MANILA, Philippines – MAGSAYSAY warmly welcomed the return of Costa Serena to Manila on March 6, 2025, at Pier 15, South Harbor. The cruise ship carries 3,600 passengers, following her previous call last March 1 for a turnaround cruise. The Italian Ambassador to the Philippines His Excellency Davide Giglio, key government officials from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), and officers from the VFS Global graced the exclusive event together with executives from Magsaysay Maritime Corporation (MMC), the official human resource provider of Costa Cruises.
“The industry is growing and there is a shortage of manpower across many European countries, but particularly in Italy. We will look at the Philippines increasingly as a country where we can recruit talented people, honest people committed to work and who are an example of successful integration in our country,” the Italian Ambassador Davide Giglio shared in his brief speech.
During her call, MAGSAYSAY and Costa Serena team hosted a reception onboard to welcome the delegation. The visitors did not only witness and experience the Italian style aboard but also the warm welcome and service from the crew members, the majority of whom are Filipinos. The ship tour also provided an opportunity for the government officials to immerse themselves with the crew members’ workplace.
“We thank everyone here, especially our government partner DMW, who’s been supporting us as well in making sure that there is smooth movement of people or seafarers. Thank you so much for being here so you could understand how really the ship operates,” the MMC Executive Chairman Mr. Marlon Roño said in his message.
Costa Serena arrived in Manila last March 1 as part of its five-day round-trip Asia cruise with Manila-Keelung-Japan-Manila route. While she was docked, the ship allowed crew family members to visit and spend a day with their loved ones onboard. Costa Serena’s call did not only showcase its Italian-themed cruise experience for the travelers, but also underscored career opportunities for aspiring Filipinos who would like to pursue a profession onboard cruise ship. Costa Serena also offered an affordable cruise tour for many Filipino families, leading to a remarkable number of Filipino cruisers onboard.
About Costa
Costa Cruises is the only cruise company to fly the Italian flag and is part of the Carnival Corporation & plc Group, listed on the London and New York stock exchanges, and world leader in the industry. For 75 years Costa Cruises has embodied Italian style and hospitality.
With 9 ships in service, our headquarters are in Genoa and we operate at global level, mainly on routes in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, North and Central America, South America, the Arab Emirates and the Far East. www.costacruises.com
About MAGSAYSAY
Magsaysay Maritime Corporation (MMC) is a leading provider of quality crew and exemplary crewing services for the world’s maritime and cruise industries. Headquartered in Manila, Philippines, and with affiliates and subsidiaries in Indonesia, China, and Croatia, MMC provides partner Principals around the world direct access to a top-notch, well-trained, and excellent crew of various cultures and nationalities for both merchant marine vessels and cruise ships. MMC’s service is anchored on building a human resources pipeline and investing heavily in the sourcing, selection, training, and certification of seafarers and crew members for specific jobs they will perform onboard cruise ships and merchant marine vessels.