Dates: 5 – 18 April, 2026

Duration: 12 days / 13 nights

Cost per person (double occupancy)*:

• Cabin with window D4, 20 m² — from USD 11,100
• Suite, 44 m² — from USD 18,425
• Premium Suite, 47 m² — from USD 22,200

*Cabin prices are subject to change. Please check availability and current pricing with your manager. Cabin descriptions are available at the end of the page.

Estimated airfare to Honiara: from USD 1,200.


TRAVEL PROGRAM: TOUR to Papua New Guinea

Day 0. April 4, 2026 (Saturday). BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA
Our journey begins in Brisbane, from where we will take a charter flight to reach our vessel.

Meals included: none
Accommodation included: 4/5* hotel in Brisbane


Day 1. 5 April 2026 (Sunday). HONIARA, GUADALCANAL ISLAND

We begin our Melanesian voyage in the capital of the Solomon Islands. Honiara lies on the northeast coast of Guadalcanal at the mouth of the Mataniko River. The town grew up around a former U.S. military base and saw most of its development during and after World War II. In 1952 Honiara replaced Tulagi as the main town of the archipelago. Learn more about the area’s wartime history at the U.S. War Memorial in Honiara. After the tour, return to the ship and embark.

Meals included: lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: cabin on board SH Minerva


Day 2. 6 April 2026 (Monday). FLORIDA ISLANDS — TULAGI — RODERICK BAY, SOLOMON ISLANDS

The Florida Islands, located in the Central Province, blend pristine nature with a rich wartime past. Tulagi — once the capital of the British Protectorate — was heavily damaged during fierce battles in 1942 under Japanese occupation. Today it is a peaceful spot where visitors can explore WWII relics, dive on wrecks, and enjoy crystal lagoons and tropical scenery. Powder-white beaches and colorful coral reefs fringe the clear waters of Roderick Bay. In shallow water lies an unusual landmark — the wreck of the expedition vessel MS World Discoverer, which sank in 2001 and now forms an exciting underwater playground for snorkelers and photographers.
Available excursions:

• Snorkeling with the expedition team — included
• Zodiac cruising with the expedition team — included
• Kayaking with the expedition team — optional (extra charge)

Meals included: breakfast (hotel), lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: cabin on board SH Minerva


Day 3. 7 April 2026 (Tuesday). KASOLO (KENNEDY) ISLAND — NYARI ISLAND, SOLOMON ISLANDS

Kennedy Island (also known as Kasolo or Plum-Pudding) is a tiny forested islet made famous by John F. Kennedy. In August 1943, after PT-109 was rammed by a Japanese destroyer, Lt. Kennedy and his crew paddled to shore here before moving on to nearby Olasana Island. Kasolo’s lush forests shelter rare species such as the fruit dove, honey-eater, and the Solomon Islands flying fox. Close by, Nyari is a tiny jewel between Wilson Strait and Vella Bay — remote, densely vegetated, with pristine bays and a coral reef teeming with colorful fish, turtles, rays, dolphins and sharks.

Available excursions:

• Nature Walk with the Swan Hellenic Expedition Team — included
• Snorkeling with the Swan Hellenic Expedition Team — included

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: cabin on board SH Minerva


Day 4. 8 April 2026 (Wednesday). DAY AT SEA

Days at sea are a time for rest and inspiration. Enjoy sweeping ocean views from the observation decks, socialize with fellow travelers, or retreat to the ship’s library stocked with reference material on the region. Attend expert lectures on natural history and local culture, or improve your photography skills with practical tips from our professional onboard photographers.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: cabin on board SH Minerva


Day 5. 9 April 2026 (Thursday). RABAUL

Rabaul — former capital of New Britain at the northeastern tip of Papua New Guinea — has a dramatic volcanic history. Located inside a flooded caldera and near the active Tavurvur volcano, the town has been rebuilt several times after destructive eruptions; the last major event occurred in 1994. A local observatory monitors volcanic activity. Today Rabaul is a strategic port with bustling markets and a rich WWII heritage.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: cabin on board SH Minerva


Day 6. 10 April 2026 (Friday). KIMBE BAY

Kimbe Bay on the north coast of New Britain is one of the richest marine biodiversity hotspots in the Pacific. A paradise for divers and snorkelers, it features vibrant coral gardens, schooling tropical fish, undersea mountains, and WWII wrecks. Inland, an active volcano and the hot Garu River with thermal springs await exploration. The surrounding rainforests are home to rare birds such as the Papuan hornbill, the noble green-red parrot, and the red-crested fruit dove.

