The renovation of the inaugural fleet of Paradise Cruises will soon be complete, due to finish in August.

The majority of the work is being carried out by Ho Chi Minh City-based Art House, a firm that specializes in hotel-and-resort interior design and “understands the local culture and history and the expectations foreign tourists have when they come to Vietnam,” said Paradise Cruises General Manager Edgar C. Cayanan.

Each boat’s 17 cabins and are being updated with new wooden floors, ceilings, curtains, carpet and beds.

“We’re calling the beds ‘dream beds’ because they have eight different layers (of cushion),” said Cayanan. “The goal was to make them feel more like home than your home, and I’m confident guests will find that we’ve achieved that.”

Most new furnishings are handmade, including the Oriental-style tables and chairs that now adorn the gourmet dining rooms.