Cruise Ship to Serve as Hotel for Asian Games Athletes

Tokyo, Sept. 3 (Jiji Press)–A large cruise ship will be used as an accommodation base for athletes participating in the Asian Games, scheduled to open in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture’s capital in central Japan, on Sept. 19. It is the first attempt to use a ship as a “hotel” in a large-scale international competition held in Japan. Initially, the construction of an athletes village was planned, but the idea was abandoned due to soaring costs amid inflation. The organizers decided to use a cruise ship, mobile accommodation facilities and existing hotels to encourage interaction among athletes. The cruise ship is the Italian-registered Costa Serena. The 290-meter-long vessel has about 1,500 rooms, gym equipment, spacious open-air decks and restaurants. A total of about 4,000 people, including athletes, are expected to stay on the ship to be anchored at the Port of Nagoya. “We have excellent facilities, and athletes can receive services similar to those at hotels,” said Masashi Hayakawa, who is in charge of accommodations at the organizing committee of the Games. “We’ll provide a set of multiple types of cabins to each national delegation so that there will be no difference in treatment,” he added, explaining that there are six types of cabin. The committee is making preparations for the unusual undertaking by trial and error. As the ship is an oceangoing vessel, immigration control, customs and quarantine inspections are required for the entry and exit of people and goods. “When it comes to making decisions, there are no precedents, so we have to think about things one at a time,” Hayakawa said. Preparations for possible natural disasters are also necessary. When a typhoon is expected to approach, authorities will be on alert and urge the ship to move offshore, where high waves are less to occur, according to the 4th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters in Nagoya. “We’ll maintain marine safety so that athletes and spectators can enjoy the event safely,” Kazuma Hayashi, commander of the headquarters, said. Preparations are in the final stage to use the ship as a hotel, including setting up general stores and securing traffic routes to the quay where athletes will board and disembark. “We feel pressure to make this a success,” Hayakawa said. “I hope this initiative will be a model case for future large games.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]