Iconic cultural expedition cruise pioneer teams up with the SETI Institute to take its cruise guests’ explorations further and deeper, including into deep space. The SETI Institute is a space and Earth science research organisation supporting NASA and NSF programmes and partnering with private industry and academia to answer some of humanity’s most profound science questions.
Credit: Swan Hellenic/SETI Institute
Iconic cultural expedition cruise pioneer teams up with the SETI Institute to take its cruise guests’ explorations further and deeper, including into deep space. The SETI Institute is a space and Earth science research organisation supporting NASA and NSF programmes and partnering with private industry and academia to answer some of humanity’s most profound science questions.
Cyprus and Mountain View, CA, December 12, 2022: Swan Hellenic announced today that it has entered into a partnership with the SETI Institute to provide its guests with expert insights into the history and latest discoveries in astronomy, astrophysics, astrobiology and planetary science, and the quest to find other forms of life within and beyond our solar system. This quest takes SETI Institute researchers to the most remote and inhospitable corners of the planet to explore life, including Antarctica, where the Swan Hellenic fleet is, of course, present for several months every year.
The new partnership is set to engage Swan Hellenic’s many adventure travellers with never-before-seen presentations on explorations around Earth and beyond, with SETI Institute equipment, including an advanced telescope, installed on board.
The experts initially scheduled for Swan Hellenic’s 2023 cultural expedition cruises include Director of Education & Outreach and Deputy Director of Research Dr. Simon Steel, a PhD Astronomer and Astrophysicist who specialises in studying galaxies. He has taught both at Harvard University and University College London. Plans are in the works for him to accompany SH Vega on cultural expedition cruises of Antarctica, the British Isles and Iceland.
Bill Diamond, the President and CEO of the SETI Institute, is likewise finalising arrangements to accompany Swan Hellenic’s Arctic Odyssey cruise aboard SH Diana in June. Diamond has worked predominantly in applied technologies and has over 20 years of experience in photonics and optical communications, plus more than a decade in X-ray and semiconductor processing technologies.
Diamond commented on the agreement: “The SETI Institute’s work brings humanity’s relationship with our planet, our solar system and the Universe beyond into focus. Over 100 Institute scientists strive to understand humankind’s place in the cosmos. Outreach and public engagement are also central to our mission, and we are delighted with the opportunity to have our scientists and thought leaders interact with the curious-minded adventurers who explore with Swan Hellenic.”
Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito commented: “We are immensely proud of this new partnership. The presence of the SETI Institute’s eminent scientists on board our cultural expedition cruises, imparting their expert knowledge of astrobiology, geology, physics, chemistry and astronomy, completes another facet of the quest to take our guests to see what others don’t,”
About Swan Hellenic
Swan Hellenic was relaunched in July 2020 to proudly continue the spirit of cultural expedition cruising the company pioneered in the 1950s. Building on its British roots, the new company has a global cultural cruising outlook dedicated to providing guests with the opportunity to see what others don’t.
Swan Hellenic’s purpose-built ships feature elegant Scandi-design interiors, extensive outdoor spaces and dedicated expedition facilities. SH Minerva and SH Vega, two new 5-star Polar Code PC 5 expedition cruise ships with ice-strengthened hulls, respectively launched in December 2021 and arriving in July 2022, each accommodates 152 guests in 76 spacious suites and staterooms, the majority with large balconies. A slightly larger PC 6 ice-class vessel, SH Diana, accommodating 192 guests in the same distinctive comfort and style in 96 staterooms and suites, will be arriving in early 2023.
All three ships feature 3 dining venues – the Swan Restaurant, Club Lounge and Pool Bar & Grill – and are being built in full compliance with SOLAS Safe Return to Port requirements. Dedicated to guests with a passion for adventure and cultural exploration, the company’s meticulously planned itineraries explore the wild landscapes, wildlife, peoples and unique cultures of the world’s less travelled regions.
The crews each include a team of 12 seasoned expedition guides, expert speakers and lecturers, for a total complement of 120 and 140 persons respectively, offering outstanding staff-to-guest ratios to deliver the highest standards of attentive personal service.
Headquartered in Cyprus with offices in London, Dusseldorf, Monaco, Fort Lauderdale (serving the North American market), Hong Kong (serving Greater China and South-East Asia), Sydney (serving Australia-New Zealand) and Copenhagen (serving Scandinavia and Iceland), as well as partnerships serving India and Japan, Swan Hellenic supports the travel trade with local specialist partners to provide customers with expert personal service worldwide.
For more information about Swan Hellenic, please visit www.swanhellenic.com or call +44 (0) 207 846 0271
Interactive World Map of Swan Hellenic fleet itineraries: https://prezi.com/view/6z9srGQDe0oZXWx0Bciu
About the SETI Institute
Founded in 1984, the SETI Institute is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary research and education organization whose mission is to lead humanity’s quest to understand the origins and prevalence of life and intelligence in the Universe and to share that knowledge with the world. Its research encompasses the physical and biological sciences and leverages expertise in data analytics, machine learning and advanced signal detection technologies. The SETI Institute is a distinguished research partner for industry, academia and government agencies, including NASA and NSF.
Contact information
Rebecca McDonald
Director of Communications
SETI Institute
[email protected]