Dawes Glacier & Endicott Arm: Your Guide to the Alaska Glacier Day
What to expect on the scenic glacier-cruising day of a Virgin Voyages Alaska cruise — Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier, why the itinerary moved off Tracy Arm, the best places to watch from, the wildlife to look for, and how it compares to Glacier Bay.
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There is no getting off the ship on this day (well, unless you buy a pricey boat excursion). The glacier day was the scenic centerpiece of my Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady Alaska sailing: a morning spent sailing into a narrow fjord walled by cliffs and waterfalls, toward a face of old blue ice. It is the day people book Alaska for, and it happens from your own deck or balcony.
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Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier
My sailing's glacier day was Endicott Arm, ending at Dawes Glacier. Plenty of Alaska itineraries, including earlier versions of mine, still say Tracy Arm Fjord.
Here is what happened. In August 2025, a major collapse and landslide at the South Sawyer Glacier sent a wave through Tracy Arm. For the 2026 season several cruise lines, Virgin among them, moved their glacier days to the neighboring Endicott Arm and its tidewater glacier, Dawes.
The good news is that these are next-door fjords branching off the same channel, both tidewater-glacier experiences with the same granite walls, waterfalls, and blue ice. If anything, Dawes Glacier is the more dramatic face of the two. Confirm the specific glacier on your own booking, and know the captain can adjust day-of for ice and safety, which is normal in Alaska.
What Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier Are
Endicott Arm is a narrow fjord that branches south off Holkham Bay, roughly 50 miles south of Juneau, inside the Tongass National Forest and the protected Tracy Arm Fords Terror Wilderness. Think of a canyon filled with seawater: steep cliffs rising straight out of the water, waterfalls pouring down them, and at the head, Dawes Glacier, a tidewater glacier about a half mile wide at its face that calves directly into the sea.
Tracy Arm, the fjord immediately next door off the same bay, is the same kind of place, ending at the twin Sawyer Glaciers, North and South Sawyer. I visited Tracy Arm on my last Alaska cruise, but found that my day at Dawes was much more rewarding for views.
What the Day Feels Like
The ship sails in, holds and slowly rotates near the glacier so (hopefully) both sides of the ship get the view, then sails out. The whole day is about being on board and watching. Depending on ice and conditions you may see:
Calving — chunks of the glacier cracking off into the sea, sometimes with a boom that echoes off the cliffs.
Blue ice — glacier ice is dense enough to absorb every color except blue, so the face glows blue on a clear day.
Icebergs and smaller bergy bits floating past, some with harbor seals resting on them; they use the floating ice as a nursery, and Endicott Arm is known for it.
Waterfalls close beside the ship on the narrow stretches.
A big ship stays farther from the glacier face than the small day-boats do, for safety, but the scale of the fjord from a top deck makes up for it.
For excursions closer, most ships offer a glacier viewing excursion. These run $250-$450 (it was $450 on my Brilliant Lady sailing), and can sometimes be booked in advance. I recommend doing so, as they sell out.
Best Places to Watch, and How to Do It Right
Get outside. Head to the open top decks, forward and high, or your own balcony if you booked a Sea Terrace on Brilliant Lady (this is the day that cabin choice pays off; see my ship review). Forward-facing areas are best as the ship noses in, which Rockstars on Virgin will have excellent views from the exclusive Richard’s Rooftop.
Claim your spot early. The good rail space fills up. Get out before the ship reaches the ice. I like finding a spot on the less-busy railing on opposite sides of the ship, which will get a better view as the captain maneuvers.
Dress warm and waterproof. Glacier air is cold and damp even in July; the ice makes its own chill. Layers, a hat, and a shell. This is the coldest you will be all week.
Bring binoculars. They turn distant specks into seals, mountain goats on the cliffs, and eagles.
Watch the daily program and listen for narration. The glacier can be scheduled at different times of the day. Ours was early morning, around 7:30 AM when we entered the fjord.
Order a warm drink and settle in. There are often bars on deck selling coffee drinks, hot chocolate, and even a boozy alternative.
Endicott Arm vs. Glacier Bay
People ask how this compares to Glacier Bay National Park. Glacier Bay is vast and wide, runs about nine hours, and comes with park rangers who board the ship, but it requires scarce federal permits that only a few lines hold, so Virgin Voyages does not sail it. Endicott Arm and Tracy Arm are the trade-off: narrower and more intimate, with tighter cliff walls and waterfalls right beside you. If Glacier Bay specifically is a must-have, that is a reason to look at a traditional line, and my Princess vs Holland America for Alaska comparison covers the two lines that dominate those permits. If you just want a strong tidewater-glacier day, you get it here.
Wildlife to Watch For
The glacier day is prime wildlife time. Look for harbor seals hauled out on the icebergs, which is the signature sight in both fjords, plus bald eagles, mountain goats on the cliffs, and black or brown bears on the shoreline. Humpback whales and orcas are more likely in the open water of Stephens Passage on the way in and out than deep in the fjord. Binoculars earn their spot in your bag today.
When to Go
Glacier days run through the summer season, but weather and daylight shift month to month. If you are still choosing dates, my best time to cruise Alaska guide breaks down the trade-offs.
Ready to See the Glaciers?
The glacier day is the scenic high point of Brilliant Lady's 7-night Alaska loop from Seattle. If you are ready to book, and want a Sea Terrace cabin so you can watch the ice from your own balcony, you can book your Virgin Voyages Alaska cruise through my link here, at no extra cost to you.
Bottom Line
The glacier day is the reason Alaska sticks with people. On my sailing that means Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier, the 2026 stand-in for Tracy Arm and the Sawyer Glaciers, and you are in for cliffs, waterfalls, blue ice, and seals on the bergs, best enjoyed bundled up on a high deck or your own balcony with something warm in hand. Check which fjord is on your booking, pack your warmest layers, and bring the binoculars.
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