Swan Hellenic Avaliações 144

Swan Hellenic paid attention to every detail for our Antarctic expedition to be amazing and memorable. Members of the team were friendly, knowledgeable, accessible, and helpful. The stateroom was very comfortable.

From start to end, the experience substantially exceeded my expectations.

Fantastic bucket list cruise to Antarctica. We were well cared for from the greeting in Buenos Aires to the end of the trip. Our cabin was comfortable, roomy, and had a great view through 2 big almost floor to ceiling port windows. The staff were awesome and caring and the outings were exciting.

My husband and I recently completed the "Antarctic Wonders" cruise on the beautiful SH Minerva. I can honestly say that everything about this adventure was extraordinary. It was our first "Expedition Cruise" and the whole experience was amazing from start to finish. I would absolutely recommend it to others without hesitation. The staff (including the Captain, Hotel Director, Doctor and Expedition Leader by the way) were exceptional and very approachable. The ship's capacity is 152 passengers but there were only 91 guests traveling on this particular sailing. Naturally, this made for a certain level of upscale, personalized service, but each and every staff member went out of their way 24/7 to ensure a perfect experience for all passengers. The dining and bar staff (Zerik, Allan, Silvester, Roan, Sagar) addressed us all by name after the 1st day. Beyond that, they were kind, funny and extremely accommodating. I must add that the other passengers were very welcoming as well. It seemed that we were all up for the adventure of a lifetime and we shared a "life changing" experience with one another that bonded us in an unexpected way.

The food was all made from scratch and we enjoyed 5 star meals that were incredible. Chef Eddy can "read the room" and he tailored meals to fit the needs and desires of a diverse group of people (literally from all over the world). It was impressive and delicious.

Our stateroom was lovely. It had more storage than any previous ship I have traveled on as well as an electric fireplace that was so charming! The common areas are also elegant but inviting and comfortable. The spa was beautiful and I enjoyed a massage with Jun that was wonderful. The sauna and hot tub offered views outside the ship that were spectacular. We didn't hop into the pool, but spent a fair amount of time on the deck enjoying the tables with heaters above them. You sure couldn't beat the view at lunch time!!

The Expedition team was comprised of experts from many fields (Marine Biology, Ornithology, Geology). They were knowledgeable, helpful and so interesting to talk to. They gave informative lectures and were always available to answer random questions too. We even visited the onboard lab one day! Miriam, our Expedition Leader, was delightful. Her experience and planning allowed us to enjoy maximum time off the ship (via Zodiac cruises or landings) and made the adventure all that we had hoped for and more. The team had a photographer onboard (Werner Kruse) to document our experience and the videos and photos we received (at no additional cost) were of "National Geographic" quality. It was a priceless gift of our memories and experience. The weather (and wildlife) was very cooperative during our journey, which I understand is not always the case. However, I can assure you that this team will go above and beyond to deliver the best guest experience possible on any voyage. They also facilitated a "Polar Plunge" for those of us who were interested (30 seconds of chilly, salty exhilaration for endless years of bragging rights!)

If you are considering a cruise to the Antarctic Peninsula (and if you haven't been, you should be!), I would urge you to travel with Swan Hellenic. Their attention to detail (and, it should be noted, safety) is unmatched in my opinion. Go for it!

I went to the Antarctic with Swan Helenic Minerva ship on my own ,but was made very welcome by all the staff, anybody wanting to do this trip on their own don’t hesitate, I have made the best friends on board the same likeminded people I enjoy chatting to and having fun. The Expedition team were amazing and very knowledgeable also very friendly, I was amazed how all staff remembered our names , Restaurants staff were outstanding and nothing was too much trouble , Bar staff the same , my room was kept spotless thanks to Relyn , too many names for me to remember that did outstanding work to make sure the ship run smoothly , fantastic hairdresser on board and Spa treatments were so relaxing , Thank you to all staff on The Swan Hellenic for making this my best trip ever
From jumping into the sea off the ship, snowshoeing ,Kayaking, even dancing one evening to a very talented member of staff who was an excellent singer thoughly enjoyed and would highly recommend, I’m also definitely coming back to do another trip , maybe south or North America !!

Thanks Raffle let us know the word flexibility! I can’t say SH is the best because this is the first time i took expedition cruise. I could say I had an excellent time on the SH Vega! I did a right choice! Thank you so much for giving us of such a memorable moment! Thank you SH!

