Swan Hellenic announces changes to 2022-2023 cruises in response to Ukraine crisis
SH Minerva sets new course with additional UK Celtic discovery sailings, while second ship SH Vega now due to launch in September and join her for next Antarctica season
Nicosia, Cyprus: Today, Monday the 21st of March 2022, Swan Hellenic announced a series of changes to its 2022-23 cultural expedition cruises, responding both to the tragic situation in Ukraine and ongoing COVID-related restrictions across the Far East. As a result, SH Minerva will now be sailing a new course into the Northern Hemisphere for a refocused Arctic season, preceded by new UK Celtic discovery cruises exploring unforgettable landscapes and unique cultures.
The cultural expedition cruise pioneer’s second purpose-built polar class expedition ship, the five-star SH Vega, is now scheduled to leave Helsinki Shipyard in September. She will then set a course directly for Argentina to join her twin ship for the 2022-23 Antarctic season, which remains unchanged, retaining the itineraries that were so highly acclaimed in SH Minerva’s maiden cruises.
All the new and revised cruise itineraries are now presented in full detail on the Swan Hellenic website: www.swanhellenic.com.
“Like the cruise industry as a whole, we’ve moved fast in response to the tragic situation in Ukraine,” said Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito. “While apologising to our guests for the disappointment this has caused and grateful for their understanding, we’re very proud of the exciting new itineraries and opportunities we’ve created for them to continue seeing what others don't.”
About Swan Hellenic
Swan Hellenic was relaunched in July 2020 to proudly continue the spirit of cultural expedition cruising the company pioneered in the 1950s. Building on its British roots, the new company has a global cultural cruising outlook dedicated to providing guests with the opportunity to ‘see what others don’t’.
Swan Hellenic's purpose-built ships feature elegant Scandi-design interiors, extensive outdoor spaces and dedicated expedition facilities. SH Minerva and SH Vega, two new 5-star Polar Code PC 5 expedition cruise ships with ice-strengthened hulls, respectively launched in December 2021 and arriving in May 2022, each accommodate 152 guests in 76 spacious suites and staterooms, the majority with large balconies. A slightly larger PC 6 ice-class vessel accommodating 192 guests in the same distinctive comfort and style in 96 staterooms and suites will be arriving in early 2023.
All three ships feature 3 dining venues – the Swan Restaurant, Club Lounge and Pool bar & Grill – and are being built in full compliance with SOLAS Safe Return to Port requirements. Dedicated to guests with a passion for adventure and cultural exploration, the company’s meticulously planned itineraries explore the wild landscapes, wildlife, peoples and unique cultures of the world’s less travelled regions.
The crews each include a team of 12 seasoned expedition guides, expert speakers and lecturers, for a total complement of 120 and 140 persons respectively, offering outstanding staff-to-guest ratios to deliver the highest standards of attentive personal service.
Headquartered in Cyprus with offices in London, Dusseldorf, Monaco, Fort Lauderdale (serving the North America market), Hong Kong (serving Greater China and South-East Asia), Sydney (serving Australia-New Zealand) and Copenhagen (serving Scandinavia and Iceland), as well as partnerships serving India and Japan, Swan Hellenic supports the travel trade with specialist local partners to provide customers with expert personal service worldwide.
For more information about Swan Hellenic, please visit www.swanhellenic.com
or call +44 (0) 207 846 0271
For Swan Hellenic, please contact:
Mario Bounas, VP, Marketing: Mario.bounas@swanhellenic.com
My review of Viking Ocean Cruises’ Viking Orion
