Swan Hellenic, the Nicosia based expedition cruise company, said it is partnering with Cruise Online, a division of Aviation Online Pty Ltd, with offices in Sydney and Auckland, to provide close support to the travel trade across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific.

The company,which will operate three ships that are currently on order in Finland, has formed a number of strategic alliances in the past few months to gain foothold on source markets around the world.

Cruise Online offers trade operators the highest standards of service and efficiency, with almost 20 years’ experience across the aviation, vacation, cruise and expedition sectors.

“Dedicated to a niche of discerning travellers, the company is ideally placed to help its trade partners ensure Swan Hellenic customers across the region enjoy exemplary tailored service,” the company said in a statement.

The company said the latest partnership is a strategic agreement in line with Swan Hellenic’s long-term vision of establishing a presence in strategic markets worldwide, focused on supporting the trade to deliver the close personal service to which it is committed. The Cruise Online agreement sees the iconic cultural expedition cruise pioneer take a further step towards complete global coverage.

Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito commented: “We’re delighted to partner with Cruise Online, who truly understand the region’s passion for authentic expedition travel and a high-end vacation experience that’s personal and attentive, but also informal and unpretentious. Thanks to Cruise Online’s extensive professional travel and airline experience, trade partners will be able to offer these exacting guests the benefits of full sea-sky integration to see what others don’t.”