Available excursions:

• Snorkeling with the Swan Hellenic Expedition Team — included
• Zodiac cruising with the Swan Hellenic Expedition Team — included

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: cabin on board SH Minerva


Day 7. 11 April 2026 (Saturday). GAROVE ISLAND

Garove is a tiny island of the Vitiaz group in the Bismarck Sea, notable for exceptional marine biodiversity and a distinctive horseshoe shape with a flooded caldera at its center. Divers will delight in colorful reef fish, reef sharks, jacks and barracuda patrolling the depths. Small coastal villages lie among tall coconut palms, offering a glimpse of laid-back island life.

Available excursions:

• Snorkeling with the Swan Hellenic Expedition Team — included
• Zodiac cruising with the Swan Hellenic Expedition Team — included

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: cabin on board SH Minerva


Day 8. 12 April 2026 (Sunday). TAMI ISLANDS

The inhabited Tami Islands — a small archipelago south of Finschhafen in Huon Gulf — are famed for master woodcarvers who produce intricate ceremonial bowls. The renowned “Tami bowls,” often depicting ancestral spirits with three-pronged headdresses, are highly prized and found in major museum collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the British Museum.
Available excursions:

• Tami Cultural Immersion — included (Duration: 2 hrs)

Welcomed in traditional Melanesian style and introduced to Tami society
Cultural performance reproducing historic events and ceremonial traditions
Presentation of ancestral spirit figures by masked dancers

• Snorkeling with the Swan Hellenic Expedition Team — included (Duration: 2 hrs)

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: cabin on board SH Minerva


Day 9. 13 April 2026 (Monday). CROWN ISLAND & KAR KAR ISLAND, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Tiny volcanic Crown Island stretches just five kilometers and is cloaked in dense rainforest, home to birds of paradise, doves and pigeons. Sapphire waters surround thriving coral reefs. Nearby Kar Kar features one of PNG’s most active volcanoes, extensive cocoa plantations and traditional villages shaded by towering coconut palms.
Available excursions:

• Nature Walk with the Swan Hellenic Expedition Team — included
• Snorkeling with the Swan Hellenic Expedition Team — included
• Kayaking with the Expedition Team — optional (extra charge)

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: cabin on board SH Minerva


Day 10. 14 April 2026 (Tuesday). MADANG

Madang is a tranquil port town with a village atmosphere and outstanding natural beauty. The local information and visitor centre houses WWII artifacts telling the story of battles for this strategic outpost. Offshore, colorful reef fish dart among coral gardens, and scenic mountain trails lead to the summit of Mount Wilhelm with panoramic views.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: cabin on board SH Minerva


Day 11. 15 April 2026 (Wednesday). MANAM ISLAND

Manam is dominated by an active stratovolcano that occasionally belches ash. The island’s landscape alternates between incised valleys, forested cliffs and traditional villages. Surrounding reefs and the wrecks in Hansa Bay — including US and Japanese ships, bombers and fighters from WWII — make this area a draw for divers. Hammerhead and tiger sharks are sometimes sighted in these waters.
Available excursions:

• Zodiac Cruise with the Swan Hellenic Expedition Team — included (02:00)
• Nature Walk with the Expedition Team — included (02:00)
• Snorkeling with the Expedition Team — included (02:00)

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: cabin on board SH Minerva


Day 12. 16 April 2026 (Thursday). SEPIK RIVER

The Sepik — New Guinea’s longest and mightiest river — winds through rainforests, swamps, stilt villages and mangrove-lined banks. River communities preserve traditional life, with ceremonial houses, spirit houses and intricately carved masks and totems that tell ancestral stories. Crocodiles, revered as symbols of power, share the landscape with spectacular birds of paradise such as the Golden and Red Bird-of-Paradise.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: cabin on board SH Minerva


Day 13. 17 April 2026 (Friday). WEWAK, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Wewak, the capital of East Sepik, is the gateway to the Sepik River and its complex network of lagoons, sago swamps and nipa-palm fringes. Stilted river villages remain centers of woodcarving, mask-making and the construction of ancestral spirit houses (haus tambaran). Wewak also preserves WWII memory: the Cape Wom memorial marks the site of Japan’s surrender in PNG.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: cabin on board SH Minerva


Day 14. 18 April 2026 (Saturday). JAYAPURA, INDONESIA

Jayapura — capital of Indonesia’s Papua province — lies among forested hills and serves as the starting point for journeys into the remote Baliem Valley in the highlands. Winding tracks lead to secluded waterfalls and salt springs; tribal villages hidden in the forest maintain traditional lifestyles, with ritual ceremonies and staged tribal war re-enactments. Jayapura’s museums also preserve the history of fierce WWII battles fought for control of this strategically vital region.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation included: none

*Please do not purchase flight tickets without prior confirmation from us.