Cruise to Micronesia to see a total eclipse of the sun in 2016

What would you give to see 4 minutes and 7 seconds of totality during a solar eclipse?

One answer might be at least $14,249 per person for a shared cabin on the 44th Solar Eclipse Sea Venture cruise next year to watch the moon pass in front of the sun in the Pacific Ocean about 400 miles southeast of Guam.

(The 17-day trip is limited to 120 passengers aboard Silversea‘s Silver Discoverer; a spokeswoman for the company says 25 view cabins are still available at $15,675 per person, shared cabin.)

The trip offered by Houston-based Ring of Fire Expeditions caters to eclipse chasers, who will be joined on board by keynote speaker Jerry Ross. Ross is an astronaut and author of the book “Spacewalker,” in which he recounts his numerous walks in outer space during space shuttle missions.

The focus of the trip is on the total solar eclipse on March 9, 2016, but there are other adventures planned along the way, including diving and snorkeling to see World War II shipwrecks, seeing the active Tavurvur volcano in Papua New Guinea, and visiting Nan Madol in Micronesia, a stone city built in the water.

The trip is set to depart from the Solomon Islands on Feb. 27, 2016, and visit Papua New Guinea and Micronesia before ending in Palau on March 14, 2016.

The price includes shore adventures via Zodiacs, lectures and programs, wine and spirits as well as open-seating dining, on-board gratuities, viewing glasses for the eclipse, snorkeling equipment and a water-resistant backpack.

Info: Ring of Fire Expeditions at EclipseTours.com, (863) 325-4773 or e-mail trip leader Paul Maley at pdmaley@yahoo.com