June

Bohai Ferry's mv Zhong Hua Tai Shans starting point is going to be the Port of Yantai, and she is scheduled for cruises around the Korean seaside.
Zhong Hua Tai Shan was built in 1999, and launched in 2000 as Olimpic Voyager.
In 2004 it was renamed Grand Voyager, and in 2011 Costa Voyager, when she underwent the refurbishing project.
The cruiser can accommodate 836 passengers, she is 180.75 metres in length, and is able to reach the speed of up to 28 knots.
The company has also planned to start two more cruise services this autumn: a Tianjin-Jeju Island, and a Shanghai-Taiwan service, in September and in October respectively.
According to Yu Jianxin, president of Bohai Ferry, cited by Asia Cruise News, the cruise ship will mainly operate 5-7 day services in Asia.
Shandong Huanghai Shipbuilding is putting the finishing touches on the cruise ship at the moment as the vessels makeover nears completion.

Riverwood NSW, Australia 
Australian Pacific Touring APT would quadruple its fleet of expedition vessels if the company’s owner and director Geoff McGeary had his way. “We’ve been buying up Renaissance ships, we own two at the moment, but we’d love to own all eight,” he said. Asked by TD Cruise Update if a third purchase was imminent, to add to its collection of the MS Caledonian Sky and Island Sky, McGeary said: “We hope to own more.”  
The industry veteran, who was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours List this year, explained that expansion in expedition cruising was a slow process. “Growth will always be constrained, as there are a lot of inhibiting factors, and it can never compete with large ship pricing,” he said. “It will always be a boutique market segment, I don’t believe there will ever be growth like in river cruising,” he added. more...

Viking Line will be providing well-being for both body and soul before the summer kicks in. The Beauty & Wellness weeks May 3–June 1, 2014 treat passengers aboard Viking Grace and Amorella to relaxing spa experiences, delicious raw food and superfood, new training methods and Graceloppet, a unique running event.
The theme weeks on Viking Grace and Amorella offer relaxation and pampering, both physical and mental. Restaurants on board will be serving healthy, tasty raw food and superfood, such as freshly squeezed juices and various teas, ranging from bubble tea to matcha and tea made from the chaga mushroom.

Bubble tea originated in Taiwan, and its velvety consistency raises the tea experience to a higher level. There is a great interest in healthy foods, and we want to give our passengers the chance to give them a try, says restaurant manager Sari Launonen from Viking Line.

Spa treatments and tax-free campaigns 
The total wellness experience includes various spa treatments offered at special prices during the Beauty & Wellness weeks. After a relaxing treatment, both mind and body are in the perfect state to enjoy presentations focusing on health issues.

In May, the tax-free shops are jam-packed with the fashions and fragrances of summer. Victoria’s Secret Beauty products and other fragrances, the legendary Converse sneakers and Björn Borg Sportswear items are just some of the special offers available on board.

Enjoy a run on deck 
During the theme weeks, passengers can try out new training methods such as zumba picnic, with e.g. Maija Grace as coach. This method has been inspired by South American dance rhythms. As a counterweight to everyday stress, Viking Grace offers meditative training in the form of Senshin Do. Aboard Amorella the Fustra method provides relief for neck and back pain.

For those wanting to get into shape for the summer, counselling and body composition measurement are offered.

The Beauty & Wellness weeks also comprise the first Graceloppet, a running event taking place on the upper deck of Viking Grace on May 18. The approximately one-hour run is followed by an After Run event in Club Vogue where Raakel Lignell, the winner of the Finnish version of Dancing with the Stars, will perform together with her dance partner Jani Rasimus.

If any body parts are feeling tender after the event, qualified massage therapists in the spa aboard Viking Grace will be happy to provide some relief. The Graceloppet package also includes a dinner buffet in Buffet Aurora on the journey back.

On June 4, 2013, STX Finland and the Norwegian passenger ship company Fjord Line AS signed a contract on conversion of Fjord Line’s cruise ferry. The steel production for the conversion project began January 10, 2013. In connection with the rebuild of MS Bergensfjord, the ship was renamed MS Oslofjord. The overall value of the conversion contract was approximately EUR 30 million, and it provided some 200 man-years of labor.

MS Oslofjord is 134 meters long and 24 meters wide, built in Norway in 1993. The converted ship will enter traffic between Sandefjord, Norway and Strömstad, Sweden in June 2014. The most significant change in the ship was transforming it from a night ferry to a day cruise ferry. Two cabin decks were converted to public spaces, which practically quadrupled the tax-free area, and increased the selection of cafeterias and restaurants significantly. The interior changes were designed by the Norwegian Falkum-Hansen Design. One fixed middle deck for cars was added, providing additional parking space. The third deck was extended, and a new area, called the Fjord of Coffee, was built there. In addition to interior design, the appearance of the ship changed as well. For example, the ship’s window area increased, and its funnel was covered with aluminum. The conversion increased the ship’s passenger capacity considerably. After conversion, the capacity is 1,800 passengers and 370 cars.