A lecturer at dinner, a Zodiac in the morning, 152 guests in between.
Swan Hellenic is the cultural expedition line, revived in 2021 with three new ice-class ships: SH Minerva and SH Vega carry 152 guests, SH Diana 192, all with Zodiacs, a Scandinavian-design interior and a program of guest lecturers, from archaeologists to polar historians, who travel with you and eat with you. It suits curious travelers who want the poles and the quiet corners of the Mediterranean, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Japan and the Pacific with an open bar, gratuities included and no formal nights. SmartCruiser shows every Swan Hellenic sailing with taxes and fees included, puts SmartCruiser picks first, and adds SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit per stateroom on sailings where the line allows it.
Three ways to sail with Swan Hellenic
Pick one and the list below filters to it; the same ships do the ice, the ruins and the reefs, so the month decides the trip.
Antarctica and the Arctic
- Antarctica from Ushuaia, November to March, with Falklands and South Georgia on the long voyages
- Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland and the Northwest Passage in the Arctic summer
- Zodiac landings, a parka to keep, and lecturers who explain the ice as well as the penguins
Best for: bucket lists with a cultural bent, first expeditions
The Mediterranean and the Black Sea
- Ancient Greece, Sicily, the Adriatic, Turkey and the Black Sea coast with historians and archaeologists aboard
- Harbors big ships cannot enter, overnights in port and the included guided excursions
- 7 to 14 nights, spring and fall
Best for: history lovers, couples, a first small-ship cruise
Africa, the Indian Ocean, Japan and the Pacific
- West Africa, Madagascar, the Seychelles and the Swahili coast in the northern winter
- Japan in cherry blossom season, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea with Zodiacs and snorkeling
- 15 to 20 night sectors that link into longer grand voyages
Best for: well traveled guests, repeat expedition cruisers
Swan Hellenic deals: SmartCruiser picks first
Every Swan Hellenic departure on all three ships, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. The picks at the top are sailings where booking with SmartCruiser gets you something extra: instant savings, SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit or a Special SmartCruiser rate. Below them, every other sailing with full sorting by date, length and price.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery Swan Hellenic sailing
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. SmartCruiser instant savings and bonus onboard credit are provided by SmartCruiser on top of the cruise line’s price and are not available when booking direct; amounts are per stateroom, vary by stateroom category and are shown for the lowest category offered. Special SmartCruiser rates are pricing SmartCruiser holds on that sailing for its clients, with extra onboard credit; you book your own stateroom and travel on your own. Senior fares apply to guests 55 and over; resident fares need proof of residency in a listed state or province at check-in; police and fire fares apply to active or retired police, fire and EMT personnel with ID. Qualifier-fare savings are measured against the best fare the cruise line offers the general public for the same stateroom category on the day the list was pulled, updated weekly.
Where Swan Hellenic sails
Pick a region and the list above filters to it.
Lines you may also like
Swan Hellenic sits between the luxury expedition yachts and the polar specialists; these are its nearest neighbors.
When to go
Three ships, two polar seasons and a cultural calendar in between: here is where they are and when the value is.
Swan Hellenic questions we answer every day
What is included on Swan Hellenic?
An open bar with wine, beer, spirits and cocktails, gratuities, Wi-Fi, 24-hour room service, the lecture program, every Zodiac landing and cruise on expedition voyages, a parka to keep and boots to borrow on polar departures, and a guided excursion in most ports on the cultural itineraries. Kayaking and premium labels are extra, and flights are extra unless the fare says otherwise.
How fit do I need to be, and what about the Drake Passage?
For expeditions, fit enough to climb in and out of a Zodiac with crew help and walk on snow, sand or rock; cultural voyages have gentle and longer excursion options and no requirement at all. The Drake takes two days each way from Ushuaia and can be rough; the ships are ice-class with stabilizers and the doctor has patches. Swan Hellenic does not fly the Drake, so if it worries you we can show you lines that do.
How big are the ships and the cabins?
SH Minerva and SH Vega carry 152 guests, SH Diana 192, which keeps every Antarctica landing inside the 100-ashore limit. Cabins run from 215 square feet, most with balconies, in a pale Scandinavian style with heated floors; the Swan’s Nest lounge at the bow, a heated outdoor pool, a sauna and a gym round it out. No casino, no formal nights.
Is a fly-cruise or flight package available?
Swan Hellenic packages the charter between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia on most Antarctica departures and sells flight-inclusive fares from the US on many itineraries; the longer sectors in Africa and the Pacific usually include a hotel night at each end. We price the package against booking your own air so you can choose.
Do I need a passport or visa?
A passport valid six months beyond your trip. US citizens need no visa for Argentina, Chile, Europe, Norway, Iceland, Greenland or Japan; several African and Pacific countries issue visas on arrival or online, and we list every one for your itinerary when you book. Antarctica itself has no border control; the ship holds the permit.
Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?
Yes. Every price on this page includes the cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses. Flights, hotels and optional activities are extra unless the fare you choose says otherwise.
Talk to a Swan Hellenic specialist
Tell us whether you want ice, ruins or reefs, and we match the ship, the sector and the cabin, with the lecturer lineup checked before you decide. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.