Swan Hellenic unveiled the details of its first series of cultural expeditions in the Asia-Pacific region, the company announced in a press release.

The debut is enabled by the return of the SH Minerva, which was recently reacquired after spending three years laid up in Uruguay.

Following a season in Antarctica, the 2021-built vessel will embark on a series of itineraries in Asia and the Pacific between April and May 2026.

According to Swan Hellenic, further sailings are scheduled for September 2026, giving guests a choice of seven curated cruises in the region.

“We’re exceptionally proud that SH Minerva is now offering our guests access to Asia-Pacific, a region of extraordinary cultural richness and natural beauty,” said Swan Hellenic’s CEO Andrea Zito.

“This marks a new chapter for our company and this ship, the emblem of Swan Hellenic’s renaissance, as she continues to sail under our full ownership. With this first Asia-Pacific season, we now offer a truly global choice of voyages, touching every continent and offering our guests a uniquely meaningful way to explore the world, seeing what others don’t,” he added.

The season starts on April 5, 2026, with a voyage that departs from Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands.

The SH Minerva is then set to offer five cultural expedition cruises to destinations in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan.

In a Swan Hellenic tradition, these cruises do not visit the same port twice, meaning they can be combined to form longer voyages, the company explained.

The cruises can be combined all the way up to a 55-day grand cruise ending in Otaru, Japan, on May 30, 2026.

“The remoteness of these exceptional lands means that the first three cruises in the series are only provided in Swan Hellenic’s exclusive Cruise Plus formula, which includes specially booked hotel accommodation, charter flights and transfers to reach the departure ports,” the company added.

The final two cruises, departing from Manila and Hiroshima respectively, are provided as cruise-only packages, since both departure ports are served by regular scheduled flights.

The two additional Asia-Pacific cruises in September 2026 are both focused on Japan, Swan Hellenic said, sailing from Otaru and Hiroshima.