Swan Hellenic was first established as Swan's Tours in the 1950s, a tour operator that took guests to historic sites and smaller destinations usually in the Mediterranean, and finally suspending operations in 2017, not before the Minerva became the first British cruise ship to visit Cuba.
By Virginia López Valiente
Managing Director of Cruises News Media Group and Editor of CruisesNews magazine
Swan Hellenic has christened the second ship in its fleet, the SH Vega, in Helsinki, in a simple ceremony, in the same shipyards where it was built and where we were also able to visit the still under construction SH Diana.
Read the news about the christening…
The strength of the brand led these new investors to create a new company and build three new ships: Minerva, Vega, and Diana. The new Swan Hellenic was launched in July 2020 with a passion for exploration voyages to the most remote places in the world.
Swan Hellenic report in CruisesNews magazine…
The 152-passenger expedition ship was presented to the invited media and business partners, with some details still pending regarding provisioning and decoration, which, in my opinion, did not detract from the overall positive impression. During the event, CEO Andrea Zito detailed the administrative difficulties arising from the sanctions against Russia and its capital, which led to the auction of the Vega at the shipyard, the delay in receiving its registration documents (finally from Panama), the postponement of the maiden voyage for media and agents, and the lay-up of their first ship, the Minerva, following the start of the invasion of Ukraine, pending its transfer to the new owner.
The SH Vega will embark on its first commercial cruise, a voyage from Tromsø to Svalbard (Norway) on July 20, followed by an Arctic adventure ending in Reykjavik (Iceland), Canada, and Greenland, before venturing south to Antarctica for a winter season.
A third ship, the SH Diana, is currently under construction at the same shipyard and is scheduled to be launched in February 2023. It will be christened in mid-March 2023 in Piraeus and will offer itineraries in the Eastern Mediterranean, a nod to the origins of the original Swan Hellenic brand, which was founded in the 1950s. It will also call at Sicily, Lisbon, and Santiago de Compostela, Spain, before heading north to offer Arctic itineraries.
SH Minerva and SH Vega will be based in Antarctica for the 2022-2023 season, with Minerva offering a 30-day circumnavigation of Antarctica to Dunedin, New Zealand. Following the Antarctic season, the ships will offer different itineraries around the world, with SH Vega following a route along the coast of West Africa.
Measuring 113 meters in length, this 10,600-ton vessel has been specially designed to explore the most inspiring and inaccessible places on the planet. Andrea Zito reiterated this, stating that they have been intensively exploring the world, confident that there are many places that no one goes to, citing the example of the 1,000 kilometers between Congo and Gabon with several protected areas such as South Loango National Park and the Conkouati Reserve, among others, and affirming that this is the spirit of Swan Hellenic.
The three ships have been designed to meet the latest environmental regulations and are completely self-sufficient for up to 40 days or 8,000 nautical miles. Preparations have been made to implement battery technology, which would also allow for silent operation and the opportunity to admire marine life in all its splendor. The vessels are equipped with exhaust gas cleaning systems, advanced wastewater treatment systems, and the necessary waste storage facilities for operating in sensitive polar regions.
This bright, elegant and comfortable ship offers 5-star accommodation for 152 guests in 76 spacious cabins and suites, the vast majority with large balconies, and is operated by a crew of 120 providing high levels of service because zodiacs, nature and exploration are not at all at odds with comfort, good food and personalized attention.
