A Landslide Closed Tracy Arm. Cunard’s Pivot Shows the Alaska Playbook

Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth swapped Tracy Arm Fjord for Endicott Arm on September 21, 2025, after a landslide affected access to Tracy Arm. According to Cruise Industry News, the line notified guests, apologized, and kept the rest of the sailing unchanged.

What changed—and what didn’t—for Queen Elizabeth

The adjustment was surgical: one scenic call out, an equally scenic call in. Guests still got an ice-and-granite fjord day, just not the one printed in the brochure. The swap to Endicott Arm is a common Alaska fallback when conditions hamper passage in Tracy Arm. Cruise lines plan for this, which is why the rest of the itinerary stayed intact.

Cunard didn’t elaborate publicly beyond the landslide, but the logic is straightforward. Narrow fjords are dynamic environments; a rockfall or debris field can quickly make navigation unsafe. In those moments, captains pick a comparable alternative nearby—Endicott Arm—so guests still get vivid glacier viewing without pushing safety margins.

Quick trip facts

Ship: Queen Elizabeth (Cunard)
Original call: Tracy Arm Fjord (Sawyer Glacier)
Replacement: Endicott Arm (Dawes Glacier)
Date of change: September 21, 2025
Reason: Landslide affecting Tracy Arm access
Itinerary impact: All other calls unchanged
Source: Cruise Industry News

Why landslides force fast calls in Alaska fjords

Alaska’s inside passages are narrow, steep-sided, and fed by glaciers. That beauty comes with risk: slopes can shed rock after heavy rain, freeze-thaw cycles, or seismic tremors. When debris hits a tight channel, it can create floating hazards or unseen shoals. In a confined fjord with limited room to maneuver, a conservative decision isn’t optional—it’s best practice.

No line wants to cancel a marquee scenic day. But they all reserve the right to modify itineraries for safety and operational reasons, and they exercise it quickly when conditions change. That’s not a dodge; it’s seamanship.

Endicott vs. Tracy Arm: what guests actually experience

For most travelers, Endicott Arm is not a consolation prize. Both fjords cut into the same wilderness area of the Tongass National Forest, with sheer granite walls, waterfalls, harbor seals, and floating ice.

Glacier target: Tracy Arm leads to the twin Sawyer Glaciers; Endicott Arm leads to Dawes Glacier. The U.S. Forest Service notes both sit within the Tracy Arm–Fords Terror Wilderness, a spectacular but sensitive environment.
Scenery: Expect steep cliffs, blue ice, and frequent seal haul-outs on icebergs in both arms. State tourism resources highlight Dawes Glacier as a crowd-pleaser comparable to Sawyer in scale and sound—the crack, roar, and splash of calving ice. See: Travel Alaska on Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier and Travel Alaska on Tracy Arm–Fords Terror Wilderness.
Access windows: Tide, ice, and visibility dictate how close large ships can approach the glacier face in either arm. That’s why you often see “scenic cruising” rather than a dock call on schedules.

Bottom line: If you were chasing dramatic fjord scenery and glacier time, Endicott Arm usually delivers a near-equivalent experience.

The operational calculus behind the switch

From the bridge team’s perspective, three factors matter most:

Safety margins: In a narrow fjord, hazards compress quickly. A landslide doesn’t have to be massive to change the risk profile.
Alternative parity: Endicott Arm offers similar guest value and is geographically close, minimizing fuel and schedule disruption.
Predictability: With pilots, tide tables, and known ice patterns, Endicott is a well-understood Plan B. That keeps the rest of the cruise on time, which matters for port slots and air travel at the end of a voyage.

This is the Alaska playbook: pivot quickly to preserve the experience, not just the timetable.

What this means for passengers (and how to prepare)

If you booked specifically for “Tracy Arm,” the name swap can sting. But most travelers care about glacier time and wilderness views—the things Endicott also excels at. Practical tips:

Expect early announcements: Lines typically alert guests as soon as navigational intel changes. Keep an eye on the app and your stateroom TV.
Adjust your lens kit: Bring a telephoto (200–300mm) for wildlife and a wide-angle for the glacier face; both fjords reward versatility.
Dress for deck time: Cold, wind, and spray happen even on clear days. Layers beat regrets.
Shore plans: Scenic cruising days don’t involve disembarkation, so your onboard day doesn’t shift much beyond timing and views.

On compensation, cruise contracts usually allow itinerary changes for safety without automatic refunds if a comparable experience is substituted. Check your ticket contract—Cunard publishes legal terms on its site—for specifics.

The trade-offs, plainly

Pros of Endicott Arm

Comparable glacier drama at Dawes Glacier
Similar wildlife and scenic payoff
Keeps schedule intact with minimal knock-on delays

Cons of losing Tracy Arm

You won’t see the Sawyer Glaciers
Some travelers have a bucket-list attachment to Tracy Arm by name
Tide/ice conditions still govern approach distance in Endicott

The bigger picture: resilience as a feature

The takeaway isn’t “Tracy Arm is unreliable.” It’s that Alaska’s wildness is real, and cruise lines build resilience into itineraries so a single landslide doesn’t erase your glacier day. That flexibility is a design feature, not a flaw. In practice, it means most guests still get the signature scenes they sailed for—even if the name on the navigational chart changes.

Snapshot summary

A landslide affected access to Tracy Arm, prompting a same-day pivot to Endicott Arm on September 21, 2025.
Guests kept a glacier-focused scenic day; only the fjord name changed.
Endicott Arm typically offers a near-equivalent experience, centered on Dawes Glacier.
Safety and schedule reliability drove the decision.

At-a-glance details

Operator: Cunard Line
Ship: Queen Elizabeth
Region: Alaska Inside Passage
Original scenic call: Tracy Arm Fjord
Replacement scenic call: Endicott Arm
Reason: Landslide impacting Tracy Arm access (reported September 21, 2025)