6 Reasons To Love An Arctic Cruise Around Svalbard With Swan Hellenic

Arctic Cruise Around Svalbard

By John Roberts

The High Arctic is the land of the polar bears, walruses, and incredible ice floes and formations that encircle the top of the world. Heading to this remote region on an expedition cruise is one of the all-time travel adventures. The area has drawn explorers for hundreds of years, and this modern era of cruise travel is no different.

As the destination becomes more accessible and more cruise lines offer voyages here, it’s important to pick an enriching experience for this big-ticket item. (Polar small-ship expedition cruises typically cost upwards of $1,000 per person per day.)

I sailed on Swan Hellenic’s new ship SH Diana on an expedition around Svalbard and was wowed by both the destination and how this lesser-known cruise line delivers a balanced blend of luxury and active immersion in this harsh and interesting place.

An icy glacier scene in Svalbard. * Photo: John Roberts

Swan Hellenic is a relaunched brand (in 2020) of a former British-owned line of the same name that sailed adventure cruises for more than 60 years before folding in 2017.

Swan has three ships all built in the past few years

• SH Minerva (2021)
• SH Vega (2023)
• SH Diana (2023)

The SH Diana is the newest and largest, which debuted in May 2023 and carries up to 192 passengers.

RELATED: Writer John Nowlan reviews his SH Vega cruise.

The 192-pax Diana. * Photo: John Roberts

We were spoiled because we had only 49 cruisers on our trip, just 25% of the ship’s passenger capacity, with 122 attentive and friendly crew taking care of us.

The passenger base was diverse on my cruise, with a family of 10 from Denmark and travelers from England, New Zealand, Brazil, Belgium, Germany, Japan, Israel and Russia joining U.S. cruisers for eight days of adventure.

As we kayaked, hiked and enjoyed the landscape as SH Diana — a Polar Class 6 vessel — broke through the ice around the Norwegian archipelago, I discovered several things that small-ship cruisers will love about sailing on this new ship in the Arctic.

The SH Diana breaking the ice. * Photo: John Roberts

VIDEO OVERVIEW: Below, John shares a 3-minute video overview of his SH Diana Arctic cruise.

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Here Are My 6 Reasons To Consider An Arctic Cruise Around Svalbard With Swan Hellenic

1. SH Diana’s Amenities Make It Extra Special

I had never heard of Swan Hellenic before it relaunched after 2020, and I was not sure what to expect.

Several cruise lines have long been well known to North American travelers: brands like Lindblad Expeditions, which pretty much created expedition cruising for the leisure traveler, Seabourn, Silversea, UnCruise Adventures, Hurtigruten and, in recent years, Viking.

SH Diana impressed me right away, though, with its spacious Observation Lounge (Deck 7), incredible Swan’s Nest bow viewing area (Deck 6) and broad range of facilities that make cruises to the remote wilds of the Arctic an indulgence alongside the immersion.

The ship is nine decks high.

Down on Deck 3, you have Basecamp, the ship’s “mudroom” and locker area for passengers to stow parkas, boots and other gear they don’t want cluttering up their cabins.

We assembled here a couple of times a day to head out on Zodiac adventures, whether cruises around a bay, to head out for some kayaking or to get ashore for a hike.

A glacier is quite a backdrop for a Zodiac ride. * Photo: John Roberts

We would be greeted upon our return with a cup of hot tea, cider or cocoa. This is also where almost 30 of our 49 cruisers (including me of course!) leapt from the side of the ship for a polar plunge into the icy water at 80-plus degrees north latitude.

Meanwhile, on Deck 3, SH Diana also features a large library filled with books and guides, chairs, tables, computer desks and even sketch pads. This is a perfectly quiet spot if you wanted to retreat for a little bit. Across the hall is the Expedition Lab, another big space with microscopes and tables, set up to be a studio for “citizen-science” sessions.

There is also a small boutique selling logo wear and other items set up in a section of the Observation Lounge, which also has games, books and puzzles tucked throughout the inviting space.

