Virgin Voyages Cancels All Tracy Arm Visits For its Inaugural Alaska Season

Sensible Woman is only a few quick months away from changing into the first-ever Virgin Voyages cruise ship to go to Alaska, however her inaugural itineraries will look a bit of completely different from what was anticipated.

Attributable to ongoing geological instability within the well-known Tracy Arm Fjord, the adults-only cruise line has opted to take away the scenic cruising vacation spot from all of its 2026 Alaska itineraries.

Sadly, the world throughout the fjord stays unstable and at an elevated threat for landslides following a landslide and tsunami that occurred close to the South Sawyer Glacier on August 10, 2025.

Even the two,770-guest ship’s MerMaiden voyage to Alaska, which embarks in Seattle on Might 21, 2026, has been modified.

As a safer various, the 110,000-gross ton ship will sail into Endicott Arm, which may be very near Tracy Arm however doesn’t undergo from the identical landslide threat. Each fjords have the identical entrance level at Holkham Bay, positioned roughly 50 miles south of Juneau, Alaska.

“We wished to tell you a couple of change to your Sailor’s upcoming voyage,” Virgin Voyages wrote in a letter to impacted company and First Mates.

“Your Sailor’s Sensible Woman voyage will now go to Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier rather than Tracy Arm Fjord resulting from ongoing landslide threat within the space,” the discover continued.

It’s additionally value noting that Virgin Voyages will not be the primary cruise line to make this resolution. In March, Cruise Hive reported that Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line introduced that they might even be changing Tracy Arm with Endicott Arm.

A Historic First Alaska Season

It’s clear that even with the itinerary change, Sensible Woman’s inaugural season in Alaska will nonetheless be one to recollect.

As the primary Woman ship to be Panama Canal compliant, she is the one and solely ship within the Virgin Voyages fleet that may be deployed to the West Coast and Alaska.

After finishing the cruise line’s first season in Los Angeles, the 2025-launched ship will arrive in Seattle, Washington, on Might 21, 2026, which is identical day her last of 4 MerMaiden voyages units sail.

For context, the mid-sized vessel additionally operated MerMaiden voyages in New York and Miami in 2025, and can embark on her Los Angeles MerMaiden crusing on April 7, 2026.

The ship will primarily function 7-night sailings to Alaska, with a number of longer voyages and one embarkation in Vancouver thrown into the combination. No different tweaks to the itineraries have been made apart from changing Tracy Arm.

“The voyage size, ship, and total expertise stay unchanged, and we sit up for delivering an unimaginable time in Alaska,” Virgin Voyages confirmed.

Along with Endicott Arm, company will get to go to Ketchikan, Sitka, and Prince Rupert in British Columbia, Canada.

Endicott Arm Tour within the Works

Making this itinerary change particularly thrilling, Virgin Voyages indicated {that a} particular tour is within the works to take advantage of the scenic cruising in Endicott Arm.

“We’ll be including an unique new shore factor at Endicott which you could e book when you’re onboard,” the cruise line acknowledged.

Particulars about what this expertise might appear like are nonetheless beneath wraps, however cruise company hope that it will likely be a ship journey that may give them a more in-depth have a look at the well-known blue ice and the beautiful Dawes Glacier.

“If they provide a small boat tour that day take it, it’s value it,” one cruiser asserted.

“Possibly a journey out on a zodiac from the ship for a more in-depth have a look at the glaciers? Can be enjoyable in that case,” one other chimed in.

Sometimes, Virgin Voyages permits company to e book Shore Issues (or shore excursions) beginning 135 days forward of embarkation for RockStar suite company or 120 days for different passengers.

On this case, the thriller tour will solely be bought onboard. company will need to make their option to the shore tour deck on Deck 7 as quickly as attainable, as availability could also be restricted.