On Monday, August 21, travelers across North America were rushing for a prime view of the total solar eclipse, a celestial event 99 years in the making. People from across the country planned trips for the narrow swath of land in the path of totality—the 70 or so miles where the entirety of the eclipse would be visible.
For guests on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, however, no such planning was necessary. All they needed to do was book a stateroom for this once-in-a-lifetime Total Eclipse Cruise. The ship departed from Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida, the night before the eclipse and sailed into the Atlantic Ocean to reach the path of totality, due east about 325 miles from the Florida coast.
Offering travelers this bucket-list opportunity wasn’t all the ship had in store: guests were able to witness multi-platinum selling band DNCE, with frontman Joe Jonas, alongside legendary songstress Bonnie Tyler perform a never-before-heard take on the fitting ‘80s classic, “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” As the moon made its way over the sun, the chart-toppers performed in the open-air AquaTheater. DNCE also treated guests to a set of their hits, including “Kissing Strangers,” “Body Moves” and, of course, “Cake by the Ocean.”
After, everyone gathered on the ship’s topmost decks to view the total eclipse, when the moon perfectly aligned between the earth and the sun, covering witnesses in darkness for about two and a half minutes. As the planets’ paths slowly separated, guests on board enjoyed Eclipse-themed cocktails like the Moon Dust (rum, ginger beer and lime), the Cosmic Cosmo and Eclipse Sunrise (all twists on timeless recipes); eclipse-themed trivia, space activities, science enrichment lectures and presentations. For more images from the unforgettable celebration, click through the photos above.
The seven-night Total Eclipse Cruise sailed to Eastern Caribbean destinations Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; and Nassau, Bahamas. If you’d like to chart your own adventure for the Caribbean, visit RoyalCaribbean.com.