This lounge is where cruisers gather throughout the day to read a book, join others for cocktail hours with snacks and hear presentations, briefings and recaps from the knowledgeable and passionate members of the expedition team.

The Observation Lounge. * Photo: John Roberts

The very top is Deck 9, which was little used during our sailing in the cold climate. It offers a wide-open space with 360-degree views and loungers that likely are utilized when the ship sails in warmer climates.

Instead, people gathered at the aft on Deck 7 or around the bow on Decks 6 and 7 ahead of the Observation Lounge and down at the Swan’s Nest to see the wildlife and ice navigation.

Deck 8 features the superb extras that allow SH Diana to offer a premium level of comfort and luxury during its expedition itineraries. There is a spa and salon offering massages and hair and nail treatments, as well as a sauna and steam room.

A large hot tub sits just outside and is part of the spa complex, offering fantastic views while you relax in the warm bubbly embrace of the tub.

The SH Diana’s spa plunge pool. * Photo: John Roberts

This is all part of the Wellness Center, which also has a large gym. Here, you’ll find two treadmills, four exercise bikes, a rowing machine, an elliptical and weight-training equipment.

The impressive gym. * Photo: John Roberts

So, SH Diana has all the comforts and amenities you might expect on a luxury cruise. However, when this is offered in such a remote and harsh place, it can feel like a real treat.

I also recently traveled with Lindblad’s National Geographic Resolution on an Arctic cruise and was similarly impressed with some of the posh touches that cruisers can get on these ships in the polar regions with the newer ships coming to these waters.

RELATED: Read John’s review of his Lindblad NatGeo Resolution Arctic cruise.

2. Great Spots For Soaking Up The Views

I mentioned the Swan’s Nest. This is the prime spot on SH Diana for getting outside to check out the landscapes, ice and wildlife in the Arctic of Svalbard.

This outdoor area flows smartly from the Observation Lounge, as cruisers keep a lookout through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the comfort of this indoor social area, then move out to the bow when animals or enticing ice floes or other scenery beckons.

The Swan’s Nest observation bow, what a view! * Photo: John Roberts

John at the Swan’s Nest. * Photo: John Roberts

You can also sit outside at the aft in the loungers or at tables on the Pool Deck or even enjoy a dip in the pool while gazing at the views. The back deck is where naturalists will invite cruisers to join for bird watching to get a survey of the numbers and variety of seabirds in flight around the ship.

People also enjoy sitting in the sauna for a spell and looking out the large window to watch the snow-capped mountain peaks and icy fjords as we cruise.

My favorite place in the afternoon after the excursions and maybe a workout was to unwind in the sauna, then hit the plunge pool for a soak. The huge pool is well heated and allows cruisers to fully enjoy being out in the fresh air.

There are loungers nearby, too.

John enjoying a beer in the heated plunge pool. * Photo: John Roberts

3. Fantastic Service

The crew on SH Diana went above and beyond during our voyage. This is a luxury, all-inclusive line, and attentive staff is to be expected. However, I think we were fortunate to have been on board with such a low number of passengers, so there were plenty of staff willing and available to take care of anything we needed.

The bar was never too busy, and I was happy to be able to engage in some friendly conversation with bartender Jaycee, who quickly learned that I wanted to try all the Norwegian craft beers he had onboard.

Jaycee, one of Diana’s super friendly crew. * Photo: John Robert

Crew members learn the names of all their guests and offer smiles and hellos at each encounter, always asking what we might want for a drink or coming around often to offer hors d’oeuvres during daily cocktail hours and after dinners in the Observation Lounge.

The restaurant staff was also incredibly friendly and professional.

You’ll typically get a high level of service on almost every ship, but what impressed me most was how well it is executed on a new ship that had been cruising for just weeks when I got aboard. Usually, you see some rough spots in the delivery of the program. But things went smoothly on my voyage on SH Diana.

My favorite waiter, Aaron, told me about his love for dancing and let me know about the beluga whales he was able to spot near his station in the restaurant. We seemed to have a birthday or anniversary celebration almost every night of our cruise, and the staff would gather in the dining room for delightful songs to serenade the celebrants. It helped to create a wonderful community on the ship.

