MANILA– Costa Cruises has become the first cruise company to commit to regular calls to Manila.
Costa Classica, the 53,000 gross-tonnage ship, cruised into Manila’s South Harbour for the first time this week, bringing 1,300 guests to the city.
In a further development, Costa Cruises will send a newer ship, Costa Romantica, to Manila.
Costa Romantica, with the same gross-tonnage as Costa Classica, will be in Asia to replace Costa Allegra from April 2010.
Costa Classica will be calling regularly to Manila on a 14 days itinerary departing from Hong Kong and calling at Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam and China.
In October 2007 Costa Cruises opened a training school in Manila for shipboard hotel personnel, in collaboration with the Magsaysay Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Arts.
