arrive with the same buffer you would for a walk-up.

The pier experience: what to arrive early for

Cebu Pier 1 is busy, a little chaotic, and entirely manageable once you know the drill. Plan to arrive 60 to 90 minutes before departure, even with a ticket in hand. The full process, in order, looks like this:

1. Get to the pier. Pier 1 sits in Cebu City’s downtown port area. A Grab or taxi from the city center is a short ride (often 5 to 15 minutes, longer in traffic), and from Mactan-Cebu Airport it is roughly 15 to 30 minutes depending on congestion. Tell the driver “Pier 1” or “OceanJet.”
2. Enter and find the terminal-fee counter. Pay the small port fee in cash and keep the receipt.
3. Go to your operator’s counter. Present your e-ticket or buy a walk-up ticket; they assign your seat and print your boarding ticket.
4. Check baggage if needed. Hand over and pay for any checked bags; keep your day bag with you.
5. Clear the security check and wait in the departure lounge. Business-class passengers often board a little earlier.

A few things I have learned to do every time. Bring cash in pesos: the terminal fee, baggage charges, and many booth transactions are cash only, and the ATM lines at the pier are slow. Travel light if you can, because a single day bag skips the baggage queue entirely. And if you are prone to seasickness, take medication before boarding rather than after; the two-hour crossing is usually smooth, but wet-season swells happen.

Weather, cancellations and rough crossings

This is the Visayas, and the sea has the final say. The crossing is calm far more often than not, but during typhoon season (broadly June through November, peaking later in the year) and whenever the coast guard raises a gale warning, sailings can be delayed, suspended, or canceled outright, sometimes at short notice. The fast craft are the first to be held back when seas get rough, because they ride lighter than the big RoRo ships.

What this means for you in practice: do not schedule the Cebu to Bohol ferry as the last connection before a tight international flight, and build a buffer day if your itinerary depends on the crossing. If the weather looks marginal, check the operator’s social media or call the terminal the morning of travel; they post suspensions there before anywhere else updates. When a sailing is canceled, operators typically rebook you onto the next available boat or refund the ticket. It is rarely a disaster, but it is far less stressful when you have not pinned your whole trip on a single sailing.

Onward transport in Bohol: getting to Panglao and the countryside

Stepping off at Tagbilaran, you will meet a wall of drivers the moment you exit the terminal, which is normal and not a scam, just enthusiastic competition. Here is how to get where you are going.

• To Panglao (Alona Beach and the resorts): a taxi or private car takes around 20 to 30 minutes and costs roughly PHP 300 to 500. Shared vans run the route for about PHP 300 and leave when full. A tricycle is cheaper but slower and better for short hops than the full airport-area run.
• To the Chocolate Hills, Loboc River and tarsiers: most visitors book a countryside tour or hire a car and driver for the day, which is the efficient way to string the inland sights together. You can arrange this in Tagbilaran or, more commonly, from your Panglao hotel.
• From Tubigon (if you took that route): catch a van or bus onward to Tagbilaran or Panglao, roughly 45 minutes to over an hour depending on traffic and your final stop.

Once you are on the ground, our Bohol travel guide covers where to stay, what to see, and how to plan your days. If you are folding both islands into one trip, the combined Cebu and Bohol itinerary shows how to sequence the crossing so you are not backtracking.

The reverse trip: Bohol back to Cebu

Going home is the same crossing in reverse, and the schedule mirrors the outbound one closely. OceanJet and SuperCat sail from Tagbilaran back to Cebu Pier 1 from early morning until the early-evening last boat (OceanJet’s final departure is around 6:30 PM). The same advice applies: arrive at Tagbilaran port with an hour or more to spare, pay the terminal fee there, and keep cash on hand.

Two timing notes for the return. First, if you are connecting to a flight out of Cebu, give yourself real margin, because a delayed afternoon ferry plus Cebu City traffic to Mactan can swallow your buffer fast. Take an earlier boat than you think you need. Second, the Tubigon return has fewer late sailings than Tagbilaran, so if you want a flexible evening departure, stick with the fast craft from Tagbilaran rather than gambling on a late Tubigon connection. If you have time before your boat, it is easy to fill a spare half-day exploring the city before you sail.

FAQ

How long is the ferry from Cebu to Bohol?

The fast-craft crossing from Cebu Pier 1 to Tagbilaran takes about two hours with OceanJet or SuperCat. The Tubigon route is similar, around one to two hours depending on the operator, with StarCraft’s fast craft being the quickest at roughly an hour. Add an onward land transfer if you land at Tubigon.

How much is a ferry ticket to Bohol?

In 2026, expect roughly PHP 800 to 1,400 (around $14 to $24) one way to Tagbilaran depending on operator and class, or about PHP 330 to 450 on the cheaper Tubigon route. Add a small terminal fee of around PHP 25 to 30, paid in cash at the pier, plus any checked-baggage charge. Confirm the live fare when you book.

Do I need to book the Bohol ferry in advance?

Usually no. Sailings are frequent enough that walking up to the Pier 1 booth works most of the year. Book a day or two ahead during high season (December to February, Holy Week, summer) and on weekends, when popular midday Tourist-class sailings can sell out. Remember that an online ticket still requires checking in at the pier counter.

Which Cebu pier do ferries to Bohol leave from?

OceanJet and SuperCat fast craft to Tagbilaran depart from Cebu Pier 1 in the downtown port area. Tubigon-bound ferries may use Pier 1, 2, or 3 depending on the operator, so always check the port of origin printed on your ticket. Pier 1 is a short taxi or Grab ride from Cebu City center.

Can I bring a car or motorbike to Bohol by ferry?

Yes, but only on the roll-on/roll-off ferries to Tubigon, such as FastCat or Lite Ferries. The fast craft to Tagbilaran carry passengers only. Vehicle fares start at roughly PHP 1,200 for a motorbike and PHP 3,300 for a car, and it is wise to reserve vehicle space a couple of days ahead.

Is the ferry to Bohol safe in bad weather?

The crossing is calm most of the year, but during typhoon season (roughly June to November) sailings can be delayed or canceled when the coast guard raises a warning, and fast craft are held back first. Never make this ferry your last link before a tight flight, and check the operator’s updates on the morning of travel.

Sources and photo credits

Photo credits

Images sourced from Wikimedia Commons under their respective licenses. Individual photographer and license details for each image are listed below.

Sources

• OceanJet Online Booking — official schedules, fares, and ticket-office information.
• Philippine Ports Authority — port operations and terminal-fee guidance.
• Experience Bohol — local operator schedules and pier check-in process.

About this guide: PhilippinesTourism.org is an independent Philippines travel resource. Prices and details were verified August 2026.