Three cruise ships,the Blue Dream Star, Blue Dream Melody, and Chinese Taishan,remain out of service in mainland China and looking for their next careers.

The 1,218-guest Blue Dream Melody, operated by Blue Dream Cruises, was withdrawn from service at its Beihai homeport on January 4, 2026, citing a need for “systematic hardware upgrades and maintenance.”

However, the suspension followed reports of severely weak demand for its all-South Korea itineraries. The vessel’s situation worsened in February 2026 when it was reportedly arrested in Beihai over a dispute concerning approximately $600,000 in unpaid fuel bills. The ship’s owner, Shanghai Blue Dream International Cruise Co., Ltd., has since disbanded its shore-based office staff and is seeking a buyer for both of its ships.

Russian media reports suggest the Blue Dream Melody may be sold for deployment on Far East Russian routes.However, other sources confirmed that relevant parties in the Russian Far East have abandoned the plan to acquire the vessel due to funding issues.

Its fleetmate, the 836-guest Blue Dream Star, has been laid up in Zhoushan, China. The smaller, older vessel was taken out of service in late 2024 as the company sought to focus resources on the larger Melody.

The 832-guest Chinese Taishan(, owned by Bohai Ferry and sister to the Blue Dream Star, remains anchored off Dalian. In March 2026, Bohai Ferry initiated a second attempt to sell the vessel, listing it for $23 million,nearly half of its 2014 purchase price. The company has stated that the domestic cruise operating environment remains challenging and is not expected to improve in the short term.