Tom Stieghorst
Royal Caribbean International is cleverly horning in on a big event that is being advertised by many land-based tourism bureaus but that is equally available to cruise ship guests -- if they're in the right place.
The event is the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, the first one in nearly 100 years to cross the entire U.S.
Visitors bureaus from South Carolina to Oregon stationed on the so-called "path of totality," in which the sun is completely obscured by the moon for a minute or two, are touting their cities as the spot to be on Aug. 21. (Among those with the brightest prospects for eclipse tourism are cities in Kentucky that are at or near the point of greatest eclipse. The time in which the eclipse is total and can be safely viewed with the naked eye is up to 2:40 minutes in some Kentucky cities.)
But before hitting the U.S. coast in South Carolina, the path of totality runs north of the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
Royal Caribbean has designated the Oasis of the Seas as its eclipse ship, making the Aug. 20 sailing into a celebration of the event.
"A total solar eclipse hasn't crossed the entire U.S. since 1918, and with many of our ships sailing the Caribbean along the projected path, the stars aligned," Royal president and CEO Michael Bayley said.
"Oasis of the Seas will have the vantage point of the century and an unforgettable celebration out at sea that adventurers won't want to miss," Bayley said.
The line plans a full slate of eclipse-themed activities, including dance parties, trivia, enrichment lectures, interactive science fun for kids and custom cocktails and dishes with names like the Cosmic Cosmo, Planetary Punch and Moon Pie.
The cruise is currently selling at a 23% premium to the other two Oasis sailings from Port Canaveral in August.
No clients on the Oasis? Seven other Royal ships will be in the Caribbean on Aug. 21 where guests can conceivably get partial views of the eclipse, Royal said.