The cruise ship Manara, operated by Aroya Cruises, has been selected to accommodate thousands of competitors during the 2026 Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Italy, providing a maritime alternative to a conventional athletes’ village. The Games are scheduled to take place from August 21st to September 3rd, 2026 and are expected to bring together athletes from 26 Mediterranean nations.
Formerly known as World Dream before joining the Aroya Cruises fleet and being renamed Manara, the vessel will serve as the principal accommodation platform for approximately 3,500 athletes throughout the event. The ship will remain alongside in Taranto for the duration of the Games, offering lodging, dining facilities and communal spaces within a single self-contained environment.
Organisers have indicated that athletes will be housed in double-occupancy cabins, while the ship’s public spaces will function as gathering areas for meals, meetings, social activities and entertainment. Plans also include the deployment of a second vessel capable of accommodating an additional 1,200 guests, further expanding the floating accommodation concept adopted for the event. Earlier planning documents for the Games had already outlined the intention to utilise two cruise ships with a combined capacity of approximately 6,000 beds as part of the athletes’ village strategy.
The selection of Manara followed an extended procurement process during which several tender procedures reportedly failed to produce a workable solution. The eventual agreement with Aroya Cruises was understood to carry a value of approximately EUR 17 million, providing organisers with a cost-effective alternative to previous proposals involving other operators.
Throughout the Games, the vessel will be berthed at the Italian Navy’s Chiapparo naval base, where infrastructure upgrades are being undertaken to support athletes, volunteers and operational personnel. The naval facility is expected to play a central role in the accommodation and logistics programme surrounding the event.
Rather than pursuing the construction of a traditional athletes’ village, organisers opted for a cruise ship-based solution that combines accommodation, hospitality and support services within a single location. The approach was influenced by considerations of timing, budget efficiency and operational practicality, allowing the Games to provide substantial accommodation capacity without the need for large-scale permanent construction.