The Costa Serena has become one of the official accommodations for the 20th Asian Games. During the event, the ship will host approximately 4,000 athletes and delegation members from 43 countries at Kinjo Pier in Nagoya Port. The ship docked in Nagoya on September 15.
Costa Cruises has collaborated with JTB Nagoya and AINAGOC, the Organizing Committee of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, to transform the Costa Serena into a residence designed around a single question: what does an athlete need in the hours between competitions?
The response has shaped the design of every deck. Meal times have been reorganized around training and competition schedules, rather than the cruise schedule. Menus have been developed to meet the nutritional needs of athletes from different disciplines, with customized options for a wide range of dietary requirements, ensuring that athletes competing at different times of day have access to the right meals at the right time.
The ship's fitness areas have been expanded and re-equipped specifically for this occasion. In addition, dedicated training areas have been created on board so that delegations can maintain their preparation routines without having to disembark.
On board the ship, there is also a fully staffed medical center that works in direct coordination with the Games' medical services, allowing delegations to receive immediate on-site care and have a clear referral route to the official Games medical network.
The swimming pools, thermal baths, and relaxation areas have been transformed into recovery spaces, and the cabins have been adapted to ensure rest between sessions, a part of athletes' daily routine that is often neglected. Cabins have been assigned by sport, not by national delegation. Those delegations competing in 18 disciplines, including judo and gymnastics, are staying on board.
Kinjo Pier is located next to the port's competition venues, allowing athletes to disembark directly onto dedicated shuttle buses. Transfers from Chubu Centrair and subsequent connections to the venues were planned in conjunction with the Organizing Committee, reducing travel time that would otherwise have cut into training and rest periods. Additionally, a 24-hour multilingual visitor information desk is available.
“At Costa, we know how to do it,” said Francesco Muglia, Chief Commercial Officer and Senior Vice President of Costa Cruises. “Across our entire fleet, we take care of thousands of people every single day of the year. The difference lies in who we take care of. An athlete competing tomorrow morning needs the right food at the right time, a place to train, a way to recover, and a quiet cabin. That’s what we’ve prioritized, and we’d be delighted to show it to anyone who wants to come and see it.”.
Francesco Raffa, Regional Director for Asia at Costa Cruises, commented: “The Costa Serena is the first cruise ship to be used as a floating hotel for a major event in Japan. This project demonstrates the flexibility and value that a cruise ship can bring to large-scale events. By combining accommodation, catering, training, relaxation, and social spaces in a single, integrated facility, a cruise ship offers significant temporary capacity without the need for permanent new construction, while also creating a unique experience for
thousands of participants. We are proud to contribute to this model and to be part of an event that can inspire new ways of hosting major international events.”
The Costa Serena will remain docked at Kinjo Pier until October 6.
Follow cruise news at Cruisesnews.es
