SH Diana: christening date announced
SH Diana, Swan Hellenic‘s third and largest cultural expedition cruise ship, will be christened in Amsterdam on May 4th by the visionary luxury travel icon Valerie Ann Wilson.
The christening of the new, specially designed Ice Class ship will be attended by Swan Hellenic‘s top management, local dignitaries, VIP guests, media and members of the cruise and travel industry from around the world.
The CEO of Swan Hellenic, Andrea Zito commented, “We are truly honored to have Valerie as godmother of this very special new ship, considering her iconic status in the US travel industry and the importance of the US market to Swan Hellenic. SH Diana proudly takes us back to where our story began, while opening a new chapter that takes cultural expedition cruises around the world in exceptional comfort and style.”
Valerie Ann Wilson
Valerie, not only known as the founder and CEO of Valerie Wilson Travel, is also the chairman emeritus of the Global Member Advisory Board of the Virtuoso global network of luxury travel consultants and the chairman emeritus of the Virtuoso Hotels & Resorts Committee and has also received countless awards.
Valerie will remain on board during the inaugural cruise entitled “Norway Explored” with Tromsø destination. SH Diana, after visiting the German archipelago of Heligoland, will stop at Mandal, the southern city of Norway, and begin sailing up to almost the entire Norwegian coastline. With the help of experts, guests will explore the longest, deepest and most dramatic fjords, remote lakes, historic churches and charismatic fishing ports, all the way to Tromsø, which is the gateway to the Arctic.
Tromso Swan Hellenic
Norway Explored
The exceptional companion for the entire duration of the first cultural expedition cruise will be Dottor Terje Leiren, Professor Emeritus of History and Scandinavian Studies at the University of Washington, Seattle, and the first holder of the Sverre Arestad Endowed Chair in Norwegian Studies, who will share his expert knowledge and insights with guests.
After completing her Arctic season with seven cultural expedition cruises, SH Diana will sail to the Mediterranean, and then go further, continuing through the Suez Canal to the Paradise Islands, Madagascar and Southern Africa, on the way to Antarctica.
Antarctica
SH Diana, operated by an on-board team of 141 to provide the highest levels of personal service, has some key design differences, including a dedicated theatre for presentations and lectures overlooking the lounge and tender boats on board to take guests ashore, in addition to the usual expedition zodiacs.
Zodiak Deck
SH Diana, like her sisters, has been designed to meet the latest environmental regulations and is equipped with exhaust gas purification systems, advanced waste water treatment systems and necessary waste storage facilities. She is also equipped with a state-of-the-art gymnasium, a spa, a panoramic sauna, a fully-equipped restaurant and wine cellar, a club room and a swimming pool with an on-board grill.
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