Costa Serena Hosts 4,000 Athletes in Japan for Asian Games

The Costa Serena docked at the Kinjo pier of Nagoya Port, Japan, to operate as a hotel cruise ship during the twentieth edition of the Asian Games (Asiad), amidst complaints about accommodation. The vessel will house nearly 4,000 of the 17,000 athletes and delegation members, in an unprecedented initiative for the country after the organizing committee decided to forgo a traditional athletes' village.

"We are extremely pleased to welcome this floating hotel. It is the first time in Japan that such a facility has been used as accommodation during a major international sporting event," highlighted Hideaki Ohmura, president of the Aichi-Nagoya organizing committee.

Given the unforeseen increase in participants (which went from 15,000 to a ceiling of 17,000 after the inclusion of new disciplines), the organization resorted to combined logistics that include the cruise ship, hotels, temporary rental apartments, and container-type modular housing in the port area.

The arrival of the vessel coincides with the commitments made by the organization to resolve complaints submitted by various delegations regarding accommodation conditions.

Players from the South Korean basketball team criticized the small size of the beds in the modular housing on land, designed to accommodate about 2,000 visitors.

Likewise, authorities anticipated limited dimensions in some cabins of the Costa Serena, so they urged athletes to take advantage of the ship's common areas.

"We are fully aware of the discomfort expressed by the delegations and are taking concrete measures to improve their living conditions," stated Yuta Matsuo, head of accommodation for the event.

To mitigate the inconveniences, the organization set up a 24-hour resident service center.

The logistical complexity was exacerbated by meteorological factors, after torrential rains forced the temporary evacuation of hundreds of participants last week, with forecasts of new intense rainfall before Saturday's opening ceremony.

The Asian Games, which have already begun their football and basketball competitions, will run until October 4.