Aaron. sets up caviar and Vodka drinks. * Photo: John Roberts

4. Top-Notch Culinary Program

SH Diana offers two restaurants. The main Swan Restaurant (Deck 4) has buffet breakfasts and four-course dinner menus, with choices like braised lamb shank, orange roughy, carved Angus strip loin or a stuffed chicken breast.

Menus always have a fish, meat and vegetarian option, as well as everyday-available favorites like spaghetti Bolognese or the chef’s cut steak.

A tasty appetizer aboard the SH Diana. * Photo: John Roberts

A delicious main course on Diana. * Photo: John Roberts

The kitchen also did well to accommodate nut-free or gluten-free diets.

The Club Lounge (Deck 7) offers daily lunch buffets with a changing cuisine theme every day.

We had French, Mexican, American, Asian, English, Russian, Indian and Italian specialties. The lunch lineup offered foods like Singapore noodles, empanadas, fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, tacos and butter chicken.

An Asian themed lunch. * Photo: John Roberts

The Club Grill is outside on the pool deck aft on Deck 7. When the weather is nice (or even less than ideal for some hearty cruisers), it’s a good spot to take a dip in the infinity pool, sit outdoors to enjoy your meal and grab a cocktail from the bar.

The grill serves up burgers, hot dogs and pizza, with two varieties offered each day (always Margherita and styles like Hawaiian, meat lovers and salmon).

Pizza like this was served daily. * Photo: John Roberts

For the entire cruise, my fellow passengers mostly mentioned the food alongside the excursions and animal sightings when I asked what they were most enjoying on our voyage.

Yummy dessert. * Photo: John Roberts

5. Passionate Expedition Team & Cool Activities

We had a team of seven on our expedition team, and they offered varied specialties, but all of them had an incredible knowledge of almost everything in the region, from history to plant life to animals and geology.

Oliver is from Norway and lives year-round on Svalbard. He talked about what Longyearbyen is like in the offseason when the tourists leave and 24-hour darkness descends on the island. The community is tight, and everyone knows one another.

Carine was always excited to have guests join for birdwatching outside, and Jan from the Netherlands, joined a few of us for lunch and chatted about his long career as a guide in the Galapagos where he met his wife.

The whole team was always energetic and willing to talk about their knowledge of Svalbard and the polar region. Cruisers not only gained great insight on the history of the region and about animals like the polar bears and whales that live here, but also had a great time with the team when they hosted a fun Liar’s Club game in the lounge one evening.

The expedition staff worked with the captain to navigate the ship to exciting places — with fantastic weather for nearly the entire voyage.

We were lucky with great weather, here on a snowy hike. * Photo: John Roberts

The voyage begins with a night at a hotel in Oslo near the airport, then an early morning flight to Longyearbyen. We had a few hours to explore the largest town on Svalbard, which is home to about 2,500 people, the Svalbard Museum, a few restaurants and bars and the northernmost craft brewery in the world, Svalbard Brewery.

During my time wandering around town, I saw several reindeer and eider ducks.

The itinerary after you board SH Diana is a rough outline on Svalbard cruises. The key is flexibility, with the route thoroughly dependent on the weather and sea conditions.

Expedition team leader Jonathan and assistant Brandon worked to create a memorable trip filled with hikes on all kinds of terrains, Zodiac tours that offer great chances to take photos, guided kayaking sessions and interesting enrichment talks.

Jonathan shows us a fox trap. * Photo: John Roberts

For our first operations, we enjoyed a Zodiac cruise at Hornsund fjord in the morning and a short hike in the afternoon. The scenes within the quiet fjords on Svalbard are epic. In early June, you see snow-covered mountains and more glaciers than you would ever imagine.

