Where expedition cruising meets tropical luxury

Blending boutique design with expedition pedigree, SH Diana journeys from the Seychelles to Zanzibar via Aldabra, offering one of Swan Hellenic’s most unusual voyages

Swan Hellenic may not be a familiar name to many travellers, yet within expedition cruising it carries a legacy stretching back more than 70 years. Founded in the UK as a cultural voyaging line for history enthusiasts, it pioneered small-ship journeys that combined scholarship with discovery.

After several ownership changes and revival attempts, the brand was successfully relaunched in 2020 under industry veteran Andrea Zito. With three new Polar Class ships offering boutique design and modern comforts, Swan Hellenic has re-emerged with a promise to “see what others don’t” – a promise I experienced first-hand aboard its newest vessel, SH Diana.

Instead of a typical polar expedition, my itinerary is the very unusual 10-night ‘Paradise Isles of the Indian Ocean’, which begins in the Seychelles capital of Victoria and proceeds through various remote islands, including the UNESCO-listed Aldabra – home to more than 150,000 giant tortoises. The last few days are spent exploring the fascinating ancient East African trading ports of Zanzibar, Lamu and Mombasa.

Design with a Scandinavian touch

The sparkling SH Diana expands upon the original ‘Project Vega’ 152-guest design to accommodate 192 lucky passengers. Her restrained colour schemes are natural and soothing, with generous use of wood and fabrics. Tillberg Design of Sweden, who have more than 60 years of experience in this sector, can take much of the credit for the crisp and airy interiors designed to “reflect the ship’s natural surrounds”.

My 25 square-metre Balcony stateroom spoils me. Every cabin, right down to the 20sqm Oceanview ones, has a bottle of Champagne in the bar fridge, pre-stocked with complimentary snacks, soft drinks and beer. While basic WiFi is free, it’s limited to text unless you upgrade at an extra cost. There’s a personal safe and a pair of Nikon Prostaff 3S 10×42 binoculars to borrow. Amenities include a smart HDTV with movies plus tour and ship information, individually controlled air conditioning, an Illy Espresso coffee machine with pods, a kettle and Kusmi tea bags, towels for the cabin, pool, and gym, a bathrobe, bedroom slippers, and toiletries by Lajatica.

Life on board

Dining is either in the lavish Swan Restaurant on Deck 4, outside in the sunny Pool Bar & Grill or in my usual haunt – the more casual Club Lounge on Deck 7, where you can enjoy lighter meals and snacks as well as 24-hour hot beverages and cookies. 

Up on Deck 7, the Observation Lounge serves as the community hub of the vessel – it’s where the bar and projector screen are located and where the daily briefings and lectures take place. I particularly like the placement of retractable screens around the space so you don’t have to sit at the front to see or hear the information. A new feature of this Vega-class vessel is the separate card room adjacent to the Observation Lounge.

You can smarten up for the Captain’s Cocktails in the salon and spa on Deck 8, where you can also find the steam room, sauna and gym. Something you don’t find on every expedition vessel is the passenger laundry instead of the extra-cost valet laundry. And yes, I do.

For those who have already been aboard expedition vessels, the Zodiac operations will be familiar. On Deck 3 is the ‘Base Camp’ where you muster before being led onto your tender through a side door and single step. There is no rickety gangway or seaswept platform to worry about.  

Exploring paradise isles

Apart from the included and optional shore excursions, there is plenty of beach time and water frolics with snorkelling and Stand-Up/Fall-Down paddle boards. We embark on several Zodiac excursions, mainly to look at various seabirds, and also spot numerous dolphins and sea turtles along the way. I’m told there are a few dugongs in Aldabra’s huge lagoon, but the elusive creatures are true to form.

These bonus tropical itineraries take place in between polar seasons when there are a few weeks available to reposition the ships from one end of the world to the other. This is where Swan Hellenic comes to the fore with voyages that genuinely reflect their tagline: “See what others don’t”.

My 25 square-metre Balcony stateroom spoils me. Every cabin, right down to the 20sqm Oceanview ones, has a bottle of Champagne in the bar fridge, pre-stocked with complimentary snacks, soft drinks and beer.

See what others don’t

These ‘in-between’ itineraries are no afterthought, either. Imagine in-depth explorations of the African coasts, both east and west, as well as Central and South America. For committed country-counters, there is even a voyage to Tristan da Cunha. 

With Swan Hellenic not only are you enjoying a most comfortable ‘cruise’ experience with all the trappings of an exclusive boutique luxury vessel, but all the capabilities of a true expedition ship able to access the remote, seldom-visited locations that make any journey with this brand a true exploration. 

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