The day had finally arrived and there was no escaping the air of anticipation as we cruised off the Mexican Coast while the minutes ticked down to the solar eclipse, which we would be among the first in the world to experience.
Witnessing the so-called Great North American Eclipse under the path of totality had been the main reason why so many of the 3,000 guests booked this Princess Cruises’ voyage in the first place.
Groups of friends and family, many in specially-printed eclipse T-shirts, excitedly bagged their places on the decks of Emerald Princess hours before it was due to happen, though I was relieved to see there was plenty of space for everyone to grab a spot, with some eclipse-watchers even in the pool.
We’d all been given special protective glasses along with stern warnings not to look directly at the sun without them until totality, when it would be safe to do so as the sun would be completely obscured by the moon.
“It’s starting to happen,” a woman cried 40 minutes beforehand as she gazed up through her glasses. I glanced up and could see what looked like a bite had been taken out of the sun’s perfect circular form.
As time passed, the moon’s presence grew until it became obvious to the naked eye as the sun’s rays grew weaker and a distinct chill settled in the air.
With just seconds to go, the crowd broke into a chorus of howls, turning into laughter and cheers as the moon completed its solar takeover and dusk abruptly descended. As we all gazed up, I could see the perfect outline of the sun’s corona around the moon, while the planets of Jupiter and Venus twinkled like stars nearby.
We revelled in this special moment, which lasted more than four-and-a-half minutes before the first dazzling beams of sunlight broke through in the so-called “diamond ring”.
Within seconds, the sun regained its dominance, but the euphoric buzz lingered amid the excited chatter of witnessing such a natural marvel at sea, which made it all the more special.
This was a bucket list moment that truly lived up to its billing and the Princess crew had prepared for it with special activities in the lead-up that included captivating enrichment talks from astronomy experts along with light-hearted trivia contests and challenges. There was even a zodiac party, along with special eclipse-style cookies and a themed cocktail to celebrate this celestial phenomenon.
The 15-night voyage from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale also had another bucket list thrill up its sleeve when early one morning a week later we sailed into the Panama Canal.
It was an evocative moment as we glided under the Bridge of the Americas, the landmark that guards the Pacific entrance to this famous waterway, while in the distance the misty skyline of Panama City was dramatically backlit by the rising sun.
It took most of the day to transit the 50-mile waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and avoiding an 8,000-mile 21-day detour around Cape Horn. Travelling from the west to the east coast of the Americas meant we covered nearly 5,000 nautical miles, so it’s not surprising there were several sea days, but Emerald Princess never felt packed and there were always spare seats by the four pools.
A full programme of events with dance classes, quizzes and amusing games shows often drew large crowds, adding to the upbeat feel of life onboard.
We dined well too, treating ourselves to top-notch Italian dishes in the speciality Sabatini’s Trattoria and gorging on prime cuts and lobster in the Crown Grill.
My two favourites were the multi-course gastronomic feast that is Chef’s Table, which started with champagne and hors d’oeuvres in the galley before moving to our own special table in the main restaurant, and the Caymus Vineyards Winemaker dinner where exquisite dishes were paired with vinos from this Californian Napa Valley winery.
We explored Mexico’s Pacific coast at the lively tourist playground of Cabo San Lucas and cooed over fluffy baby sloths in an animal sanctuary near Puntarenas in Costa Rica where squawking macaws and chattering monkeys added their own style of animal magic.
After passing through the Panama Canal, the fortified city of Cartagena in Colombia was our next stop, it’s narrow colonial streets having witnessed centuries of history filled with conquering Spanish conquistadors and battling buccaneers, with one raid led by Briton’s very own Sir Francis Drake in 1586.
It provided yet another memorable moment on a voyage that was full of them, though when it came to illuminating encounters, there’s no doubt it was the eclipse that stole the show.
*The next total solar eclipse is in Europe on August 12, 2026, and will be mainly visible in Spain and a small area of Portugal, Greenland and Iceland. Princess Cruises has announced a solar eclipse cruise to coincide with this.
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