Philipp Reutener joins Swan Hellenic

SWAN HELLENIC: PRESS-RELEASE (20th May 2021)

Seasoned hospitality and fine dining expert Philipp Reutener joins Swan Hellenic as Hotel Director

Cultural expedition cruise pioneer brings its first ship the leadership of a truly international professional

Nicosia, Cyprus: Today, Thursday the 20th of May,

Swan Hellenic announced that internationally-experienced hospitality and fine dining expert Philipp Reutener has joined the iconic company as Hotel Director of the first of its three new cultural expedition cruise ships, the five-star SH Minerva which will be embarking on its fully-booked maiden cruise toward the end of the year.

Born into hospitality, helping his parents from an early age to run their bed and breakfast in the beautiful, historic town of Brunnen on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, Philipp's professional journey has ranged from chef at premium restaurants in Brunnen, Geneva and Lugano to front of house at the renowned “Le Beaujolais" in Banff, Canada. This was followed by senior management positions at the MythenForum Schwyz conference and event centre in Switzerland and then with Norwegian Cruise Line, initially as Food & Beverage Assistant Manager and soon after as Director between 2001 and 2002, leading to shore-based positions in Human Resources and Culinary Projects up to 2005. His career then continued on land for the next 6 years, managing resorts for Amari, Anantara and Sandals in Thailand, the UAE and Jamaica. The lure of the sea was too strong, however, and in 2013 he returned to the waves as Hotel Director with Seabourn, mainly cruising the Baltic and his favourite region of the world, Antarctica.

Philipp’s passion for hospitality has not only seen him accumulate multiple qualifications (from the Swiss Hotel Management School Lucerne, Switzerland, and Cornell University in New York) but also led him to acquire extensive competence in languages, from his native Swiss German and German to French, English, Italian, Spanish, Swedish and Thai. This, combined with his wide-ranging experience living and working in diverse cultures, make him a perfect fit for the iconic Swan Hellenic.

Hans Heger
Swan Hellenic Vice President of Hotel Operations declared:

“We're delighted to have Philipp moulding the hospitality experience aboard SH Minerva, with his immense experience, refined competence and sheer joie de vivre. We've already been hard at working selecting some very fine wines for the ship's cellar!”

Philipp Reutener
commented:

“I'm honoured to have been chosen to help create the extraordinary on-board experience that Swan Hellenic has conceived for SH Minerva, a distinctive combination of comfort, refinement and the highest service standards with the relaxed confidence typical of true connoisseurs.”

About Swan Hellenic

Swan Hellenic was relaunched in July 2020 to proudly continue the spirit of cultural expedition cruising the company pioneered in the 1950s. Building on its British roots, the new company has a global cultural cruising outlook dedicated to providing guests with the opportunity to ‘see what others don’t’.

Two new 5-star polar PC 5 ice-class expedition cruise ships arriving in November 2021 and April 2022 will each accommodate 152 guests in 76 spacious staterooms and suites, the majority with large balconies. A larger PC 6 ice-class vessel accommodating 192 guests in 96 staterooms and suites in the same distinctive comfort and style as its sister ships will be arriving year-end 2022. All three new ships are being built in full compliance with SOLAS Safe Return to Port requirements.

Dedicated to guests with a passion for adventure and cultural exploration, the company’s meticulously planned itineraries explore the wild landscapes, wildlife, peoples and unique cultures of the world’s less travelled regions.

Its ships feature elegant Scandi-design interiors, extensive outdoor spaces and dedicated expedition facilities. The crew includes an expedition team comprising expert guides, speakers and lecturers, and numbering 120 and 140 respectively almost equals the number of guests, reflecting the high levels of attentive personal service provided.

Headquartered in Cyprus with offices in London, Dusseldorf and Monaco, together with a branch office in Hong Kong (serving mainland China, Taiwan and South-East Asia), as well as partnerships serving India, Japan and Australia-New Zealand, Scandinavia and Iceland, Swan Hellenic supports the travel trade with specialist local partners to provide customers with expert personal service worldwide.