A plea for an April 2024 eclipse cruise

[Sea Hag]

1 minute ago, dreams_of_travel said:

That's great!  There were several people handling the envelope ours came in, so no telling who put it "away" or where.  I just figured I should be prepared over a year in advance of the 2023 eclipse, and 19 months before 2024.  LOL!

 

1 minute ago, dreams_of_travel said:

That's great!  There were several people handling the envelope ours came in, so no telling who put it "away" or where.  I just figured I should be prepared over a year in advance of the 2023 eclipse, and 19 months before 2024.  LOL!

In 2017, we still had ours from 1991, but I didn't trust the mylar coating. I thought it might crumble if I so much as breathed on it. So, I ordered new ones from Amazon. The came in a box that was about three feet long. One little packet rattling around inside with the cardboard glasses in it. I think somebody punched the wrong code for shipping them, and the shipping department just followed orders. Was ridiculous.

[Thrak]

There seems to be a vast difference in types of glasses available. Some look cheap like the original "3D" glasses for movies back in the 60's. Some are vastly more expensive and the lenses resemble the material used in welding helmets. I'm not real sure that the cheap ones will protect the eyes but have no real desire to buy the expensive ones.

[Sea Hag]

51 minutes ago, Thrak said:

There seems to be a vast difference in types of glasses available. Some look cheap like the original "3D" glasses for movies back in the 60's. Some are vastly more expensive and the lenses resemble the material used in welding helmets. I'm not real sure that the cheap ones will protect the eyes but have no real desire to buy the expensive ones.

The ISO certified, cardboard framed glasses are fine. They haven't caused us to go blind yet. But do make sure you get ISO certified. 

 

They have some solar viewing binoculars on Amazon that I'm considering, since there might be Bailey's Beads, and I'd like see that if possible without going full-on solar telescope setup. Not sure the binoculars would be good enough. Research project.

[MamaFej]

I remember reading and verifying on multiple sources that a few layers of photographic film negatives were a good substitute for eclipse glasses. I used such during the last two partial eclipses where I live in Southern California. It worked well. 

After the most recent one, I got a couple of pairs of eclipse glasses from a friend who works at a local college. I know I had them in a file inside a file cabinet that we (Hubby) scanned and digitized the contents of within the last year. I have no idea if we still have them. Hubby is currently snoring like an asthmatic pregnant rhinoceros that has had way too much to drink whilst I stare out the window during the only few hours of darkness here in Iceland during a forecasted magnetic storm in hopes of catching some Auroras. I’ll ask in the morning if he found and kept the glasses. 

 

 

[bladerunner6]

Multiple people have commented that Mazatlan is a good place to observe the eclipse and in some ways it is: length of totality, infrastructure and convenience.

 

But weather wise is is not particularly good. The probability of clear to partly cloudy  skies is only 57%. 

 

https://weatherspark.com/d/3239/4/8/Average-Weather-on-April-8-in-Mazatlán-Mexico

 

When I was in Rexburg, ID in 2017 it was like 81% probability and the ability for us to drive around was magnitudes better.

 

We need to be at sea to get our best shot at this.  Just docking at port and hoping for the best is not a winning strategy.

 

If no one else has started a thread on this issue I will in the hopes someone from Princess will read it and respond.

 

 Thanks.

 

This message is cross posted.

[1emerald1]

18 hours ago, Sea Hag said:

The ISO certified, cardboard framed glasses are fine. They haven't caused us to go blind yet. But do make sure you get ISO certified. 

 

They have some solar viewing binoculars on Amazon that I'm considering, since there might be Bailey's Beads, and I'd like see that if possible without going full-on solar telescope setup. Not sure the binoculars would be good enough. Research project.

I found my glasses from the 2017 eclipse in a drawer, but they are a little smudged, so I'll get a new pair just in case.  I believe I got them at 7-Eleven and they are ISO certified.

[rheathslc]

1 hour ago, 1emerald1 said:

I found my glasses from the 2017 eclipse in a drawer, but they are a little smudged, so I'll get a new pair just in case.  I believe I got them at 7-Eleven and they are ISO certified.

I still have mine too. The local libraries gave them out for free. 🙂 But will want to get new ones. Hopefully some that have the specific ecplise info on them like the last ones. Seems a bit silly maybe but they are a fun memento.

[LibrarianMonroe]

On 8/19/2022 at 4:24 PM, rheathslc said:

I still have mine too. The local libraries gave them out for free. 🙂 But will want to get new ones. Hopefully some that have the specific ecplise info on them like the last ones. Seems a bit silly maybe but they are a fun memento.

