During the early 2020s, the Costa Serena will homeport in Malaysia. As soon as the cruise ship completes its first season in India, three sailings will depart from Port Klang in January.

Several local media outlets report that Hwajing Travel & Tours is partnering with Costa Cruises to offer the program. Upon arrival in Port Klang on January 17, the Costa Serena will be sold exclusively by Malaysian travel agencies.

The 2007-built vessel will offer a two-night cruise to Penang for its first roundtrip from the new homeport. Two additional Costa Serena cruises leave Port Klang on January 19 and January 22, both of which include a visit to Phuket along with Penang.

It is noted that the program has the approval of Malaysia’s Ministry of Transport, which expressed its support for the homeporting of the vessel in Malaysia. Costa Cruises’ Costa Serena sails from Taiwan and is the only vessel sailing in Asia for the company based in Italy.

Upon resuming service in May, the 3,000-guest ship serves Taiwan, South Korea, and Thailand with a variety of programs. Besides offering international cruising from Mumbai, the Costa Serena will also begin offering domestic cruises in India in November. With 23 cruises to Goa, Cochin, Lakshadweep Islands, and more, the program is operated in partnership with an Indian tour operator.

The Costa Serena was built in 2007 and is currently one of Costa Cruises’ oldest ships. In 2015, the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy completed the construction of the 112,000-ton vessel for Chinese and other Asian markets. The Serena Hotel features a themed interior design inspired by ancient Roman and Greek mythology, including a large wellness center, three swimming pools, and several restaurants.