The Costa Serena has arrived in Japan to serve as one of the official accommodations of the 20th Asian Games.

The cruise line shared that the Serena docked at the Port of Nagoya on September 15 and will remain berthed at its Kinjo Pier until October 6, 2026.

The ship is set to host around 4,000 athletes and team officials from 43 nationalities during the event taking place between Sep. 19 and Oct. 4, 2026.

As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, the ship was chartered by the Organizing Committee of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and Asian Para Games.

“Costa knows how to do this. Across our fleet we look after thousands of people every single day of the year. The difference here is who we are looking after,” said Francesco Muglia, chief commercial officer and senior vice president, Costa Cruises.

“An athlete competing tomorrow morning needs the right meal at the right hour, a place to train, a way to recover and a quiet cabin. That is what we built, and we would be delighted to show it to anyone who wants to come and see it.”

Costa worked with JTB Nagoya and the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games Organizing Committee (AINAGOC) on necessary adjustments for the ship to cater to the needs of athletes competing in 18 disciplines.

Cabins, which were configured to ensure rest between sessions, were allocated by sport rather than by national delegation.

Dining hours were adjusted around training and competition schedules rather than around cruise timetables, and menus were developed to meet athletes’ nutritional requirements.

Furthermore, the ship’s fitness areas were expanded and re-equipped specifically for this project, with additional dedicated training zones created.

A fully staffed medical center will operate on the ship in coordination with the Games medical services, while pools, thermal areas and quiet zones were repurposed as recovery spaces.

“Costa Serena is the first cruise ship used as a floating hotel for a major event in Japan, and this project demonstrates the flexibility and value a cruise ship can bring to large-scale events,” Francesco Raffa, Asia region director, Costa Cruises.

“By combining accommodation, dining, training, recovery and social spaces in one integrated facility, a cruise ship provides substantial temporary capacity without the need for new permanent construction, while creating a distinctive experience for thousands of participants. We are proud to contribute to this model and to be part of an event that can inspire new approaches to hosting major international events.”