Holland America presents 2026 Celestial Cruises

Holland America Line presents its line of Celestial Cruises for those yearning to tick off amazing sights like the Northern Lights off their bucket lists.

These Celestial Cruises begin booking on 31 July and will head to prime locations throughout Europe to witness extraordinary celestial events such as total solar eclipses or the summer solstice over the Arctic Circle.

According to Holland America’s chief commercial officer Beth Bodensteiner: “Our team has put together a lineup of cruises that not only deliver on that front, but also give guests in-depth exploration of exciting destinations and the premium onboard experience for which we’re known.”

A learning experience

Guests booking solar eclipse cruises can expect lectures from and the opportunity to connect with scientific experts, themed activities and more. Proper equipment like eclipse glasses will be provided for the safety of guests. Those sailing to see the Northern Lights can sign up to get a wake-up call from the ship any time the aurora borealis is spotted.

For those seeking to experience a total solar eclipse, three ships from the fleet will be positioned under the path of totality for the 12 August 2026 eclipse. While Oosterdam will take guests to the Med to witness the eclipse off the eastern coast of Spain, Nieuw Statendam will explore Northern Europe, sailing off the western coast of Iceland for the eclipse. Guests can also sail aboard Zuiderdam for the popular Voyage of the Vikings, for the solar eclipse.

As 2026 is predicted to be a highly active period for auroras, a growing number of travelers plan to prioritize seeing them on vacation. Guests seeking to pair that adventure with an in-depth exploration of Norway can do so on one of two Northern Lights cruises aboard Rotterdam and Nieuw Statendam. The cruises feature an overnight in Alta, also known as “The City of the Northern Lights,” and spend five days above the Arctic Circle.

Those who want to feel the maximum amount of daylight on the longest day of the year, Nieuw Statendam will take cruisers above the Arctic Circle to celebrate the summer solstice in Honningsvåg, Norway, one of the northernmost cities on the planet.