Feedback Prompts Virgin Voyages to Alter 2026 Eclipse Itinerary
Virgin Voyages is just one of many cruise lines that will be offering voyages in 2026 centered around an upcoming total solar eclipse.
However, booked guests were disappointed that the August 5, 2026 itinerary for Valiant Lady would not include being in the path of totality — and this feedback has prompted Virgin Voyages to fix exactly that.
Initially, the Land of Fire & Ice voyage was set to be positioned in the line of 98% totality on August 12, 2026.
However, passengers noticed that the itinerary for another Virgin Voyages ship, Scarlet Lady, had its eclipse sailing in the line of 100% totality, prompting guests to request a change to Valiant Lady’s sailing.
Virgin Voyages welcomed this feedback and has now made itinerary changes to ensure guests on Valiant Lady will be in the full line of totality during the eclipse.
To make this change possible, two stops had to be canceled, which included the ones in Stornoway, Scotland, and Akureyri, Iceland.
Also, some days at sea were moved around to optimize guests’ ability to view the eclipse while onboard rather than while at port, ensuring the best visibility.
The first change was the cancellation of the stop in Stornoway on August 10, 2026, which was set to be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time.
Instead, the ship will call on Belfast in Northern Ireland that same day during the same time originally scheduled in Stornoway.
The next change was the cancellation of the stop in Akureyri on August 12, which is the day of the eclipse.
This port of call was fully canceled, and passengers will now spend the day at sea so the crew can position the ship in the full line of totality during the eclipse.
However, this change also caused more parts of the itinerary to shift, as Valiant Lady will now call on Liverpool in England on August 9 rather than having a day at sea as initially planned.
Also shifted as a result of the eclipse viewing is the stop in Siglufjörður, Iceland, on August 13, 2026.
Being the day after the eclipse, the ship will call on Siglufjörður from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., which was originally scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m..
While the stop was only shortened by an hour, this change, along with all of the others made to the itinerary, will allow guests on the Valiant Lady’s August 5 sailing to view the eclipse fully as requested.
The rest of the 15-night voyage remains unchanged for now, with stops in Dublin in Ireland, Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland, and Isafjordur as well as Reykjavik in Iceland all going on as initially planned.
While Virgin Voyages is offering its first eclipse-centered sailings in 2026, other cruise lines have been planning their own for quite some time around the rare natural phenomenon.
Other Eclipse Cruises in 2026
According to the National Solar Observatory, the total solar eclipse will occur on August 12, 2026, with the line of totality passing over Iceland, Greenland, Portugal, and northern Spain, as well as parts of both the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans.
Of course, Virgin Voyages’ two eclipse sailings are not the only ones available to view this eclipse while on a cruise.
So far, at least four other major cruise lines, as well as one smaller one, have already opened bookings for their own 2026 eclipse viewing itineraries.
Read Also: What are the Different Types of Cruises You Can Go On?
Positioned off the coast of Spain during the event will be Princess Cruises’ Enchanted Princess, Sky Princess, and Sun Princess, Seabourn’s Seabourn Sojourn, and Holland America Line’s Oosterdam.
Also in the Mediterranean on August 12 for the viewing will be Cunard’s Queen Victoria and Queen Anne, as well as Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Legend.
Seabourn Ovation, along with Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam and Nieuw Statendam, will all be in Iceland during the eclipse.
All of these ships will do their best to provide passengers with an unforgettable experience — and at least those guests on Valiant Lady had their wish granted to experience the line of full totality.
Keep in mind that the viewing of the eclipse is dependent on the weather, so regardless of the ship you are on, there is no guarantee that it will be visible unless Mother Nature cooperates!
Feedback Prompts Virgin Voyages to Alter 2026 Eclipse Itinerary