Thousands of cruise passengers gathered on deck across three Holland America ships to watch the recent total solar eclipse as interest builds in further astronomy focused voyages planned for 2027.
Nieuw Statendam, Oosterdam and Zuiderdam were positioned off Iceland and Spain to give guests clear views of the eclipse, supported by onboard experts, viewing guidance and protective glasses.
Werner Timmers, Captain of Nieuw Statendam, said viewing the event at sea offered an advantage because ships could adjust their position according to conditions.
“Combined with an unobstructed horizon, it created a remarkable way to experience this rare phenomenon and was one of the highlights of my career as a captain,” Captain Timmers said.
Holland America Line is already preparing for the next total solar eclipse on August 2, 2027, with two dedicated itineraries scheduled to position ships in the path of totality off Morocco and Tunisia.
Nieuw Statendam will operate a 28-day ‘Legendary Solar Eclipse & Cosmic Port Explorer’ voyage departing July 10, 2027, round trip from Rotterdam or Dover.
The itinerary visits 13 ports across Europe and Morocco, with overnight stays in Tilbury and Barcelona and opportunities to visit astronomy linked sites including Stonehenge, the Alhambra and Montjuïc Observatory.
Oosterdam will offer a shorter 14-day ‘Solar Eclipse & Astronomical Discovery’ sailing from Athens on July 31, positioning off Tunisia for the eclipse before continuing through Malta, Italy and Greece.
Three Northern Lights voyages will also operate in late 2027 aboard Rotterdam and Nieuw Statendam. Each 14-day sailing will spend five days above the Arctic Circle and include an overnight stay in Alta, Norway.
Departures are scheduled for October 3, October 16 and November 6, with itineraries also visiting Bergen, Tromsø, Trondheim, Ålesund and the Lofoten Islands.
