A bit about Swan Hellenic

Swan Hellenic's Minerva offers the perfect base for exploring your destination in depth. As a discovery cruise ship you'll enjoy on board guest speakers who will really bring the destinations to life and a programme of included excursions to enrich your days.

The sailings are aimed at like minded people who want to know more about the places they visit, but if you'd rather just relax and explore on your own that's fine too. She is a smaller ship carrying just 350 passengers and and get into some of the samller historic ports of call as well as visiting cultural centres such as Pireaus for Athens and Civitivecchia for Rome.

In those ports that are more frequently visited she offers a choice of excursions, for instance from if it's your first time in Naples you can visit the ruins of Pompeii or as a returning guest you can choose to go to the lesser know Villa Oplontis built by Emperor Nero. I have been lucky enough to have a work trip on Minerva and the level of knowledge given by the excursion hosts was amazing.

Swan Hellenic's prices have no hidden extras too, all you pay for on top of your cruise fare are your drinks. Flights, transfers, excursions, guest speakers and gratuities are all included, as well as your food, evening entertainment and chosen cabin grade.

She is being refurbished in early 2012 and has some great offers for Spring 2012. Postcards from the Mediterranean, a 13 night sailing on the 29th March starts at just £1495pp. For the full details just click here.