- Holland America recently launched new voyages focused on the solar eclipse happening in 2027.
- The cruise line is offering two voyages during which the ships will pass through the eclipse’s path of totality off the coast of North Africa.
- The voyages include onboard lectures, visits to important astronomical sites, and access to things like eclipse glasses.
The next solar eclipse on Aug. 12, 2026, is still more than a year away. But one cruise line is already planning voyages for the next iteration of the celestial event that will occur in 2027.
Holland America Line, a Travel + Leisure World’s Best winner for midsize-ship ocean cruise lines, has unveiled two new itineraries for the rare sky event, which will take place on on Aug. 2, 2027. This eclipse will last around six minutes—almost two minutes longer than 2024’s solar eclipse.
Both Nieuw Statendam and Oosterdam will be anchored off the coast of North Africa to catch the eclipse’s path of totality, as part of longer itineraries cruising the Mediterranean.
The 28-Day Legendary Iberian Solar Eclipse & Cosmic Port Explorer departs from Rotterdam, Netherlands, on July 10, 2027. On this voyage, you can watch the eclipse from the 2,666-passenger Nieuw Statendam while it’s anchored off the coast of Morocco on the 24th day of the sailing.
The itinerary includes visits to ports in Denmark, the U.K., France, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. Expect shore excursions that complement the astronomical theme, such as a visit to Stonehenge in England, a historic site believed to have been constructed to align with the winter and summer solstices.
On the shorter 14-Day Solar Eclipse & Astronomical Discovery, which departs from Athens, Greece, on July 31, you can watch the eclipse from Tunisia during the cruise’s third day aboard the 1,964-passenger Oosterdam. Afterwards, the ship will set sail toward other ports in Greece, Malta, and Italy. You’ll also be able to look forward to activities like a visit to the astronomical clock of the Cathedral of Messina in Sicily, one of the largest of its kind.
As solar eclipse tourism experiences a surge in popularity, many cruise lines are adding itineraries to ensure their vessels are in the right place at the right time to catch the moment the sun vanishes behind the moon’s shadow.
“The excitement around viewing a total solar eclipse the past few years has been palpable and we jumped at the chance to create more itineraries that give our guests the incomparable opportunity of viewing the eclipse at sea,” said Paul Grigsby, Holland America Line’s vice president of deployment, in a statement obtained by Travel + Leisure. “When you’re at sea, there is a greater opportunity to witness an eclipse in the clear because the ship can attempt to position itself away from cloud cover—and the view on the horizon means you get more of the shadow coming in and going out,” he said in the statement.
No matter which sailing you pick, you can expect a busy onboard program of enrichment activities and expert-led lectures centered around eclipses. And don’t worry about packing any special equipment—the ships will have eclipse glasses ready for passengers to wear.
Reservations are now open for both sailings, with early booking offers currently available.
