Solar Eclipse 2026

[mtnlvr53]

So far, no cruises from Celebrity for the Solar Eclipse that I see. Has anyone heard anything about Celebrity's plan to cover it? 

We have looked at Princess and Holland America and they both have cruises for that time period with the plan to be on the ocean during the eclipse. 

It's a short eclipse only about 1-2 minutes of totality, but I think I could be fun.

Janet

[WestLakeGirl]

No announcement so far

[the penguins]

7 hours ago, mtnlvr53 said:

So far, no cruises from Celebrity for the Solar Eclipse that I see. Has anyone heard anything about Celebrity's plan to cover it? 

We have looked at Princess and Holland America and they both have cruises for that time period with the plan to be on the ocean during the eclipse. 

It's a short eclipse only about 1-2 minutes of totality, but I think I could be fun.

Janet

Cunard also have cruises - none of which appeal.

it may only be 1 to 2 minutes but, as it's also my 80th birthday, we are hoping to find something that suits us.

[rakes5]

Holland just announced 3 eclipse cruises 

 

https://thepointsguy.com/news/holland-america-2026-eclipse-cruise/

[keesar]

Do the cruise lines guarantee clear skies?  

[d9704011]

1 minute ago, keesar said:

Do the cruise lines guarantee clear skies?  

Of course, but not necessarily in the specific location where your ship is at the moment.  Pretty sure it's in the cruise contract somewhere.... perhaps page 38?

[the penguins]

11 hours ago, rakes5 said:

Holland just announced 3 eclipse cruises 

 

https://thepointsguy.com/news/holland-america-2026-eclipse-cruise/

[the penguins]

Just now, the penguins said:

11 hours ago, rakes5 said:

Holland just announced 3 eclipse cruises 

 

https://thepointsguy.com/news/holland-america-2026-eclipse-cruise/

thanks. If you live in the US the 45 nighter looks interesting. Neither of the other ones appeal. Hopefully X or possibly Azamara will have something more interesting.

[mahdnc]

On 8/3/2024 at 10:02 PM, mtnlvr53 said:

So far, no cruises from Celebrity for the Solar Eclipse that I see. Has anyone heard anything about Celebrity's plan to cover it? 

We have looked at Princess and Holland America and they both have cruises for that time period with the plan to be on the ocean during the eclipse. 

It's a short eclipse only about 1-2 minutes of totality, but I think I could be fun.

Janet

 

The weather for August in that part of the world is going to be really iffy.  Regardless of which line or ship you choose, you need to factor that in first.  For example, Cunard is sending 3 ships out to watch the eclipse. 

 

QM2 will overnight at Iceland for the eclipse which is not good cloud-coverage-probability-wise.  Book it if you really like the itinerary and won't be upset if you get clouded out.

 

The newly launched Queen Anne will be north of Spain during the event which is better but still not very good.

 

Queen Victoria will be in the Mediterranean just south of Spain for the eclipse which has excellent prospects for clear skies.

 

This is something to keep in mind if Celebrity should put out an eclipse cruise.

 

If you are interested in eclipses, I will point out to you that there is going to be an excellent solar eclipse in 2026.  Luxor, Egypt (Valley of the Kings) will experience 6+ minutes of totality so if you ever wanted to see ancient Egypt, this is an excellent opportunity.  Furthermore the chances for clear skies at Luxor is 99.9%.  The bad news?  Well it's in August so it will be very hot there except for a certain 6 minute period.  Last month Viking released a river cruise that will see the eclipse and it sold out in a couple hours.  Hopefully the Middle East situation becomes more stable by then.

 

Watching an eclipse from sea is amazing.  We saw our first one in 1991 on our first ever cruise (Carnival) off the coast of Mexico,  Thanks to the mobile ship, the captain was able to position us in an area of clear skies and we saw almost 7 minutes of totality.

 

Cloud cover map for 2026 eclipse. The diagram came from the Eclipsophile website.

