Swan Hellenic is a British cultural-cruising brand with unusually deep roots. Its story began in the 1950s, when Swan's Tours organised a voyage to the sites of ancient Greece for members of the Hellenic Society, accompanied by eminent scholars: the model of a comfortable ship, expert lecturers and historically rich destinations became known as cultural expedition cruising, and the company pioneered it. The brand passed through several owners and a period of dormancy before being relaunched in July 2020, with the stated aim of advancing that original spirit for a new generation of expedition travellers. The relaunch brought an entirely new, purpose-built fleet, constructed in Finland. SH Minerva, launched in 2021, and SH Vega, launched in 2022, are ice-strengthened expedition ships of 10,617 GT, each carrying about 150 guests in Scandinavian-styled interiors. SH Diana, launched in 2023, is a slightly larger development of the design at 12,100 GT, accommodating about 190 guests. All three ships in this directory pair polar capability with the lecture programmes and cultural emphasis that defined the historic brand.
The fleet — 3 ships in this directory
Sources: https://www.swanhellenic.com/latest-news/Swan-Hellenic-appoints-cruise-industry-pacesetter-VP-of-Global-Marketing, https://www.swanhellenic.com/latest-news/Swan-Hellenic-rises-to-strong-demand-following-success-of-SH-Minervas-maiden-cruise