“We are currently cruising at 17 knots with three generators running, maintaining the necessary speed to arrive at our next port,” Captain Ignazio Giardina told Cruise Industry News onboard the Costa Diadema. The 132,500-ton ship debuted a new seven-night itinerary to Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay this past season.

“For us on the bridge, this is a very demanding itinerary, the navigation for the Río de la Plata is quite challenging and requires a lot of attention,” he said, referring to the channel that leads to Montevideo and Buenos Aires, two of the ports of call on the itinerary.

“Additionally, arriving at the port of Montevideo, which is very small, adds to the complexity. What has happened here in South America is that over the years, cruise ships have gotten bigger, but the ports have remained the same,” he noted.

Part of Costa’s three-ship season in the region, the new itinerary also included a visit to Itajaí, which was added to the company’s lineup a few years ago.

Itineraries are prepared two years in advance.

“It’s all electronic,” Giardina explained. “We have two officers who prepare a nautical chart in advance; then we send it to the company for approval or revisions.

“This nautical chart also includes everything necessary for each safety system,” he continued, noting that the Costa Diadema is equipped with redundancies to ensure the safety of the ship and its guests.

“For example, we have four radars, an electronic nautical chart computer, a gyrocompass, and a backup compass. For every system, there’s a backup.”

Costa’s itineraries are also planned for lower speeds and reduced fuel consumption.

Serving as the brain of the ship, the bridge of the Costa Diadema is staffed by a team of 14, including officers and cadets.

While Costa’s maritime operations are still centered in Hamburg, officers take advantage of Carnival Corporation’s training center in Amsterdam.

“We go to CSMART at least once a year to conduct maneuver and emergency simulations,” Giardina said.

Born into a family of mariners in Southern Italy, Giardina is a third-generation captain for Costa Cruises.

“I chose this life because it felt natural to me; it’s in my DNA. All of my family worked for Costa,” he said.

With almost 40 years of experience at Costa, Giardina was promoted to captain in 2000 after working his way up through the ranks.

Excerpt from the Cruise Industry News Quarterly Magazine Spring 2025