 

Speaking as a librarian who is pretty much directly under totality, local libraries will be giving them out for the 2024 eclipse, too.

[rheathslc]

26 minutes ago, LibrarianMonroe said:

 

Speaking as a librarian who is pretty much directly under totality, local libraries will be giving them out for the 2024 eclipse, too.

Local libraries are such an incredible resource for so many things! I'm grateful my city and county libraries are decently well funded.

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, rheathslc said:

Local libraries are such an incredible resource for so many things! I'm grateful my city and county libraries are decently well funded.

 

Our libraries are chronically underfunded. When I purchase from amazon I use the site: smile.amazon.com which is the same as the regular amazon site but allows me to select a charity and have a small portion of my payment go to that charity. I use the local Friends of the Library as my charity. I get an email once in a while letting me know how much I have contributed and the total amount that has gone to the selected charity from all who chose that particular one.

 

[MamaFej]

The 2017 total eclipse was a partial one in Southern California, and was five years ago today. As such, it popped up in my Memories today. 
Here are a few photos from that day: 

[dreams_of_travel]

5 hours ago, MamaFej said:

The 2017 total eclipse was a partial one in Southern California, and was five years ago today. As such, it popped up in my Memories today. 
Here are a few photos from that day: 

 

 

What is that interesting item called?  that looks awesome for watching the shadow. 

[MamaFej]

6 hours ago, dreams_of_travel said:

What is that interesting item called?  that looks awesome for watching the shadow. 

It’s a pot strainer. I use it for pouring pasta water out. 
 

I had used a piece of pegboard during a previous eclipse, but didn’t have any this time. I figured the strainer would work, and it did. 

[dreams_of_travel]

6 hours ago, MamaFej said:

It’s a pot strainer. I use it for pouring pasta water out. 
 

I had used a piece of pegboard during a previous eclipse, but didn’t have any this time. I figured the strainer would work, and it did. 

That's quite awesome and smart. I would have never thought to use that.  A small piece of pegboard would be easy to pack, too. 

[kb4683]

7 hours ago, dreams_of_travel said:

That's quite awesome and smart. I would have never thought to use that.  A small piece of pegboard would be easy to pack, too. 

Dollar Tree

https://www.dollartree.com/peg-board-2ct/344132

 

[help32250]

For all of those that have been asking for an ocean cruise to position you to see the April 8, 2024 in Mazatlan, there is one!  It is on the new Discovery Princess and will sail round trip out of Los Angeles, departing on April 3rd and returning on April 13th.

 

It was first opened for booking on August 10th and is already about 75-80% full.  And while it will be docked in Mazatlan (read that as not chasing the path of Totality), it is literally less than 1/4 the price of the only other cruise I am aware of that does.  You can find out more about it at:

    https://eclipsetours.com/2024-baja-california-total-solar-eclipse-cruise/

 

With regard to the many comments I have read saying "does anyone at Princess understand?" ... let me assure you that they do.  But given the thousands and thousands of "customer relations" inquiries/etc they get, I must admit they are not very responsive to such requests.  I know.  As a Princess cruiser with over 25 cruises as well as being a Carnival Cruise Line shareholder (the company that owns Princess), I was on them like white-on-rice since shortly after the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse.

 

For a variety of reasons, I was not able to see the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse.  But everyone I talked with told me that it took hours to get to a location to see it, that there were no hotels, restaurants, and especially restrooms wherever you went.  And IF you could find a hotel even somewhat close to where you could see it you would pay $750 per nite for a $69 flea bag hotel.

 

So having a cruise ship to see if from?  Let's just say it puts almost all of you concerns to bed.  Except the weather.  It cannot be controlled.  But I got a Balcony Stateroom  on the Discovery Princess for 1/4 of what you would pay for a cruise with a "French Balcony" that does chase totality.   Fyi, I was going to see the one that followed the 2017 Eclipse from one with friend's homes in Chile.  It was SO rainy and fogged in though even being directly underneath it you couldn't see it!  So understand the weather is ALWAYS a potential killer.  In the interest of full disclosure, I understand that it is cloudy roughly 24% the time in Mazatlan at the time of the year.

 

And IF you are reading this you are probably somewhat of a geek.  I am a Rocket Scientist (Aerospace Engineer) by formal training.  But as I read the times and location that April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse will be seen ... and the location of where the Discovery Princess will be docked in Mazatlan ... almost ANY Balcony Stateroom on the Port side of the ship will be able to see it FROM ITS OWN BALCONY !!!  No pushing and shoving against others to see it, your bathroom will only be about 15 feet away, and you can get Room Service simply by inputting your order via your Cell Phone on their Medallion App.  And set up your tripod without concerns for someone kicking it.

