Costa Cruises celebrates 60th anniversary with Juventus in Hong Kong

Two of Italy’s best loved brands celebrated Costa Cruises’ 60th anniversary. Costa Cruises, a leading Italian cruise company, and Juventus, one of Italy’s favourite football teams, joined forces on board the Costa Allegra at Ocean Terminal in Hong Kong to kick off the diamond anniversary festivities, passionately flying the Italian flag high.

To mark its 60th anniversary, Costa Cruises is organizing a number of celebrations across the world. One of the most important of these is its sponsorship of Italy’s Juventus football club. Costa is supporting Juventus on its Costa Cruises Juventus Asia-Pacific Tour 2008, during which Juventus will play friendly matches in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Melbourne.

As part of Friday’s celebrations the Juventus team boarded the Costa Allegra at Ocean Terminal to meet the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Anthony Lau; the Consul General – Head of Mission, Consulate General of Italy in Hong Kong, Alessandro De Pedys; key members of the Hong Kong travel industry; and children from the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Jockey Club Tin Yiu Youth S.P.O.T., who relished this extremely rare opportunity to meet and play with their idols.

During the official ceremony Costa Cruises’ Vice President of Pacific Asia Operations, Massimo Brancaleoni presented Anthony Lau with a Juventus jersey signed by Claudio Ranieri, coach of the Juventus team, as a symbol of Costa’s commitment to Hong Kong tourism.

Mr Lau, acknowledged that commitment, recognising Costa’s strong role in the development and popularity of cruising in Asia.

“As one of the international liners to schedule cruises in the region, and to permanently base one, and soon to be two, of its ships in Asia, Costa is playing a major role in cruise tourism,” said Mr Lau. “The future of cruising in Hong Kong and China looks very bright, and I’m excited to work with Costa together in this rapidly developing industry.”

Costa Cruises’ Vice President of Pacific Asia Operations, Massimo Brancaleoni added, “Juventus and Costa Cruises are two of Italy’s best loved and recognized Italian brands and we are delighted to be supporting this unique and beloved team as they cruise their way through this year’s Asia Pacific Tour. After 60 years we are confident we can serve guests with an all round service, allowing them to enjoy a fabulous experience on the sea. Today we are so happy to have Juventus as our VIP guests, to show the passionate and romantic Italian style to China and Asia Pacific, as the ultimate gift for Costa’s 60th.”

On March 31, 1948, Costa made the first move to transform itself from being a cargo company into a passenger cruise company, when its first passenger ship, the Anna C set off with 768 passengers from Genoa, Italy to South America. In the 60 years which have passed since that day Costa has greatly grown and expanded. It is now a first-class international cruise company.

Costa has 12 vessels, all easily distinguished by their light yellow chimneys and Costa logos. They stop at 250 ports across the Mediterranean, North Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, South America, the Middle East, Asia and the Indian Ocean. Costa offers more than 100 different itineraries every year; last year cruising a record 1.1 million guests on their dream journeys.

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