We are already counting down the days until the total solar eclipse of August 12, 2026, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to travel to prime viewing locations across Greenland, Iceland, and Spain for the highly anticipated celestial event. But unlike last year's solar eclipse that moved across North America, much of this eclipse's path of totality stretches over the open sea—meaning there's no better place to experience the phenomenon than from the deck of a ship.

Cruise lines are seizing the opportunity, designing itineraries that put travelers directly beneath the moon’s shadow alongside eclipse cartographers, astronauts, and other special guest lecturers. Another major benefit to booking a floating hotel: ships can reposition in case of cloudy skies, so there's no need to worry about fickle weather obscuring your view.