More than 17,000 athletes and officials attending the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, are experiencing an unusual accommodation arrangement this year: instead of a traditional athletes' village, the organizers are utilizing hotels, temporary wooden units, and the Italian-flagged cruise ship Costa Serena as living quarters. The move, aimed at cost savings, marks a departure from previous editions of the continent’s largest multi-sport event.

The Costa Serena, docked at Nagoya’s port, serves as a floating hotel with a capacity of nearly 4,000 people. At almost 300 meters in length, the vessel is providing an alternative for athletes who would otherwise stay in the more cramped “shipping container-style” units arranged on land, which some teams have criticized for limited space and short beds.

According to Tom Stevens, a Canadian rowing coach for the Lebanon team, the experience aboard the ship has been largely positive. “It's perfectly fine. The food is plentiful. For anyone that's been on a cruise ship, it's as advertised on the tin,” Stevens said. He noted that the ship offered a practical solution amid the absence of a centralized village, suggesting the approach could serve as a template for future multi-sport competitions.

The Costa Serena has been modified to suit the athletes’ needs. Unlike its usual configuration for holidaymakers, some amenities such as the luxury watch boutique and casino are closed. New exercise equipment has been brought on board to augment the gym facilities, where athletes have access to weight machines and other fitness resources. The ship contains approximately 1,500 cabins, ranging from single occupancy to rooms with twin beds.

The vessel’s interior blends elements from various cultures, incorporating themes from Greek mythology, traditional Japanese design, and other motifs reflecting the diverse group of crew and participants. Communal areas include lounges with distinctive furnishings, such as heart-shaped chairs and light fixtures resembling chillies.

The Asian Games, hosting a larger contingent of athletes than the Olympic Games, have attracted criticism regarding accommodation and transportation logistics. Some teams have expressed frustration over delayed or absent buses and the compact nature of the land-based units. Organizers have acknowledged challenges including long boarding times during the initial days but attributed these issues in part to paperwork errors by teams.

Weather conditions also tested the setup this week when a typhoon struck eastern Japan. Stevens reported no disturbances while aboard the cruise ship despite strong winds affecting Tokyo and the wider region.

As the Games progress, the use of the Costa Serena as a floating hotel highlights the evolving approaches organizers are taking to manage the scale and complexity of housing thousands of participants while controlling costs.