In recent years, Swan Hellenic have burst onto the Antarctic expedition cruise scene with great energy. Although they were the original pioneers of cultural cruises way back in the 1950s, it’s only in the last decade that they’ve turned their attention to polar waters. Their collection of three purpose-built expedition vessels, the sister ships SH Minerva and SH Vega, along with SH Diana, now make up one of the most modern fleets currently sailing to Antarctica, and are proving very popular with our travellers.
I’ve visited Antarctica with several of Swoop’s partners, so I was keen to see how Swan Hellenic operate up close. To learn more, I took a flight to Ushuaia in Argentina, the traditional jumping off point for expedition cruises, to join SH Diana on our Antarctic Peninsula Odyssey voyage.
Table of contents
- SH Diana is designed for Antarctica cruises with Scandi-syle
- What are cabins like on SH Diana?
- Facilities on board SH Diana
- What is life on board SH Diana like?
- What type of Antarctic traveller should sail on SH Diana?
SH Diana is designed for Antarctica cruise trips with Scandi-style
SH Diana is one of the most recently constructed polar expedition ships, and was launched in 2023. It was built in Finland, and once inside the sleek design keeps the Scandi-style vibe going, with lots of blonde wood and airy spaces. It’s a very elegant ship that at first glance seems to speak more to a boutique experience than that of a deep expedition. Appearances can be deceptive, however, and its sharp lines hide one of the highest rated ice classes of any ship currently operating in Antarctica. Although I experienced SH Diana on classic Peninsula itinerary, this capability gives its captain and expedition crew the option to tweak itineraries according to the weather and the ice to explore where other ships are unable to safely sail.
In terms of capacity, SH Diana carries a maximum of 192 guests in 96 staterooms and suites, allowing easy disembarkation in Antarctica. That ease of travel extends even before you board – all itineraries include a complimentary night in Buenos Aires at the start of the trip, and the transfer flights to and from the cruise port city of Ushuaia to make all travel connections as smooth as possible.
What are cabins like on SH Diana?
For my trip to Antarctica, I had cabin 505, one of the Balcony cabins on Deck 5 near the bow of the ship. It was spacious with a large bed and a seating area with a two-seater sofa as well as a writing desk and chair. Nothing felt cluttered, and there was a curtain divider between the bed area and the seating area if you needed it. That would have been perfect for families travelling with a child, as the sofa converted easily into a sofa bed. The only potential problem for parents would be that the child would then be the one with the enormous Antarctic videos to themselves!
For storage, there was plenty of space for bulky polar gear. Muck boots are left in the mudroom between excursions, while the bathrooms had the all-important heated floors: an essential for polar excursions when you come back with wet gear from having been out on a zodiac. This included the dry bag that were all given as part of the cruise – a really nice touch to go with the turquoise expedition parkas.
One idiosyncratic touch was the ‘fireplace’ in the middle of one of the walls, with its flame illusions. Some passengers I spoke to weren’t so keen and never turned it on, but I found it rather cosy – giving a taste of Scandi hygge while we were in a frozen bay surrounded by glaciers.
Other nice additions were the pair of binoculars in the cabin to use throughout the trip, and the Illy coffee machine. The complimentary minibar in the fridge was restocked every day – almost as soon as I was settled in the room, one of the hotel team checked to see what my favourite drink was so it was always on hand.
For those wanting more space, there were a variety of premium suites, but what really caught my eye were the Oceanview cabins on Deck 4, which are ever so slightly smaller than the Balcony cabins but with large floor-to-ceiling picture windows. Although I loved my balcony, I’d have been quite happy to have had one of these for my voyage. In fact, having sailed on a variety of ships with different operators, I think they’re probably the best entry-level cabins for an Antarctic cruise that I’ve seen.
Facilities on board SH Diana
SH Diana offered plenty of choice for dining. Most meals were taken in the Swan restaurant on Deck 4, but I was often drawn to the relaxing Club Lounge on Deck 7, which was open 24 hours a day. In the early morning it had pastries and hot drinks for a quick light breakfast, while if I didn’t want a full sit-down lunch in the middle of the day, there was usually a good choice of light meals (including pizza slices), or afternoon tea with a slice of cake.
I was particularly sold on the lounge because of its enormous windows that let the polar light and views flood in. It also offered immediate access to the deck if I wanted to grab some fresh air, look at albatrosses and petrels while crossing the Drake Passage or – my favourite – indulge in the heated infinity pool. There was even a pool bar and grill that was opened up when the weather was fine and we were in a particularly scenic bay on the Peninsula. Few things feel quite so indulgent as a glass of fizz in the pool when you’re surrounded by glaciers!
Everything was very polished on board, from the service to the spacious common areas. For extra relaxation there was a spa, sauna, and gym. The one facility that I particularly enjoyed was one that might otherwise have been the least considered: the launderette. Lots of people were getting the benefit of this, and it was a lovely treat not to have to worry about making socks and base layers last throughout the entire voyage when I could run a quick washing cycle. The launderette was free – in fact, everything was included except for spa treatments and some of the premium spirits and wines.
What is life on board SH Diana like?
When we were on the Peninsula, we had two excursions a day, either a landing or a zodiac cruise depending on the weather and the location. Landings tended to be about 75 minutes on shore, which is increasingly the standard amount of time. There was also the option for kayaking, provided you’d signed up for it during booking.
When we were out, we were divided into four groups who would disembark in succession. The only time when we had split landings – where half the passengers were out and half remaining on the ship was when we visited Port Lockroy, Antarctica’s Penguin Post Office, so that everyone could have the maximum time ashore in this historic site (visits are never guaranteed in Antarctica because of the weather – this was my first time at Port Lockroy after several cruises, which made it all the more exciting).
One thing that the SH Diana did was encourage us to be out on the deck to enjoy the scenery. Wildlife fans are always outdoors looking for action, but all the decks had plenty of lounge chairs with convenient piles of cosy blankets to wrap yourself in, and you were never more than a moment away from one of the team offering you a hot drink (or something stronger) if that was what you wanted.
I actually probably spent more time outside than on most of my other cruises. SH Diana doesn’t have a single wraparound deck, but one special feature it does have its Crow’s Nest – or technically, its Swan’s Nest. This sits at the very tip of the ship’s bow on Deck 6, cleverly shielded from the weather but given an absolutely tremendous 270-degree view. For safety reasons, it’s only open when the ship is in location, so you can’t recreate Leonardo di Caprio at Kate Winslet’s classic Titanic moment when you’re crossing the South Ocean, but it’s a lovely spot for wildlife watching and scenery. Especially if you take a mug of cocoa.
What type of Antarctic traveller should sail on SH Diana?
The relaxed Scandi vibe was everywhere on SH Diana. The onboard hotel team was outstanding and quickly knew our names, and offered us the sort of service that you’d expect more from a boutique hotel. Everything was understated and unpretentious – and very relaxing. I travelled with my husband, who got to travel to Antarctica for the very first time, so I got to see everything through his fresh eyes as well as my experience.
He agreed that the SH Diana had a great blend of vacation and expedition – seeing penguins and getting off the ship twice a day, but with great food and drinks, a spa and plenty of opportunities to kick back and relax.
If you want a more expedition-focussed trip, pushing the maximum time exploring off the ship with a variety of different adventure activities, then there are other Antarctic cruise ships that might suit you better. But if you want a great holiday in one of the world’s most epic destinations on a smart ship with a strong focus on facilities and service, SH Diana might be the Antarctic ship you’re looking for.
*