Edited August 7 by mahdnc

[Cjohns16]

I looked at the Cunard QM2 and Anne offerings but decided to book the Azamara Quest. This will be my 5th total  eclipse and the first  at sea and unfortunately without my travel telescope.I have cruised already  5 times with Azamara,  and getting the early booking free  package, turns this into an all inclusive cruise, just like Crystal cruises my favourite non cold destination cruise line.

On August  12th, only the weather gods will know if we will be lucky. 

 

[cruisestitch]

Still nothing from Celebrity 

[Pushka]

1 hour ago, cruisestitch said:

Still nothing from Celebrity 

Early November. 

[cruisestitch]

With luck, it might be sooner
 

 

[the penguins]

12 hours ago, Cjohns16 said:

I looked at the Cunard QM2 and Anne offerings but decided to book the Azamara Quest. This will be my 5th total  eclipse and the first  at sea and unfortunately without my travel telescope.I have cruised already  5 times with Azamara,  and getting the early booking free  package, turns this into an all inclusive cruise, just like Crystal cruises my favourite non cold destination cruise line.

On August  12th, only the weather gods will know if we will be lucky. 

 

we looked at Azamara but it's way outside our price range 

 

[marne-c]

On 8/7/2024 at 11:58 AM, mahdnc said:

The weather for August in that part of the world is going to be really iffy.  Regardless of which line or ship you choose, you need to factor that in first. 

 

(snip)

 

 

Cloud cover map for 2026 eclipse. The diagram came from the Eclipsophile website.

 

@mahdnc  MANY thanks for the link to the excellent Eclipsophile website!

 

--Marne

[Cjohns16]

For each of my solar eclipses , I  spent a year planning and yes the weather is a critical factor but there are hundreds more. In Shanghai  July 22, 2009 was no different. I learnt that a foreigner that I would not be allowed to drive a car in China. I selected a coastal site  100km away, to get to the maximum duration 6minures  3 seconds. Now on this location  I was on a man made beach, so I took wooden blocks to stabilise my telescope on the beach. By chance,  I had a golf umbrella with me. Why,  15minutes before the totality,  the monsoon hit us. Only the telescope  owners stayed and the Chinese young adults, who ran around dancing in the monsoon rains , shouting and using their smartphones to flash photograph -  selfies. Ok yes we are not alone on / in the world and we cannot control what others will do during a solar eclipse  event. So what is my comment. Pick a ship, hope for the best and if as in 2009 , you get wet, enjoy the experience.

 

[Cjohns16]

Sad stories to tell and most annoying. Last Friday week ie 8 days ago , I called my travel  agent and requested  that he booked me on a V3 Veranda suit on Azamara  Quest . He came back and said cabin 6025 was being held for  me. Instead of making an option with Azamara  cruises,  he decided to ask DERTOUR,  a large German travel  agent to make the booking. Large here means slow. DERTOUR  came with an option  and a price increase of €1,400 on the Monday. I rejected  this price and asked Azamara to honour the original  price. They have not responded  and the DERTOUR  option ran out Thursday. 

So back to looking for a different solution.

The error was my travel agent and my fault for not explaining that first make an option at a fixed price and then transfer  the option to DERTOUR. 

[mahdnc]

Celebrity is sending two ships to see the Aug 12, 2026 total solar eclipse.

 

Silhouette is one ship.  From a cloud coverage standpoint, I don't recommend this sailing unless you really like the itinerary and won't be devastated if your eclipse is clouded out.

 

Apex is the other.  From a cloud coverage standpoint, this is a better sailing.  

 

Here is a historical cloud coverage map with the two red lines which indicate the path of totality.  The hand drawn red dot/blob is where I believe Apex will be on eclipse day (docked at La Coruna).  The blue dot/blob is where I estimate Silhouette will be on eclipse day (at sea, sailing from Akurayri and Isafjordur).  The redder the map is, the more likely there will be clouds in the way during the eclipse.  The bluer the map, the clearer the skies. 

 

The best skies along the eclipse path is located in the Med south of Spain.  Apex is scheduled to be there (e.g. Palma) during its eclipse sailing, but that is well before the eclipse.  Too bad.