Nieuw Statendam Departs Rotterdam for Solar Eclipse Cruise

Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam departed Rotterdam on July 25 on a 28-night “Legendary Solar Eclipse with Greenland and Scotland” cruise built around the Aug. 12, 2026 total solar eclipse. The roundtrip voyage from the ship’s Netherlands homeport will sail through Northern Europe, Greenland and Iceland.

The sailing is one of Holland America’s eclipse-focused voyages and falls within the line’s Legendary Voyages program, a collection of longer destination cruises that typically run 25 to 59 days and pair extended itineraries with dedicated onboard programming.

Eclipse programming centers on astronomy enrichment

Tom Vassos, an astronomer, author and member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, is leading Holland America’s onboard program. He has been affiliated with the University of Toronto for more than 35 years. His role on the voyage includes lectures, a Q&A session, real-time commentary during the eclipse and additional astronomy programming beyond the solar event itself.

The line will also provide passengers with protective viewing equipment. On eclipse day, Nieuw Statendam is scheduled to be off Iceland within the path of totality.

The itinerary includes 19 destinations before the eclipse segment. Scheduled calls include Runavik in the Faroe Islands and Stornoway in the Isle of Lewis, along with a late-night departure from Edinburgh and a nine-hour call at Qaqortoq, Greenland.

Nieuw Statendam stays in Europe into December

After the solar eclipse itinerary, the 2018-built Pinnacle-class ship remains in Europe through early December on cruises to Scandinavia, the Canary Islands and the British Isles. The ship is also scheduled for a 14-night Mediterranean cruise in late November.

Holland America then shifts the ship to the Caribbean for the 2026-27 winter season, with sailings planned from Fort Lauderdale.

See current Nieuw Statendam fares and itineraries on Cruise Lookup.