SH Minerva

We offer an Oceanview cabin that’s been specifically designed to be completely ADA compliant and therefore includes a fully operable wheelchair access wet unit.

The ship itself has two lifts serving every passenger deck except the Stargazing top deck, which is therefore more difficult to access, as are the Aft Marina and Swan’s Nest forward observation platform. Moreover, we do not have any special equipment facilitating access to the swimming pool, jacuzzi and sauna. Otherwise our ship is entirely at your disposal.

Many of the expeditions ashore in remote places are by zodiac. Boarding them and returning aboard can present challenges for wheelchair users. In addition, polar expedition terrain can of course itself be problematic. But these challenges are by no means always insurmountable. Our highly-experienced crews are trained to provide reliable advice and assistance. They will always make every effort to ensure our wheelchair-using guests enjoy a memorable experience of each destination.

Our general guidance, however, is to recommend that wheelchair users travel with a companion for their ease and enjoyment.

At the same time, guests who prefer to remain aboard, where we naturally continue to provide a complete service, can fully appreciate the beauty of the magnificent remote areas visited in a way that’s worlds apart from any towering giant cruise liner. Our panoramic interiors and ample open decks enable you to enjoy a truly immersive and intimate experience of the inspiring surroundings.

Expedition cruises are primarily concerned with what happens outside the ship, so dress codes are very relaxed. There are no formalities at mealtimes.

At breakfast and lunch, you will wear the clothes you are going outside in (minus the outer gear). Once you have changed out of your expedition gear in the evening you will want to put on something casual and comfortable. And it is always worth having an extra layer at hand if you are the type that likes to rush out on deck when something is spotted.

During the daytime around the ship, you will want casual trousers, jeans or smart sportswear, long-sleeve tops and thin jumpers plus a bodywarmer and/or other layers. It will be warm and comfortable inside.

Evening is casual too – perhaps pack a couple of casual shirts and or skirts/dresses. Keep footwear to a minimum. On board a pair of lightweight trainers or similar (useful for when trying on gear for size) will suffice, while slippers should be worn in your cabin only.

For shore excursions, you will be provided with Swan Hellenic Expeditions parkas and rubber muck boots.

On board

On-board currency is the USD. Onboard spend will be added to your final bill. It is worth taking a debit/credit card in case of any problems paying your bill. Remember to tell your bank before travelling to avoid having your card refused.

Antarctica

There is no official currency as Antarctica does not belong to one country. It is governed by the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) signed by various nations.

The Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are British Overseas Territories and as such use GBP.

Arctic/Russian Far East

Destinations on our Arctic and Russian Far East cruises include Norway, Russia, Greenland (Denmark), Canada and Alaska.

Check your itinerary for which destinations are covered. In most cases, you will only need currency at the beginning and end of your cruise, and for souvenirs, as most other expenses will be covered on your cruise.

Dietary requirements - most dietary requirements, including vegetarian, vegan and diabetic will be catered for and there will also be gluten-free options. Please make clear any special requests at the time of booking as we cannot guarantee options will be available once the cruise departs.

WiFi is available but we ask all guests to bear in mind that we are cruising in an extremely remote area so coverage is patchy and speeds may not be what you are used to.

Basic WiFi is free where available, with a range of data packages available for purchase onboard.

All ships have a medical room and a ship's doctor on board.

Both ships will be compliant with the strictest Public Health and hygiene standards of the industry for all the activities on board including all the food handling and processing.

We go to great lengths to ensure cleanliness and sanitation onboard. The air distributed on board is disinfected by latest generation of advanced oxidation UV cells for the maximum protection against viruses and bacteria.

There are plenty of hand sanitiser stations around the ship and you will be encouraged to sanitise your hands before and after going ashore and always before mealtimes. In order to protect the environment, we also adhere to strict biosecurity rules. You will be asked to walk through a cleaning solution on leaving and re-boarding the ship.

Our ships have been designed and built in accordance with the latest sustainable practices.

Onboard we are reducing the use of paper and single-use plastic onboard the ship.

Our ships use dynamic positioning technology which allows our ships to remain in locations without dropping anchor, which in turn reduces our environmental impact.

Whilst in port, we use batter power which reduces the burning of fuel. As our ships are new, they are fitted with SCRs (Selective catalytic reduction units)

Water filtration onboard allowing guests to choose between still and sparkling water. Guests can use their complimentary refillable bottles to reduce the amount of plastic bottled water in use.

Finally, our staff follow strict guidelines to limit our footprint in the destinations we visit. We are constantly reviewing our sustainability policy and always looking at ways we can leave a positive impact wherever we take our guests.

Observing from a distance is the best mantra. Official guidelines require passengers to keep a minimum of five metres away from the wildlife, though penguins (in Antarctica), in particular, are curious creatures and unafraid of humans, so this may not always go to plan!

Whilst among wildlife walk slowly and keep noise to a minimum. If wildlife changes its behaviour, stop moving, or slowly put more distance between you. Animals are particularly sensitive to disturbance when they are breeding (including nesting) or moulting.

Your guides will keep a watchful eye at all times but do keep your distance.

The ships are very well designed with side and aft marina embarkation allowing everyone to safely and easily embark on zodiacs.

Good mobility is essential, particularly for getting on and off the Zodiacs ashore. We have made the ride to shore as stable as possible by using superior quality non rigid keel zodiacs which will make possible for you to land-beach in the most interesting location.

For less mobile guests we will provide to sightsee in the destination and cruising around ice, icebergs, reefs etc with our specially designed hard keel zodiacs .

There will always be guided walks of various difficulties level so that you can chose the plan that suits you best. Those wishing to partake in more active excursions, such as kayaking, will need prior experience.

Smoking is permitted in designated areas on Deck 8 aft portside and on Deck 4 mid ship portside.

There is no smoking in any indoor area nor on balconies.

At Swan Hellenic, we want to ensure your experience with us is an effortless experience, leaving you to make the most from your expedition cruise, which is why we have included the following within your cruise fare:

• Return regional flights to the port of embarkation and/or disembarkation (where specified)
• Group return transfers from the airport to the cruise port (via our included accommodation where applicable)
• One night pre-cruise accommodation with breakfast in a 4/5-star hotel or onboard
• All meals onboard
• 24-hour room service
• Coffee, tea, soft drinks and selected alcoholic beverages available 24-hours per day
• Lecture programmes by our experienced expedition team and guest speakers
• Standard WiFi
• Onboard gratuities and port taxes
• One selected shore excursion/expedition activity per port of call
• Branded Swan Hellenic expedition parka and use of rubber boots in Polar Regions

The Arctic

The average Arctic summer hovers around 0°-10 C in June through September. In general, Arctic summers are short and cool.

Antarctic

The Antarctic Peninsula is the warmest part of the continent (summer 2019 saw one of the warmest on record, with one research station recording 17.5°C), in general temperatures between 0-+15 C are to be expected. Prepare for at least -5°C and for temperatures to feel much colder than that if there’s a wind chill. January is the warmest month to visit.