Seventy years after its beginnings in expedition cruising, Swan Hellenic, the British-born cruise line, is returning to the market. Its core values remain unchanged, as does its passion for expedition cruising and its desire to enrich those who wish to discover incredible destinations, reconnect with nature and the people of each destination, and, at the same time, share unique experiences.
At the Helsinki Oy shipyard in Finland, two state-of-the-art expedition ships are being built to provide their 152 passengers with an elegant, intimate, and personalized onboard experience, complemented by the service of a 120-member crew. The first ship will set sail for Antarctica in November 2021, and the second will depart in April 2022.
Andrea Zito, CEO of Swan Hellenic, commented: “I am proud to announce the rebirth of Swan Hellenic, a pioneering travel brand, with the aim of leading the way in cultural expedition cruises.” The new Swan Hellenic retains its British heritage, while reinforcing it with an international perspective. It is aimed at travelers who wish to explore, experience, and be enriched by the infinite beauty of the world and its inhabitants in a safe and sustainable way.”.
Andrea Zito commented: “Swan Hellenic has always been a family brand, and we want to continue in the same vein by inviting all partners in the cruise industry to become part of the new Swan Hellenic community.” The company will launch with offices in Monaco, the UK, and Germany in its first phase. The management team boasts over 100 years of combined experience in the cruise industry, led in the UK by John Warner (GAdventures/Trailfinders) and Mario Bounas (Royal Caribbean/The Langham), Alfredo Spadon in Germany (Silversea/MSC), and Andrea Zito at the Monaco headquarters (Silversea/Vships).
Andrea Zito added: “Over the next few weeks and months, we will be releasing further information about a number of exciting Swan Hellenic projects. We are back, and we are bigger and bolder than ever.”.
The first ship will be unveiled at an event in London in November 2021, before setting sail for Antarctica. The second will depart in April 2022 from St. Petersburg, en route to the British Isles and Iceland, before venturing into the Arctic summer of 2022. After completing their polar seasons, both vessels will continue circumnavigating the globe, visiting a range of countries from New Zealand to Brazil and from Papua New Guinea to the Philippines. “We’ll start with two ships, but we’re already discussing further fleet expansion and expanding Swan Hellenic’s offering,” Warner said.
