Hapag-Lloyd Cruises vs Swan Hellenic: which is better for an expedition cruise?
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 9 November 2026
No score and no verdict of ours: what Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Swan Hellenic each publish on their own websites, read 9 November 2026, topic by topic, each line linked to the page it came from.
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises vs Swan Hellenic: which is better for an expedition cruise?
Neither is better for everyone: Hapag-Lloyd Cruises takes no more than 230 guests on each HANSEATIC ship, with English and German on board, while Swan Hellenic takes 152 or 192 guests and includes gratuities and one excursion per port; Hapag-Lloyd prices online and Swan Hellenic quotes on request.
What is each line?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises runs what it calls luxury and expedition cruises on five ships, with English and German spoken on board; it is a TUI Cruises GmbH company. Source
Swan Hellenic runs what it calls cultural expedition cruises on three boutique expedition ships; Swan Hellenic Travel Ltd. is the tour operator for all trips it sells. Source
Which ships does each line sail?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises sails the expedition ships HANSEATIC nature and HANSEATIC inspiration (both 2019) and HANSEATIC spirit (2021), plus the luxury ships EUROPA (since 1999) and EUROPA 2 (since 2013). Source
Swan Hellenic sails SH Minerva (first sailed 2021), SH Vega (in service 2022) and SH Diana (its largest, christened 2023). Source
How many guests are on board?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises takes no more than 230 guests on each HANSEATIC expedition ship, up to 400 on EUROPA and a maximum of 500 on EUROPA 2. Source
Swan Hellenic takes 152 guests on SH Minerva, 152 on SH Vega and 192 on SH Diana. Source
Where does each line sail?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises sells named expedition voyages to Antarctica and South Georgia, the Antarctic Circle, Svalbard, Greenland, the Northwest Passage, Norway, Alaska's Inside Passage, the Chilean fjords, the Kimberley and Indonesia including Raja Ampat. Source
Swan Hellenic sells Antarctic Peninsula round trips from Ushuaia, Antarctic Circle and Ross Sea voyages, Falklands and South Georgia voyages, Svalbard, Greenland and Norwegian fjords voyages plus Raja Ampat voyages in Indonesia. Source
What ice class are the ships?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises says its three HANSEATIC expedition ships have the highest ice class for passenger ships (PC6). Source
Swan Hellenic says its ships feature a PC5 ice-strengthened hull. Source
Who leads the landings?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises sends experienced experts from various disciplines on every cruise, who give lectures and join the Zodiac landings; it names no team size or ratio. Source
Swan Hellenic's experts include historians, scientists and naturalists who give daily lectures, plus a professional photographer; SH Minerva carries 117 staff and crew in all for 152 guests. It does not give the expedition team size. Source
How much time ashore?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' expedition fares include all landings and rides in the ship's own Zodiacs. Source
Swan Hellenic does not publish this on the pages read.
What can you do off the ship?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises includes a sports programme with activities ashore depending on the destination, plus loan of snorkelling equipment and Nordic walking poles; personal training is extra and shore excursions are charged to the on-board account. Source
Swan Hellenic leads kayaking in Antarctica and the Arctic for 1.5 to 3 hours a session for guests with prior experience; it also names snowshoeing, hiking, a polar plunge, snorkelling, diving and paddleboarding on relevant itineraries; it does not say which cost extra. Source
What does a voyage cost?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises prices Expedition Antarctica: South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula, Ushuaia to Ushuaia, 7 to 21 January 2028 on HANSEATIC inspiration, from €13,640 per person, with an early-booking discount until 28 February 2027. Source
Swan Hellenic does not publish a dated price on the pages read.
