Great Lakes Blog
Small Ship Cruise Ships Renamed
A pair of former Victor Cruise Lines ships, the Victory I & II, have brand new names. After the merger of American Queen Steamboat Company and Victory Cruise Lines in 2019, the two separate brands where consolidated into one brand, American Queen Voyages, in September 2021. Then, in December 2021, the names of the two …Continue Reading
Covid Protocols for Great Lakes Cruises
The COVID pandemic has forced a hold on all Great Lakes cruises in both 2020 and 2021. It is hoped that the 2022 Great Lakes season can be held to some degree, but time will tell. Even when sailings commence, certain precautions will be implemented to ensure the safety of all passengers.
Victory Cruise Lines now docks at Chicago’s Navy Pier
Victory Cruise Lines has announced that it has a new slip at Chicago’s Navy Pier. Spanning six city blocks into the southern coast of Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is the perfect welcome for Great Lakes cruisers to the Windy City.
Read more about Victory Cruise Lines now docks at Chicago’s Navy Pier …
Staycations on North America’s Rivers and Waterways: The Great Lakes Region
The Great Lakes are the world’s largest freshwater system and a natural border between Canada and the U.S. For centuries, the waterways have been a major shipping route, transporting goods from the continent’s heartland out to the Atlantic and points beyond. And now, there’s new interest in exploring the major cultural centers, charming historic towns, even natural wonders like Niagara Falls, by small ship cruising.
Read more about Staycations on North America’s Rivers and Waterways: The Great Lakes Region …
Traverse City seeking cruise ships after port certification
Transformation of the former coal dock into the publicly accessible Discovery Pier is smoothing the way for more passenger-carrying cruise ships to visit Traverse City. The facility in December was certified as a cruise port by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Read more about Traverse City seeking cruise ships after port certification …
Great Lakes a new cruise destination
Learning that small passenger ships were again sailing the Great Lakes from Toronto to Chicago was, for me, akin to discovering a new American coastline had been found.
Sault swell spot to drop anchor
One Pearl Mist Great Lakes tour passenger describes Sault Ste. Marie as “lovely, clean and peaceful.” Dimitri Vitkoff and his companion, Yolanda Gonzalez, come from California where they said it’s more crowded and not so clean compared to Sault Ste. Marie. “Canada does a great job with their flower arrangements,” said Gonzalez.
Over 1,000 Cruise Ship Passengers Have Visited Milwaukee in 2019
Port Milwaukee director Adam Schlicht‘s positioning of the port as a turnaround destination for cruise ships is beginning to pay dividends. Through July 26th, 1,082 passengers have started or ended their Great Lakes journeys in Milwaukee as a Pearl Seas cruise ship has docked here three times.
Read more about Over 1,000 Cruise Ship Passengers Have Visited Milwaukee in 2019 …
Cruise ship tourists flocking to the Great Lakes, northern Ontario ports
Dozens of smart phones and digital cameras are held up as Anishinaabe drummers, dancers and singers perform for a crowd of American tourists.
Read more about Cruise ship tourists flocking to the Great Lakes, northern Ontario ports …
Small ship cruising resurfaces on the Great Lakes
Learning that small passenger ships were again sailing the Great Lakes from Toronto to Chicago was, for me, akin to discovering a new American coastline had been found.
Read more about Small ship cruising resurfaces on the Great Lakes …
Celebrate The 4th of July with Pearl Seas Cruises on the Great Lakes
Pearl Seas Cruises is celebrating the 4th of July this year in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With all of Pearl Seas’ summer Great Lakes cruises operating between Milwaukee and Toronto, the Line has a cruise arriving to Port Milwaukee on July 3rd just in time for the City’s famous fireworks display over Milwaukee Harbor.
Read more about Celebrate The 4th of July with Pearl Seas Cruises on the Great Lakes …
Great Lakes cruise ship docks in Milwaukee
Interest in cruising on the Great Lakes, and stopping in Milwaukee’s port, is growing. At least 11 cruise ship stops are booked for summer 2019 compared with two to four stops in recent years.
Read more about Great Lakes cruise ship docks in Milwaukee …
Explore the Great Lakes on a cruise ship
Did you know that you can visit all five Great Lakes while taking a cruise from Toronto to Chicago?That’s just one of many itineraries available on the world’s largest system of surface fresh water that a new international alliance wants the world to discover.
Victory I cruise ship docks in Port of Cleveland
The Victory I cruise ship docked in the Port of Cleveland on its inaugural Great Lakes Grand Discovery voyage Wednesday morning.
Read more about Victory I cruise ship docks in Port of Cleveland …
Good old days
A voyage through the Great Lakes reveals evidence aplenty of America’s fondness for preserving and celebrating vestiges of its past.
Cruise ship season is here: First of the ships arrive in Muskegon today
Today marks the start of cruise ship season on the Great Lakes with the first of the ships arriving in Muskegon today. The Victory I cruise ship will arrive in Muskegon around 7 a.m. on Thursday May, 23. The 300-ft. ship will dock at Heritage Landing and depart around 6 p.m.
Read more about Cruise ship season is here: First of the ships arrive in Muskegon today …
Great Lakes Cruise Season Has Begun
The Great Lakes cruise season has begun. The MS Victory I will mark the start of that with its first port of call at Heritage Landing in Muskegon, Michigan.
