As the Star Voyager cruise ship departs Hong Kong and I look out at a sweeping vista of Victoria Harbour, I reflect on how the voyage I am about to embark on marks a special comeback for the ship’s operator, Star Cruises.

Over the next four days, we sail eastward to Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s largest port city, and then to Magong, the capital of the Taiwan Strait’s Penghu archipelago – a city renowned for its rich history and worship of the Chinese sea goddess Mazu.

In 2022, Star Cruises’ parent company, Genting Hong Kong, went bankrupt under the economic strain of the pandemic. But this 2025 season, Star Voyager will make 45 trips from Hong Kong’s Ocean Terminal, including to Taiwan, Okinawa in Japan, and Southeast Asian destinations Nha Trang in Vietnam and Boracay in the Philippines.

Dinner is already being served at Sophia, one of the ship’s restaurants, when we depart at 6pm. Its set menu includes dishes such as snow crab and avocado tartare with wasabi dressing, lobster bisque soup with sorrel leaves, and roasted Angus beef tenderloin steak. A view of Hong Kong Island’s eastern coastline gliding past the windows creates a unique dining experience.

I decide to turn in early in preparation for enjoying one of my most anticipated cruise experiences: watching the sunrise over the open ocean. I set my alarm for 5am and let the ship’s gentle rocking lull me to sleep, already picturing the golden dawn that awaits.