Costa Serena

The 2007-built Costa Serena cruise ship is the second Concordia-class liner, with sisterships Concordia, Favolosa, Pacifica, Fascinosa, and Carnival Splendor.

The vessel (IMO number 9343132) is currently Italy-flagged (MMSI 247187600) and registered in Genoa.

From May through September 2023, Costa Serena was chartered to Asian tour operators for cruises in South Korea and Taiwan.

History - construction and ownership

Costa Cruises is a Genoa-based subsidiary of Carnival Corporation. Costa is Europe's second-largest cruise line (after MSC Cruises), offering year-round Mediterranean operations. Founded in 1854 as a cargo shipping company, Costa began passenger services in 1947 with transatlantic crossings between Europe and South America. It was acquired by Carnival Corporation in 2000.

The 3000-passenger Costa Serena is owned by Carnival Corporation and was built in Italy for the European market. Along with Costa Concordia, she is one of the largest ships in Costa’s fleet. Serena is the 12th vessel built for Costa Cruises. Her decor features calm blue and orange tones with warm wood accents. Standard balcony cabins measure around 20 m² (220 ft²) and have a layout similar to newer Carnival ships. Two large mirrors give a spacious feel. Bathrooms are minimally stocked (shower gel and soap only), though moisturizer and shampoo can be requested.

In addition to the ship's crew, passengers are assisted by Pepper robots, a fleetwide technology introduced in 2016. These humanoid robots welcome guests, provide cruise information, and offer guidance on dining, entertainment, excursions, and shopping. They speak English, German, and Italian, and recognize emotions based on voice tone and facial expression.

Decks and Cabins

Costa Serena has 1507 staterooms in 13 categories, including 70 Suites, 524 Balcony, 321 Oceanview, and 592 Inside cabins. Most staterooms are 17 m² (185 ft²), with about 40% featuring private balconies. There are 28 wheelchair-accessible cabins. The largest accommodations are the Grand Suites (32 m² / 335 ft², with an 11 m² / 120 ft² terrace). There are also 87 Spa staterooms (including 12 Spa Suites) and 13 single cabins. The ship has 14 decks, 8 of which are with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Ristorante Vesta is the forward main dining room with two levels, offering fixed dinner seatings and open seating for breakfast and lunch. Ristorante Ceres, also two-tiered, is located aft and operates with fixed dinner seatings at 6:30 pm and 9 pm. Samsara Restaurant (deck 3) specializes in healthy cuisine and is complimentary for Spa cabin guests; others may dine there by reservation for a fee. Room service is complimentary and available 24/7.

Restaurants and food bars:

• Ristorante Vesta (forward MDR, open seating for breakfast/lunch, two fixed dinner seatings)
• Ristorante Ceres (aft MDR with two fixed dinner seatings)
• Club Bacco Restaurant (a la carte steakhouse with an extensive wine list; reservations required)
• Ristorante Samsara (healthy cuisine; complimentary for Samsara guests, extra charge for others)
• Ristorante Buffet Prometeo (buffet restaurant offering breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner; transforms into a pizzeria in the evening with waiter service)

Following the 2025 refurbishment, a new food court debuted with restaurants and bars, including "Pizzeria Pummid’Oro" and "Sushino At Costa". Also new is the Archipelago restaurant, whose menus were created by the Michelin-starred chefs Bruno Barbieri, Helene Darroze, and Angel Leon. Their 2021-introduced “Destination Dishes” reflect the cuisine of the next day’s port of call.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Entertainment options include a casino, theater, library, 4 swimming pools, 5 Jacuzzis, and a full-service spa. Guests booked in Samsara Spa staterooms enjoy unique decor and spa packages including consultations, treatments, thermal suite access, and dining in the Samsara Restaurant. There are 5990 artworks displayed throughout the ship.

Entertainment venues include:

