15 Night Cruise sailing from Portsmouth roundtrip aboard Minerva.

As ever we have listened to you, our loyal and growing number of passengers who remain as passionate about the Swan Hellenic lifestyle as our staff and ship's company, and are now able to act on those comments and announce a visionary multi-million pound upgrade which will take Swan Hellenic and Minerva forward into the next era.

From the onboard environment to inspiring itineraries, and from our knowledgeable reservations team to our European ship's officers and attentive crew, we are committed to providing you with the ultimate discovery cruise experience.

You will travel with like-minded people and as you share the experiences of your voyage, you may find acquaintances turn into lasting friendships. Your cruise will be further enriched by the presence of distinguished guest speakers drawn from the diplomatic, media and academic worlds. Their insightful presentations and the more informal conversations you can enjoy in the Darwin Lounge will really bring our destinations to life.

Highlights of this cruise:

Portsmouth
Portsmouth is a city steeped in history with an impressive cast of characters from maritime heroes to literary giants. From its humble beginnings as a Saxon fishing village, Portsmouth developed into a military garrison town and then into the home of one of the most powerful sea-borne fighting forces in history. 2005 will see the opening of a new, contemporary, national icon based on the south coast, providing a unique 'window on the sea'

At the heart of the city is Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. Here you can explore Lord Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory and tour Queen Victoria's battleship, HMS Warrior 1860. You can see Henry Vlll's Mary Rose and trace the history of the Royal Navy at the Royal Naval Museum. Then come right up to date with "Action Stations" an interactive attraction on today's navy.

Other attractions include Charles Dickens' birthplace, the D-Day Museum featuring the Overlord Embroidery, Southsea Castle, the Royal Marines Museum, and Portsmouth Cathedral.

Southsea, Portsmouth's own resort area offers four miles of beach and promenade, including gardens and piers. You can take an undersea safari at the Blue Reef Aquarium or splash around at the Pyramids with their fun pools, flumes and waves.

At the harbour entrance lies Gunwharf Quays, a world-class waterfront shopping and leisure development. Spinnaker Tower is also situated here. This is a striking new attraction soaring 170m into the air and offering spectacular views over the south coast.

If you want to shop then Portsmouth City Centre and Southsea offer an excellent selection of shops from high street names to independent retailers.

Heimay
Heimay is part of the Westmann Islands and is famous for a volcanic eruption in 1973. The resulting lava flow threatened the entire town. Luckily fishing boats in port where able to evacuate threatened residents.

The lavaflow was on a course which would close off the narrow channel leading to the island's port. So it was decided to pump seawater on the molten river to cool down the lava, causing it to harden in its tracks and save the harbor. The eruption increased Heimay's size by 15 percent. Homes can still be seen submerged in barren lava fields.

Reykjavik
Located in the North Atlantic Ocean, directly east of Greenland, Iceland is Europe's westernmost country and the second largest island in the North-Atlantic ocean. Its capital, Reykjavik holds practically half of Iceland's entire population, perhaps not surprising considering how little of the country is actually habitable. As such it is the country's unrivalled cultural and economic centre surrounded by a vast wilderness of mountains and glaciers.

The city's highlights are mostly found in central Reykjavik: lining Old Town and Lake Tjornin are attractive tin houses, some of the more historical buildings, and many of its restaurants and nighttime hotspots. Its nightlife is legendary, with all-night street parties in summer and a huge club scene year-round. The nearby surrounding wilderness offers walking trails at Videy Island or the lava area at Heidmork, is definitely worth a visit. At "Smoky Bay" you can see geothermal steam rising from the ground. Harnessed to heat the city, these smoke signals can be seen along with any number of natural wonders, half an hour out of town.

Torshavn
Torshavn is the capital of the Faroe Islands. It is located in the southern part on the east coast of Streymoy, Denmark. To the north west of the town lies the 347-metre (1,140 ft) high mountain Husareyn, and to the southwest, the 350-metre (1,100 ft) high Kirkjubrreyn.

The town is a charming blend of old and new. In the area around the harbour lies Tinganes where the 'old town' of Torshavn is located. The small colorful houses are an attraction in the town, as is Skansin, an old fortress built over the harbour. Five minutes walk from the harbour is the city-centre Vaglið. Here is also Lrgtingið, the Faeroese parliament. Nearby are shops, restaurants, hotels and a cinema.