Swan Hellenic has made it into the top five. In the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2026, the expedition cruise line was voted one of the five best expedition operators in the world, and it is one of only three specialist expedition lines in that ranking, which also includes much larger names such as Viking and Celebrity Cruises.
The Readers’ Choice Awards are the longest-running awards of the American travel magazine and among the most closely watched in the industry. Every year more than 798,000 readers take part, rating the hotels, cruise lines, destinations, airlines and resorts they have experienced themselves.
Three ships built for the ice
The award recognises Swan Hellenic’s small-ship approach to expedition travel. Its fleet of three newbuilds, all from Helsinki Shipyard, heads for some of the most remote corners of the planet under the line’s motto “See what others don’t”. SH Minerva and SH Vega each carry 152 guests with 120 crew and hold ice class PC5. The larger SH Diana, which joined in spring 2023, takes 192 guests with 140 crew and is rated PC6.
All three ships run on diesel-electric hybrid propulsion with a battery pack and SCR catalytic converters, and they are designed to the “Safe Return to Port” standard of the international SOLAS rules. On board, the style is five-star, with an international, well-travelled and culturally curious clientele in mind.
“We are deeply honoured to be recognised by Condé Nast Traveler’s discerning readers as one of the top three expedition cruise lines and among the top five expedition operators in the world,” says Andrea Zito, CEO of Swan Hellenic. Expedition travel, he adds, should not only take guests to extraordinary places but also change the way they see the world.
Roger Hohl
Roger Hohl has been at the helm of Luxvisor since 2006. From his base in Switzerland he travels to test what the luxury travel industry promises, from the seat at 40,000 feet to the last course of a tasting menu, and writes about it with an independent eye.
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