Carnival canceled all visits to a popular fjord for the entirety of the 2026 Alaska cruise season.
The cruise line notified passengers via email that all visits to the Tracy Arm Fjord have been removed from the 2026 lineup due to unsuitable "geological conditions."
"We have been closely monitoring geological conditions in Tracy Arm Fjord. The waterways in the area are currently not suitable for cruise ship navigation," the email reads.
"So, we have made a minor adjustment to our itinerary and will be cruising Endicott Arm Fjord instead. Essentially, we will be turning right, instead of left, upon entering the fjords."
Endicott Arm is home to Dawes Glacier, a massive tidewater glacier that regularly calves large icebergs into the fjord. Comparatively, Tracy Arm Fjord is known for its narrow passageways and twin Sawyer Glaciers.
Continuing on, "Endicott Arm offers equally breathtaking scenery, and we are confident you will enjoy the experience. Purchased excursions will be moved accordingly."
The change affects over two dozen sailings on three ships — Carnival Miracle, Carnival Luminosa, and Carnival Spirit — departing from April 27 through September 17.
The cancellations are likely a result of the ongoing safety concerns caused by a landslide last August in the Tracy Arm Fjord near the South Sawyer Glacier.
Massive amounts of rock plunged into the water, with the impact then triggering a localized tsunami within the fjord.
"Continued rockfall and smaller-scale landslide events from the exposed landslide scar are expected and could impact the water, potentially causing [a] future local tsunami. As such, this area remains hazardous," claims the U.S. Geological Survey.
Although Carnival Cruise Line didn't explicitly state it in its email, the unsuitable "geological conditions" caused by last year's landslide are likely a key reason that they canceled visits to Tracy Arm Fjord this year.
Not the first cruise line to scrap visits to Tracy Arm Fjord
On March 16, 2026, Cruise Blog reported that Holland America Line made the same change to its 2026 Alaska cruise season.
"Our tour operator has advised [that] the Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer in Juneau, AK has been modified due to operational considerations," Holland's cancellation email said.
"...[U]nstable ice and geological conditions currently preclude vessels from entering Tracy Arm Fjord; all 2026 departures will explore Endicott Arm Fjord instead."
Is Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier worth it?
Although any itinerary change is disspointing, it's important to keep a positive attitude, so minor changes don't ruin your cruise before it's even begun.
Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier is stunning and easily a highlight of any sailing to The Last Frontier. Plus, the fjord is wider and more navigable than Tracy Arm. This means cruise ships are less likely to have to cancel their scenic cruising day.
"Endicott was great. We did the small boat tour and went right up to the glacier. We were able to see it calving about 4 or 5 times. Absolutely the best part of my whole trip," wrote Debi Williams on Facebook.
Daphne Bright Murray added, "We had the same change last June. It was absolutely incredible. I’m not sure what we missed, but I know what we saw, breathtaking!"
"We went last June and we were supposed to see Tracy, but we couldn’t go there and I don’t remember the reason why and we went to Endicott and it was amazing breathtaking and spectacular!" Kathi Hernandez said.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
