Swan Hellenic Announces 2026–2028 Antarctic Expedition Cruises after Record Season

As Swan Hellenic unveils its upcoming Antarctic seasons, it does so on the back of growing recognition for the depth and quality of its cultural expedition voyages across the White Continent. This momentum is reflected not only in prestigious industry awards, but also in record sales, with the 2026–2027 season already 65% sold.

Swan Hellenic’s drive to go above and beyond has generated steadily increasing sales, with the 2025–2026 season seeing 53% growth in guest numbers and a 66% increase in net revenue on the previous year. This growing international recognition has continued this year, propelling sales to continually outpace previous seasons, with bookings for the 2026–2027 season now already at 65% of capacity and 20% above last year’s total, consolidating the company’s position as a leader in Antarctic discovery.

Offering 67 departures across both seasons, Swan Hellenic anticipates that it will welcome around 11,200 Antarctic guests on board: 5,500 in 2026-2027 and 5,700 in 2027-2028. This robust growth will continue its established trajectory, driven by strong market demand for authentic expedition experiences and growing appreciation of the company’s distinctive combination of expert-led exploration, innovative experiences and luxurious boutique comfort.

Cultural expedition voyage pioneer Swan Hellenic has unveiled its 2026–2027 and 2027–2028 Antarctic seasons, which enhance and expand on the extensive 2025-2026 program developed for its three ice-class boutique expedition ships: SH Minerva, SH Vega, and SH Diana.

The 2026-2027 Antarctic Season is set to build on these successes, with all three Swan Hellenic ships exploring Antarctica simultaneously for the second consecutive year. In total, there will be a choice of 33 expert-curated voyages of discovery: 29 round-trip expeditions from Ushuaia lasting between nine and 17 days, plus four Grand Voyages. SH Vega will sail from Ushuaia to Montevideo over 14 days, and SH Diana will explore between Cape Town and Ushuaia over 20 days, taking in Saint Helena and the Falkland Islands while sailing south at the beginning of the season and then north at the end. SH Minerva will cross from Ushuaia to Dunedin, New Zealand, traversing Antarctica in an exceptional 32-day semi-circumnavigation voyage.

Swan Hellenic’s 2027-2028 Antarctic Season offers 34 voyages, comprising 29 round-trip itineraries of nine to 18 days and four Grand Voyages. SH Vega will explore from Buenos Aires all the way south to Ushuaia via the Falklands over 17 days at the season’s end, while SH Diana will again begin and end its season with voyages between Cape Town and Ushuaia, pausing at Tristan da Cunha and South Georgia. SH Minerva will sail from Ushuaia to Dunedin on an epic 32-day Antarctic semi-circumnavigation voyage, exploring deep into the Ross Sea, the southernmost sea on earth.

SH Minerva and her sister ship SH Vega are rare among cruise expedition vessels in being Polar Class 5 ice-class ships – the highest class before classification as an icebreaker. As part of the related procedures, the ships’ models were tested in ice tanks, where they proved capable of maintaining a speed of approx. 6 knots in sea ice 0.58 m thick and 1.2 m of brash ice. This ensures safe autonomous operation in the very challenging waters of the Ross Sea.

The announcement of the upcoming seasons was accompanied by the news that Swan Hellenic’s recently ended 2025-2026 Antarctic season was rich in achievements, including the December accolades of winning prestigious Cruise Critic 2025 Best in Cruise Awards for Best Expedition – Antarctica, and Best Value Expedition Cruise Line, the latter for the third consecutive year. Finally, one last piece of news: in early March this year, the passionate dedication of SH Minerva’s crew and expedition team took the company to achieve a new record as the ship penetrated the extremes of the George VI Sound, the furthest south Swan Hellenic has ever navigated in the Antarctic Peninsula.

Thanks to the advanced technical facilities and true expedition sizing of Swan Hellenic’s vessels, which have a capacity of just 152-192 passengers each, the guests on every Antarctic voyage can be aboard the zodiacs within minutes of arriving at their expedition sites, enabling them to experience at least two landings per day. In addition, wherever possible, guests also have the opportunity to go on snowshoe treks lasting about an hour and a half. These allow total immersion in the spectacular landscape, exploring more remote places than a normal landing.

Equally popular with guests is the unique thrill of kayaking among the icebergs to observe humpback and killer whales, seals and other extraordinary marine creatures from the water, while experiencing the breathtaking panoramas of Antarctica from unforgettable new perspectives.

SH Vega & Minerva serve their guests with a team of up to 13 seasoned expedition guides, expert speakers and lecturers, while SH Diana boasts 15, for a total crew of 120 and 140 persons respectively. These are among the highest staff-to-guest ratios in the industry and underpin Swan Hellenic’s leading reputation for high standards of personal service.

The company is equally committed to environmental responsibility, reflected both in having achieved the highest standards of biosecurity in South Georgia this past season, and in being a “full operator status” member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), actively committed to its high environmental standards.

Andrea Zito, CEO of Swan Hellenic, commented: “We are thrilled with the outstanding results achieved this season and the positive trend for the year ahead. Our guests’ enthusiasm for the authentic discovery possible on our PC5 ice-class ships, and our team’s passion for delivering extraordinary journeys continue to drive our success in Antarctica. With three ships exploring the region and a range of new itineraries, we’re more committed than ever to taking our guests to ‘See what others don’t’.”