Holland America Offers Rare Chance to See Solar Eclipse in 2027
On May 29, 2025, Holland America Line announced an exciting new lineup of cruises that will be taking place during a solar eclipse, allowing passengers to be in the line of totality on August 2, 2027.
“The excitement around viewing a total solar eclipse the past few years has been palpable, and we jumped at the chance to create more itineraries that give our guests the incomparable opportunity of viewing the eclipse at sea,” shared Paul Grigsby, Vice President of Deployment for Holland America Line.
Grisby also shared that vessels being on the ocean at the time of the eclipse are ideal for viewing, as the crew can attempt to reposition if cloud coverage blocks the view.
The first of these newly added voyages will take place on the 2,666-passenger Nieuw Statendam, and will be a 28-night round-trip itinerary departing from Rotterdam in the Netherlands on July 27, 2027.
This will be the longer of the two cruises available to view the eclipse and will include 13 stops at ports in France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Denmark, Portugal, Gibraltar, Morocco, and Portugal — with overnight calls in London and Barcelona.
Nieuw Statendam will be positioned off the coast of Morocco for the viewing of the eclipse on August 2, as the line of totality runs through Northern Africa.
The second of the newly added sailings will take place on the 1,964-passenger Oosterdam, which will be doing a 14-night round-trip itinerary out of Athens in Greece, departing on July 31, 2027.
This shorter cruise will first head to the coast of Tunisia for the viewing of the eclipse, after which it will call on ports in Tunisia, Italy, Malta, and Greece — with one extended call in Valetta, Malta.
Both of these newly added cruises will provide guests with the opportunity to experience the maximum totality of the eclipse, and will also offer lectures and opportunities to connect with scientific experts.
Beyond that, passengers will get to enjoy themed activities, as well as being provided with proper equipment, such as eclipse glasses, for safety reasons.
The two newly added cruises join a growing list of eclipse-focused voyages offered by Holland America Line, as there will be three others happening during the 2026 solar eclipse — including 13-night, 28-night, and 35-night itineraries on Oosterdam, Nieuw Statendam, and Zuiderdam.
More New Sailings Added to View Another Natural Phenomenon
Beyond adding the two new cruises that will allow guests to view the solar eclipse in 2027, Holland America Line also announced three new voyages that will allow passengers to view the Northern Lights.
All three sailings are happening at the end of 2027, and will have 14-night round-trip itineraries out of Rotterdam or Dover.
Read Also: When Is the Best Time to Go on a Cruise for Each Region?
The first of these voyages will depart on October 3, 2027, on the 2,668-passenger Rotterdam, which will call on ports such as Bergen, Ålesund, Tromsø, Leknes (Lofoten), and Åndalsnes in Norway — with the addition of Trondheim as a late-night call and Alta as an overnight.
Additionally, the ship will call on Lerwick in the Shetland Islands before disembarking in Rotterdam.
The two sailings available on Nieuw Statendam will be embarking on October 16 and November 6, 2027, which will be doing the same itinerary.
Ports this ship will be stopping at include Ålesund, Åndalsnes, Leknes (Lofoten), Tromsø, and Kristiansund, with the addition of Trondheim as a late-night call, as well as Alta as an overnight call, all of which are in Norway.
All three of these cruises will include special experiences that have come out of Holland America Line’s partnership with the History Channel, which allows guests to experience a destination’s history on a deeper level through enhanced shore excursions and activities.
Both the solar eclipse and the Northern Lights cruises are already open for booking as of May 29, 2025.
Two years might feel far away, but with the rise in popularity of eclipse and Northern Light viewing cruises, they could sell out quickly.
To view the lack of light, or to view the light in the night sky, that is the question!
Holland America Offers Rare Chance to See Solar Eclipse in 2027