Guide

Cebu to Bohol: Which Port to Use and How to Book (2026 Guide)

Cebu to Bohol ferry guide: the 2-hour Tagbilaran fast craft versus the Tubigon RORO crossing, real fares from Cebu Pier, and picking the right side for your hotel.

Cebu Pier serves both Bohol crossings, but they land at different ports, and the one you want depends on where you’re staying once you arrive. Fast craft to Tagbilaran take about two hours and put you in the city center, a short hop from Panglao and Alona Beach. RORO ferries to Tubigon, on Bohol’s northwest coast, run 1h15m to 4 hours depending on operator and suit travelers headed to Calape, Loon, or the north side of the island. Confirm your Bohol-side destination before you book — this is a real trip-planning decision, not a footnote.

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Cebu Pier to Tagbilaran: the fast-craft route

Departing Cebu Pier 1, OceanJet runs the highest frequency on this leg — about 20 sailings a day between roughly 05:10 and 17:40, a two-hour flat crossing on a fleet of catamarans it has operated since 1995. Lite Shipping and SuperCat also serve Tagbilaran; Lite Shipping’s version is the budget alternative — a slower, roughly four-hour conventional crossing with bunk classes instead of seats, including a 22:00 overnight sailing that saves a night’s accommodation. Trans-Asia Shipping runs a weekly RoRo, booked direct or through Barkota rather than 12Go, and 2GO covers the leg without a confirmed route-specific online product as of this writing.

Indicative OceanJet fares run ₱790 (Tourist) to ₱1,410 (Business) — a reference point, not a live quote; check 12Go for your date. SuperCat’s online booking status is worth re-verifying before you count on it: its channel for this crossing has gone quiet before, even though the operator still appears on schedule boards.

Cebu Pier to Tubigon: the RORO alternative

Seven operators run the Tubigon crossing — SuperCat carries the most departures, followed by Lite Shipping, Sunriser Cordova, OceanJet, FastCat, Clemer Shipping Lines, and Lapu-Lapu Shipping — with crossing times from 1h15m up to 4 hours. Fares aren’t published online for this route; book on 12Go for the live price on your travel date.

Compare Cebu–Bohol departures on 12Go

Getting to Cebu Pier

  • From IT Park / Lahug: 20–35 minutes by Grab, ₱180–280 in normal traffic.
  • From Cebu Pier and Mactan-Cebu International Airport: 35–50 minutes by Grab, ₱350–500 depending on surge — there’s no direct pier shuttle; budget travelers take MyBus to SM City Cebu, then Grab the rest of the way.
  • From Cebu City hotels (Fuente, Ayala): 10–20 minutes by Grab, ₱130–250.

Lite Shipping in particular splits its Cebu departures between Pier 1 and Pier 3 depending on the sailing — confirm the pier on your ticket rather than assume, since the walk between the two is not short with luggage. Arrive at least 60 minutes ahead, 90 on holiday weekends.

Arrival and onward travel

Tagbilaran Pier sits inside the city itself — Tagbilaran is Bohol’s only chartered city and its administrative and commercial hub, so most onward transport is right there. Panglao and Alona Beach are 30–45 minutes by van or hired car; Chocolate Hills in Carmen runs about 1.5 hours. Tubigon arrivals are better positioned for Calape and Loon on the northwest coast, roughly an hour-plus closer than from Tagbilaran.

Economic context

Terminal fees are cash at both ends, not folded into the fare — carry small bills at Cebu Pier and again at Tagbilaran or Tubigon. Print your ticket where you can; Lite Shipping and OceanJet both decline phone-screen tickets at the gangway, a real inconvenience if you’re relying on a saved email confirmation.

Booking

  1. Search Cebu to Bohol on 12Go and choose your side of the island.
  2. Compare OceanJet, Lite Shipping, and SuperCat departures for the Tagbilaran leg, or the seven-operator Tubigon board.
  3. Pick a class and pay for instant confirmation.
  4. Print your ticket before you leave your hotel.

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One honest caveat

The June–November monsoon window brings the roughest seas and the most schedule disruption on both crossings. Operators generally rebook you onto the next sailing rather than refund, so keep the rest of your travel day flexible if you’re crossing in that stretch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I fly into Cebu and take the fast craft or the RORO to Bohol?

Take the Tagbilaran fast craft (OceanJet, Lite Shipping, SuperCat) if you’re staying in Panglao, Alona Beach, or Tagbilaran City — it’s the two-hour route into the city center. Take the Tubigon RORO if you’re headed to Calape, Loon, or Bohol’s northwest coast, since the onward drive is shorter from there.

How often do fast craft leave Cebu Pier for Tagbilaran?

OceanJet alone runs about 20 daily departures on this leg, roughly 05:10 to 17:40. Combined with Lite Shipping and SuperCat, same-day rebooking after a missed sailing is realistic outside peak holiday periods.

How much does the Cebu to Bohol ferry cost?

OceanJet’s Tagbilaran crossing has run roughly ₱790 (Tourist) to ₱1,410 (Business) through mid-2026 as an indicative range. Tubigon RORO fares aren’t published online — check 12Go for the live price.

Which Cebu pier do I need for this crossing?

Cebu Pier 1 handles most OceanJet and SuperCat Tagbilaran sailings; Lite Shipping splits between Pier 1 and Pier 3 depending on the day. Confirm the pier printed on your ticket, since it varies by operator and sailing.

Is SuperCat reliably bookable online for this route?

Not always — its online booking channel for the Cebu–Tagbilaran and Cebu–Tubigon legs has gone quiet before. Treat OceanJet or Lite Shipping as your primary booking path and check SuperCat’s live status before planning around it.

Operator and fare detail current as of 2026-07-13 (Tagbilaran corridor) and 2026-06-23 (Tubigon corridor); confirm live schedules and fares before booking. bohol-philippines.com earns a commission on bookings made through 12Go partner links at no cost to you.