PL ANNER PERSPECTI VE 5 4 The evolution of expedition cruising Swan Hellenic is set to take guests to ‘see what others don’t’ by visiting remote locations. Pierre Thomas tells Alice Chambers more Since its revival in 2017, Swan Hellenic has been paving the way for luxurious, boutique-style expedition cruises by offering its guests access to remote locations as well as bucket-list destinations, alongside cultural experiences and educational lectures from world-class researchers. With expedition cruising on the rise, part of the brand’s exclusive offering is its onboard expedition team, who guide guests onto the ocean and introduce them to the landscapes, wildlife, people and cultures that the itineraries visit. “The most important part about our itineraries is that we take guests to see what nobody else sees,” says Pierre Thomas, director of expeditions operations at Swan Hellenic. “I’ve been in the industry for over 25 years now and Swan Hellenic’s itineraries caught my eye in particular because they were offering something completely new onboard their ships. It’s something I hadn’t seen before with expedition cruises.” All three of Swan Hellenic’s ships – SH Minerva, SH Vega and the upcoming SH Diana – will offer itineraries in or based around Antarctica. From there, they operate across different areas of the world with SH Minerva moving towards New Zealand, Australia and East Asia, SH Vega sailing northwards towards West Africa, the Arctic and back down past eastern Brazil, and SH Minerva offering Mediterranean-focused itineraries. “Depending on the season, the Arctic the Antarctic are very special places to visit,” says Thomas. “Of course, the elements that guests experience are unmatched in other regions of the world.” All three of Swan Hellenic’s ships will offer itineraries in or based around Antarctica
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