Virgin Voyages makes changes to its first-ever Alaska cruise itinerary
The cruise lines’ Brilliant Lady ship will sail out of Seattle, Washington, next month for its inaugural Alaska season
UsenB
Virgin Voyages has made changes to its first-ever Alaska cruise itinerary following a hazardous landslide in the region.
The cruise lines’ Brilliant Lady ship will sail out of Seattle, Washington, next month for its inaugural Alaska season. While there will still be awe-inspiring views of The Last Frontier, there has been a change of course.
One Virgin Voyages customer who will be sailing on Brilliant Lady shared a message on Facebook last week announcing the ship would be visiting Endicott Arm Fjord and Dawes Glacier instead of Tracy Arm Fjord “due to ongoing landslide risk in the area.”
The customer received the message, which Cruise Hive first reported, from Virgin Voyages’ travel agent partners, known as First Mates.
In August 2025, a landslide above the base of the South Sawyer Glacier collapsed into the waters of Tracy Arm, causing a tsunami. While there were no reported injuries or deaths from the incident, the area will remain hazardous for years to come, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
“Steep, mountainous landslide areas are inherently unstable and will continue to change for years following an initial landslide,” the USGS wrote on its website. “Continued rockfall and smaller-scale landslide events from the exposed landslide scar are expected and could impact the water, potentially causing future local tsunami.”
The First Mates message said the upcoming trip’s “length, ship, and overall experience remain unchanged, and we look forward to delivering an incredible time in Alaska.”
The Independent has reached out to Virgin Voyages for comment.
Brilliant Lady will first depart from Seattle on May 21. It will make stops in Alaska’s Ketchikan and Sitka before cruising through Endicott Arm Fjord and Dawes Glacier, according to the Virgin Voyages website.
“Endicott Arm winds through sheer granite cliffs and drifting ice, leading to the towering Dawes Glacier,” Virgin Voyages said.
Virgin Voyages said a new excursion in Endicott Arm will be added to the trip.
“We’ll be adding an exclusive new shore thing at Endicott that they can book once you’re onboard,” the cruise line said in its message to customers.
Brilliant Lady will also travel to Canada to stop in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, before returning to Seattle, according to the Virgin Voyages website.
