Blue Dream is facing mounting legal and operational problems, with lawsuits filed over unpaid wages, offices closed and its two cruise ships reportedly slated for sale, according to reports in China

The situation has escalated rapidly since the company suspended all cruise operations in late December 2025.

According to court filings, the cruise operator owes more than RMB 10 million ($1.45 million) in unpaid salaries to approximately 200 former shore-based staff and crew members.

Affected employees have filed labor arbitration claims and subsequent lawsuits in four separate batches at the Shanghai Hongkou District People’s Court.

One claimant stated the company failed to pay wages for October through December 2025 prior to the operational halt.

The company’s officein Shanghai has been completely vacated and its staff formally laid off, according to a former manager who requested anonymity.

Furthermore, industry sources indicated the company is actively seeking buyers for its two cruise ships, the Blue Dream Melody and the Blue Dream Star, in an effort to address its financial liabilities.

The Blue Dream Melody was arrested at Beihai Port in Guangxi in February by order of the Beihai Maritime Court over an unpaid fuel bill of approximately $599,000. The ship remains under court detention.

Attempts to reach representatives of Shanghai Blue Dream International Cruise for comment were unsuccessful. The company’s official contact channels are no longer functional. Legal representatives for the employees confirmed the lawsuits are proceeding, with initial hearings scheduled for late March.