“Sailing into Celestial Wonder: Experiencing the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse from the Deck of New Cruises”

Two Solar Eclipse Cruises from Holland America

COURTESY OF HOLLAND AMERICA LINE: On April 8, 2024, a complete solar eclipse will cover the United States from Texas to Maine. It will occur less than a year from now. It’s not too late to make travel arrangements, even if many hotels are already completely booked for the celestial event.

Two solar eclipse cruises from Holland America will transport passengers straight into the path of totality, where the sun entirely disappears as the moon passes in front of it. Cruising is a particularly ideal choice for witnessing the solar eclipse since the ship can quickly change positions if clouds block the view.

The first journey takes 22 days to sail via Hawaii from San Diego to Vancouver. The 2,650-passenger Koningsdam will set sail on April 5 for Mexico, pausing at Cabo San Lucas along the way, and then placing itself close offshore for the eclipse. After that, the journey continues to Puerto Vallarta, after which it sails for five days to Hawaii.

Visitors will stop at four locations in Hawaii, including Honolulu, where they will spend the night, before returning to sea and sailing to Canada, stopping in Victoria, British Columbia, on the way to Vancouver.

Adam Burgasser, an observational astrophysicist and professor at the University of California, San Diego, will be sailing on this expedition. “There’s no better or more unique place to observe it than at sea off the coast of Mexico,” Burgasser said in a statement sent to Travel + Leisure. “This first total solar eclipse in North America in seven years is something astronomers — amateur and professional — are all excited to observe.”

The second voyage is a little bit shorter: it’s a 14-day trip down the Mexican Riviera that departs from and returns to San Diego. The 1,432-passenger Zaandam will make eight stops in Mexico during this trip, including Zihuatanejo (Ixtapa), Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán (where it will be on the day of the eclipse), and Cabo San Lucas.

Jim McParland, a Canadian lecturer who specialises in astronomy, will provide presentations all throughout the voyage and on the day of the eclipse.
Prices for an inside stateroom on the 22-day voyage start at $2,779 per person. A stateroom with an ocean view costs $3,259 per person for the 14-day voyage.

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