Our Antarctica experience was truly amazing from start to finish. Everything was exceptionally well planned and handled with care, which made the whole trip feel smooth, safe, and unforgettable.
The accommodations were excellent. Our cabin was very comfortable and well kept. Food was also a major highlight—every meal felt top level, with consistent quality throughout the voyage.
What impressed me most was how professionally the expeditions were executed. Every landing and outing was carefully organized, with clear attention to safety and the environment. The team consistently assessed weather and risk conditions and made decisions accordingly, which gave us a lot of confidence and allowed us to fully enjoy the experience.
A special shout-out to Ralf and the entire expedition team—they deserve real congratulations for their diligence and dedication to giving guests the best possible experience. Onboard entertainment was also very good, and there was plenty of time to interact with the expedition team and connect with other guests, which added a lot to the atmosphere.

Travel in style, Luxury, Informative, Safety, Knowledgable.

Great ship, crew, expedition team, cabin service and house keeping, food and beverage. They exceeded our expectations. The area that needs improvement is pre trip communiations from their office as they did not provide much if any timely information to passengers before arrival at the pre cruise hotel.

Things I like about the Swan Hellenic Expedition to Antarctica:

- Attentive and friendly crew
- Wonderful cabin with a good bathroom and a great shower
- Housekeeping was impeccable
- Every meal was a total delight
- Eco-friendly products
- Plenty of towels
- The large closets and abundant storage space
- The key entry system worked every time!
- The room décor was pleasant and relaxing
- The workspace was large and accommodating
- The well stocked refrigerator was nice, and the complimentary champagne was especially appreciated
- Having movies available for watching was great
- The library was a haven
- Well executed Zodiac expeditions
- Skillful handling of rough sea conditions

Tips:
- If you will need fast internet access you must upgrade the from the free on-board service

Areas of improvement:
- The onboard lectures need a bit of work and it would be nice to have experts, as opposed to crew members, give the lectures.

This trip was the experience of a lifetime, and if I I could give more than 5 stars I certainly would

SH Vega is an amazing ship, 5 star luxury with fantastic food, drinks and amazing staff.

The expedition team lead by Ralf was superb and really enhanced the experience of landing in Antarctica. We had a couple of wintery days at the start that made the zodiac outings a bit chilly, but beautiful sunshine a few days into the cruise allowed us to have an on-deck barbeque by the pool.

It's hard to put the majesty of the 7th continent into words, you just need to go and see it for yourself!

My Antarctic Wonders expedition with Swan Hellenic aboard SH Minerva was exceptional from start to finish. Every detail was seamless, from airport pickup, pre-night hotel, and charter flights to Ushuaia and back to Buenos Aires.

The crew and expedition team were outstanding, attending to every detail, and my cabin was beautiful and incredibly comfortable, with a private balcony, fireplace, and a fantastic bed. I loved coming into my cabin each night with the lights dimmed, my bed turned down, and my fireplace providing the perfect ambiance.

The food each day was delicious and plentiful. The staff attention was top notch! Always smiling, calling you by name, they were the best!

The itinerary exceeded expectations, with unforgettable landings, kayaking alongside whales, and of course, penguins everywhere! Not to mention the Polar Plunge!

This was expedition cruising at its finest. I can’t praise Swan Hellenic enough for delivering a truly once-in-a-lifetime Antarctica experience, and thank them for helping me achieve a bucket list trip!

We were on the Long Arc cruise to Antarctica and had a fabulous time. The cabins were well thought out, the staff very helpful and the food excellent.

Being a cruise to a region with unpredictable weather, the programme had to be flexible especially after we experienced a serious storm three days out. This curtailed the landings and zodiac cruising a little but in the end did not really affect our enjoyment although were would have liked to see a little more active wildlife etc something not in Swan Hellenic’s gift!

The twin highlights were our visit to South Georgia requiring an early rise to get the best from the trip and the day cruise down the peninsula for our continental landing accompanied by myriad icebergs and floes.

As first time cruisers, we were pleasantly surprised at how it all fitted together and with good company had a ball.

