Following the extraordinary success of “Natale in crociera”, the groundbreaking partnership between Costa Cruises and Filmauro, the leading Italian film production company, has been renewed for the production of the film “Italians”. Having picked up the Special Prize for Product Placement for the support given to the movie “Natale in Crociera” (for the most effective product placement in a film) at the prestigious “Giornate professionali di cinema” (Cinema professional days) awards, Costa Cruises has now provided another of its cruise ships as the set for the latest motion picture produced by Aurelio e Luigi De Laurentiis’ Filmauro.

While “Natale in Crociera” was shot on the Costa Serena in 2007, it is the Costa Magica that forms the splendid location for “Italians”, the eagerly awaited blockbuster directed by Giovanni Veronesi and starring Carlo Verdone, Sergio Castellitto, Riccardo Scamarcio, Dario Bandiera and Ksenia Rappoport, which will be screened starting this week in cinemas across Italy. Some of the key scenes in “Italians” were shot at sea on the Costa Magica, including the tense finale featuring Scamarcio and Castellitto.

So the Italian operator Costa Cruises, the number one cruise vacation company in Europe, has renewed its alliance with Filmauro, to bring to the cinema once more Italians’ idea of a dream holiday: a cruise. The Costa Magica is not just a location for the picture, though, but actually one of the stars of the film, an integral part of the story and the adventures on screen.

The Costa Magica (102,600 gross tonnage and total Guest capacity of 3470), which was built in Genoa at Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente yard and entered service in 2004, is designed to offer the ultimate in hospitality: the 1358 roomy cabins all feature cutting-edge facilities. The central pool deck, with the Lido Maratea and Lido Palinuro, is shaped like an amphitheatre, while the aft pool deck, the Lido Positano, has a retractable transparent roof so that Guests can swim in any weather. There is also a children’s splash pool. One of the highlights of the Costa Magica is the 1300 m2 Spa where you can pamper your body and soothe your spirit. The two restaurants and buffet offer the best of Italian and international cuisine; the most refined palates will relish the à la carte Club Vicenza restaurant. Other “fun ship” facilities include 11 bars, a theater extending over three decks, a disco, dance clubs, a game room, a casino and an Internet café. The central idea behind the design of the interiors, which are the work of architect Joseph Farcus, is a fantastic voyage to some of the most magical places in Italia. In accordance with the finest tradition common to the Costa fleet as a whole, art in all its forms plays a major role on the Costa Magica, which features some 5652 works including 360 originals. Particularly worthy of note are the works by teachers and students from the Brera Academy of Art.