Swan Hellenic

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Swan Hellenic is a British cruise line specialising in tours of historical or cultural interest.

It began when the Swan travel agency was asked to organise a tour for visitors interested in the antiquities of Greece. The archaeologist, Sir Mortimer Wheeler, was employed as guest lecturer.

Swan Hellenic is now a well-established cruise line, catering for the upper end of the market. However, the line's fleet consists of a single ship, formerly the 300-passenger Minerva, which was replaced in 2003 by the 600-passenger Minerva II. It is a subsidiary of the world's largest cruise operator, the British-American Carnival Corporation & plc. Carnival has decided to end this very successful and popular brand in April 2007. The ship Minerva II will be renamed Royal Princess and transferred to the Princess fleet.