John Padgett announces 2026 Sky Princess solar eclipse cruise.

[teecee60]

Great news for those of you who were on the Disovery Princess or Emerald Princess for the recent Total Solar Eclipse! 

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/princess-cruises-sails-prime-viewing-133000036.html

 

Maybe they will even have a really good astronomy enrichment speaker on board...😁

[LACruiser88]

May 3, 2024 9:30 AM EDT

 

Princess Cruises Sails to Prime Viewing Spot for 2026 Total Solar Eclipse in Europe

 

Sky Princess Departs Southampton on August 8, 2026; Bookings Open May 23, 2024

 

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., May 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Astrotourism is top of mind for travelers making special trips for phenomenal experiences in the sky—and with the recent "take-your-breath-away" total solar eclipse, thousands of cruisers onboard Emerald Princess and Discovery Princess off the coast of Mexico caught a glimpse of the astounding total darkness event.

 

 Princess Cruises Sails to Prime Viewing Spot for 2026 Total Solar Eclipse in Europe (PRNewsfoto/Princess Cruises)  

 

The next, not-to-be-missed total solar eclipse takes place on August 12, 2026, and once again a Princess cruise ship will be perfectly positioned, this time in northern Spain, to witness this bucket list event - two minutes and 18 seconds of totality. The 3,660-guest Sky Princess departs Southampton August 8, 2026, on a 14-day Mediterranean cruise, highlighted with total eclipse viewing while the ship is in its path at sea off the coast of Spain.

 

"The best way to see a total solar eclipse is via cruise ship, and our guests who recently experienced this rare occurrence on Discovery Princess and Emerald Princess were simply blown away," said John Padgett, Princess Cruises president. "We make it easy for guests to come aboard, relax and meet other eclipse enthusiasts. It's truly a special opportunity."

 

The Total Eclipse Sky Princess Voyage goes on sale May 23, 2024, with rates starting at $2,199* per person. During the eclipse, Sky Princess guests will gather on the top decks with Princess safety glasses for viewing, as well as enjoy lectures from astronomy experts, themed treats and drinks, stargazing at night, solar system trivia and more.

 

This incredible, 14-day Mediterranean cruise sailing takes place August 8-22, 2026, roundtrip from Southampton (London), and visits seven historical and vibrant ports, including:

 

Cherbourg, France - one of France's greatest ports with art and history museums, its basilica, the Ravalet castle and the Cité de la Mer maritime museum.

 

Bilbao, Spain – located in northern Spain, Bilbao is surrounded by green mountains and is the de facto capital of Basque Country, with a skyscraper-filled downtown. It's famed for the Frank Gehry–designed Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

 

Malaga, Spain - famous as Picasso's birthplace and the gateway to Spain's Costa del Sol, Malaga mixes warm vacation vibes with Andalusia's indomitable spirit.

Cartagena, Spain - founded by the Carthaginians around 220 B.C., the city boomed during the Roman period. Among its many Roman ruins are a 1st-century B.C. theater and Casa de la Fortuna, a villa with murals and mosaics.

Gibraltar – this British Overseas Territory and headland is located on Spain's south coast. It's dominated by the Rock of Gibraltar, a 1,398-foot limestone ridge.

Lisbon, Portugal – the capital and largest city of Portugal, Lisbon is mainland Europe's westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast.

La Coruña, Spain – in the Galicia region of northwest Spain, it's known for its Roman lighthouse, the Tower of Hercules, which has sweeping coastal views.

"Our recent solar eclipse cruises were completely sold out so interested guests should book this Sky Princess cruise as soon as it opens on May 23. It truly will be an experience to remember," Padgett added.

 

More information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel advisor, by calling 1-800-Princess (1-800-774-6237) or by visiting www.princess.com. 

