[nono1973]

Originally Posted by tomcat007

Not entirely their fault, but then being almost a monopoly is the issue.

Yes,i must say,after reading the whole ordeal,i think its not entirely their fault too. But i dont think monopolizing has anything to do with your case either. The only thing i find them monopolizing is their pricing. Imagine they sell their ferry tickets at S$38 (or less),all other ferry operators will suffer. Many who travels via Batam center will switch to embarking at Harbour Bay instead (since they are faster by 5 to 15mins and at similar price).

Originally Posted by tomcat007

I was almost late for my ferry this morning. And it happens that I don't have enough rupiah to pay for ferry ticket. They can't accept SGD which is their management rule.

Put the exact same rushing scenario at Batam Center,i think situation will be worse off.

(its like you didnt bring enough for a 1.2 million rupiah girl you like,so you go withdraw some more cash but when you come back with the money,the 1.2 million rupiah girl already book by someone else)

Originally Posted by tomcat007

Instead of telling me nicely (I'll the customer after all, and my attitude had been nice up till then), the counter guy choose to be sarcastic.

Grievance,bro. I boils it down to grievance on the part of the counter guy. Like as always,they thought you didnt understand Bahasa and try to be sarcastic,i guess. Not something we have not met before. THIS,is definitely the fault of the counter guy who isnt quite happy with his job.

Originally Posted by tomcat007

Fine, I proceeded to withdraw cash from ATM and instead of telling me I won't make it to the ferry, the counter girl just took my payment and that's it. We would have thought that by allowing us to buy the ticket and collecting the boarding pass, we should have no issue boarding the ferry right. No. Instead, I'm told to wait for the next ferry 1.5 hour later.

I took Batamfast before,i think they too have stringent rules not to accept other currencies too. Whatever brand of ferry company it is,they are the sellers,trying to sell you the tickets (and issue you the boarding pass),but whether you can get pass the entry point to the ferry is entirely not up to them to decide.

Your incident reminds me some years back when China used to give Singaporean visa-free stay for up to 30 days and in one of the year they changed it to 14 days but when i traveled to China,i took it for granted that it is still 30 days and i over-stayed till the 16th day. SIA counter at Bai Yun airport (GZ) however still advise me that there is a certain risk factor that the China custom may not let me thru. But they still go ahead to issue me the boarding pass. I was lucky,i got to past thru since that custom guy just chop my passport w/o looking into the details,like date of arrival to China. Its an SIA plane (with some top notch customer service) i am taking and they do give certain advise on the risk factors i have to take but what happen if i am taking other airlines? I may not get the same advise. (i was even told in advance i may be fine $2k RMB per day of overstaying)

What i am trying to say is,if your scenario were to be from another Ferry operator and/or in another ferry terminal,will the situation be any better..or perhaps worse off? Honestly speaking,base on my limited knowledge on ferry traveling and what i have heard from several taxi drivers with customers who face your situation at Batam center,it may likely be worse. Gate closes earlier in Batam center so you have to be there even earlier.

i will never forget Batam Center sends back an average of 50 Singaporean upon arrival to Batam for talking loudly and using HP. Not Sekupang Terminal,not Harbour Bay ferry Terminal,not Nongsa Ferry terminal...its Batam Center (its all in the news).

Originally Posted by tomcat007

Which made me think...

The main issue here is that Horizon is almost the monopoly at HBB. Even at HBF, they even had the balls to tell me to pay up for the boarding pass, and to return to then if I'm not able to board the ferry.

Its the norm,bro. Batamfast will tell you the same thing under the same scenario.

Originally Posted by tomcat007

Well, for those who planned their troops week and don't expect changes, Horizon might be suitable for them.

For me...well, since I tend to make late changes to my travel plan, it becomes I'm open to be held hostage by them.

Actually i feel that Horizon ferry in Harbour Bay is more flexible in many aspect as compare to Batam center (eg,Harbour Bay allows less than 15 mins check in time,even 5-10 mins at times too). I am one who make many last min changes on my ferry timing,and going by Harbour Bay enables me to be in better control whenever i made any such changes. The difference is,i dont like to rush things,it almost always wouldnt turn out well. i do tends to plan for bad situation in case i am faced with one, the same reason why i often have a plan B.

Over my last 2 year plus in Batam,there are handful of things i cannot control.

1. i cannot control when the haze is coming where ONLY Batam center will halt all their ferry service (for half a day)

2. i cannot control the Batam local from protesting near Batam center (causing traffic jam)

3. i cannot control the seabed at Nongsa where it is more rockier during low tide (a ferry sank there somewhere last year)

4. i cannot control terrorist from spreading flyers that they plan to bomb certain area (fear inducing)

5. i cannot control terrorist from firing a bazooka to Sillypore in an area where Batam can see Singapore. (sekupang)

6. i cannot control Batam center custom officer from sending me back to Sillypore when they already have a history of sending back an average of 50 people per month (as stated in news)

7. i cannot control when someone tries to smuggle something into/out of Batam Center (since its always crowded there which makes smuggling easier) and got caught

If i dont remember reading wrongly in the old thread,in Sillypore changing of ferry timing (to a certain number of times) need to pay extra few dollars,but in Batam back to Sillypore, changes were free.

Originally Posted by tomcat007

Then, to think again, I dropped at Batam Centre this trip cos seats for 1045 ferry was full. No worries, just pop over to Batam Fast and grab a ticket to Batam Centre. Taxi to Goodway Hotel cost me 60k. Even if I take from HBB to HBF, it would cost me about 40K. Yes, HBB may be near to Nagoya and is within walking distance. But, pray tell, how many of us regularly walked to our hotels anyway. I don't.

The main reason/s why i prefer to go thru Harbour Bay Ferry terminal is becos I can be in better control in many aspect beside the 7 points above. And i will never have to be held ransom by any taxi driver/ojek when they dont drop their prices,hehehe...becos i know i can walk anywhere i wish to go to from thereon. Not that i like walking from Harbour Bay to hotel in every trip,but what happen if there is a "if"? Like a riot? A taxi driver protest? Haze? Rain? Some political big shot coming to Batam? It has happen before,and it wont stop happening in future.

Originally Posted by tomcat007

Plus, usually you can save some dollars for ferry tickets to Batam Centre.

End up, I think I might be landing more often in future.

If i make it a habit to travel via Batam center,imagine the many uncertainties which are beyond my control on my Batam trips. Even if i may save a few dollars,i have to leave hotel at an earlier timing,or reach hotel at a later time. The waiting time to chop my passport,the time for the ferry to reach the harbour,the crowd due to many ferries debarking there,the queue...last but not least,i ask myself...if i am a terrorist,to choose a ferry terminal to bomb,which one will i pick? Hehehe....

You know where the main problem lies? Base on my experience,it lies with Rushing and Bad Timing. You were fighting against time hence the unhappiness builds up when things dont go according to a rushed plan. It happens to me before.

In conclusion,fix your 'timing' better next time. Put the exact scenario in another ferry operator landing in another terminal under the same rush-rush situation,you may just end up worse.

Hehehe...just sharing my kiasu opinion.