 

Here are the links you need to know.  First, get a stateroom via Princess.Com at:

    https://www.princess.com/search-cruise/details/?voyageCode=X415

By the way, you will have to pay a deposit.  But if you decide FOR ANY REASON to cancel (by about Jan 1 2024) your money will be refunded ... in totality, if you will excuse this double entendre!

 

Then keep me honest by looking at how the eclipse will appear at:

    https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/mexico/mazatlan?iso=20240408

 

Then look at the specifics of the celestial positions at:

    https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/horizontal-coordinate-system.html

 

Or take the easy route and just look at the "picture" I attached of where the ship will be docked and the positioning of the eclipse.

 

From your PORT SIDE Balcony (that's one with an EVEN number for you cruising neophytes), you will need to be looking UP at approximately a 70 degree angle from an UNOBSTRUCTED balcony to see it.

 

And if this is too geeky for you, just look at the attached Google Maps 

 

And if I could go one step further, make sure to order at least their "Princess Plus" drink package.  By the time you get a drink or two and pay for the (essentially) required gratuities you will save a bunch of money doing so..

 

But better act quickly.  This sailing is quickly filling up!  As I looked at it earlier today it appears there are still about 80 Balcony Staterooms you would love.  I will try to monitor this site from time to time for any of your questions.

 

And for full disclosure, while I believe all of the above to be true and correct, the ship could change ports of call or how and where it is docked ... and it is possible I could have read the navigational positions incorrectly.  So please do your homework.  And I will look forward to seeing you on that cruise to see this lifetime event.

--- Rocket Scientist

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 16, 2022 by help32250
typos on my side ... sorry

[mom says]

36 minutes ago, help32250 said:

almost ANY Balcony Stateroom on the Port side of the ship will be able to see it FROM ITS OWN BALCONY

Soooo, do the ships always dock in Matzatlan  pointed in the same direction? In other words, do all ships drive in, vs back in to their docking position, regardless of weather and tides?

[blizzard44ca]

Someone (I’m sorry, I don’t recall which eclipse thread) said that on a previous Carnival Eclipse cruise, they were also scheduled for port on eclipse day. The weather was questionable, so they ported and dropped off anyone that wanted, and then went out to sea for the eclipse, then back to port for pick ups.

 

I’m optimistic that the Captain will have the authority to make this choice if need be.  There may not be a reason to be hand-wringing yet.

[help32250]

Dear "Mom Says" and "Blizzard44ca" ---

As I stated in my orginal posting, lots of variables in this.  But I took the position of the Princess' docking from a TripAdvisor posting of its sister ship from earlier this year.  IF, and you are correct that that is an IF, it docks at that same dock it could be facing the opposite direction.  Given my cruising history, though, they tend to dock in the same manner at all of their ports of call.

 

That said, I will post the picture that led me to that conclusion.  I have no credible position to comment on the tides, unlike River Cruising, it is seldom that the water is either too shallow or too deep!  And the ONLY cruise I have ever been on that was skipped was one to Alaska.  The Captain announced that he was going to have to skip Ketchikan due to 50 knot winds that made docking impossible.  The next night he announced that the winds were actually 60+ knots and that it was a very wise decision.

 

And the Captain has that ultimate decision.

 

Re "dropping off anyone that wanted", I do not consider that an option based on what I now know or have experienced.  But nice try!

[cruisetilidrop]

There is a Roll Call for this cruise which is very active  April 3-13, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse on the Discovery. Several excursions and a roll call page on the second page of the board. It going to be great!

[scottsol]

7 hours ago, help32250 said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your coordinate graphic is at the wrong berth. See the included pic.

 

 

Edited September 17, 2022 by scottsol

[mike&elena]

7 hours ago, help32250 said:

For all of those that have been asking for an ocean cruise to position you to see the April 8, 2024 in Mazatlan, there is one!  It is on the new Discovery Princess and will sail round trip out of Los Angeles, departing on April 3rd and returning on April 13th.

 

It was first opened for booking on August 10th and is already about 75-80% full.  And while it will be docked in Mazatlan (read that as not chasing the path of Totality), it is literally less than 1/4 the price of the only other cruise I am aware of that does.  You can find out more about it at:

    https://eclipsetours.com/2024-baja-california-total-solar-eclipse-cruise/

 

With regard to the many comments I have read saying "does anyone at Princess understand?" ... let me assure you that they do.  But given the thousands and thousands of "customer relations" inquiries/etc they get, I must admit they are not very responsive to such requests.  I know.  As a Princess cruiser with over 25 cruises as well as being a Carnival Cruise Line shareholder (the company that owns Princess), I was on them like white-on-rice since shortly after the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse.