 

*Taxes, Fees and Port Expenses not included

 

About Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises is The Love Boat, the world's most iconic cruise brand that delivers dream vacations to millions of guests every year in the most sought-after destinations on the largest ships that offer elite service personalization and simplicity customary of small, yacht-class ships. Well-appointed staterooms, world class dining, grand performances, award-winning casinos and entertainment, luxurious spas, imaginative experiences and boundless activities blend with exclusive Princess MedallionClass service to create meaningful connections and unforgettable moments in the most incredible settings in the world - the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Europe, South America, Australia/New Zealand, the South Pacific, Hawaii, Asia, Canada/New England, Antarctica, and World Cruises. The company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:CCL; NYSE:CUK). 

 

 Princess Cruises Sails to Prime Viewing Spot for 2026 Total Solar Eclipse in Europe  

[phabric]

Carmen Roig, VP Princess posted this on Facebook.  On sale May 23, 2024. 14 day Spain, France, and Portugal with a not to be missed Total Solar Eclipse departing Aug 8, 2026 on the Sky Princess.

 

I know you can’t predict what the weather will be.  I was told, Europe is very hot and humid in the summer months.  I have been on Mediterranean cruises in November, Britain in August and Norwegian Fjords in September with comfortable weather.

 

What are your opinions of cruising in August to Europe?

[Traderboy]

The only problem with this is that it is school summer holiday time.

will the pricing structure be raised a bit for the uniqueness of the cruise?

If so it may put off some families with children.

The Sky Princess is a lovely ship but it can seem very crowded at full capacity.

 

[ssawjo]

We were on the Emerald TSE sailing, and it was amazing!  We are definitely planning on this Sky Princess sailing in two years.  Don't delay if you are interested in going.  

[phabric]

10 minutes ago, ssawjo said:

We were on the Emerald TSE sailing, and it was amazing!  We are definitely planning on this Sky Princess sailing in two years.  Don't delay if you are interested in going.  

What did Princess do to make it an amazing cruise beside what they normally do on a cruise?  I have taken 30 cruises with Princess.

 

It is the weather -heat/humid in August in Europe , I am thinking about.

Edited May 4 by phabric

[ssawjo]

6 minutes ago, phabric said:

What did Princess do to make it an amazing cruise beside what they normally do on a cruise?  I have taken 30 cruises with Princess.

 

It is the weather -heat/humid in August in Europe , I am thinking about.

Princess made it possible to view the TSE, along with Discovery, in the ocean directly in the path of the TSE.  It took a lot of planning, from what I was told by some folks involved, including the ship captain.  They also provided special glasses in order to view the eclipse.  

 

Agree that weather is always the X factor in these situations.  We, fortunately, had excellent viewing weather.  In Europe, who knows.  

 

 

[phabric]

I am planning to book.  Will have to wait to see what ports they are going to.

[phabric]

3 hours ago, ssawjo said:

We were on the Emerald TSE sailing, and it was amazing!  We are definitely planning on this Sky Princess sailing in two years.  Don't delay if you are interested in going.  

What ports did you visit?

[ssawjo]

19 minutes ago, phabric said:

What ports did you visit?

LA, Cabo, viewed the TSE, Huatulco, transited the Panama Canal (new locks), Cartagena, Grand Cayman, and Ft. Lauderdale.

[phabric]

I have done Panama Canal roundtrip FLL 2x.  I really enjoyed going through the canal on the smaller boat.

 

I am wondering which will be the embarkment port and the ports in Spain, France, Portugal.

[Retired-N-Happy]

20 minutes ago, phabric said:

I really enjoyed going through the canal on the smaller boat.

Is that similar to going through the canal on a smaller ship?  🤔😁

[Astro Flyer]

3 hours ago, phabric said:

I am planning to book.  Will have to wait to see what ports they are going to.

