Wouldn't it be cool if Viking put together an eclipse cruise for 2026?

[OnTheJourney]

The path goes through areas of Iceland, Greenland, and Spain - among a few other areas. Unfortunately the weather and chances of visibility could play a significant factor at most of the locations the way I'm reading. Princess passengers got to see the recent total eclipse near the start of the path in Mexico.

[Goosebear Mum]

Agree, I looked up cruises for this day, and none are in the region of the full eclipse 😞 Bizarre, as I’d have thought they could have managed a Med or Northern France/Portugal cruise. 

[OnTheJourney]

26 minutes ago, Goosebear Mum said:

none are in the region of the full eclipse

Maybe they'll come up with something if we bug 'em!  Came across several others though:  https://www.cunard.com/en-us/cunard-stories/see-the-solar-eclipse-in-2026

https://travelquesttours.com/2026-greenland-iceland-total-solar-eclipse-cruise/

https://www.travelandleisure.com/greenland-cruise-2026-total-solar-eclipse-albatros-expeditions-8426436

Also, Holland America indicates they might be putting something together. Thing is, weather could be dicey based on this site:  https://eclipsophile.com/tse2026/  

 

I missed out on seeing the one this past Monday. Drove up to Keuka Lake, NY (love the Finger Lakes region) hoping for the 99.5% since they were quite near the edge of the path, and then had the weather cooperated better we were going to drive the extra 30 minutes up to  Penn Yan, which was in the path - just over the edge and so also a bit dicey. I had a room booked in Geneva but then canceled it thinking that the crowds and traffic might have been bad as you get closer to the Rochester, NY area, and so opted to stay a bit farther down. Even without actually seeing it, it was an amazing experience with how dark it got during the deepest portion - as well as the temperature really dropped. I'll never forget that but would love to get another chance! 2044 is pushing the envelope quite a bit for me!

 

Let's email Viking and tell 'em to get moving on 2026 😉

Edited April 11 by OnTheJourney

[OnTheJourney]

If Princess can do it, why not Viking? 

 

[JDincalif]

3 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

The path goes through areas of Iceland, Greenland, and Spain - among a few other areas. Unfortunately the weather and chances of visibility could play a significant factor at most of the locations the way I'm reading. Princess passengers got to see the recent total eclipse near the start of the path in Mexico.

We've also been eyeing the 2027 eclipse with its trajectory over the ports of southern Spain with totality in the morning rather than closer to sunset. That would seem to be a perfect opportunity for a cruise line to feature eclipse-related activities.

[wine-wine-wine]

2 hours ago, JDincalif said:

We've also been eyeing the 2027 eclipse

Totality will be directly above the Temple of Luxor as well. But it’s in August! 🥵

[babs711]

Viking’s ocean cruise starting in New York on August 3, 2026 going to Canada, Greenland, 

and Iceland is in Isafjordur on August 12. In the path of totality…

[JDincalif]

1 hour ago, babs711 said:

Viking’s ocean cruise starting in New York on August 3, 2026 going to Canada, Greenland, 

and Iceland is in Isafjordur on August 12. In the path of totality…

Wow - thanks so much! We have just booked that cruise.

[May B]

2 hours ago, babs711 said:

Viking’s ocean cruise starting in New York on August 3, 2026 going to Canada, Greenland, 

and Iceland is in Isafjordur on August 12. In the path of totality…

 

12 minutes ago, JDincalif said:

Wow - thanks so much! We have just booked that cruise.

Pardon me for being dense. I can’t find this cruise! Can you give me a hint by posting the ship?

Edited April 12 by May B

[babs711]

I called Viking today to ask if they will be taking advantage and highlighting the solar eclipse experience. The representative said there will be info closer to the cruise.  
The eclipse is in the late afternoon, so I wondered what time they would be leaving Isafjorour.

Hopefully the ship would wait for totality, or maybe it would still be visible on the sail out?

[JDincalif]

3 minutes ago, May B said:

 

Pardon me for being dense. I can’t find this cruise! Can you give me a hint by posting the ship?

It's the Viking Vela. Initially we didn't see it on desktop computer but in mobile, but it's on both now.

