Swan Hellenic has christened its second ice-class cultural expedition cruise ship, the SH Vega, at the Helsinki shipyard. The ship is now en route to Norway for its first Arctic cultural expedition cruise, an 11-day exploration of the Svalbard archipelago, departing from Tromsø on July 20, 2022.
Patrizia Zito, wife of Swan Hellenic's CEO Andrea Zito, christened the new ship in the presence of senior management from the Helsinki shipyards, the media, and members of the cruise and travel industry from around the world.
The SH Vega is the second in a series of three elegant, high-class ice-class cultural expedition cruise ships, built for premium discovery experiences around the world. The SH Vega features a 5-megawatt diesel-electric propulsion system with selective catalytic reduction and an ice-strengthened PC5 hull with oversized stabilizers for exceptional passenger comfort. At 113 meters in length, this 10,600-ton vessel has been specially designed to explore the most inspiring and inaccessible places on the planet.
The SH Vega, like its sister ship, the SH Minerva, has been designed to meet the latest environmental regulations and is 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. The vessels are equipped with exhaust gas cleaning systems, advanced wastewater treatment systems, and the waste storage facilities necessary for operating in sensitive polar regions.
The SH Vega, which offers ample 5-star accommodation for 152 guests in 76 spacious cabins and suites, the vast majority with large balconies, is operated by a team of 120 people on board to provide the highest levels of personal service.
Shortly after the ceremony, the ship set sail from Helsinki to Tromsø, Norway, for an inaugural season of cruises exploring the magic of the Arctic, from the Svalbard Peninsula and the fiery landscapes of Iceland to the majesty of Greenland, the Northwest Passage, and the wilds of northern Canada. Then, in late autumn, it will sail up the US East Coast for 12 days, from New York, Norfolk, and Charleston to Miami. Beginning in November, it will offer a series of 11- to 21-day cultural expedition cruises to Antarctica until March 2023, when it will sail up the west coast of Africa to the Canary Islands and Western Europe, also immersing guests in the Celtic lands of Great Britain and Ireland en route to its second Arctic season. This will conclude with a voyage from Greenland to Nova Scotia, followed by the Caribbean and then Brazil in October 2023.
The SH Vega set sail from Helsinki in the hands of Captain Tuomo Leskinen and Hotel Director Philipp Reutener, who created the Swan Hellenic onboard experience on the SH Minerva and will ensure that the same distinctive high standards are maintained on its sister ship.
Executive chef Avhier Singh brings his experience in high-end hotels and cruise lines to life the varied menus that include original Italian and Asian fusion dishes created for the company by chefs Andrea Ribaldone and Sang Keun Oh.
Following the naming ceremony, the Helsinki shipyard's project manager, Jonas Packalén, commented: “This is a proud day for all of us. We wish SH Vega and its crew fair winds and following seas.”.
Andrea Zito, CEO of Swan Hellenic, added: “I would like to congratulate all the staff in Helsinki for their superb work in creating this wonderful ship. We are delighted with the quality of their work and look forward to welcoming its first guests to explore the Arctic in exceptional comfort and style.”
The SH Minerva and the SH Vega will be joined early next year by the slightly larger SH Diana, which is already under construction at the Helsinki shipyard.