• Teatro Giove (3-level theater for shows, concerts, and performances)
• 4D Cinema Room (3D movies with motion seats)
• Grand Bar Apollo (dance floor, live music)
• Bar Sport Victoria (sports bar with large TVs)
• Bar Classico Ercole (Cigar lounge and bar)
• Galleria d'Arte (Art gallery)
• Sala Carte (card room)
• Casino Giano (with adjacent bar)
• Serena Atrium (multi-deck lobby with live music, Pantheon Bar)
• Recording Studio (EUR 35/hour)
• Sala da Ballo Cupido (lounge with bar and dance floor)
• Piano Bar Minerva (cabaret and live music)
• Salone Luna (grand lounge with bar and stage)
• Discoteca Pan (nightclub with DJ)
• Internet Point and Biblioteca Clio (library)
• Galleria Shops (duty-free shopping)
• Photo Gallery and Shop
• Virtual gaming lounges: Mondo Virtuale and PlayStation World
• Caffetteria Juventas (coffee, pastries, chocolate)
• Bar Scuderia Costa (Formula 1 theme bar with Grand Prix simulator)
• Cappella (Wedding Chapel/religious services)
• Squok Club (kids’ lounge with Mini and Maxi Clubs; supervised programs and babysitting)
• Teen Zone (Junior and Teen Clubs with parties, contests, and activities)
• Centro Benessere Samsara (2-level wellness complex with fitness center, treatment rooms, thermal suites, solariums, and saunas)
• Lido areas: Sole (with LED screen and Whirlpools), Urano, Iris (retractable roof), and Squok (kids' mini aquapark)
• Outdoor amenities: Solarium, Campo da Gioco (sports court), jogging track, putting green, and virtual golf

Itineraries

Costa Serena’s original itinerary program included Western Mediterranean roundtrips from Savona and Civitavecchia-Rome, as well as seasonal transatlantic repositioning cruises between Europe and South America.

From April 2015 to March 2020, Costa Serena was based in China (homeports: Tianjin, Shanghai), offering itineraries to Japan and Korea exclusively for Chinese nationals.

Paused during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ship resumed operations in May 2023 with 30 voyages targeting Taiwan and South Korea. Early season departures were from Laem Chabang-Bangkok, with later cruises from Korean ports (Busan, Sokcho, Pohang) and Taiwanese ports (Keelung, Kaohsiung).

Asia 2023

East Asia itineraries (4 to 7 days) included Japanese ports: Kagoshima, Sasebo, Otaru, Muroran, Hakodate, Aomori, Fukuoka, Miyakojima, Ishigaki, Nagasaki, Yatsushiro, Naha.

Caribbean 2023–2024

In winter 2023–2024, Serena operated Caribbean cruises from Pointe-a-Pitre (Guadeloupe). Two 7-day itineraries could be combined into a 14-day B2B. Itinerary 1 visited Bonaire, Aruba, Curacao, Grenada, and Martinique. Itinerary 2 visited Tobago, Grenada, Barbados, St Lucia, and Martinique.

India 2023–2024

Announced in June 2023, Costa Serena’s India deployment included 23 domestic roundtrip sailings from Mumbai to Cochin, Mormugao (Goa), and the Lakshadweep Archipelago.

Asia 2024

In January 2024, Serena was chartered by Malaysia’s Hwajing Travel & Tours for departures from Port Klang to Penang and Phuket. The December 15 voyage was a repositioning cruise to Hong Kong, visiting Phu My/Saigon.

Southeast Asia and Japan 2025–2026

For winter 2025–2026, Serena will offer 15-day fly-cruises from Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Singapore.

• Japan itinerary: Hong Kong roundtrip visiting Keelung, Naha, Kagoshima, Tokyo, Kobe, Nagasaki, and Busan
• Southeast Asia itinerary: Hong Kong roundtrip visiting Nha Trang, Phu My, Koh Samui, Singapore, Muara (Brunei), and Puerto Princesa

These itineraries (available from Nov 21, 2025, to Jan 30, 2026) were combinable into a 28-day B2B voyage, with optional pre- and post-cruise flights.

South America 2027

Costa Serena's 2027 schedule listed several voyages in South America as part of the ship's return from Asia to Europe.

The South American program (Dec 2026-Apr 2027) was based on homeporting in Brazil (Rio de Janeiro), Uruguay (Montevideo), and Argentina (Buenos Aires), and roundtrip itineraries of 8-9-10-days in length.

Europe/Mediterranean 2027 onward

In February 2026, Costa officially announced Serena's return to Europe in 2027.

Starting April 2027, the ship will be homeported in Savona (at Costa’s Palacrociere Cruise Terminal). Upon arrival in Europe, Costa Serena will undertake an initial 12-night Western Mediterranean itinerary visiting ports in Spain, Portugal, France, Morocco and Italy. The voyage is to be followed by a 14-night Eastern Mediterranean itinerary visiting the Greek archipelago and Malta before returning to Savona.

The vessel (Fincantieri Sestri Ponente yard/hull number 6130) has a volume of 114,261 GT, a DWT of 8,900 tons, and a maximum draught of 8.3 m. Her powerplant consists of Wartsila-Sulzer marine diesel engines (models 12V46C and 8L46C), delivering a total output of 42 MW. The registered shipowner and operator is COSTA CROCIERE SPA, while the ISM manager is CARNIVAL MARITIME GMBH.

