Juneau Cruise Calls Stay on Schedule as Suicide Basin Rises

The National Weather Service is monitoring rising water in Suicide Basin near Juneau, Alaska, with the basin expected to reach capacity between August 8 and 12, 2026. Cruise itineraries to Juneau have not been adjusted, but shore excursions around Mendenhall Glacier and the Mendenhall Valley are likely to face changes or cancellations for several days if a glacial outburst flood occurs.

Juneau is one of Alaska’s busiest cruise destinations, handling about 1.7 million cruise passengers a year. The city’s cruise docks sit roughly 10 miles southeast of Suicide Basin and Mendenhall Glacier, outside the area expected to be threatened by floodwaters, so ship calls are not currently expected to be canceled.

Excursions near Mendenhall Glacier face the main disruption risk

Mid-August schedules include calls by ships from Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Oceania Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises and other operators. Glacier viewing, hiking and kayaking tours near the affected areas are the most likely to change.

Passengers booked on Juneau excursions during the risk period should expect updates from tour operators or from their cruise line if the tour was purchased through the line. Independent visitors will also need to watch local conditions, since road access, trails and visitor areas can change quickly once water begins moving downstream.

Tours outside the flood zone are generally expected to continue, depending on local conditions. The City and Borough of Juneau says peak flooding usually occurs 24 to 48 hours after Suicide Basin begins releasing, and several more days may be needed before water recedes and inspections for debris or damage are completed.

Timing remains uncertain after the basin fills

Suicide Basin is a side basin east of Mendenhall Glacier that can fill with rainwater and snowmelt before draining beneath the glacier into Mendenhall Lake and the Mendenhall River. The basin has produced recurring glacial lake outburst floods almost every year since 2011, with some events forcing evacuations and causing erosion and damage in the Mendenhall Valley.

The National Weather Service said cloud cover could push the basin’s fill date later in the August 8-12 window. Sunnier weather could move it earlier.

“In the past it has taken up to 6 days for the main event (sub-glacier release) to start after the basin is full with water going over the overflow channel,” the National Weather Service said.

Following major flooding in August 2024, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings contributed $50,000 toward community recovery efforts in Juneau.