Help Me Decide if the travel expense is worth it.

[divergirlLinda]

I am seriously considering a liveaboard trip in Tubbataha in March. We are finding the airfare to be almost as mucy, if not more than the week long trip on the boat. We can fly out of anywhere on the west coast. We need to fly to PPS. I cannot travel for 28+ hours in economy. Premium economy if you can find it is $3500. Business is $5K +++ Given there are other places to go and other places to dive I need help deciding if it is worth it. I have dove most of the great places in the world, with my desire being large animals. Anyone have an opinion?

 

[PatW]

“Worth it” is an entirely subjective thing.

I recently did a trip to Fiji. I had a very good time and it was worth it to me. I have a bunch of dives in the Caribbean/Atlantic. I seldom see anything new. So diving in an area with different set of species was really fun. Still, I was familiar with most of the groups: angel fish, grouper, butterfly fish, snapper, and so on. We also saw wild parrots. Fiji has a really great endemic parrot. And the people, their culture and cuisine was something new. You might consider a land based option just for the local experience, or you could add a land based to your present one.

Yeah, the plane ticket is $$$.

If it is a bucket list sort of thing, do it.

Years ago, my wife and I went on a safari together and it was a blast for both of us.

 

[Centrals]

@divergirlLinda
March is too early for Tubattaha. Mid Apr to late May is usually better.
Late March to early Apr(2024) the air fare to Philippines is a lot higher because of Easter.
There are seats with extra leg room available on PAL economy class but at extra cost.

Tubattaha is great and have been there three times but that was year ago.

 

[Doc Harry]

The destination is your choice. As far as flying is concerned, I always fly business class nowadays when I am flying overseas. For me, it's worth it. Here's why:

1. You can check two 70 pound bags for free.

2. You board first and get served free food and alcoholic beverages before the plane leaves the gate.

3. You have more overhead space than you can use.

4. You have lots of space in your seat pod.

5. You can lie flat and sleep. Really sleep.

6. You can use the airline lounges before the flight. And during the layover. For free.

7. You can take a free shower in the airline lounges.

8. Airline lounges have free beer and wine.

9. Airline lounges have a free buffet.

10. Airline lounges have big seats with plenty of electrical outlets and USB ports, and fast Wi-Fi.

11. Your luggage gets priority handling and never gets lost.

12. During the flight you get served a couple of gourmet meals, and there's plenty of free alcoholic beverages too.

13. Airline lounges have airline representatives on site to help with with itinerary changes.

All of these things make traveling long distances very enjoyable, relaxing, and worry free. You arrive at your destination refreshed and ready to go.

 

[tursiops]

I went in mid-May 2019. Awesome. One of my best trips ever. Combined it with a week in Anilao afterwards, which amortized the cost a bit, at least psychologically.

 

[Centrals]

The destination is your choice. As far as flying is concerned, I always fly business class nowadays when I am flying overseas. For me, it's worth it. Here's why:

1. You can check two 70 pound bags for free.

2. You board first.

3. You have more overhead space than you can use.

4. You have lots of space in your seat pod.

5. You can lie flat and sleep. Really sleep.

6. You can use the airline lounges before the flight. And during the layover. For free.

7. You can take a free shower in the airline lounges.

8. Airline lounges have free beer and wine.

9. Airline lounges have a free buffet.

10. Airline lounges have big seats with plenty of electrical outlets and USB ports, and fast Wi-Fi.

11. Your luggage gets priority handling and never gets lost.

12. During the flight you get served a couple of gourmet meals, and there's plenty of free alcoholic beverages too.

13. Airline lounges have airline representatives on site to help with with itinerary changes.

All of these things make traveling long distances very enjoyable, relaxing, and worry free. You arrive at your destination refreshed and ready to go.

1. Never ever needed that much allowance even on tec trip.
2. I always board the plane late.
3. I seldom need it.
4. What for?
5. I could never sleep well on bus/car/plane/train in whatever position.
6. It is boring to sit in the lounge as I prefer people watching.
7. I never pack any extra in my hand carry eg change of underpant.
8. Not a issue for me. Avoid alcohol especially on long haul.
9. ??? answer on #12.
10. same #4
11. Never ever lost anything.
12. You can still eat the free buffet at the lounge? You like alcohol and food.
13. It is not exclusively only in the lounge.

