Swan Hellenic Cruises
 
(P&O Cruises Page 3)
 
 
Swan Hellenic (previously Swan's Hellenic) have been operating highly-regarded cultural cruises in Greek and other Mediterranean waters since the 1950s. Their best known ship was the Orpheus, chartered from Epriotiki Lines from 1974 to 1996. This ship was originally built in 1948 as the Liverpool-Dublin night boat Munster. Prior to the Orpheus, Swan's Hellenic had chartered the Turkish ship Ankara. The company was acquired by P&O during the long service of Orpheus, and cards with the P&O logo were issued. When her replacement became necessary, P&O teamed with V-Ships and the Mariotti shipyard in Genoa to convert the incomplete hull of a Soviet reseach vessel into the luxurious small cruise ship Minerva. Minerva is owned by V-Ships (previous owners of Sitmar) and is their first new cruise ship since Sitmar were sold to P&O in 1988. Occasional expedition cruises are also operated (three in 2000) using the vessel Clipper Adventurer. One of the bankrupt Renaissance Cruises fleet is to be chartered by Swan Hellenic as the Minerva II.
 
 
Ships on This Page:-
Ankara
Clipper Adventurer
Minerva
Minerva II
Nile Monarch
Orpheus - ex-Munster
Tarsus
 
Associated Pages:-
Epirotiki Lines
P&O Liners - Page 1 - 1837-1899
P&O Liners - Page 2 - 1900-1914
P&O Liners - Page 3 - 1915-1939
P&O Liners - Page 4 - 1940-1961
P&O Princess Cruises - Page 1 - Early P&O Princess Cruise Ships
P&O Princess Cruises - Page 2 - Later P&O Princess Cruise Ships
P&O Princess Cruises Photographs
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
www.swan-hellenic.co.uk
 
 
Swan Hellenic Fleet List
 
 
Ankara
 
Turkish liner Ankara on charter to Swan Hellenic.
 
 
 
Tarsus
 
Turkish liner Tarsus on charter to Swan Hellenic.
 
 
 
 
 
Orpheus (1974-1996)
 
Orpheus was built in 1948 as the Munster (4) for B&I Line. She replaced the similar Munster (3) of 1938 which was lost in the war. The Munster (4) was sold in 1969. After a spell as Theseus, she operated as Orpheus for Epirotiki Lines, with lengthy charters to Swan Hellenic (part of P&O Cruises).
 
Complete history of Munster (4)
 
 
This Epirotiki Lines card also has the logos of Swan Hellenic and P&O on the reverse, as shown.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Minerva (1996-2003)
 
Minerva was built in 1996 using the partially completed hull of a Soviet-ordered research ship. She is owned by V-Ships, and is chartered to Swan Hellenic. Minerva offered cruises throughout the world. She was replaced by Minerva II in 2003 and was chartered by Saga Cruises as the Saga Pearl during the summer. In winter she is chartered elsewhere as Explorer II (for example Noble Caledonia are marketing cruises in Antactica during winter 2004/5). Publicity pictures as Explorer II show her in Saga colours with yellow funnel.
 
 
Official Swan Hellenic postcards of Minerva.
 
 
 
 
Photograph of Minerva in the North Sea Canal.
Photo: © Wil Moojen, 23rd June 1998.
 
 
 
 
 
Minerva II (2003- )
 
R Eight has being used by Swan Hellenic (P&O) as the Minerva II from 2003. Minerva II visited the Pool of London on July 4th 2003. She turned upriver and was pulled by tugs for the final section of the journey. She was moored at buoys in the river, near Tower Bridge (being too large to psss through it). She left on a Baltic cruise at 17:00hrs on 5th July, with passengers having been tendered out on local Thames excursion boats. Additional photos are shown on this link.
 
 
 
Advertising postcard for Minerva II.
 
 
Minerva II in the Pool of London.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th July 2003.
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th July 2003.
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th July 2003.
 
 
 
 
Minerva II leaving the Pool of London, with tugs Sun Thames and Sun Sussex.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th July 2003.
 
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th July 2003.
 
 
 
Minerva II arriving at San Francisco on inaugural call.
Photo: © Marv Jensen, 24th January 2006.
 
Minerva II arriving at San Francisco on inaugural call.
Photo: © Marv Jensen, 24th January 2006.
 
Minerva II arriving at San Francisco on inaugural call.
Photo: © Marv Jensen, 24th January 2006.
 
Minerva II arriving at San Francisco on inaugural call.
Photo: © Marv Jensen, 24th January 2006.
 
Minerva II arriving at San Francisco on inaugural call.
Photo: © Marv Jensen, 24th January 2006.
 
Minerva II arriving at San Francisco on inaugural call.
Photo: © Marv Jensen, 24th January 2006.
 
Minerva II arriving at San Francisco on inaugural call.
Photo: © Marv Jensen, 24th January 2006.
 
 
 
 
 
Clipper Adventurer
 
Clipper Adventurer was chartered once from owners Clipper Cruise Line in 1999, for a cruise to Brazil. Three expedition cruises are offered on her in 2000, to Greenland, the 'Hidden' Caribbean and the Amazon.
 
 
The cards below are Clipper Cruise Line officials; I have not seen any Swan Hellenic issues.
 
 
This is an oversized advertising card of Clipper Adventurer.
The card was issued during the rebuilding, and the card back gives full details of the rebuilding from the 1975 Soviet Alla Tarasova in 1997/98.
 
Photograph of Clipper Adventurer in the North Sea Canal.
Photo: © Wil Moojen, 23rd June 1998.
 
 
 
 
 
Nile Monarch
 
This is an official Swan Hellenic/P&O card of the Nile Monarch, operated under charter. No Nile trips are offered in 2000, but cruises on the Rhine, Danube and Rhone are available. Swiss Crystal is used on the Rhine/Danube, and the Cezanne on the Rhone. I do not have cards of either of these vessels.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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