Swan Hellenic will sail the Asia Pacific region for the first time in 2026 following the return of SH Minerva which was out of operation for three-years due to sanctions against its previous leasing company, and its ties to Russia.As announced last week, the 152-guest ship will return to operation in November 2025, tracking directly to Antarctica for the summer season. After which, the ship will sail through the South Pacific to the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan. Currently, the final listed sailing concludes in Otaru, Japan on 30 May.The next listed voyage is a cruise on 1 September from Otaru to Hiroshima. That creates a three-month void in the SH Minerva‘s schedule, which could be assigned for more expeditions around Japan, but a likely wiser move (and much closer to than the Kimberley) would be to position the polar-class ship in Alaska, over the northern Summer.The five-star cultural discovery cruise brand will however bypass the Kimberley, with an executive from the young cruise brand telling LATTE at Virtuoso Travel Week there are no immediate intentions to include Australia’s Northwest coastline as originally planned.Lisette Martinez, Senior Director, North America Sales for Swan Hellenic told travel advisors and LATTE the cruise company did not have the Kimberley on its radar for anytime soon, with the destination already heavily saturated with operators.Subscribe to LATTE Cruise’s free eNewsletter to keep up to date with everything in the luxury cruise space.Meanwhile, the series of seven APAC voyages aboard SH Minerva, will run across two seasons in April-May and September, with the first five cruises combinable into a single 55-day grand journey.“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,” said 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.”
Setting off on 5 April 2026 from Honiara in the Solomon Islands, SH Minerva will explore some of the world’s most remote and culturally vibrant destinations. Guests can journey through Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Japan without visiting the same port twice, a hallmark of Swan Hellenic’s cruising style.
The first cruise, Wild Eden of Papua New Guinea, sails from Honiara to Jayapura, showcasing Melanesian and Polynesian cultures and spiritual heritage. The second, Secrets of the Coral Triangle, continues to Sorong, highlighting Indonesia’s sacred traditions. The third voyage, Last Paradise on Earth, crosses through Raja Ampat to Manila, offering a glimpse into one of the world’s richest marine ecosystems.Then the fourth cruise, Philippines to Japan Cultural Discovery, will venture from Manila to Hiroshima, touching on the heritage of northern Philippines, the “Japanese Maldives” of Zamami Island, and Hiroshima, described as “a unique symbol of peace, resilience and reinvention.” The final May voyage, Japan, ends in Otaru, Hokkaido, famous for its historic canals and seafood markets.Two additional voyages in September will revisit northern Japan, with the first retracing the May journey in reverse from Otaru to Hiroshima, followed by an exploration of Nagasaki, Beppu, and Onomichi’s historic temples.“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,” Zito added.