Leg room is the most important for me. I am grateful that even budge airline will let you pay for seat with extra leg room.

 

[Doc Harry]

Leg room is the most important for me. I am grateful that even budge airline will let you pay for seat with extra leg room.

In business class I have so much leg room that I can lie down, LOL.

I also fly business class for domestic flights. By the time you pay for round-trip luggage fees and "extra leg room," you've almost paid the price of a business class ticket but you don't get any of the perks. LOL

 

[OctopusSneakers]

1. Never ever needed that much allowance even on tec trip.
2. I always board the plane late.
3. I seldom need it.
4. What for?
5. I could never sleep well on bus/car/plane/train in whatever position.
6. It is boring to sit in the lounge as I prefer people watching.
7. I never pack any extra in my hand carry eg change of underpant.
8. Not a issue for me. Avoid alcohol especially on long haul.
9. ??? answer on #12.
10. same #4
11. Never ever lost anything.
12. You can still eat the free buffet at the lounge? You like alcohol and food.
13. It is not exclusively only in the lounge.

Leg room is the most important for me. I am grateful that even budge airline will let you pay for seat with extra leg room.

Your response is a great example of different preferences for different people. Sounds like for you, it's not worth it. For me, it depends how far I'm going, but on a super long-haul trip... it works out for me, shorter trips, likely not.

1. I don't need the full baggage allowance, but this gives me more options, for example I pack two slightly smaller bags that I can maneuver more easily instead of one bag that is heavier/more cumbersome- or I split my dive gear and clothes into separate bags- either way, the cost of checking that second bag isn't a barrier.
2. Also not important for me, unless #3 is relevant.
3. When I need it, great that it's not a problem and it being plentiful means I can board later and not worry.
4. I appreciate the extra room to stretch my legs- and not have my personal item encroaching on my leg space, and I appreciate the side-to-side room so my neighbors aren't encroaching on my space (typically my broad-shouldered husband...but on a long flight even he isn't welcome)
5. Lay-flat seats have been a game-changer for me. I can't sleep in cars, trains, or standard seats. Lay-flat seats allow me to sleep on my stomach and while not a true night's sleep, at least makes me 50% functional on arrival (vs angry walking zombie)
6. I find so many airports have eliminated seating, this means if I have a long wait I'm able to find a comfortable spot.
7. After a 15-hour flight, I don't care if I'm putting the exact same clothes back on, a shower is magical!
8. Also, free soft drinks/seltzer/juice/coffee/tea. I find staying hydrated so much easier if I'm in a lounge.
9. Jetlag seriously messes with stomach's schedule, with a long lay-over (or upon landing with a long wait to get to my accommodations), having access to some food can be helpful in my continuing to be pleasant to be around.
10. Electrical outlets, and comfortable seating are a nice convenience, especially on long layovers.
11. Unfortunately, my bags have turned up late (as in 48 hours later) even in business class, so I'm not counting on this.
12. This often means more attentive service, yes it's great to have the option of alcohol, I appreciate being fed regularly on super long-haul flights, but more than that, I appreciate that someone comes by and offers me water fairly regularly, making it easier to stay hydrated- even carrying a large water bottle isn't enough for a super long flight.
13. While it has fortunately been rare that I have needed them, lounge airline attendants are amazing if something goes wrong. The lines to access them are shorter, they seem to be more knowledgeable than at the public desk, and depending on the airport they can be easier to find (some places I'd had to go outside of security if not for the lounge).

 

[Doc Harry]

1. Never ever needed that much [baggage] allowance even on tec trip.

Obviously you never travel with your wife!
LOL

 

[Dan]

I am seriously considering a liveaboard trip in Tubbataha in March. We are finding the airfare to be almost as mucy, if not more than the week long trip on the boat. We can fly out of anywhere on the west coast. We need to fly to PPS. I cannot travel for 28+ hours in economy. Premium economy if you can find it is $3500. Business is $5K +++ Given there are other places to go and other places to dive I need help deciding if it is worth it. I have dove most of the great places in the world, with my desire being large animals. Anyone have an opinion?

For seeing big animals, have you been to Galapagos? It’s a much shorter (hence, cheaper) fly from USA.