"Beautiful" cruise ship SH Diana that offers journeys to Antarctica sails into Portsmouth for the first time

SH Diana, operated by Swan Hellenic, sailed into Portsmouth International Port for the first time this morning (May 21). Excited passengers have been flocking to the 12,255 tonne boutique vessel throughout the day.

She is bound for a 11-night voyage to Dublin, with her next stop being Fowey in south Cornwall. A traditional plaque exchange ceremony her into the harbour.

Captain of SH Diana, Svein-Rune Stromnes, said it was very exciting for the crew to visit the city and passengers wished they could stay overnight. He told The News: “There are so many things to see.

“It’s one of my favourite ports in the UK. The naval history makes the city stand out. I’m a maritime person and love maritime history. I’ve been here before and it’s nice to sail in and stay overnight.”

Built in Helsinki Shipyard in Finland, SH Diana promises a five-star travel experience and takes guests on voyages around the world. “It’s very manoeuvrable, small, powerful, and it’s a nice class,” Capt Stromnes said.

“You can do anything with this ship and use it anywhere in the world. It holds a very personal and intimate service. We have a lot of returning guests that know the crew by name. It’s very personalised and we have a nice cruise coming up.”

SH Diana is the second maiden cruise call in Portsmouth this week, with Silverseas’ Silver Wind calling in on Monday (May 19). Newly appointed Lord Mayor, Gerald Vernon-Jackson, said it was another exciting addition for the port and described the ship’s interior as “top-rate”.

He said: “I’m really pleased to see Swan Hellenic here. I had my honeymoon on a Swan Hellenic cruise leaving Portsmouth, so it’s personally very lovely to see them back here. We’ve got almost 100 cruise ships visiting this year, which is great. The ship is lovely and very very new. It’s great to have a lovely modern ship coming here. I know they would like to come back here more often and stay overnight so the visitors can experience more of the city. That’s great because they spend more money here.”

SH Diana, measuring 409.7ft in length, can carry 192 guests across nine decks in sumptuous comfort. She is complete with a spa and beauty salon, stargazing deck, observation lounge, areas with unobstructed views of the ocean, restaurant, pool bar and grill, open deck jacuzzi, gym, sauna with a view of the open sea, heated outdoor swimming pool and other amenities.

A record number of cruise ships are scheduled to visit the city this year. Port director Mike Sellers said: “It’s a beautiful ship. This is the kind of business that our business plan revolves around attracting to Portsmouth. The boutique and expedition cruises with high-end clientele which will spend money in the city.

“We have built a very good reputation and have a USP now on offer. There are multiple brands that call in. We’re growing and close to that target of 100 calls. I feel proud of what the team is delivering with their customer service, they’re going the extra mile for the customers.”

Mr Sellers said next year could see more than 100 vessels be welcomed into the harbour, with discussions being held with different brands. “We speak to the brands and tell them what we can offer,” he added. “Five years ago pre-pandemic, nobody heard of Portsmouth as a cruise port. Now when we go to conferences, the cruise companies want to come to us to see what’s on offer and potentially book itineraries. We’ve got new brands year on year, and we’ll see that going forward.”