Редко пишу отзыв, но для круиза на si Diana со Swan Hеllenic сделаю исключение потому что нахожусь под впечатлением спустя 10 дней после окончания круиза. Мы путешествовали группой Guru Team 8 чел с 19 октября по 29 октября 2025. С момента как увидела красавец корабль я поняла это любовь с 1го взгляда, но начинка оказалась ещё лучше. Внутренние убранство лайнера соответствует всем премиальным отелям, каюты большие уютные наша 537 была с балконом на котором мы наслаждались пейзажами. Обслуживающий персонал очень вежливый доброжелательный, особенно хочу отметить нашего официанта Anna ,бармена Francis, уборщика номеров Kristofer.
Но особенная душа круиза это наши экспедиторы, которые сделали наш отдых запоминающимся, их труд не оценим с ними хотелось бы продолжить наше приключение. Спасибо огромное им за брифинги и экскурссии на которых узнали много интересного, Дима, Лариса, Александра держали руку на пульсе и угадывали наши желания. P.S. загадала желание отправиться со SH в Антаркдиту.

Expedition Cruising with Swan Hellenic.

This was my husband and I’s first expedition cruise, and it won’t be our last. From start to finish this cruise was exceptional. We were greeted with champagne on arrival, a very swift check in and then down to our cabin. The cabin was beautiful with light wood fixture, masses of cupboard and hanging space. The beds were comfortable with soft bedding. The shower room was a decent size with a very good shower. The room was kept immaculate by our cabin steward.
We enjoyed all the activities, from snorkeling to exploring the Seychelle atolls. The expedition crew were knowledgeable and helpful, ensuring our safety at all times. It was great fun riding around in the zodiacs and getting up close to the birds on the shore.
The food on board was plentiful and delicious, with plenty of choice. The wine served with the meals was also very good.
Due to political unrest in Tanzania our itinerary had to be changed. The team worked very hard to provide us with acceptable alternatives. We enjoyed our visit to Shimoni very much.
We would certainly recommend Swan Hellenic and look forward to cruising with them again in the near future.

A lovely holiday, with many surprises & only one disappointment!
I am an experienced cruiser and very experienced traveller. As a solo traveller, I tend to get a different view from others and look for different things in a trip.
Let me get the disappointment & one other issue out of the way first.
I am not normally a Hotel based, sunbathing, drink all day type but after booking the 10 night Seychelles cruise holiday which was due to depart UK 08/10, booked through Destinology (my first time of doing so), within a couple of weeks of paying my deposit, the trip was reduced to a 7 day cruise with 3 night all-inclusive stay at Mahe Resort and Spa Hotel. I really wanted to have 10 days to explore as much of the islands as possible but on reviewing the Hotel, decided to give myself a different break, it looked lovely.
The alternative had been to cancel the whole trip with a full refund.
The second issue was an injury I sustained on board SH Diana due to the inefficient electronic opening of double doors from the Club Lounge to the outside sun deck/terrace...see more at the end.

The "cruise" is billed as an Expedition rather than a traditional cruise, the emphasis on exploration.
There were something like 110 guests with 120 crew, the ratio was amazing but I understand the trip was quite undersold.
In the event, I found the service amazing, the crew almost without fail, smiled, were busy, helpful, friendly and very efficient.
My cabin was wonderful, on Deck 4, beautifully appointed, large, brilliant. Great selection of films on the TV (the engineer did have to reset my TV several times) & in a quiet location.
Food was on the whole exceptional! As with general cruises, food available inclusively almost all day if you wished. The evening dinner was 5 courses plus coffee at a 5 star level. The surf & turf on the last but one night for the Captain's celebration dinner was SUPERB. The Exec Chef was friendly & approached guests to check it was enjoyed.
I hadn't realised that drinks were included until the 3rd night, after which I had my fav tipple of Champagne twice a day.
I have read other reviews & comments about there being a lack of sunbeds on other trips....I didnt discover the Stargazing deck until my last day, where there are plenty of sunloungers available too but there was a lack of available umbrellas for shade.
The "excursion" team of which there are many, are friendly, very helpful and seemed well informed, experts aplenty amongst them in the Natural world field.
The ship was impeccably clean and polished & there is a well-appointed laundry room with washers, dryers and ironing board etc., needed after a wet zodiac landing or arrival.
The Islands of the Seychelles are all that they appear in the pictures, heavenly sandy beaches, pale blue crystal clear waters and temperatures were touching 30 degrees most days.
Animal/bird life was interesting, my goal had been to see Fairy Terns and Tropic birds, tick. As a naturalist the onland variety IS limited, sometimes only a handful of species on an island.
Stunning scenery & of course the amazing Coco de Mer "reserve" on Praslin.
I noted one review complained about the lack of entertainment on board....this is not a Disco/Clubbing vibe of ship....it is classy, utter relaxation, an opportunity to chat in lovely lounges with other guests. Absolutely no excessive noise, other than perhaps some loud chat and laughter.