 

For a variety of reasons, I was not able to see the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse.  But everyone I talked with told me that it took hours to get to a location to see it, that there were no hotels, restaurants, and especially restrooms wherever you went.  And IF you could find a hotel even somewhat close to where you could see it you would pay $750 per nite for a $69 flea bag hotel.

 

So having a cruise ship to see if from?  Let's just say it puts almost all of you concerns to bed.  Except the weather.  It cannot be controlled.  But I got a Balcony Stateroom  on the Discovery Princess for 1/4 of what you would pay for a cruise with a "French Balcony" that does chase totality.   Fyi, I was going to see the one that followed the 2017 Eclipse from one with friend's homes in Chile.  It was SO rainy and fogged in though even being directly underneath it you couldn't see it!  So understand the weather is ALWAYS a potential killer.  In the interest of full disclosure, I understand that it is cloudy roughly 24% the time in Mazatlan at the time of the year.

 

And IF you are reading this you are probably somewhat of a geek.  I am a Rocket Scientist (Aerospace Engineer) by formal training.  But as I read the times and location that April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse will be seen ... and the location of where the Discovery Princess will be docked in Mazatlan ... almost ANY Balcony Stateroom on the Port side of the ship will be able to see it FROM ITS OWN BALCONY !!!  No pushing and shoving against others to see it, your bathroom will only be about 15 feet away, and you can get Room Service simply by inputting your order via your Cell Phone on their Medallion App.  And set up your tripod without concerns for someone kicking it.

 

Here are the links you need to know.  First, get a stateroom via Princess.Com at:

    https://www.princess.com/search-cruise/details/?voyageCode=X415

By the way, you will have to pay a deposit.  But if you decide FOR ANY REASON to cancel (by about Jan 1 2024) your money will be refunded ... in totality, if you will excuse this double entendre!

 

Then keep me honest by looking at how the eclipse will appear at:

    https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/mexico/mazatlan?iso=20240408

 

Then look at the specifics of the celestial positions at:

    https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/horizontal-coordinate-system.html

 

Or take the easy route and just look at the "picture" I attached of where the ship will be docked and the positioning of the eclipse.

 

From your PORT SIDE Balcony (that's one with an EVEN number for you cruising neophytes), you will need to be looking UP at approximately a 70 degree angle from an UNOBSTRUCTED balcony to see it.

 

And if this is too geeky for you, just look at the attached Google Maps 

 

And if I could go one step further, make sure to order at least their "Princess Plus" drink package.  By the time you get a drink or two and pay for the (essentially) required gratuities you will save a bunch of money doing so..

 

But better act quickly.  This sailing is quickly filling up!  As I looked at it earlier today it appears there are still about 80 Balcony Staterooms you would love.  I will try to monitor this site from time to time for any of your questions.

 

And for full disclosure, while I believe all of the above to be true and correct, the ship could change ports of call or how and where it is docked ... and it is possible I could have read the navigational positions incorrectly.  So please do your homework.  And I will look forward to seeing you on that cruise to see this lifetime event.

--- Rocket Scientist

 

 

 

 

 

Sunrise in Mazatlan on April 8, 2024 is at 6:50 a.m. and sunset is at 7:16 p.m.  Wouldn't that put the sun directly over the ship during the totality at noon?

[HaveDogWillTravel]

I was in Mazatlan April 13, 2022 on a Princess cruise. Not my first time either. This photo shows that port side faced the port. This was taken at 6 pm. 

 

 

Edited September 17, 2022 by HaveDogWillTravel

[HaveDogWillTravel]

The sky was cloudless at !1 am. 

[scottsol]

2 hours ago, mike&elena said:

Sunrise in Mazatlan on April 8, 2024 is at 6:50 a.m. and sunset is at 7:16 p.m.  Wouldn't that put the sun directly over the ship during the totality at noon?

The length of daylight on April 8 is about 12 hours 26 minutes. Solar noon (when the sun reaches its zenith) occurs close to half way between sunrise and sunset. So we add 6 hours 13 minutes to 6:50 and solar noon should be at a little after 1, local time.

 

The reason why the zenith is so far off from 12:00 is that by April 8 Mazatlan is observing day light saving time.