Costa Serena is the second CONCORDIA-class liner in the Costa fleet. Her inaugural cruise departed on May 19, 2007, from Marseille. Sisterships include Fascinosa, Favolosa, Pacifica, Concordia (sank in 2012), and Carnival Splendor.

The christening ceremony was held on May 19, 2007, in Marseille. The ship was named by Marion Cotillard (1975-born French actress), known for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in "La Vie en Rose" (2007). The dockside event was hosted by French sports journalist Gerard Holtz and featured performances by the Marseilles Opera Chorus, followed by a gala dinner at the ship’s main restaurants, Vesta and Ceres.

The ship’s interior theme is "Classical Mythology" with décor inspired by Greek gods and goddesses. Notable spaces include the Samsara Spa, with 99 spa staterooms decorated in soft pastels, bamboo-effect doors, orchid accents, Elemis bath products, herbal teas, and eco-cotton bathrobes. Deck 5 houses the main dining rooms—Vesta and Ceres. A top-deck waterslide and a 9-story Atrium lend the ship a "Carnival Fun Ship" feel.

In 2009, Costa Serena was featured in the National Geographic documentary series "Cruise Ship Diaries."

The ship shares her name with the riverboat AmaSerena (2015-built).

Costa Serena refurbishments review

Drydock 2025

The ship's last drydock refurbishment was in November 2025.

The 18-day project was conducted at the Mazhou Island shipyard (Shenzhen, China) and featured redesigning the interiors and public areas and adding new venues.

The new dining venues are the Archipelago (with menus by the Michelin-starred chefs Bruno Barbieri, Helene Darroze, and Angel Leon), the Pizzeria Pummid’Oro, and Sushino@Costa (seafood bar).

All public spaces (including sundecks and the pool deck) and the MDR restaurants and all passenger staterooms were refurbished.

Drydock 2023

Costa Serena underwent drydock refurbishment from March 31 to April 27, 2023, at Singapore’s Semcorp Shipyard. The project included routine maintenance and classification work, hotel upgrades, technical overhauls, and hull cleaning/repainting.

The next scheduled drydock is in November 2025. In addition to regular maintenance, the refurbishment will introduce a new food court lined with restaurants and bars, including "Pizzeria Pummid’Oro", "Sushino At Costa", and "Archipelago" (featuring menus curated by Michelin-starred chefs). All staterooms will be renovated, and suites will be redesigned.

World Cruise 2026

In July 2025, Costa Cruises announced a 66-day global voyage for Costa Serena, sailing from Tokyo to Buenos Aires between October 18 and December 22, 2026. The itinerary includes 24 ports in 15 countries and 14 islands across Southeast Asia, Oceania, the South Pacific, Australia, and South America.

Segment options include:

• Tokyo to San Antonio – 51 days
• Tokyo to Sydney – 26 days
• Hong Kong to Buenos Aires – 60 days
• Hong Kong to San Antonio – 46 days
• Hong Kong to Sydney – 20 days
• Sydney to Buenos Aires – 40 days
• Sydney to San Antonio – 26 days
• San Antonio to Buenos Aires – 14 days

India cruise itineraries

In June 2023, Costa Cruises announced Serena’s deployment in India as an extension of her Asia program. Operating from November 4, 2023, to December 29, 2024 (23 sailings), the program was developed in partnership with Lotus Aero Enterprises (Costa’s General Sales Agent in India).

All cruises were roundtrip from Mumbai, visiting only domestic destinations and catering primarily to Indian travelers.

• 2–3-day itineraries: Mumbai – Mormugao
• 5-day itineraries: Mumbai – Cochin – Mormugao
• 7-day itineraries: Mumbai – Cochin – Bangaram Island (Lakshadweep) – Mormugao – Mumbai

Asia cruise itineraries

On May 12, 2014, Carnival Corporation announced that Costa Serena would be deployed for year-round service in China, starting April 2015 with homeport operations in Shanghai. She joined Costa Atlantica and Costa Victoria on the China-based fleet.

Costa Serena’s maiden call to Shanghai was on April 24, 2015, docking at Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal. The ship’s deployment increased Costa Asia’s market capacity by 74%. By 2016, the Costa Asia fleet included Costa Fortuna, Costa Luminosa, Costa neoRiviera, and Fortuna.

On September 21, 2017, Costa announced a partnership with football club Juventus, introducing a unique Juventus-themed experience onboard all Costa Asia ships. This included 24/7 Juventus TV content in all cabins, historical presentations, a “Juventus Museum,” souvenir shops, and a Juventus-branded mini club. Themed activities included football training for children (ages 5-14), supervised by Juventus Academy-certified coaches. The first “Juventus Museum at Sea” opened on Costa Serena on January 31, 2018.