Volendam Panama Canal and Solar Eclipse 2024

[MaineYachtClub]

DW and I are considering the Volendam Panama Canal cruise in April 2024.  The ship will be sailing the Mexico coast at the time of the solar eclipse.  I've asked Holland America if it would be in position to view the eclipse, but they could not answer me. I'm wondering if anyone here might have some thoughts or insight.  Thanks.

[Turtles06]

The eclipse will occur on April 8, 2024.  The link below will show you a map of the path of totality:

 

https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/eclipses/2024/apr-8-total/where-when/

 

Where is the Volendam scheduled to be on April 8, 2024?  If by chance it's in Mazatlan at  right time of the morning, you would be very lucky (assuming the weather also cooperates). 

[CruiserBruce]

I would say as you are at sea enroute to PV on the 8th,,you will certainly be in position to see some of it...

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, Turtles06 said:

The eclipse will occur on April 8, 2024.  The link below will show you a map of the path of totality:

 

https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/eclipses/2024/apr-8-total/where-when/

 

Nice map. The total eclipse will be right over my home at 1:40 CDT. 

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, MaineYachtClub said:

DW and I are considering the Volendam Panama Canal cruise in April 2024.  The ship will be sailing the Mexico coast at the time of the solar eclipse.  I've asked Holland America if it would be in position to view the eclipse, but they could not answer me. I'm wondering if anyone here might have some thoughts or insight.  Thanks.

My thought is that you would see some of the eclipse but maybe not the total eclipse. The captain could probably make it happen for Volendam to be in position for total. The next one over North America after 2024 won't be until 2044. If you really want to see it for sure I suggest coming to north Texas because it tends to be sunny weather. Today one year away it is sunny. Right now I have the shades down in my living room because of the bright sun.

Edited April 8, 2023 by Charles4515

[Turtles06]

37 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

Nice map. The total eclipse will be right over my home at 1:40 CDT. 

 

Are you hosting your CC friends?  😂

[Shalandara]

We looked at doing a cruise and decided instead to concentrate on a land tour for the eclipse.  There are a variety of options for those -- but many are fully booked out.  (Ours is not -- link to it is below).  While the eclipse will do a broad path over North America the best viewing spots in regards to weather and such are going to be in Mexico and Texas.  Most tours have "secured" viewing spots.  You could do it on your own but understand you will be competing with others in their RVs and cars parking along the highway or other venues all trying to see the same thing.

https://www.colorado.edu/sciencediscovery/great-american-eclipse-trip-2024

[MaineYachtClub]

Seeing an eclipse from the deck of a ship would be very cool.  The V leaves San Diego on April 6 with the 1st port being Puerto Vallarta on the 9th.  The captain could certainly put the ship in the path of totality if he wanted to ... and was allowed.  Shalandara is probably right though.  Unless HAL specifies that this will be an eclipse cruise, there is a better chance of seeing it from land or on the Zaandam for about twice the price.

[Turtles06]

4 hours ago, MaineYachtClub said:

Seeing an eclipse from the deck of a ship would be very cool. 

 

Very cool.  We actually saw a substantial partial eclipse in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean in the fall of 2013 on a TA aboard the Celebrity Infinity.  Those of us who knew about this in advance brought the appropriate protective eyewear for viewing the eclipse (and extras that we distributed to others), and I had a special solar filter to protect my camera lens.  I did get some good photos of the eclipse (a couple are below), but, back then, this being my first eclipse, it did not occur to me also to get some photos of the shadow of the eclipsed sun cast on some of the ship's surfaces.  Still, it was a great experience.   

 

I always though Celebrity had missed a great marketing opportunity by not having the Celebrity Eclipse right there at the time.  🙂 

 

 

 

(photos by turtles06)

Edited April 9, 2023 by Turtles06

[Tapi]

Seeing a total solar eclipse has been, without a doubt, one of the most amazing things I’ve ever witnessed. It was going to be at only 80% where we live but we drove 4 hours to a place where we could see it 100%. It was completely worth it. One of those experiences that words can’t simply describe. I would jump on the opportunity to see one again in a heartbeat. 
 

I’m surprised more cruise lines aren’t jumping on the opportunity. As far as I know, there are two scheduled solar eclipse cruises for that time on Princess. I think one is sold out but the second one on Emerald Princess was announced just a few days ago and may still have availability. 

Edited April 9, 2023 by Tapi

[Shalandara]

11 hours ago, Tapi said:

I’m surprised more cruise lines aren’t jumping on the opportunity. As far as I know, there are two scheduled solar eclipse cruises for that time on Princess. I think one is sold out but the second one on Emerald Princess was announced just a few days ago and may still have availability. 

People who tour for these events start planning really far out.  As such some of the agencies that specialize in this type of travel do whole boat charters if ocean viewing is a good option -- usually on smaller ships of course.  But that is one reason why you do not see them when looking from the cruise lines website offerings.  There are at least two whole threads on the subject of the 2024 solar eclipse in the Theme board under Special Interest Cruising.  I think it also takes someone on corporate side to even be aware that this is a market type and that maybe they should consider it.

Currently one of the special interest chartered trips has a few spots open -- but it is a price tag!
(https://eclipsetours.com/2024-mexico-total-solar-eclipse-cruise/)

And if you really want to spend some time going down rabbit holes just start looking at some of the travel options already out there for 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2030.  Most of those are land based -- but at least one is capitalizing on the ocean viewing possibilities in 2026 off Greenland/Iceland instead of concentrating on when the eclipse passes over Spain.