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The heavens glow. Heroic music crescendos. Entire skyscrapers flush with colour and change hues as floodlights sweep the skies.

As my cruise ship leaves Hong Kong during the city's nightly sound and light extravaganza, I imagine this is how dramatic the bon voyage should be when future travellers depart for trips to outer space.

But the adventure I'm embarking on is no warp-speed trip. We're starting a 12-day grand tour of Asia on a slow boat to China. And in this case, the slower the better.

That's because the cruise ship Crystal Symphony is a destination in itself, in the tradition of luxury liners with teak decks, white-glove service, gourmet dining and entertainment, including this champagne toast to Hong Kong and the excitement of Asia.

And this ship is about to be joined by many others. Cruises to China are making a dramatic comeback after a couple of years during which many lines pulled anchor and sailed elsewhere. First came the threat of severe acute respiratory syndrome, then an economic downturn in Asian markets and then the much-touted risk of bird flu came and went.

But now, with an economic boom combined with the buzz surrounding the 2008 Olympics in Beijing next August, an unprecedented number of cruise ships will be visiting China and its neighbours over the next year.

On most cruises that include China, you'll probably start or end your trip with a couple of days in either Hong Kong or shape-shifting Beijing. Itineraries include Japanese ports, such as Kagoshima, Hiroshima or Kobe, as well as a stop in Taiwan and a day or two in Shanghai, a city that seems to make a great leap forward every day.

Even if you have visited these cities before, a new look will prove they are even more remarkable than you remembered.

Here's why:

Taiwan

When viewing the elegant Taipei 101 - the world's tallest skyscraper until it was eclipsed recently by the still-climbing Burj Dubai in the United Arab Emirates - it helps to keep in mind that there wasn't much of anything more than two storeys high in Taipei just a decade ago. Now, they build towers and shopping malls in multiples of four or six.

Since I was in a country known for producing the latest in electronic gear, I wanted to cruise the malls to see what's new. With the help of some tech-savvy sales staff, I found out that what looks like a stainless steel briefcase is actually a heated lunch box. And that clay pot covered with flashing lights is not a device for contacting Venus but rather a computerized rice cooker and bread oven. No doubt these gizmos will soon be in a kitchen boutique near you.

Japan

No country has integrated the silk-screen traditions of the past and the rush of the modern day as seamlessly as Japan.

In Hiroshima, the charred remains of the domed exhibition hall left standing after the 1945 atomic blast is a powerful symbol, with entire families visiting and bowing in contemplation.

What's striking, though, is how life has rebounded and how former foes have become best of friends. In the ground zero peace garden, with its eternal flame, tour guides in Jacqueline Kennedy-style pink suits and pillbox hats lead groups of Japanese and American tourists. Across the street stands a local shrine to the great American pastime, the baseball stadium of the Hiroshima Toyo Corp.

Amid the business and shopping-obsessed crowds dressed in Western clothing, it's still common to see women in flowing silk kimonos moving with the grace of butterflies.

And no matter how rushed people are, they still stop to admire the beauty of a cherry tree or a pond of golden koi.

Shanghai

No more is getting Shanghaied a fate to be avoided. Like a dearly beloved old friend, no matter how recently you've seen her last, you anticipate your next encounter.

And Shanghai is getting more attractive as a half-century of neglect and grime is being scrubbed from the city.

Everywhere, cranes and crews working day and night are building some of the world's most intriguing high-rise architecture. We dock near the Bund, the old port area that has become one of the most valuable pieces of real estate in the world. All around the ship, girders are being hoisted, joints welded and glass installed on buildings that stand on what 10 years ago were rice paddies. The market lanes you remember from your last visit are now the sites of multiple high-rise towers, the vendors having moved from card tables to permanent shops in malls. Come back next month and things will have changed yet again.

Beijing

Our final port is the industrial city of Tianjin, a three-hour bus ride from Beijing. All along the way, crews are planting millions of trees along the roads to keep down dust and beautify the bleak landscape before the Olympics start next August.

Here, we stay at the Grand Hyatt Beijing, where the service and food are as remarkable as on the ship. After some tours and a visit to the Great Wall, it is time to head to the airport for the flight home.

As I leave, I count the blessings of doing this trip on a cruise ship. How many times would I have had to pack and unpack and how many air and train connections would I have had to make to see what we've seen on our floating five-star hotel?

But I'm starting to think about packing again. I'm already missing Asia.

Pack your bags

GETTING THERE

Air Canada http://www.aircanada.ca. The Hong Kong and China Pass gives a discount on six one-way flight segments between Canada and either Hong Kong, Shanghai or Beijing, priced from $3,598 from Toronto or $2,548 from Vancouver.

Cathay Pacific http://www.cathaypacific.com. Special round-trip fares from Vancouver to Hong Kong for as low as $698 are being offered from Dec. 24 to May 24. Cathay's All-Asia Pass promotion is continuing to offer three weeks of unlimited travel to any or all of 21 destinations in Asia as well as round-trip airfare from Toronto for $1,599.

CRUISING ASIA

A record number of cruise ships are planning voyages that include China next year. Among them:

Crystal Symphony

http://www.crystalcruises.com. Recently renovated and upgraded, the 960-passenger ship returns next March and April with trips from Hong Kong and Beijing. Fares for a 12-night trip start at about $5,400.

Azamara Cruises

http://www.azamaracruises.com. A new Celebrity Cruises brand, the line has scheduled its 700-passenger ship Quest on a variety of trips out of Hong Kong and Singapore.

Costa Cruises

http://www.costacruise.com. The line is doing a number of sailings that include China.

Cunard http://www.cunard.com. Queen Elizabeth 2 visits Japan and China on a segment of its farewell Pacific cruise.

Holland America

http://www.hollandamerica.com. Statendam will sail from Hong Kong to Kobe on a 14-night cruise next April. If you have time, you can sail all the way to Vancouver for a total of 31 days.

Princess Cruises

http://www.princess.com. Sapphire Princess is another big ship getting into the Asia market, with trips as long as 16 nights. The smaller Pacific Princess also does a China itinerary as part of its world cruise.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises http://www.rssc.com. The line has two ships visiting China and Japan as specialty cruises.

Royal Caribbean

http://www.royalcaribbean.com. The 2,000-passenger Rhapsody of the Seas will become the largest ship cruising in China in a series of five-day trips from December though April.

Seabourn http://www.seabourn.com. Seabourne Spirit will do a series of China cruises in March.

Silversea Cruises

http://www.silversea.com. The Silver Shadow does the region as part of its world cruise in February.