What does the fare include?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' expedition fares include full board with selected soft drinks, all Zodiac landings, expert lectures, loan of binoculars, parkas and rubber boots, a restocked minibar, one hour of internet a day, harbour fees and all gratuities; spa treatments, laundry, shore excursions and a beverage package at 44 euros per person per day are extra. Source
Swan Hellenic's fares include all onboard meals, beverages, lectures, standard WiFi, gratuities, port taxes, one shore excursion per port, pre-cruise accommodation, regional flights on select polar voyages and parkas and boots in polar regions; premium alcohol, premium WiFi, spa, visas, insurance and international flights are extra. Source
What do solo travellers pay?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises lists solo prices in each cruise's price table and offers selected cruises with no or only a small single surcharge. Source
Swan Hellenic charges solo travellers a Single Supplement, waived on specific departures. Source
How much is the deposit?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises asks a deposit of 20%, 25% or 30% of the price on its PLATINUM fare and 40%, 45% or 50% on SILVER, rising as departure nears; bookings within 30 days of departure are paid in full at once. Source
Swan Hellenic asks a down payment of 20% of the cruise package price (30% for suites), with the balance due 120 days before departure (60 days for customers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland). Source
What happens if you cancel?
Swan Hellenic charges a fee of 300 per person (USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD or NZD) up to 120 days before departure, 20% of the package price from 119 to 90 days, 75% from 89 to 61 days and 100% from 60 days, with saved passenger and security taxes refunded. Source
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises does not publish this on the pages read.
Is your money protected?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has insolvency cover with Deutscher Reisesicherungsfonds GmbH for European customers; UK bookings are protected by ABTOT under its ATOL Franchise for TUI Cruises GmbH, ATOL number 12926. Source
Swan Hellenic says Swan Hellenic Travel Ltd. has insolvency bonding with ACTA covering all cruise-only bookings and flight-inclusive cruise packages, to secure deposits and full payments. Source
What insurance do you need?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises recommends, without requiring, trip cancellation, international health and luggage insurance; it names no evacuation minimum. Source
Swan Hellenic makes travel insurance mandatory for all passengers and recommends cover for cancellation, medical expenses, emergency evacuation and baggage that covers expedition activities; it names no minimum figure. Source
Can children come?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises sets a minimum age of six on the HANSEATIC ships and runs voyages for young discoverers aged 10 to 17; EUROPA and EUROPA 2 offer childcare from four and two years. Source
Swan Hellenic sets a minimum age of 6; its Antarctic and Arctic expeditions are not suitable for children under 8, with an exception for ages 6 and 7 under a parental liability declaration. Children 6 to 16 in a third or fourth berth pay 35% of the adult fare. Source
When is each not the fit?
The limits below are published by each line on their own websites.
- Hapag-Lloyd Cruises: not the fit if you use a wheelchair ashore: it says guests who depend on a wheelchair cannot travel in the Zodiacs. Source
- Swan Hellenic: not the fit if you have limited mobility: it says good mobility is essential, particularly for getting on and off the Zodiacs ashore. Source
How do their reviews compare?
Their figures per platform, read 9 November 2026, each from a listing under the line's own name; a whole-company profile is marked. Figures are never added together.
- Swan Hellenic: Trustpilot: 4.6 out of 5 from 179 reviews, newest 28 October 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
The lines at a glance
One card each, as on every Uncompromised Travel expedition page: what each sells, why to choose each, what to ask for and the limits each publishes.
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
- Best for
- Bilingual PC6 expedition ships, pole to pole
- What it sells
- Runs voyages on five ships of its own: the luxury EUROPA and EUROPA 2 and the expedition ships HANSEATIC nature, HANSEATIC inspiration and HANSEATIC spirit, with English and German spoken on board.
- Why choose them
- Its three HANSEATIC expedition ships, commissioned in May and October 2019 and May 2021, have PC6, which it says is the highest ice class for passenger ships.
- Ask for
- Ask for the cruises on its offers list where there is no or only a small surcharge for single occupancy of the cabin or suite.
- Not the fit if
- you use a wheelchair: guests who depend on one cannot travel in the Zodiacs.
- Published price
- From €13,640 per person, South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula, 14 days from Ushuaia on HANSEATIC inspiration, 07 Jan 2028 (early booking discount until 28 Feb 2027). Read 9 November 2026.
