Swan Hellenic will have rigorous Covid testing for its crews when it relaunches
Vaccinations will be carried out at recruitment centres or in the home countries of crew members “in accordance with approved medical protocols”.
Swan Hellenic chief executive Andrea Zito said: “We are totally committed to the health and peace of mind of our guests and crews, ensuring they can relax and focus entirely on the life-enriching opportunities we offer to see what others don’t.”
The relaunched line’s three new ships, the first of which is due to be delivered in November, will feature onboard air conditioning plants that use UV sanitisation.
During the pandemic, the brand offers cancellation up to 30 days before departure, providing a future cruise credit valid for two years.
The CEO of Swan Hellenic, Andrea Zito, said that the company is in a good position ahead of its launch in 2021.
“We are receiving only positive comments from the former customers of Swan Hellenic. The sector is reacting very well to the fact that Swan Hellenic is being resurrected in a way,” Zito told Cruise Industry News.
The first of two new expedition ships, the m/v SH Minerva, debuts into service for the brand in 2021.
The revived Swan Hellenic launched earlier this year. However, the brand is actually 70 years old and was acquired in December 2020.
“One and a half [years ago], the group started the negotiation and placed the order for two ships with Helsinki shipyard for delivery at the end of 2021 and mid-2022. And then the pandemic came. This was not really planned,” Zito said.
The coronavirus pandemic caused Swan Hellenic to postpone any announcements from spring to July. However, otherwise, Zito’s company had adjusted to the challenging conditions.
“It’s a little bit slower, but we are doing things very efficiently. It is amazing to realize how many things you can accomplish without travelling continuously,” he said, describing the challenges of having offices in different European countries.
Zito said that Swan Hellenic offers what seasoned travellers look for.
The company will sail to destinations in New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Russia, and, Zito said proudly, the semi-circumnavigation of Antarctica.
“Our ships are some of the very few ships that have Polar Class 5 … So we can stay longer, we can go deeper in the environment and, most importantly, we can go safer because the characteristics of the ships are of higher safety standards to ensure that passengers are well protected,” he said.
According to Zito, Swan Hellenic’s ultimate goal is to cover the whole world.
“It’s not just a box-ticking exercise, it caters to people who are thirsty for knowledge: they are curious and they want to discover various parts of the world. And the world is still very big.”
Helsinki Shipyard is quickly progressing through the building stages for the first of two new expedition newbuilds for Swan Hellenic.
On Saturday the shipyard loaded the first blocks of the vessel in Klaipeda.
On Monday, the blocks arrived in Helsinki.
Swan Hellenic is building two state-of-the-art expedition ships are being built in Helsinki aimed at providing 152 guests with an elegant, intimate and personal onboard experience delivered by 120 warm, friendly and knowledgeable staff, according to a statement.
The first ship will set sail for Antarctica in November 2021, the second will be launched in April 2022.
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