By
Alex Smith |
Swan Hellenic will be bringing its brand of cultural expedition cruising to the Asia-Pacific region for the first time in 2026. The move marks a new chapter for the company’s vessel SH Minerva, which, after years of legal limbo, is finally free to embark on the itineraries it was originally designed for.
“This is nothing new for us – SH Minerva was always intended to be deployed in the Asia-Pacific,” says Andrea Zito, Swan Hellenic’s CEO. “SH Minerva was our first vessel, but after it was delivered to a leasing company that was later sanctioned, the ship ended up out of service for three years. We only regained control this July after a long legal battle. The idea has always been to resume our original itinerary plans.”
Swan Hellenic currently manages three polar-class expedition vessels that migrate seasonally between hemispheres – operating in Antarctica during the austral summer and then repositioning north. But according to Zito, geopolitical shifts in the Arctic have reduced opportunities for the cruise line.
“Since 2022, about 60-65 per cent of the Arctic has been off-limits because it’s Russian territory,” he says. “The region offers some of the wildest and most interesting locations, but it’s simply not possible to operate there now. So, all the polar operators are stepping on each other’s toes in Norway and the Canadian Arctic, with limited itineraries. That made it even more important for us to bring SH Minerva to Asia-Pacific, as originally planned.”
Swan Hellenic will bring SH Minerva to the Asia-Pacific region during its first year of operation (Photo: Swan Hellenic)
Though sailing in the Asia-Pacific marks a new chapter in Swan Hellenic’s history, Zito and his team have significant experience in the region. “We’ve been operating ships in this region for 25-30 years in our previous careers, mostly with luxury brands,” he says. “My team knows it well.”
After completing its Antarctica season in 2026, SH Minerva will begin sailing in Oceania and the Far East. The first programme includes routes through Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Philippines and Japan.
“One of the most exciting itineraries starts from Guadalcanal in the Solomons and ends in Jayapura, on the Indonesian side of Papua,” said Zito. “It’s a 12-day cruise in very remote areas. The interest is historical – Guadalcanal was the site of one of the most important battles of World War II – but also anthropological. In a single voyage you can encounter Polynesian, Melanesian and Indonesian civilisations.”
Other voyages explore West Papua and the Indonesian islands of Raja Ampat, known for its pristine reefs and abundant marine life. “Raja Ampat is very isolated, allowing us to explore remote islands that are truly spectacular,” says Zito. “It’s real expedition-style travel.”
From there, SH Minerva will sail north into the Philippines and onwards to Japan. The cultural and historical narrative remains central to the journey. “In the Philippines we’ll visit the Bataan peninsula, while in Japan we’ll call at tropical islands like Amami Oshima, Kagoshima and, of course, Okinawa, infamous for one of the largest battles of the war. Then we will sail up the west coast to Otaru. This is the side of Japan people don’t usually see – fishing towns and rural contrasts far from the big cities.”
Guests will be able to encounter Polynesian, Melanesian and Indonesian civilisations during Swan Hellenic’s Asia-Pacific cruises (Photo: Swan Hellenic)
For Swan Hellenic, this is not just a one-off experiment but the start of a long-term presence in the region.
“SH Minerva will also operate in the Asia-Pacific 2027, with an even stronger programme,” says Zito. “We’ll add a semi-circumnavigation of Antarctica – a 35-day voyage from Ushuaia, Argentina, through the Ross Sea to subantarctic islands. Our ships are designed to Polar Class 5 standards, one of the highest grades of ice-strengthening short of an icebreaker, allowing us to go deep into the ice, visit historic sites like Robert Scott’s hut, and then continue north to New Zealand, Vanuatu and the Solomons.”
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