Your Family Doesn’t Live in the Same City? Here’s a Reunion Trip That Actually Works

Make Hong Kong your home base for cruising.
by WindowSeat.ph | August 19, 2026

If your family’s group chat spans three time zones and the last “family trip” was really just everyone showing up at a relative’s house for two hours, try this instead: meet in Hong Kong, then keep going. StarCruises operates the Star Voyager on short 2- to 5-night sailings from Hong Kong to China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Japan — and fares start at USD 169.

 

The Star Voyager

The Star Voyager carries around 1,400 guests, which puts it in mid-sized territory — big enough to have multiple restaurants, a pool deck, evening entertainment, and a proper range of cabin types, but not so big that the family spends half the trip just trying to find each other. Cabins range from interior staterooms (the budget-friendly pick) to The Palace, the ship’s premium tier with exclusive restaurant access and priority service. For a reunion group where everyone’s coming from different financial situations, that range matters — everyone can be on the same ship without everyone paying the same rate. And once onboard, the ship handles everything: meals, activities, the movement between countries overnight.

Since Hong Kong is the embarkation point for every sailing, it works as the reunion spot first. Fly in a day early, do Victoria Peak and the night markets and a proper sit-down dim sum as a group, then board the ship together. Same goes on the way back — stick around a day or two after you dock before flying home.

“So many Filipino families are spread out right now. One person’s working abroad, another’s in Manila, another’s somewhere else entirely. Planning an actual vacation around that, not just a quick visit, usually feels complicated and pricey. A short cruise out of Hong Kong fixes both: you can plan it on short notice, and the price doesn’t force you to wait a whole year,” said Andrea Solis Manzano, Head of Sales, StarCruises Philippines.

 

Why short cruises work for families who don’t live in the same place

 

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• Hong Kong is an easy flight from Manila and already a common stop or workplace for many Filipino families — a fair midpoint instead of forcing everyone to pick whose city to fly to.
• Once everyone’s onboard, the ship is the venue, the meals, and the activities. No splitting up, no separate hotel check-ins.
• It’s a real getaway, not just a visit. Relatives get island stops and new countries instead of a rushed weekend crammed into someone’s apartment.
• Fares start at USD 169 for a 2-night cruise, so a reunion trip can come together on short notice instead of getting pushed back another year while everyone saves up.

 

Star Voyager Cruises from Hong Kong

The Star Voyager runs four short-cruise categories from Hong Kong between July 5 and  August 30, 2026 (booking window extended to  August 28, 2026):

ITINERARY	SAILING DATES	STARTING FARE (USD)
2N Xiamen Cruise (China)	Jul 15, 22 | Aug 19	USD 169*
3N Kaohsiung – Penghu Cruise (Taiwan)	July 12, 19 | Aug 16, 30	USD 259*
5N Ha Long Bay – Da Nang Cruise (Vietnam)	Jul 5	USD 439*
5N Japan Cruise (Ishigaki-Naha)	Jul 26 | Aug 2, 23	USD 579*

*Cruise-only lead-in rates per pax, twin-sharing. Terms and conditions apply.

 

How to book

Sailings run July 5 to August 30, 2026. The booking window is open until August 28 — which means families can sort the details closer to the date instead of committing months in advance. And if those dates don’t work, the Star Voyager keeps sailing from Hong Kong through November 13 — more Xiamen runs, Sanya in late October and November, and Japan routes through Okinawa and Miyakojima. Check the full schedule at www.stardreamcruises.com/en-ph.

A family reunion doesn’t need a year of saving up first. Hong Kong is the meeting point. The cruise is the trip. And right now there’s more reason than usual to stay for both.

Book your cruise directly online. Follow @starcruises.ph on social media.

 

Why Hong Kong right now is worth the extra days

The Star Voyager sailing dates land in the middle of Hong Kong’s biggest stretch of the year. The “Hong Kong Summer Fun” campaign runs through August 31 — what’s on right now isn’t the usual tourist circuit. Arrive a day early or stay a day after. Here’s why.

For the whole family and barkada

Joypolis Sports — the first Joypolis outside Japan. Five storeys of indoor sports rides and simulators at Kai Tak Mall.

Hong Kong Disneyland’s Pixar Summer Fest runs through August 31 — water-play street party, Pixar Pals parade, and an all-new Pixar Pals Spectacular. Worth a day on Lantau Island before or after boarding.

 

For football fans

Manchester City, Inter Milan, Chelsea, and Juventus at the new Kai Tak Stadium, July 31–August 5. Open training included. Filipino fans normally fly to Europe for this. This time it’s two hours from Manila.

 

For culture and families

Both in West Kowloon, 30 minutes from Kai Tak by MTR (get off at Kowloon Station):

Hong Kong Palace Museum — a special exhibition “Ancient Egypt Unveiled” showcases over 250 artifacts from ancient Egypt, many of which are shown outside Egypt for the very first time.

M+ — “Design Ah! Experience the Wonder of Everyday Design” is a hands-on, family-friendly exhibition, and runs through January 2027.

 

Hong Kong: Don’t Leave Without Doing These

• A Symphony of Lights — free harbour light show, 8 pm nightly, Tsim Sha Tsui promenade. No booking needed.
• Tai O fishing village — 45 minutes out. Stilt houses, fresh seafood, Chinese white dolphin sightings on the boat tour.
• Ngong Ping 360 — cable car into the evening until August 16. Enjoy stunning night views of Lantau Peak and the South China Sea.

 

Eat and drink your way through Hong Kong

Old Town Central is having a moment:

Bar Leone — No. 1, World’s 50 Best Bars 2025
The Chairman / Wing — Asia’s No. 1 and No. 2 restaurants, 2026

For something casual:

Lin Heung Lau — trolley dim sum, the old way
Lan Fong Yuen — reigning champ for Hong Kong-style milk tea
Tai Cheong Bakery — must-try egg tart hotspot

 

About StarCruises Philippines

StarCruises operates the Star Voyager on year-round itineraries from Hong Kong to destinations across Asia, and works with StarCruises Philippines and its trade partners to bring cruise holidays to Filipino travelers. 

 

Media Contact:  

Andrea Solis Manzano / andrea.manzano@stardreamcruises.com 

+63 9954123187