Beginning July 31, Holland America Line (HAL) will offer European cruises for 2026 that focus on celestial events. Passengers can witness natural phenomena like the Northern Lights, a solar eclipse, and the summer solstice above the Arctic Circle.
According to HAL Chief Commercial Officer Beth Bodensteiner, these voyages were inspired by the cruise line’s successful eclipse itineraries of 2024.
| “After the excitement and success around our 2024 eclipse cruises, we knew our guests were looking for additional opportunities to get a front-row seat for some of the world’s most special natural spectacles,” Bodensteiner announced. “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,” she added. |
Four vessels—Zuiderdam, Nieuw Statendam, Oosterdam, and Rotterdam—will take guests on different celestial viewing cruises from June to October 2026.
Summer Solstice Cruise
Experience the longest day of the year on a 14-day cruise onboard Nieuw Statendam. It leaves on June 13, 2026, from Dover or Rotterdam. It will navigate above the Arctic Circle to Honningsvåg, Norway, one of the northernmost cities on Earth. Stops include Lerwick in the UK’s Shetland Islands and Honningsvåg, Tromsø, Leknes, Trondheim, Maloy, and Eidfjord in Norway.
3 Solar Eclipse Cruises
Zuiderdam will depart from Boston on July 18, 2026. The 35-day sailing will head for Iceland’s western coast, giving passengers the best views of the anticipated solar eclipse. The vessel will call on ports in Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, Reykjavik, Greenland, and Canada.
Nieuw Statendam will offer a roundtrip 28-day cruise from Dover or Rotterdam with views of the solar eclipse from Iceland’s northwestern coast. The July 25, 2026 itinerary will visit Scotland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, and Norway.
A third and final solar eclipse cruise leaves on August 9, 2026, via the Oosterdam. The 13-day Mediterranean journey will catch the eclipse in Spanish waters as the ship navigates between the cities of Barcelona and Alicante.
Guests will visit these two cities, including Corsica and Ajaccio in France, Civitavecchia in Rome, Bari (Puglia) in Italy, and Koto in Montenegro.
2 Northern Lights Cruises
Rotterdam and Nieuw Statendam will take vacationers to see the infamous Northern Lights.
Rotterdam travels on October 4, 2026, from Rotterdam to Amsterdam, calling on the Shetland Islands and Norway during its 14-day Arctic journey.
On October 16, 2026, Nieuw Statendam will embark on a 15-day Northern Lights cruise from Rotterdam or Dover, visiting many of the same ports as Rotterdam’s October 4 voyage.
Booked passengers can look forward to lectures from scientific experts, themed activities, and equipment (like eclipse glasses) for viewing natural phenomena.
