After taking delivery of its third purpose-built expedition ship, Swan Hellenic is set to expand its operations even further in 2023.
In addition to the Polar Regions, the operator will also offer unique cruises, including remote destinations such as the Raja Ampat and the West Coast of Africa and also more traditional deployments, including the Mediterranean and Brazil.
Cruise Industry News looked into the company’s deployment to find five of the most unique voyages:
Ship: SH Diana
Date: August 17, 2023
Length: 10 nights
Homeports: Lisbon (Portugal) to Palermo (Italy)
Itinerary: North African Coast with visits to Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco
As part of its inaugural season, the SH Diana is offering a unique voyage in the Mediterranean. Sailing from Lisbon to Palermo, the cruise focuses on the North African Coast, visiting unusual destinations in Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco, in addition to Portugal, Spain and Italy.
According to Swan Hellenic, the voyage sails to “specially curated” ports, such as Tangier, Oran, Algiers, Bejaia, Annaba and La Goulette.
Ship: SH Minerva
Date: April 19, 2023
Length: 11 nights
Homeports: Jayapura (Indonesia) to Bitung (Indonesia)
Itinerary: In-depth exploration of West Papua and Raja Ampat, with visits to ten remote islands and destinations
In April 2023, the SH Minerva offers an exclusive tropical expedition in Asia. Sailing from Jayapura to Bitung, the 2021-built vessel visits several islands on Indonesia’s West Papua and Raja Ampat regions.
Ideal for nature lovers, the 11-night itinerary explores what Swan Hellenic calls “the richest biodiverse marine habitat on the planet,” cruising to ten different destinations of the area – which is part of a region known as the Coral Triangle.
Ship: SH Vega
Date: April 3, 2023
Length: 13 nights
Homeports: Luanda (Angola) to Accra (Ghana)
Itinerary: West and Central Coast of Africa, from Angola to Ghana
Also offering a unique itinerary on the African Coast, the SH Vega is set to explore several destinations in Angola, Togo, Benin, São Tomé and Príncipe, Gabon, Congo and Ghana.
According to Swan Hellenic, the voyage was designed to demonstrate the “diversity” of the vast African continent while cruising to some of the least-visited parts of the region. The itinerary offers opportunities to experience “pristine, biodiverse shorelines,” and also “meet the people and dive deeper into cultures,” the company added.
Ship: SH Diana
Date: November 11, 2023
Length: 20 nights
Homeports: Cape Town (South Africa) to Ushuaia (Argentina)
Itinerary: South Atlantic crossing with Antarctica, South Orkney Islands, South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha
While arriving in Antarctica for its inaugural season in the region, the SH Diana offers a unique transatlantic crossing that links South Africa to Argentina, visiting remote islands in the South Atlantic and also the White Continent.
The 20-night expedition is set to depart from Cape Town on November 11 and, according to Swan Hellenic, will take passengers to places that “few have been before.” Among them are Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island, South Georgia, the South Orkney Islands, the South Shetland Islands, the Lemaire Channel, and the Antarctic Peninsula.
Ship: SH Vega
Date: October 23, 2023
Length: 15 nights
Homeport: Fortaleza (Brazil) to Buenos Aires (Argentina)
Itinerary: Brazil exploration with visits to two preservation sites: the Abrolhos Archipelago and Ilha Anchieta
In October 2023, the SH Vega will offer an in-depth exploration of the Brazilian coast that combines major touristic destinations with lesser-known cities and nature reserves.
Departing from Fortaleza, the 15-night itinerary visits Recife, Salvador, Ilhéus, Rio de Janeiro and Porto Belo. Before arriving in Argentina’s capital city, Buenos Aires, the 152-guest ship is also set to visit unusual cruise destinations such as Porto Seguro, Natal and Paraty, and the national parks of Ilha Anchieta and Abrolhos – which, according to Swan Hellenic, is considered to be the most biodiverse area in the South Atlantic.