The view at Hornsund. * Photo: John Roberts

Birds are always in the mix for your daily wildlife sightings, with guillemot, northern Fulmars, kittiwakes, little auks, eider ducks and Arctic terns the most spotted varieties. King eider ducks and puffins are rarer to see, but we witnessed a handful of those, too, along with barnacle geese, pink-footed geese, red-necked phalarope and Arctic skuas.

RELATED: Here’s some useful info about the birds you can spot in the Arctic.

We had a long hike on the boggy tundra at Russebukta where we saw reindeer and ducks. Much of our activity was in the protection of Hornsund, checking out the fjords and making select Zodiac cruises and landings.

Hiking on shore. * Photo: John Roberts

I went out for a sea kayaking session in tandem with my new friend Rich. Expedition guide Brandon led us out, and we had fun paddling on smooth waters to see guillemots up close and view a massive glacier and waterfalls streaming down the sides of the canyon. (Note, kayaking is not free, it’s $250 per person per session.)

John sea kayaking, which costs $250 per excursion (to make sure it attracted more serious kayakers as there were limited kayaks, spots and opportunities to go out during the week). * Photo: John Roberts

Farther north, we visited Ny London, where ruins and equipment of a former failed marble mining site exists in a rusting state. We sailed by Ny-Alesund to glimpse one of the most northern research stations in the world and cruised past Barentsburg, a Russian settlement that is the second-most populous town on Svalbard with more than 1,000 residents and home to the northernmost coal mine in the world.

We also sailed to almost 81 degrees north for a day in the ice edge of the polar cap. This offered the most stunning scenery and a stark difference from the ice you would see in Antarctica.

Instead of  the large icebergs and smaller berg bits you typically see in the waters of Antarctica, the Arctic region has huge slabs of sheet ice.

Cruising at 80 North. * Photo: John Roberts

RELATED: Ted explains the differences between an Arctic and and Antarctic small-ship cruise.

In this area at summertime in the Arctic, it’s beginning to break off and float in large sheets. SH Diana, a Polar Class 6 ship, is built to slice through the sheets and make its way farther north.

We went out for Zodiac rides in early afternoon after a morning of cruising along the edge of the ice. We could see a large bearded seal just relaxing on a sheet for hours in view of our ship.

After our tour around the ice and enjoying the natural sounds of waters flowing and ice edges crunching as they rubbed against one another, our hotel manager Philippe showed up with a floating bar to greet us with a Champagne toast, and we all celebrated this special moment in this remote place.

Champagne on a Zodiac … of course! * Photo: John Roberts

When we returned to SH Diana, conditions were prime for an epic polar plunge event. More than two dozen cruisers and crew took joy in jumping into the 30-degree waters framed by massive sheets of ice and the distant mountains.

Yours truly never misses a polar plunge. * Photo: John Roberts

Crew hand out certificates for cruisers to take home noting the accomplishments of reaching “The Northernmost Point” and being a “Polar Plunge Survivor” to commemorate our rare cruise feat of reaching 80 degrees north as well as braving a plunge into the icy waters.

VIDEO: John shows us what it’s like to cruise on the top of the world, cruising 80 Degrees North with Swan Hellenic

My favorite activity during the expedition was a challenging snow hike when we landed in Isfjorden. During the three miles up to a ridge that looked out on fast ice and a large glacier, we had hundreds of steps that sent us into the snow up to our knees.

The snow hike. * Photo: John Roberts

Guides always look for bears, armed with rifles … just in case. * Photo: John Roberts

We climbed to a high vista on the island and basked in glorious sunshine. It was a special day that was made even better when we got back onto the ship and saw a polar bear as we were sailing.

The female bear was in sight far off in the distance for more than an hour as she made her way down from a valley to the beach to tear into a carcass that she must have smelled. People lined up with binoculars and cameras to witness the drama as the bear worked her way past dozens of reindeer that also shared the shoreside landscape.

The ship’s bridge also has a camera trained on the bear and broadcast its movements into a large screen on the lounge.

Watching a distance polar bear on the lounge screen. * Photo: John Roberts

RELATED: Ted tells us all about Svalbard in this Svalbard Overview.