- Money protection
- Insolvency cover with Deutscher Reisesicherungsfonds GmbH for European customers; ABTOT ATOL Franchise, ATOL number 12926, for UK customers.
- Website
- hl-cruises.com
Swan Hellenic
- Best for
- Cultural expedition cruises on three ships
- What it sells
- Runs cultural expedition cruises on three ships, SH Minerva, SH Vega and SH Diana, from the Arctic to Antarctica and across all seven continents.
- Why choose them
- SH Minerva and SH Vega carry 152 guests each and SH Diana 192. Trustpilot: 4.6 out of 5 from 179 reviews, newest 28 October 2026. Read 9 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask which departures waive the single supplement for solo travellers.
- Not the fit if
- you might cancel within 60 days of departure: 100% of the cruise package price is charged.
- Money protection
- Insolvency bonding with ACTA (Cyprus) for cruise-only and flight-inclusive bookings.
- Website
- swanhellenic.com
Hapag-Lloyd vs Swan Hellenic: the questions people ask
How many guests are on board with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Swan Hellenic?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises takes no more than 230 guests on each HANSEATIC expedition ship, up to 400 on EUROPA and a maximum of 500 on EUROPA 2. Swan Hellenic takes 152 guests on SH Minerva, 152 on SH Vega and 192 on SH Diana.
How much does a voyage cost with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Swan Hellenic?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises prices Expedition Antarctica: South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula, Ushuaia to Ushuaia, 7 to 21 January 2028 on HANSEATIC inspiration, from €13,640 per person, with an early-booking discount until 28 February 2027. Swan Hellenic does not publish a dated price on the pages read.
What does the fare include with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Swan Hellenic?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' expedition fares include full board with selected soft drinks, all Zodiac landings, expert lectures, loan of binoculars, parkas and rubber boots, a restocked minibar, one hour of internet a day, harbour fees and all gratuities; spa treatments, laundry, shore excursions and a beverage package at 44 euros per person per day are extra. Swan Hellenic's fares include all onboard meals, beverages, lectures, standard WiFi, gratuities, port taxes, one shore excursion per port, pre-cruise accommodation, regional flights on select polar voyages and parkas and boots in polar regions; premium alcohol, premium WiFi, spa, visas, insurance and international flights are extra.
What is the cancellation policy with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Swan Hellenic?
Swan Hellenic charges a fee of 300 per person (USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD or NZD) up to 120 days before departure, 20% of the package price from 119 to 90 days, 75% from 89 to 61 days and 100% from 60 days, with saved passenger and security taxes refunded. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises does not publish this on the pages read.
How much is the deposit with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Swan Hellenic?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises asks a deposit of 20%, 25% or 30% of the price on its PLATINUM fare and 40%, 45% or 50% on SILVER, rising as departure nears; bookings within 30 days of departure are paid in full at once. Swan Hellenic asks a down payment of 20% of the cruise package price (30% for suites), with the balance due 120 days before departure (60 days for customers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland).
Is there a single supplement with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Swan Hellenic?
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises lists solo prices in each cruise's price table and offers selected cruises with no or only a small single surcharge. Swan Hellenic charges solo travellers a Single Supplement, waived on specific departures.
How do I compare prices like for like?
Ask for a written quote for the same dates and the same cabin type, with every inclusion listed: flights, hotel nights, drinks, gratuities, kayaking or camping and the parka. The price lines above give what each line publishes and on what basis.
Can I book directly?
Yes. Each card links the line's own website; ask for a written quote that lists what the fare includes.
Where can I check these facts myself?
Every line on this page links the page of the line's own website it was read from, read 9 November 2026.
Is any company on this page paying to be here?
No. No company on this page is a partner of Uncompromised Travel; none paid to be on it.
Read next
Built to answer the question in the main heading. What is shown: what each line published on its own website, read on 9 November 2026, with links to the pages read. Google and Trustpilot figures are shown where the listing carries the line's own name, from the Uncompromised Travel expedition cruise lines table. Lines are set out in the order the question names them. No score and no verdict. No company on this page is a partner of Uncompromised Travel. How this site earns · How we work.