They say nothing beats Filipino hospitality. Pinoys would move out of the master's bedroom to accommodate guests. No expense is spared to feed guests and make them feel comfortable. Call it the fiesta mentality but Filipinos enjoy entertaining and making visitors feel welcome.
So when foreign guests come calling, Manila and the Philippines will definitely roll out the red carpet.
For Italian liner Coasta Classica's maiden call to Manila, no less than Tourism Secretary Robert Ace Durano and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, who presented the key of the city to Dario Rustico, sales and marketing director of Costa Cruises Pacific Asia operations and ship captain Giancarlo Cha, were on hand to say "Mabuhay."
"We look forward to seeing Manila as one of Costa Classica's home ports in the near future," Lim says.
Durano notes that Costa Allegra, which belongs to the same company, made 11 ports of call to Manila last year.
He said the Tourism Department always makes sure to provide a signature Filipino welcome to guests.
"A survey conducted among cruise ship passengers showed that Manila was found to have the best reception of any port. We want the welcome to be warm and festive," says Durano, pointing out that more port calls mean more opportunities for Filipino seafarers to show the world the country's unique brand of hospitality.
The result of this survey, Durano adds, is this maiden call of Costa Classica.
"A bigger ship means more tourists and consequently, expansion of Filipino businesses," he says.
The port call was more than just a pleasantry as Costa Cruises, Italy's largest tourism group and Europe's number 1 cruise company, became the first such firm to commit regular calls to the city's port.
The 53,000 gross tonnage ship, which cruised into Manila's South Harbor for the first time, brought 1,300 guests to the city.
"Costa Classica has been sailing in Asia for about six months, and we are excited to add this popular Asian city to her itineraries," Rustico says.
Costa Classica's itineraries in Asia include Hong Kong, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Vietnam and China.
Costa Cruises will send a newer ship—Costa Romantica—to Manila to replace Costa Allegra starting April 2010.
"We expect to bring more than 22,000 guests to Manila with the combined lower beth capacity of the three ships, Costa Allegra, Costa Classica and Costa Romantica, generating tremendous benefits to the city, from now till November 2010," Rustico adds.
The welcoming ceremony was held at the ship's Colosseo Theatre. After that was a sumptuous lunch of Italian food and a performance by the Magsaysay Children's Chorale. Travel agents also took part in the ceremony.
"We are proud to be Costa's partner in the Philippines, and are happy to welcome Costa Classica, in which 80 percent of the workers are Filipinos," sys Marlon Rono, president of Magsaysay Maritime Corp.
Cultural dancers and musicians entertained disembarking ship passengers who looked forward to a day of shopping or sightseeing.
Costa Classica, which was entered into service in 1991 and restyled in 2001, was built at the Fincantieri shipyards in Marghera-Venice, Italy. It is one of Costa Cruises' most popular cruisers and can accommodate 1,680 guests.
Elegant rooms, attention to detail and warm and relaxing colors make Costa Classica a very comfortable ship and one of the best-loved in Costa Cruises' fleet.
Costa Cruises, which has been in the business for over 60 years, expects to have 30 ships by 2012 from 23 this year.. This includes those in the company's German and Spanish units.
The company is no stranger to the Philippines. In October 2007, Costa Cruises opened a new training school in Manila for shipboard hotel personnel in collaboration with the Magsaysay Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Arts. The school is considered one of the most prestigious hotel training academies in the Asia Pacific region and is dedicated to the education of Costa's shipboard personnel employed in the restaurant, housekeeping, galley and bar areas. Another training institute is devoted to deck and engine crew members.
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