This incredible, 14-day Mediterranean cruise sailing takes place August 8-22, 2026, roundtrip from Southampton (London), and visits seven historical and vibrant ports, including:

• Cherbourg, France - one of France's greatest ports with art and history museums, its basilica, the Ravalet castle and the Cité de la Mer maritime museum.
• Bilbao, Spain – located in northern Spain, Bilbao is surrounded by green mountains and is the de facto capital of Basque Country, with a skyscraper-filled downtown. It's famed for the Frank Gehry–designed Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.
• Malaga, Spain - famous as Picasso's birthplace and the gateway to Spain's Costa del Sol, Malaga mixes warm vacation vibes with Andalusia's indomitable spirit.
• Cartagena, Spain - founded by the Carthaginians around 220 B.C., the city boomed during the Roman period. Among its many Roman ruins are a 1st-century B.C. theater and Casa de la Fortuna, a villa with murals and mosaics.
• Gibraltar – this British Overseas Territory and headland is located on Spain's south coast. It's dominated by the Rock of Gibraltar, a 1,398-foot limestone ridge.
• Lisbon, Portugal – the capital and largest city of Portugal, Lisbon is mainland Europe's westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast.
• La Coruña, Spain – in the Galicia region of northwest Spain, it's known for its Roman lighthouse, the Tower of Hercules, which has sweeping coastal views.

 

https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/princess-cruises-sails-prime-viewing-spot-2026-total-solar
 

[LACruiser88]

5 hours ago, phabric said:

 

 

It is the weather -heat/humid in August in Europe , I am thinking about.

Having spent a couple of summers in Europe, we now avoid that part of the world during the summer months.  Too many places do not have AC and it can be sweltering hot!  No bueno!  🥵

[Astro Flyer]

1 hour ago, phabric said:

What ports did you visit?

On Discovery’s 10 day r/t LA cruise: Cabo overnight, Mazatlan, Manzanillo & Puerto Vallarta.

 

We had guest speakers including a Q&A with Apple’s co-founder Steve Wozniak.

 

Another difference from the European TSE is the length of totality…we had 4:26 but the next one is nearly half of that time at 2:18.

 

It was an AMAZING experience & the sun’s corona was very bright, it looked like dusk & the temperature dropped a lot.

 

Crowding wasn’t an issue because all of us on the starboard side could view it from our balconies with the TSE being 70° above the horizon…AMAZING! The small dot to the upper right of the corona in the second photo was a planet visible during totality but I forgot which planet.
 

Edited May 4 by Astro Flyer

[Astro Flyer]

40 minutes ago, phabric said:

I am wondering which will be the embarkment port and the ports in Spain, France, Portugal.

In post #11 I listed some of the ports included in their press release.

 

Edited May 4 by Astro Flyer

[phabric]

22 minutes ago, Retired-N-Happy said:

Is that similar to going through the canal on a smaller ship?  🤔😁

It was a Princess excursion (Panama Canal & Lock Transit by boat), bus to ferry that held 3 Princess bus passengers, up close going through the canal, lunch, water, soda included, beer extra, a bus took us back to the ship.

 

A great way to see the locks up close.

[phabric]

I saw the Eclipse on April 8, 2024, just outside of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 

[CPs4591]

33 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said:

 

This incredible, 14-day Mediterranean cruise sailing takes place August 8-22, 2026, roundtrip from Southampton (London), and visits seven historical and vibrant ports, including:

• Cherbourg, France - one of France's greatest ports with art and history museums, its basilica, the Ravalet castle and the Cité de la Mer maritime museum.
• Bilbao, Spain – located in northern Spain, Bilbao is surrounded by green mountains and is the de facto capital of Basque Country, with a skyscraper-filled downtown. It's famed for the Frank Gehry–designed Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.
• Malaga, Spain - famous as Picasso's birthplace and the gateway to Spain's Costa del Sol, Malaga mixes warm vacation vibes with Andalusia's indomitable spirit.
• Cartagena, Spain - founded by the Carthaginians around 220 B.C., the city boomed during the Roman period. Among its many Roman ruins are a 1st-century B.C. theater and Casa de la Fortuna, a villa with murals and mosaics.
• Gibraltar – this British Overseas Territory and headland is located on Spain's south coast. It's dominated by the Rock of Gibraltar, a 1,398-foot limestone ridge.
• Lisbon, Portugal – the capital and largest city of Portugal, Lisbon is mainland Europe's westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast.
• La Coruña, Spain – in the Galicia region of northwest Spain, it's known for its Roman lighthouse, the Tower of Hercules, which has sweeping coastal views.

