The Costa Serena arrived in Nha Trang earlier this month, becoming the first cruise ship to visit Vietnam in 2026 as the vessel arrived at the Ana Marina International Yacht Harbor with over 2,960 guests onboard.

Offering a series of cruises in Asia aimed at international markets, the Costa Cruises vessel brought European guests to the destinations, Khan Hoa Online Newspaper reported.

The visit to Nha Trang was part of a 14-night cruise that departed from Hong Kong on December 19, 2025.

Sailing to Singapore, the open-jaw itinerary also included visits to other destinations in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Thailand.

Cung Quynh Anh, deputy director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Khanh Hoa province, was quoted as saying that the ship’s arrival was a positive sign for the region.

Nhân Dân reported that the Serena was the first of eight ships set to visit Khan Hoa during the first two months of the year. The region expects to welcome approximately 13,500 guests from the vessels.

Before kicking off its winter season in Asia, the Costa Serena underwent a major refurbishment project at a shipyard in China.

The 2007-built vessel was modernized with the addition of new specialty restaurants, updated staterooms and new features.

Set to reposition to the Western Hemisphere later this year, the Serena is now offering a series of 14- to 28-night cruises to the Far East and Southeast Asia.

Following a summer season aimed at local markets, the 3,012-guest vessel is scheduled to kick off a world cruise between Japan and Argentina.

Sailing from Tokyo to Buenos Aires, the 65-night cruise marks the ship’s departure from Asia after over a decade.

Once in Argentina, the Costa Serena kicks off a winter season in South America ahead of repositioning to Europe for the 2027 summer.