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Login Named after the first ship to cross the Arctic Northeast Passage, SH Vega was designed to journey to faraway places and remote polar regions in style and comfort. This 5-star expedition ship incorporates elegant Scandi-design with the latest in cruising technology, and has a PC5 ice-strengthened hull, and extra-large stabilizers, to make your journey as smooth as possible.
Built in Finland’s famous Helsinki Shipyard, SH Vega was made for wonderful cruising experiences. Welcoming spaces to relax on board, unobstructed views throughout the ship, and world-class restaurants, staterooms and amenities mean sailing on SH Vega is always a pleasure.
We were so impressed by our experience aboard the SH Vega; we are already planning our next trip with our sons and their families, and we can hardly wait. The Vega is luxurious and thoughtfully simple, and with only about 150 passengers it offers everything one needs without overdoing it. Our stateroom not only had a fireplace and balcony; it had more storage than two over-packers could use. The magic touch is a friendly and confident team that elevates the experience on board. This is from reception, dining, housekeeping to the fabulous expedition team, who meet their guests where they are at their physical and mental level and preparedness for the adventure. Our captain and crew also were exceptional, often present to discuss the day’s events and future plans. I cannot say enough about the Vega team, but I will try… While the housekeeping service team sees that all things are running smoothly for our care, the expedition team prepared us for the day’s adventure, and it was easy enough to find our place in the activities, whether they are level 1, 2, or 3. In my case, I was definitely a level 1 and had to learn to become comfortable boarding the Zodiac, let alone wet landings, but there was always a hand—and then another if it was needed. By the end of the journey, I was stepping on and off the Zodiac with confidence in all sorts of situations. Safety, safety, safety is the motto, with checks and rechecks, which added to my confidence. There were people older than me and with more physical limitations out on the Zodiacs and hikes, not just one day but every day. No one wanted to miss the next amazing sight or experience. We never missed the evening recaps and the agenda review for the next day. We often invited an expedition crew member to join our group for dinner, which also added to the experience. The size of the Vega enabled the ship to be nimble and find its way into secluded fjords, where the Zodiacs then took us into land to hike or glaciers to quietly be awed by. Most spectacular of the sightseeing, if I have to choose, was the Ilulissat, Greenland; we walked the UNESCO Ice Fjord Boardwalk, followed by Icefjord Cruise. A couple on board our ship was married in a church there and invited locals to join in the celebrations, as well as celebrating onboard later that evening, where passengers and crew joined in the festivities. Local culture was always present with our onboard Inuit Ambassador, who, by her very presence, embodied a quiet yet powerful connection to her traditions. She brought onboard local musicians and arranged for a live polka dance presentation, to which my husband happily jumped up and joined in. The Taseralik Cultural Center in Sisimiut was also a treat, with a performance of Simon Lynge’s The Future. Did I mention the food? It was exceptional, as was the sommelier and entire dining room and café team. I have been on more than a dozen luxury and adventure cruises and find that the Vega brings together the best of both worlds in the small vessel category with the latest technology being only about 4 years old. Like I said, we're ready to go again!
Outstanding trip - the boat and its crew did everything to make your trip a memorable one. The expedition leaders were excellent - very knowledgeable, approachable and maximised every opportunity to see the environment and its wildlife. The food and service on the ship were very good - in choice and quality. The cocktails were top quality and always made with a smile.if you want a trip that takes you back to raw nature and the elements I would Highly recommend this one. As a cruise liner swan Hellenic were excellent with bookings made clear, helpful staff and knowledgeable staff who are easily and readily available. We stayed over in Copenhagen, which as a city is stunning and we would defiantly go back - ambiance, close proximity of hotel to the heart of the restores was excellent. Well done and thank swan Hellenic for a most memorable holiday Thank you
The room is remarkably spacious; it was actually the very first time on a cruise where we ended up with spare closet space and extra storage, which made settling in effortless! The expedition tours were absolutely amazing. Being able to participate in two well organized outings per day was an incredible experience, offering excitement and spectacular Arctic scenery, as well as many wildlife sightings. What truly sets this cruise apart, though, is the outstanding people onboard. The entire crew was terrific: always smiling, welcoming, and genuinely ready to help with every detail. It was remarkable how quickly they remembered our personal preferences; they constantly went out of their way to anticipate and accommodate our specific needs. On top of that, the Captain was incredible: extremely approachable, attentive, and frequently engaging with guests around the ship. Every single aspect of this journey exceeded our expectations, and I honestly cannot wait to book our next trip and go back!
