Swan Hellenic has released details of its 2024 cruises. Between SH Vega and its slightly larger sister ship, SH Diana, choices extend from eight-day explorations to epic 21-night semi-circumnavigation voyages, accompanied by seasoned guides and renowned experts, scientists and explorers.
SH Vega will explore the Antarctic Peninsula from Ushuaia until early March 2024, when it will steer west on a 21-day "South Atlantic Semi-Circumnavigation" cruise, visiting Gough Island—seabird capital of the South Atlantic—and Tristan de Cunha on its way to Cape Town, South Africa. This voyage will be followed by cultural expedition cruises up the west coast of Africa and on to Lisbon, Portugal, before coasting the Atlantic seaboard to Honfleur, France. Celtic discovery voyages of Cornwall, Ireland, Wales and Scotland will then take SH Vega on into Iceland, Norway and the Arctic for its summer season. Finally, in September, it will cross from Greenland to Halifax, Canada and southward to spend October and November in the Caribbean and Brazil through to the end of November 2024.
The larger SH Diana, which is outfitted with tender boats as well as expedition zodiacs, will be based in Antarctica until late February 2024, when it will turn north into the Chilean Fjords and up the entire west coast of South and Central America to La Paz, Mexico. Returning south to take the Panama Canal to discover Cuba, it will proceed up the East Coast of the United States to Halifax, Canada. From here, it will cross to Greenland in late May for its Arctic season. Then, on July 20, it will leave Tromsø, Norway, sailing south for the fjords, to Scotland and Holland. Making its way down the Atlantic seaboard, it will enter the Mediterranean for in-depth summer exploration. In early October, it will transit the Suez Canal and Red Sea to explore the Seychelles, Madagascar and South Africa through until late November. Finally, it will leave Cape Town for the semi-circumnavigation voyage to the Antarctic Peninsula and Ushuaia, arriving in early December for the start of its next Antarctic season.
Some of the bucket-list attractions include "In Shackleton’s Footsteps" on SH Diana, which relives historic events in Antarctica; "Pristine Islands of West Africa" on SH Vega that explores the Bijagós Archipelago, all 88 islands of which are a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. "Unspoilt Wilds of Southwest Africa" on SH Vega is also worth singling out since it includes expeditions to encounter the wildlife of the Loango National Park in Gabon and Conkouati-Douli National Park in the Republic of the Congo, neither of which are accessed by any other cruise company.
Almost all Swan Hellenic’s cultural expedition cruises follow unrepeated itineraries. To lean more, visit www.swanhellenic.com.
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