Last updated: 9:30 AM ET, Mon August 11, 2025
Following the return of the SH Minerva, the luxury expedition line Swan Hellenic will be setting sail with its first cultural expedition cruises in the Asia-Pacific region, with new itineraries for 2026 available to book now.
The new sailing season will begin in April 2026 and offer a selection of sailings during April and May and then also in September.
"We’re exceptionally proud that SH Minerva is now offering our guests access to the Asia Pacific – a region of extraordinary cultural richness and natural beauty," says Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito.
“This marks a new chapter for our company and this ship, the emblem of Swan Hellenic's renaissance, as she continues to sail under our full ownership,” continued Zito. "With this first Asia Pacific season, we now offer a truly global choice of voyages, touching every continent and offering our guests a uniquely meaningful way to explore the world, seeing what others don’t."
The SH Minerva will end its Antarctica season on April 5, 2026, leaving Honiara, Solomon Islands for the season. The cruises never visit the same port twice, ensuring travelers who book back-to-back cruises will see more than is typical. Those who want to enjoy all the region has to offer with the line can book the 55-day grand cruise ending in Otaru, Japan on May 30.
The first itinerary is the April 5 departure from Honiara, Solomon Islands. This itinerary, the 13-night Wild Eden of Papua New Guinea: Solomon Islands & Papua New Guinea, takes travelers island hopping, learning about Melanesian and Polynesian cultures. The Cruise Plus package includes a night in Brisbane, all transfers, a chartered flight from Brisbane to Honiara and another charter flight to Bali after the cruise.
Another new itinerary is the May 20th departure: the 10-night Cultural Shores and Northern Landscapes: Hiroshima to Otaru cruise. The final one in the SH Minerva’s May Asia-Pacific season, this cruise visits some of Japan’s beautiful sights, including visiting ancient temples and castles, before ending in Otaru on Hokkaido Island, Japan’s far north.
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