 

https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/princess-cruises-sails-prime-viewing-spot-2026-total-solar
 

This sounds great with a TSE to boot.  OP, thanks for posting. It will sell out fast

[Astro Flyer]

21 minutes ago, CPs4591 said:

It will sell out fast

If it’s like our Discovery TSE cruise it quickly sold out even without any real promotion. Now that Princess has discovered how popular the TSE cruises are it’s already being promoted before it’s available to book it.

 

We immediately booked on the one day early elite level booking day. Now that Princess is aware of a TSE’s popularity prices are much more expensive. The beginning $2,199 price per day for an interior is 50% higher than what we paid for a balcony…sticker shock. With our cruise sailing roundtrip LA airfares for most were less than flying to London for the next TSE cruise…even cheaper for those of us who drove to the port. And the weather was much milder than the Iberian Peninsula in August.

 

Even with these differences with the good press from the recent TSE & more promotion it will likely sell out fast due to there being more demand than the limited capacity resulting in these higher prices for what was a once in a lifetime experience for many of us.

 

[CPs4591]

21 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said:

If it’s like our Discovery TSE cruise it quickly sold out even without any real promotion. Now that Princess has discovered how popular the TSE cruises are it’s already being promoted before it’s available to book it.

 

We immediately booked on the one day early elite level booking day. Now that Princess is aware of a TSE’s popularity prices are much more expensive. The beginning $2,199 price per day for an interior is 50% higher than what we paid for a balcony…sticker shock. With our cruise sailing roundtrip LA airfares for most were less than flying to London for the next TSE cruise…even cheaper for those of us who drove to the port. And the weather was much milder than the Iberian Peninsula in August.

 

Even with these differences with the good press from the recent TSE & more promotion it will likely sell out fast due to there being more demand than the limited capacity resulting in these higher prices for what was a once in a lifetime experience for many of us.

 

So deposits taken May 24, 2024?  

[dreams_of_travel]

My travel friend, who is also a travel agent, will be putting a block on hold as soon as she is able.  I have discussed the probable up-charge pricing for this cruise, and how I would be fine with an inside cabin to help save of cost.  While a balcony or mini suite is nice, I can't justify the pricing they want for the "new" ship, and TSE cruise.  I priced out a similar 14 day Med cruise on the Sky and was shocked at what they wanted. YMMV

[help32250]

In July of 2023 I suggested Princess plan a 2026 TSE Cruise.  I suggested they plan to witness it, however, off the East Coast of Spain between Spain proper and Mallorcca.  While I genuinely congratulated Princess on committing to do what they announced, they chose the West Coast of Spain where history shows it having a 60+ % Cloud Cover! 

 

Other than Cunard announcing that their their sailing of The Queen Mary II was now being branded as a 2026 Total Solar Eclipse Cruise because it would be in Reykjavik Iceland on August 12th, Princess' gall clearly takes second place.

 

The attached graphics show the Ports Princess announced seeing but I have no idea in what order they will occur.  But the only place they can possibly see the TSE on that map of their itinerary is off the North West coast of Spain.  By contrast you can compare it to the East Coast side I recommended almost a year ago.  And I added a comparison of it with that which The Discovery and Emerald Princess' just-concluded actual TSE sailings south of Cabo and West of Puerto Vallarta witnessed.

 

That said, I ask you to do your own analysis based on the attached.  Credit "TimeAndDate.Com" and "Google Maps" with all the graphic details below.

--- Help32250

 

[Astro Flyer]

20 minutes ago, CPs4591 said:

So deposits taken May 24, 2024?  

Based on their press release it’ll be a day earlier:

 

The Total Eclipse Sky Princess Voyage goes on sale May 23, 2024

 

If like previous openings for cruises to be booked for elite level passengers it’d be a day earlier on 5/22.

One thing I like is there are 3 ports I’ve never visited…Cherbourg France, Bilbao Spain & La Coruna Spain.

[Kay S]

When is the John Pagett eclipse?