Swan Hellenic has expanded its expedition offering with the introduction of dedicated SCUBA diving programs on four East Asia voyages operating in Raja Ampat aboard the expedition vessel SH Minerva. The dive-focused departures are scheduled across two sailings in 2026 and a further two in 2027.
The programs are available to guests holding PADI Advanced Open Water certification and are structured around multiple dives conducted from private dive boats under the supervision of professional dive masters. Standard diving equipment, including masks, fins, wetsuits, buoyancy control devices, regulators, weights and tanks, is provided, along with the necessary permits. Participants are required to supply their own dive computers and arrange individual travel, medical and dive insurance.
Each voyage of 10 or 11 nights includes between 5 and 6 dives. Guests not participating in the diving program may join the vessel’s regular expedition schedule, which focuses on cultural and natural exploration. Snorkelling activities are included for all passengers, with planned visits to locations such as Cenderawasih Bay National Park, where encounters with whale sharks are known to occur.
Dive operations will take place at established sites including Pulau Kri, Pulau Fam, Pulau Mansuar and Ayu Atoll, with transfers conducted directly from the ship. Dive packages are available from US$250 for single-dive excursions, with half-day and full-day options also offered.
The first 2026 departure, titled Secrets of the Coral Triangle: West Papua and Raja Ampat, sails from Sorong on April 18 and returns on April 28 following a 10-night itinerary. Fares begin at US$7,925. The programme combines diving with shore landings in Cenderawasih Bay, Misool and Kabui Bay, alongside visits to World War II historical sites and local island communities. This is followed by the 11-night Heart of the Pacific Isles voyage, departing Sorong on April 28th, 2026, and arriving in Manila on May 9th, with fares from US$8,720. That itinerary links Raja Ampat with less-frequented areas of the southern Philippines, with dives scheduled at sites such as Melissa’s Garden, Batu Rufas, Keru Channel, Manta Ridge and Sawandarek Jetty.
The same itineraries are planned for 2027. Raja Ampat & Cenderawasih Bay: Indonesia’s Coral Triangle departs Sorong on April 16th, returning on April 26th, with fares from US$8,110. Raja Ampat and Philippines: The Last Paradise on Earth follows on April 26th, 2027, arriving in Manila on May 7th, with fares from US$8,920.
All four sailings form part of Swan Hellenic’s Elevated Expeditions promotion, which includes fare reductions, complimentary Wi-Fi upgrades and onboard credit for bookings made through February 28th, 2026.