[May B]

Just now, babs711 said:

I called Viking today to ask if they will be taking advantage and highlighting the solar eclipse experience. The representative said there will be info closer to the cruise.  
The eclipse is in the late afternoon, so I wondered what time they would be leaving Isafjorour.

Hopefully the ship would wait for totality, or maybe it would still be visible on the sail out?

Why wouldn’t it be available from out in the ocean?

[May B]

Just now, JDincalif said:

It's the Viking Vela. Initially we didn't see it on desktop computer but in mobile, but it's on both now.

Thx!

[JDincalif]

Just now, May B said:

Why wouldn’t it be available from out in the ocean?

Eclipse data shows totality around 5:44pm, ship is scheduled to depart at 7:00pm 

[babs711]

Great to know the departure time,

Just wondering how wide the path of totality is.  Thinking we could sail out of it and not get the 100% view.

 

[JDincalif]

4 minutes ago, babs711 said:

Great to know the departure time,

Just wondering how wide the path of totality is.  Thinking we could sail out of it and not get the 100% view.

 

Lots of good information out there

https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/iceland/isafjordur?iso=20260812

 

[JDincalif]

20 minutes ago, May B said:

Why wouldn’t it be available from out in the ocean?

No worries...it will be, sky conditions permitting

[May B]

40 minutes ago, JDincalif said:

It's the Viking Vela. Initially we didn't see it on desktop computer but in mobile, but it's on both now.

And you know what? I was so excited to look for this cruise, I forgot how they show up, with the reverse itinerary being grouped with the one in the other direction.

 

Does that make any sense? I hope so, and I am so excited b/c I also booked it! Next stop, convincing Mr B this is a good idea.

 

 

[OnTheJourney]

3 minutes ago, May B said:

Next stop, convincing Mr B this is a good idea.

Yeah I hear you on that one. Not sure I'd be able to sell this one to DW. Admittedly, if it weren't for the attraction of it coinciding with the eclipse, I'd have no interest in it being in August. I try to avoid traveling anywhere in summer. Long story.

[May B]

34 minutes ago, babs711 said:

Great to know the departure time,

Just wondering how wide the path of totality is.  Thinking we could sail out of it and not get the 100% view.

 

Thx for clarifying. That would shock me, if they did that!

[May B]

2 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

Yeah I hear you on that one. Not sure I'd be able to sell this one to DW. Admittedly, if it weren't for the attraction of it coinciding with the eclipse, I'd have no interest in it being in August. I try to avoid traveling anywhere in summer. Long story.

Actually, that’s the easy part. We love to get out of hot Florida in the summer!

Edited April 12 by May B

[OnTheJourney]

9 minutes ago, May B said:

We love to get out of hot Florida in the summer!

LOL...you have a good point there! I'm seeing average August temps of 50s-60s in Iceland. I just hate to leave my pool during the swimming season - spent 33 years of only being able to travel in summer while DW and I were teaching. Promised myself, after retiring, that I will stay home during summers. This cruise is very tempting. We've never been to Iceland or Greenland.

[May B]

2 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

LOL...you have a good point there! I'm seeing average August temps of 50s-60s in Iceland. I just hate to leave my pool during the swimming season - spent 33 years of only being able to travel in summer while DW and I were teaching. Promised myself, after retiring, that I will stay home during summers. This cruise is very tempting. We've never been to Iceland or Greenland.

Every once in a while we break our rule about not leaving home in Nov., March and April, but only for very special reasons. In March next year, we’re cruising to Mardi Gras! And in Nov., last year, we took our first-cruise-after-Crystal-returned cruise.

 

The thing for you is, Iceland and Greenland tend to be better to visit, in the summer! A dilemma, and what a good one.

[JDincalif]

23 minutes ago, May B said:

And you know what? I was so excited to look for this cruise, I forgot how they show up, with the reverse itinerary being grouped with the one in the other direction.

 

Does that make any sense? I hope so, and I am so excited b/c I also booked it! Next stop, convincing Mr B this is a good idea.

 

 

Looking forward to sharing the excitement and to meeting you in 2026.

[May B]

Just now, JDincalif said:

Looking forward to sharing the excitement and to meeting you in 2026.

Let’s see if there’s a roll call thread!