SH Minerva reveals her cabin designs as structure completed ahead of schedule

First cultural expedition cruise ship in new-build fleet maintains ambitious momentum

Nicosia, Cyprus,Today, Wednesday the 17 of March, Swan Hellenic announced that the hull sections and deck modules of its first vessel, the purpose-designed cultural expedition cruise ship SH Minerva, had all been completed in advance of its ambitious schedule. Marking the occasion, the company released a time-lapse video of the work at Helsinki Shipyard that shows the ship assuming its graceful final form.

Now that the structure is complete, the cabins are already taking shape, as also revealed online today, showing the Scandi-chic comfort, rich natural materials and spacious open perspectives out to sea of the elegant designs by Tillberg of Sweden.

Balcony Lounge

The complete vision can be explored in an impressive virtual tour video released late last year.

The creatively conceived new ship represents the next generation of polar expedition vessels, designed for worldwide cruising with a strong focus on high-latitude areas. SH Minerva is being fitted with a 5-megawatt diesel-electric propulsion system with selective catalytic reduction, ready to receive 3-megawatt max. battery package and PC5 ice-strengthened hull and with Safe Return to Port notation. At 113 m, the 10,500-ton vessel has been specially designed to explore the most inspiring and inaccessible places on the planet.

Balcony Bathroom

Providing spacious 5-star accommodation for 152 guests in 76 spacious cabins and suites, the vast majority with large balconies, SH Minerva will be operated by an onboard team of 120 to provide the highest levels of personal service.

Esko Karvonen, CEO of Helsinki Shipyard Inc. remarked: “We are very proud of the smooth progress made on SH Minerva, helped by its outstanding design. It is an inspiring journey to work on the remarkable first three vessels for the iconic Swan Hellenic and we are sure the guests who explore the world aboard them will also feel that.”

“We’re delighted by our partners outstanding work as we take Swan Hellenic into this exciting next chapter and look forward to meeting you on board when we head to Antarctica in November 2021” said Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito. “Join us to see 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’.

Two new 5-star polar PC 5 ice-class expedition cruise ships arriving in November 2021 and April 2022 will each accommodate 152 guests in 76 spacious staterooms and suites, the majority with large balconies. A larger PC 6 ice-class vessel accommodating 192 guests in 96 staterooms and suites in the same distinctive comfort and style as its sister ships will be arriving year-end 2022. All three new ships 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.

Its ships feature elegant Scandi-design interiors, extensive outdoor spaces and dedicated expedition facilities. The crew includes an expedition team comprising expert guides, speakers and lecturers, and numbering 120 and 140 respectively almost equals the number of guests, reflecting the high levels of attentive personal service provided.

Headquartered in Cyprus with offices in London, Dusseldorf and Monaco, together with a branch office in Hong Kong (serving mainland China, Taiwan and South-East Asia), as well as partnerships serving India, Japan and Australia-New Zealand, Scandinavia and Iceland, Swan Hellenic supports the travel trade with specialist local partners to provide customers with expert personal service worldwide.

Credit: Stockmann Helsinki Center, in providing props for use in the photoshoot.

For more information about Swan Hellenic, please visit www.swanhellenic.com

or call +44 (0) 207 846 0271