The Best Way to See the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse May Be From the Water — on These New Cruises
Holland America will send two ships to the path of totality next year off the western coast of Mexico.
Michel Verdure/Courtesy of Holland America Line
We're less than a year away from the Great American Solar Eclipse, a total solar eclipse that will cross the U.S. from Texas to Maine on April 8, 2024. Many hotels are already fully booked for the astronomical event, but it's not too late to make travel plans.
Holland America is offering two solar eclipse cruise itineraries that will take guests directly into the path of totality, where the sun goes completely dark as the moon crosses in front of it. What makes cruising a particularly good option for solar eclipse viewing is that the ship can easily reposition if clouds get in the way.
Igor Zhuravlov/Shutterstock/Courtesy of Holland America Line
The first trip is a 22-day sailing from San Diego to Vancouver by way of Hawaii. Departing on April 5, the 2,650-passenger Koningsdam will sail south to Mexico, calling at Cabo San Lucas before positioning itself just offshore for the eclipse. The trip then continues to Puerto Vallarta before spending five days at sea sailing to Hawaii.
In Hawaii, guests will visit four stops, including an overnight in Honolulu, before heading back to sea en route to Canada, eventually calling at Victoria, British Columbia, before reaching Vancouver.
Michel Verdure/Courtesy of Holland America Line
On this sailing will be University of California San Diego Professor Adam Burgasser, an observational astrophysicist. "This first total solar eclipse in North America in seven years is something astronomers — amateur and professional — are all excited to observe, and there’s no better or unique place to observe it than at sea off the coast of Mexico," Burgasser said in a statement released to Travel + Leisure.
Courtesy of Holland America Line
The second sailing is a bit shorter: a 14-day cruise through the Mexican Riviera, starting and ending in San Diego. This voyage on the 1,432-passenger Zaandam departs on March 30 and visits eight ports in Mexico, including Zihuatanejo (Ixtapa), Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán (where it will be on eclipse day), and Cabo San Lucas.
The astronomy expert on board is Jim McParland, a Canadian lecturer who will present on eclipse day and throughout the cruise.
Rates for the 22-day sailing start at $2,779 per person for an interior cabin, and the trip can be booked here. Rates for the 14-day sailing start at $3,259 per person for an ocean-view cabin, and this one can be booked here.
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