6. Wonderfully Cozy Balcony Cabins

I occupied a balcony cabin on SH Diana, #602. These staterooms feature glass-enclosed showers with a rainfall option, as well as minifridges to stock your favorite drinks. They also offer afternoon canapés in your room and a caddy that is regularly filled with M&Ms, nuts and raisins. You also have a coffee/espresso machine and teapot in the room.

John’s balcony cabin. * Photo: John Roberts

John’s balcony view. * Photo: John Roberts

U.S.-style outlets and USB outlets make charging of devices convenient. There are numerous cabinets, shelfs and drawers that allow a couple to easily organize items. Each room also offers a pair of binoculars for use on the trip.

The ship has 96 staterooms, with 11 categorized as suites, and 10 of the cabins are connecting so that families with kids can easily have rooms together. Room service is available 24 hours.

VIDEO: John shows us his cabin, #602.

VIDEO: And John shows us several other cabin categories aboard SH Diana.

Why Go On An Arctic Cruise Around Svalbard?

The Arctic is a special place to visit. I had expected to have a fun time and learn a lot, with it being my first trip to the High Arctic region of Svalbard. But it was made so much more enjoyable because of the great energy of my fellow cruisers and the expedition team.

SH Diana has an ideal program for enjoying all the comforts and conveniences you would love on a luxury cruise paired with a range of options for shore excursions that suit everybody. At each stop, the program offered Zodiac cruising or hikes of short, medium or longer distances.

Visitors will come here to witness the incredible navigation that takes place on an ice-breaking ship, alongside the chance to see polar bears, walruses, belugas, dolphins, humpbacks and many more great creatures. On my cruise, I saw humpbacks, walruses and dolphins. Many others had great beluga sightings.

We spotted a walrus. * Photo: John Roberts

Watch Out For … A Few Caveats

The itinerary is entirely undecided other than where you get onto and off the ship. While we were extremely fortunate with the weather for most of the week, it can be foggy or rainy almost every day in and around Svalbard in the summer. Plus, winds, waves and ice conditions can greatly affect where you can go and how choppy the seas will be.

If you are prone to get seasick, you may have some rough times during your voyage in this part of the world.

Kayaking is a fun outing but it is quite expensive, costing cruisers $250. Sea kayaking in the polar regions is an amazing experience and probably is something you do want to splurge on.

Our High Arctic Itinerary

Our expedition team leader Jonathan Zaccaria sums up the Svalbard itinerary in three words: Flexibility. Flexibility. Flexibility.

He cleared point out that there is no actual itinerary.

As is the case with almost every polar expedition sailing, the weather and wildlife set the course, and it will change from day to day, if not hour-to-hour.

Here is how it looked (as listed) for my program:

• Day 1 — Oslo, overnight stay in Clarion Hotel
• Day 2 — Charter flight from Oslo to Longyearbyen. Free time in Longyearbyen and embark SH Diana.
• Day 3 — Svalbard (Hornsund Fjord)
• Day 4 — Svalbard (Russebukta and Storfjord)
• Day 5 — Svalbard (Hornsund Fjord)
• Day 6 — Svalbard (Cruising in pack ice to 80 north latitude)
• Day 7 — Svalbard (Ny London and Ny-Alesund)
• Day 8 — Svalbard (Isfjorden)
• Day 9 — Svalbard (Temple Fjord)
• Day 10 — Disembark, Longyearbyen and charter flight to Oslo

The closest itinerary in 2024 to what I experienced is Swan Hellenic’s 10-day cruise roundtrip from Tromso that includes six days in Svalbard. Here’s a link for more information; fares for a late June 2024 cruise start at $7,485 per person.

I was pleasantly surprised by how incredibly enjoyable this voyage turned out to be.

John in front of a glacier. * Photo: John Roberts

I joined the ship with limited knowledge of the cruise line and left knowing that I would recommend sailing on SH Diana to anyone interested in polar cruising, especially around Svalbard, to see the ice, polar bears and abundant sea birds.

VIDEO: Here’s John’s full ship video tour of the SH Diana.

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