Subic levels up as cruise ship site with ‘Costa Atlantica’ in town

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The arrival of the Italian-flagged cruise ship Costa Atlantica has cemented this premier Freeport’s status as the new cruise ship destination in the Philippines.

This was the statement made by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chair Atty. Wilma Eisma after the arrival of the Costa Atlantica yesterday at the Alava Wharf. The 2,114-capacity passenger cruise ship arrived at the Subic Bay Freeport yesterday morning, as passengers were welcomed by well-wishers from adjacent communities of the Freeport.

“Subic’s time to become the next cruise ship playground has already begun, not in June as we initially announced, but today (February 10),” said Eisma, as she briefed members of the recently-formed technical working group for SubiCruise campaign.

Eisma said that the 85,619-ton ship with a capacity of 2,114 passengers arrived at the Freeport Zone after a port call in Manila.

The arrival of Costa Atlantica is expected to be a litmus test for Subic, which is raring to draw foreign tourists to the various attractions on its shores.

Eisma had earlier announced the arrival in Subic of the Royal Caribbean cruise ship MS Ovation of the Seas in June, to be followed by the Voyager of the Seas in August.

Eisma said the Subic Bay Freeport promises to offer the best tourism facilities and services for tourists from the arriving ships, with memorable and tailored-tourism experiences to meet the expectation of visitors.

The visiting Costa Atlantica is an 85,619-ton, 292.56-meter Spirit-class cruise ship owned and operated by Costa Crociere (Costa Cruises), an Italian cruise line based in Genoa, Italy and owned by Carnival Corporation & Plc.

The Costa Cruises brand currently operates 15 cruise ships that provide cruise holidays in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and South America.

Costa Atlantica is renowned for having all of its decks named after the movies of Italian movie director Federico Fellini. Each deck is said to be elegantly adorned with Italian-inspired decors of arts and furniture that bring its passengers to the admiration of wonderful arts, lights and scenery day and night.

The ship is described to be full of large, open spaces offering all kinds of entertainment, from the Caruso Theatre to the Disco Dante, to the fashionable shops in Via della Spiga.