[5] Finnlines had started competing with Finland SS Co on the service to West Germany in 1962 with the car/passenger ferry Hansa Express.

A notable exception was that the new Finlandia would be built with a full-length car-deck that could be accessed from gates both in the stern and bow, whereas the Ilmatar had a smaller, side-loadable car deck.

[5] The Finlandia's large size meant she could replace all three steamers operated by Finland SS Co on the service to West Germany.

[2] Finnish president Urho Kekkonen and his wife were invited guests on board the delivery cruise, which was made in heavy fog.

During the refit a new sharply raked bow was fitted, increasing the ship's length by 3.67 metres (12 ft 0 in) and the exhaust pipes replaced by a new aluminium funnel.

After this rebuilding the ship was renamed Ocean Pearl by HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana of Thailand.

On 27 June of the same year the Finlandia evacuated two Danish citizens from a burning motor boat outside Stevns, Denmark.

[2] Faced with competition in the form of the Finlandia, it became clear Finnlines could not operate both their Finnhansa and Finnpartner in the service to West Germany.

Plans were also made for a joint subsidiary of Finland SS Co and Finnlines to operate the service to West Germany, but these were never realised.

In February 1971 she had to ber docked at the Eriksbergs varv in Gothenburg, Sweden due to a metal worker's strike in Finland.

The galley, radio cabin and mess were all destroyed by the fire, and the ship had to be repaired at Kiel, Germany, before she could proceed with normal service.

On 13 September 1975 the Finlandia rescued seven people from the sinking German yacht Jan II south of Gedser, Denmark.

Two weeks later the Finlandia rescued two East German refugees sailing in an inflatable boat, again south of Gedser.

The company had operated Finnpartner and Bore Star as cruise ships with limited success during the winters between 1973 and 1977.

Now the decision was made to convert the Finlandia's interiors into cruise ship standards, while partially retaining her car deck.

[1][7] Following rebuilding at Wärtsilä's Turku shipyard the ship was renamed Finnstar and re-entered service on 8 January 1979 with a cruise on the west coast of Africa.

[2] Like Finnlines' previous attempts to enter the cruise business, the Finnstar proved to be largely unsuccessful.

An additional factor was the competition from Finnstar's former fleetmate Ilmatar that was used on similar cruises aimed at the Finnish market by Silja Line.

As a result of the increasing losses generated by the ship, Finnlines decided to give up their cruise traffic in 1980.

On 14 February she was renamed Ocean Pearl by HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana of Thailand and subsequently re-entered service.

[2] The Costa Playa was used for cruises in the Caribbean with Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, as the port of departure.

[2][3] In November 2000 the Joy Wave was sold to Eurasia International, another Hong Kong–based company, who refitted her as the casino cruise ship Golden Princess.

[2] Externally the Finlandia was designed with a classical hull-shape, with a notable sheer on the hull, a long bow, and a terraced rear superstructure.

[3] When the Finlandia was converted into the Finnstar, the dummy funnel was removed and the exhaust pipes heightened and remodelled, with a small smoke deflector structure added behind them.

The Finnstar was the first ship to utilise a livery with blue stripes painted along the windows; two years later it was adopted by Silja Line and subsequently became strongly associated with them.

During a part of her service as Pearl of Scandinavia the ship had an additional blue horizontal decorative stripe painted in the middle of the hull.

[3] As Golden Princess the sweeping windbreakers shielding the rear decks, tying to the curve of the funnel were removed.

[2][3] The Finlandia's original interiors were designed by famous artists and architects such as Jonas Cedercreutz, Lisa Johansson-Pape, Dora Jung, Harry Kivijärvi and Rut Bryk.

The interior facilities included a swimming pool, sauna, nightclub, smoking room, cinema and hair salon, most of which were novelties for Finland Steamship Company ship on the Finland—West Germany run.

As the Pearl of Scandinavia the cabins were again upgraded, the remaining car deck eliminated and new penthouse suites added; as a result the ship had berths for 515 passengers.