Be prepared to get WET. Almost all landings are in Zodiacs & sometimes alongside ship was a bit choppy, great fun though.
All in all a fabulous trip, well worth the money I paid, even as a solo traveller.
NOW for the issue - (if youre still with me ;-) )....
The injury I mention was because the double doors from the Club Lounge out did not operate in tandem. The left hand side door opened first, and appeared on the occasion that I walked through, that the right hand door was not going to open. As I then walked through the left side, & my right foot lifted to hit the deck outside, the right side door had opened and caught the back of my right heel, causing me to stumble but also, the bottom corner of the door was razor sharp and cut my foot. This turned out to be about a 2" cut, with a flap of skin lifted and lots of blood. Thankfully, the lovely chap who was a violinist on the entertainment team saw and helped me. The Doctor was called. She & a nurse took me to the sick bay & tended my wound, thankfully with no cost to myself. The Doctor caused it to be dressed 3 days running. Only now, almost 3 weeks later, has the wound dried up but I am still unable to wear a sports trainer on it as it will open up. I am disappointed that a member of the Exec team/the company didn't contact me in relation to the report the Doctor submitted. It did spoil my full enjoyment of two or three days. The Safety officer who attended showed little interest!

Наше путешествие Our journey began on October 19, 2025, aboard the Diana ship, sailing from the port of Victoria in Seychelles to Kenya.
Let me say right away — everything was absolutely perfect! There was not a single thing to complain about.

We were traveling as the entire Guru Team of eight people from Guru Travel (I’m sure you remember us — especially Francis, the bartender on Deck 7 😄). It was incredibly fun, and that fantastic atmosphere was maintained by the entire crew from the very first to the very last minute of our stay!

We’d like to give special thanks to the expedition team — especially Dmitry, Sasha and Larisa as well as the chief security officer — Vladimir, and Ana - our waiter from the Philippines. Our cabin, number 501, was meticulously cleaned by a wonderful and always very friendly steward (unfortunately, we can’t recall his name). The whole Guru Team is thrilled and already misses all of you.

Every minute spent on this ship now comes back to us in vivid, joyful memories.
We’ll definitely be back!

We boarded the ship via zodiac after 36 hours travelling. We then went to our cabin and were blown away.
The itinerary, the crew, both hospitality and ship were amazing. The on ship meals and services were exceptional.

We booked a balcony cabin on SH Diana (operated by Swan Hellenic) for 14 night Arctic Cruise in Svalbard, Greenland, and Iceland, scheduled for 16 July 2026. We paid 20% deposit in June 2025 and continued to plan and book non refundable accommodations and sightseeing activities in Norway and Iceland, before and after this cruise. Unfortunately we opted for non refundable accommodation bookings because Europe, especially Iceland, is extremely expensive. Anyway in the end of Aug 2025, we suddenly got an email from our travel agent, Adventure Life, saying, Swan Hellenic cancelled this cruise. We were encouraged to take another of Swan Hellenic's similar cruise at a later date. Taking full refund was also an option.

Since we were already heavily committed with non refundable bookings (worth approx A$10k) , we could not take Swan Hellenic's other cruise offer. Even then, it was extremely difficult to find another cruise to fit within the time frame we had. It was a nightmare! Plus we still had to cancel/rebook a couple of things, which set us back approx A$ 2600.

Though we did have travel insurance - they did not accept our claim, because the cruise was cancelled because of "operational reason". That is Not a covered reason!

Hence, Swan Hellenic is highly unreliable, in our experience. What a waste of our hard saved money!!

This was my second expedition with Swan Hellenic and both were exactly what I wanted to accomplish.

Unfortunately we have had terrible experiences with Swan Hellenic. In March 2024 we where booked from Lima to Panama and they cancelled 2 weeks before. They did pay for our cancelled flights and pre cruise hotel booked separately so we thought we would give them another chance. Big mistake, now 3 weeks before our Rio to Buenos Aires Cruise on 6 November they have cancelled again, supposedly due to low occupancy. The ship has to go to Buenos Aires any way, so why not take the passengers.

Their only offer was a 6 night cruise from Salvador to Rio departing in 2 weeks at the same price as our 8 night cruise but they would give us 3 nights hotel accommodation in Rio, some on board credit, or we could have a refund without charge!

They will not pay for cancelled flights or hotels.I would definitely avoid them unless you are happy with short notice cancellations and don't mind potentially loosing thousands of pounds in airfares and hotels.