Adventure Tourism on the SH Minerva By:Mauricio Dos Santos, Hotel Director, Swan Hellenic Cruises

What adventure activities do you offer, and what is your most popular?

Swan Hellenic specializes in expedition cruising across the polar regions, Arctic and Antarctica, as well as Greenland, West Africa, and South America. Our most popular activities are the landings in the polar regions, which include zodiac cruising, kayaking, and wildlife watching. We also run on-board lectures to help guests truly understand what they're experiencing. That's a huge part of what people come for.

What insurance and liability considerations are specific to adventure tourism?

All guests are fully covered by the cruise line and sign acknowledgment when they purchase. The key requirement is physical fitness. Guests must be strong enough to handle zodiac landings and walk without assistance. We advise anyone with mobility issues that this type of expedition may not be suitable for them.

What is your typical guest's age, background, and health profile?

We have very mixed nationalities with no age limit. Guests range from young adults all the way to 90 years old. The only requirement is being self-sufficient. Staff are always on hand to assist in and out of zodiacs, but guests must be generally independent. Every guest submits a medical report in advance, reviewed by our office medical team, since we operate in remote areas where evacuation by helicopter could take many hours. We also have a doctor and nurse on board.

What percentage of your guests are repeat customers?

Swan Hellenic is only five years old, so we're still building that base. Some cruises are already seeing 10 to 20% repeat guests, though many don't quite reach 10% yet. With ships holding 159 and 209 guests respectively, it takes time, but we're growing steadily.

What are the biggest difficulties in balancing adventure with safety and comfort?

It always comes down to people's behavior. As long as guests respect safety protocols, everything runs smoothly, but you have to stay vigilant. We run a full safety drill on embarkation day and mandatory crew drills at least once every seven days. So far, no major incidents.

Do you partner with external operators or keep everything in-house?

All operations are outsourced to a third party called V Ships, which manages both the technical side (deck and engine) and the hospitality side. Swan Hellenic agreed on terms including salaries, commissions, and management fees, rather than building an in-house structure. It's a model that works well for companies focused on the guest experience rather than the

operational backend.

Is adventure tourism more profitable than traditional hospitality?

They're two completely different markets, but both can be very profitable. The key for us is running at full capacity, all rooms sold at full price. It's a premium product, so profitability depends entirely on achieving that.

How do you handle geopolitical instability at destinations?

If there's instability at a port, we simply skip it. That's a standard rule across the cruising industry. Guest and crew safety always comes first, no exceptions.

How is adventure tourism evolving, more extreme or more accessible?

It depends entirely on the product. If the product is strong and feedback is good, attracting guests becomes easier. Our destinations are ultimately the main draw. Where we go and what we do is what sets us apart.

What will adventure tourism guests want in the next decade?

They'll be looking for more options, but honestly it's hard to predict that far out. What I do know is that expeditions will always be exciting. Antarctica especially is a once in a lifetime experience. Yet we already have guests who've come back five times, not just for the destination, but because of the crew, the food, and the ambiance. It genuinely feels like home to them. In the end, it always comes back to hospitality.

SH Minerva