Everything about Swan Hellenic is top notch. The SH Vega is very new and extremely well designed ship. We’ve never had a cabin on any other cruise line with so much space to organize our clothes and personal items without sacrificing space for living. The approaches simple and focused on the environment around you. The expedition team are just brilliant, but also friendly and accessible. The staff is beyond compare. To see the way guests were hugging and showing love to the staff upon disembark was just amazing. The officers, especially the captain were superior. We were quite fortunate in seeing extraordinary wildlife on our cruise, which is not promised. But for this type of adventure, we will always use Swan. Hellenic. For the particulars that matter on a daily basis, I can say the food is excellent quality. The atmosphere is quite casual making it easy to travel light as recommended. Every area of the ship is clean and well maintained. The expedition boats and equipment are excellent, easy to use and safe. This type of cruising is not the same as boarding a huge ship with one of the big cruise lines. I was concerned that I could get bored with downtime, but I was not bored at all. The small ship with fewer guests creates an intimacy where you don’t need to be attending shows and all other sorts of entertainment. You meet people. You talk to people. You share the experience together it’s different but it’s fantastic.
I went on Swan Hellenic Vega 10-day cruise around Svalbard on June 29 to July 8. It was a spectacular trip, and I highly recommended the trip. The expedite team is great, particularly the team leader Mariam, and Emil, Martin, Jason, Q, Martin, Lucas, and other teams. The captain is wonderful, and the hotel staff are super helpful. The ship is first class. They even gave out HH parka and a really nice dry bag. It was the best value for money polar cruise I have ever been on. They managed to take us to North 80 degree, and we saw polar bears on floating ice, and cruised through the ice and on top of the ice! We saw multiple polar bears, large groups of walrus on land and playing in water up close, including babies; over 120,000 Bruennichs guillemots; beluga whale, bowhead whale, and Minke whale; seals; reindeer, and puffins. We were also impressed by the massive and spectacular Brasvellbreen glacier, with a series of waterfalls. The most important I would like to highlight is that we really want to kayak in Arctic, but in the last day, my friend and myself were the only two to sign up. Mariam kindly gave us an exception, with the help of Marin and Lucas, we thoroughly enjoyed the quiet and peaceful magical moment to kayak in Arctic close to glaciers, with only sound of ice cracking and glacier calving — a dream came true! Thank you very much for this lifetime memorable trip!
A Welcoming Retreat
Head off on a Swan Hellenic voyage and you’ll be traveling in first-class style. Your cosy en-suite stateroom is a spacious sanctuary, where sophisticated design and intuitive technology blend with the natural world to create modern 5-star comfort. With softwood fittings, and earthy tones and textures, it’s the perfect place to relax and recharge.
Travel In Style
The stylish and contemporary Scandi-design decor of your stateroom is on a par with the world’s best boutique hotels, and comes complete with a wardrobe, desk, comfy seating areas and plenty of storage. And wherever your voyage takes you, large windows or floor-to-ceiling balcony doors mean you’ll always be able to admire the ever-changing scenery.
Created For Comfort
We know how important comfort is when you’re relaxing in your room. So expect individually-controlled air-conditioning, superb beds, minimum noise and vibration, and interconnecting suite and balcony rooms for families and groups.
When it comes to dining on your expedition cruise, our ships have a variety of welcoming venues.
From the gourmet offerings of the Swan Restaurant, and the Pool Bar & Grill’s delicious dishes, to the relaxed tapas-style dining of the Club Lounge, you’ll find exquisite cuisine, skillfully prepared by top chefs. Plus, our carefully curated in-room menu offers a relaxing dining experience in the comfort of your own stateroom.
Crafted Menus
Our menus please the most discerning palates, showcasing healthy, fresh, local ingredients. We cater to most dietary requirements, including vegetarian, vegan and diabetic, as well as gluten-free options.
As well as taking you to unusual, off-the-beaten-track destinations, Swan Hellenic offers the company of like-minded people, and acclaimed experts, who give eye-opening lectures, and are on hand to chat throughout your voyage.
Our onboard experts are renowned in their fields and bring unparalleled knowledge to your adventures. Each moment with us is enriched by real insights into the peoples, cultures, wildlife, flora, geology and geography of each amazing place we visit. Wherever you choose to go, sailing with Swan Hellenic is a voyage of discovery, which is what makes us the first choice of adventurous minds worldwide.
We know how important outdoor space is, so our spacious, relaxing public spaces provide wide open, unobstructed views throughout the ship. The destination will always be in view.
Take time to indulge and invigorate your senses…
Please note: there are no dedicated children's facilities on board.
