Major cruise lines ditch ‘majestic’ Alaska fjord over landslide risk

A cherished highlight of many Alaskan cruises, the majestic Tracy Arm fjord, is being bypassed by major cruise lines this season, disappointing many travelers.

The decision follows a landslide last summer which saw parts of a glacier collapse into the water.

It triggered a tsunami and sent a powerful wave high up the opposing mountain wall, prompting cruise operators to cite ongoing safety concerns regarding the unstable slopes.

Travel agent Nate Vallier lamented the change, describing Tracy Arm as “the majestic princess” and “the queen of fjords.”

While the alternative, Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier, is “still beautiful by any means ... it’s just not the same,” he said.

Located southeast of Juneau, the roughly 50-kilometer Tracy Arm is renowned for its two tidewater glaciers, North and South Sawyer, and its abundant wildlife, including seals and bears.

The landslide, originating high on a slope above the South Sawyer glacier's toe, near the fjord's head, caused water to surge over half a kilometer up the mountain wall and out of Tracy Arm.

No ships were present in the fjord at the time, and no fatalities or injuries were reported. However, kayakers camping on a nearby island had much of their equipment swept away by the sudden rush of water.

Southeast Alaska, largely encompassed by a temperate rainforest, is no stranger to landslides. And while it's long been known the fjord network in the Tracy Arm region has been susceptible, the slope that failed had not been identified as an active hazard before last summer's collapse, said Gabriel Wolken, manager of the state’s climate and ice hazards program.

Scientists are working to understand not only what caused the slope to collapse but to understand what other hazards might exist in the fjord, he said.

The area remains unstable, said Steven Sobieszczyk, a U.S. Geological Survey spokesperson. Steep landslide areas continue to change for years after an initial slide, he said by email.

“Continued rockfall and small-scale sliding from the exposed landslide scar are expected and could impact the water, potentially causing a future localized tsunami,” he said.

Major cruise companies, including Holland America, Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean said in response to inquiries that they are replacing a Tracy Arm visit with Endicott Arm. MSC Cruises, Virgin Voyages and regional tour company Allen Marine also are doing Endicott and Dawes Glacier instead. Norwegian Cruise Line said it does not have voyages sailing by Tracy Arm.

Endicott already has been a stop for some ships previously and an alternative when conditions in Tracy Arm, such as excess ice, have been unsafe.

Vallier, who owns the Alaska Travel Desk, said he would have liked cruise companies to give travelers more advance notice about itinerary changes.

After leaving Seattle, the first ships of the season are due April 21 in Ketchikan and in Juneau the following week.

Seeing a glacier — particularly a dynamic, calving glacier — is a bucket-list item for many tourists, and that's what has made Tracy Arm so popular, he said. While the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau is a major attraction for the capital city and cruise port, many visitors view it from across a large lake, and it has diminished or entirely retreated from view from some hiking overlooks.

Kimberly Lebeda of Wichita, Kansas, was excited when she booked tickets for a Tracy Arm excursion for her family last year. Lebeda, who researches areas she visits, said she was sold on the scenery.

But the night before the stop, they were told that due to ice in Tracy Arm, they would go up Endicott instead. Her family and others who'd booked the excursion got off the ship and onto a smaller boat with glass windows, abundant seating and snacks. They saw seals on ice floes, waterfalls and “a wall of ice” calve from Dawes Glacier, she said.

She called it “an amazing thing to witness.”

“Was it worth it? Yes, because I don’t know if I'll ever get to do that trip again,” she said. “Again, I haven’t ever been to Tracy Arm so I can’t really compare. But to me, was it worth it and was it exciting? Absolutely.”