After almost two years laid up in the Middle East, the Costa Serena is returning to Asia. On March 15, the Costa Cruises vessel departed Dubai on a two-week voyage to Singapore.

Getting ready to resume service following a three-year operational pause, the ship is set to arrive at the Southeast Asia port on March 30.

Out of service since early 2020, the Serena is set to welcome guests back next June as part of a charter program operated in cooperation with local Asian partners.

Sailing from Busan, Sokcho, Pohang and Keelung, the schedule initially includes departures from South Korea before moving to Taiwan for the height of the summer.

During the period, the 2007-built vessel offers four- to seven-night cruises to ports in Japan, such as Sasebo, Kagoshima, Otaru, Hakodate, Naha, Miyakojima, and Ishigaki.

Previously sailing year-round in Asia, the Costa Serena was one of the three Costa ships serving the Chinese market before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the other vessels were redeployed or left company’s fleet, the Serena remained out of service ever since.

Built by the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the 112,000-ton vessel initially sailed in the Western Hemisphere before being redeployed to China in 2015.

With capacity to over 3,000 guests, the vessel offers several facilities, including one of the largest wellness centers at sea, two swimming pools with retractable glass roof, four different restaurants and more.

The Costa Serena is also equipped with multiple bars and lounges, a three-deck theatre, a casino, a fitness center and a waterslide.

The ship’s interiors, whose main theme puts the accent on ancient Roman and Greek mythology, have been designed by the hospitality architect Joseph Farcus. That same theme was also applied to the 6,000 works of art that can be found throughout the ship.