Swan Hellenic has unveiled its 2026/27 and 2027/28 Antarctic seasons off the back of a record-breaking year.
Bookings for the upcoming season are already at 65 per cent of capacity and running 20 per cent ahead of last year’s total.
The 2025/26 season delivered a 53 per cent increase in guest numbers and a 66 per cent rise in net revenue, cementing the company’s reputation as a leader in cultural expedition cruising to Antarctica.
The season also brought home two Cruise Critic 2025 Best in Cruise Awards, including ‘Best Expedition Antarctica’ and ‘Best Value Expedition Cruise Line’, the latter for the third consecutive year.
Andrea Zito, Swan Hellenic CEO, said the results reflected growing demand for authentic expedition experiences.
“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,” Mr Zito said. “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’.”
For 2026/27, all three Swan Hellenic ships will explore Antarctica simultaneously for the second consecutive year, offering 33 voyages ranging from nine to 17 days, plus four Grand Voyages.
Highlights include SH Minerva’s 32-day semi-circumnavigation from Ushuaia to Dunedin and SH Diana’s 20-day voyage between Cape Town and Ushuaia taking in Saint Helena and the Falkland Islands.
The 2027/28 season expands to 34 voyages, with SH Minerva again sailing the 32-day Antarctic semi-circumnavigation, this time exploring deep into the Ross Sea, the southernmost sea on earth.
Across both seasons, Swan Hellenic expects to welcome around 11,200 Antarctic guests, with 5,500 sailing in 2026/27 and 5,700 in 2027/28.
SH Minerva and SH Vega are among a rare group of expedition cruise vessels rated Polar Class 5, the highest classification before icebreaker status, ensuring safe operation in the challenging waters of the Ross Sea.
For more information visit swanhellenic.com.
