I Watched the Solar Eclipse from a Cruise Ship—Here’s What It Was Like

A cheer erupted from the open-air decks of the Enchanted Princess as the moon crossed in front of the sun. Cameras and phones pointed towards the horizon as eclipse glasses were whipped off, selfies were snapped and photos taken during totality. As the moon continued its celestial dance, the sun melted into the sea for a spectacular sunset.

Earlier on Wednesday, excitement and anticipation filled the Princess Cruises ship, as we sailed in the Mediterranean near the Spanish island of Mallorca. During a panel discussion about the solar eclipse in the Princess Theater, it was standing room only. The staff captain spoke about determining the precise location and positioning for optimal viewing, and the crew supplied guests with eclipse-viewing glasses.

"An eclipse is more than a moment when the sun disappears; it is a reminder of how rare and extraordinary our journey can be," said Arrrmando Merin, head of entertainment and cruise director of the Enchanted Princess . "To have a ship positioned in the path of totality is a privilege that goes beyond the destination. It gives us the opportunity to bring thousands of people together to witness something they may remember for the rest of their lives."

More than 4,000 guests were aboard for the event, including me and my dad, who had joined Enchanted Princess for a special 14-day Mediterranean & Adriatic Total Solar Eclipse sailing. People had traveled from around the world—including Australia, Europe, Japan, and North America—for the occasion, and Princess was going all-in on the solar event: the cruise line was doing smartphone photography classes with a focus on eclipses and astronomy-themed trivia games, dance parties, and drinks. A NASA live stream about the eclipse was playing throughout the ship.

"This cruise, we are not simply sailing through the path of totality, we are sailing through a moment in history," Merin said.

Princess also invited two experts to share insights—and their own palpable enthusiasm. The first was the astronomer, lecturer, and UCLA Extension Professor Shelley Bonus , who was joined by the paleontologist and Sky & Telescope contributing editor Mathew Wedel . During their presentations to packed theaters, both referred to this year's event as "a sunset eclipse," since it would be from our vantage point low in the sky, close to the horizon. For both experts, who have seen nearly 20 eclipses combined, that unique vantage point would be a first.

"All of the phenomena that go with the eclipse—the sky getting dark, the sun coming out, the 360 degree sunset—I expect to be kicked up a notch for this one," Wedel said ahead of the moment.

"The best thing about seeing an eclipse at sea is that it is optimal conditions, as long as the clouds stay away," Wedel explained, a few hours before the eclipse. "Fingers firmly crossed."

As the moment approached, captain Gavin Pears positioned Enchanted Princess 40 miles southeast of Mallorca, a location the experts agreed would be "the prime spot" and "as good as it gets," Wedel said.

As passengers, including my dad and I, took to the open decks to watch, the skies were completely clear without a single cloud, which made for the perfect viewing conditions.

I got to chatting with several other passengers, many of whom consider themselves eclipse chasers.

Athena Dalrymple, of Columbia, Maryland, was looking forward to seeing her third eclipse—though her first at sea—while also celebrating her 40th wedding anniversary while on Enchanted Princess with a group of 21 fellow travelers. She has traveled to see two other eclipses, but this was her first on the open water.

"The first one I saw was in Sweetwater, Tennessee, where there were thousands of people and we could hear the human experience," she recalled of her past eclipse trips. "The second was in Springfield, Ohio, on an estate my cousin owns, where we got to hear the animal reaction. I'm curious to see what happens at sea," she told me on Wednesday morning.

Ray and Judy Chan, from Sacramento, California, joined 14 family members, including several young kids, on the solar eclipse cruise for the occasion. "I think it will be a good memory for them—and that they'll have a blast," Ray told me.

As the moon began to cross in front of the sun just after 7:39 p.m. local time, I felt the excitement build within me. At first I was intent on capturing photos of the event, but in the end decided to put down my phone and be fully in the moment. My dad and I had seen a partial eclipse in Alaska in 2017, so the chance to share seeing a total eclipse was all the more special.

Though we only had about 94 seconds of totality, I found the experience to be nothing short of spectacular. And I've already started thinking about the next major solar eclipse, which will cross over Spain, the Mediterranean, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, on August 2, 2027.

"Next year is going to be one of the longest possible eclipses," Wedel told me. According to the National Solar Observatory, the maximum duration of totality will be an estimated 6 minutes and 22 seconds, a remarkable amount of time to spend in the shadows, Wedel explained. "The longest ones on the surface of the Earth last a little over seven minutes, so that will be an eclipse of a lifetime."

Little wonder then that the Enchanted Princess , as well as the Sky Princess , are already making arrangements to be right in the middle of it.

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