Cruising the Great Lakes: Cleveland’s Popularity Continues to Grow
To midwesterners who live near one of the five Great Lakes, these bodies of water are no big deal. But to folks everywhere else, they are opportunities for great exploration. Cruising on the Great Lakes has become popular again in recent years, with the number of ships and their passengers growing each year.
Read more about Cruising the Great Lakes: Cleveland’s Popularity Continues to Grow …
Embark on an Exploration of French Canada and the Great Lakes
Witness the splendor of the French-Canadian countryside as you’ll sail on the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Enjoy an idyllic drive into the foothills of the Laurentian Mountains to see towering Montmorency Falls cascading down a 272-foot cliff. Cruise the Thousand Islands corridor, and tour Kingston’s preserved Gothic cathedrals, historic monuments and …Continue Reading
Read more about Embark on an Exploration of French Canada and the Great Lakes …
Come Onboard and Discover the Great Lakes
Embark on a thrilling experience on North America’s historic Great Lakes, through Victorian-era towns rich with seafaring history and remote islands with spectacular wildlife viewing and fascinating local cultures.
Sailing the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are an area of our country that is relatively new to the cruise industry. Yes, there have been many ships on the Great Lakes for industrial purposes but tourism is relatively new. The ports welcome you as they are not overrun with tourism.
Canada: Cruising from Montreal to Georgian Bay
On the northern and eastern shores of the Great Lakes, the province of Ontario has been looking to expand its foothold in the passenger cruising industry.
Read more about Canada: Cruising from Montreal to Georgian Bay …
Great Lakes Now: Traverse City
Some 150 miles north of Muskegon, Traverse City is a much newer Great Lakes destination for the passenger-cruise industry. The city is banking on its well-established sites on Great Lakes tourists’ agendas to give it a major boost in cruise tourism. With several nearby attractions, passengers have plenty to do on shore.
Great Lakes Now: Cleveland
A post-cruise guest satisfaction survey conducted by Victory Cruises found Cleveland, Ohio ranked second only to Mackinac Island as the preferred Great Lakes destination. Located midway across Lake Erie’s southern shore, Cleveland became a regular stop for cruise ships starting in 2017.
Muskegon: Former industrial waterfront makes room for cruise ships and passengers
Muskegon, like so many other coastal cities around the Great Lakes, is clearing away artifcas of old industries to draw in a new industry: cruise ship tourism.
Read more about Muskegon: Former industrial waterfront makes room for cruise ships and passengers …
The Great Lakes May Be the Next Cruise Ship Hot Spot
Cruise ship operators on the Great Lakes are adding trips this season, and lines that left the destination are returning. According to the Chicago Tribune, industry experts are predicting that companies who have never traveled the Great Lakes area will be coming on board.
Read more about The Great Lakes May Be the Next Cruise Ship Hot Spot …
The next cruising hot spot is closer than you think: Get ready for more ships on the Great Lakes
When it comes to hot new cruise destinations, the Great Lakes are living up to their name. This veritable freshwater ocean — boasting 11,000 miles of shoreline, including islands — is attracting a lot of attention lately from cruise ship companies wanting alternatives for passengers who may be tired of pingponging around the Caribbean or who loathe to make a long flight across the ocean for a European voyage.
29 cruise ships will dock at Port of Cleveland in 2019
In 2017, nine cruise ships came to Cleveland. Last year, 19. In 2019, 29 are scheduled to dock at the Port of Cleveland, from May through October. Most are Victory Cruise Lines, where nine-day tours between Chicago and Toronto start at $4,000, all inclusive.
Read more about 29 cruise ships will dock at Port of Cleveland in 2019 …
Explore The Great Lakes this Summer with Pearl Seas Cruises
Pearl Seas Cruises is pleased to announce a spectacular 2019 summer season on The Great Lakes. Cruising there since 2014, Pearl Seas has perfected small ship exploration in The Great Lakes aboard their 210-passenger ship, the Pearl Mist.
Read more about Explore The Great Lakes this Summer with Pearl Seas Cruises …
Victory Cruise Lines to be Purchased by American Queen Steamboat
The American Queen Steamboat Company has announced a definitive agreement to acquire the Victory I and Victory II cruise ships from Sunstone Ships, Inc., as well as the Victory Cruise Lines brand.
Read more about Victory Cruise Lines to be Purchased by American Queen Steamboat …
A Visit To The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame In Cleveland
After a visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, you will definitely feel like a rockstar. Located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, the museum is full of memorabilia of the biggest rock stars in the world.
Read more about A Visit To The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame In Cleveland …
The Magic Of The Welland Canal
On the way to visit Niagara Falls, the Victory Cruise Lines ships disembarks at Port Colborne on the southern end of the Welland Canal. The canal is definitely a highlight during our sailing.
Detroit: An American City Like No Other
Very often, when I mention that I love Detroit, people asked me why. It is well-known that this city, once the epicenter of the American car manufacturer, went into bankruptcy years ago. During the 1950’s, Detroit had almost two million residents and, at that time, was one of the largest cities in the country. Detroit …Continue Reading
The Cleveland Museum Of Art: A Must-See For Art Lovers
During Victory Cruise Lines stop in Cleveland, I was curious to know more about the city. I have to admit, I didn’t know much about it.
Read more about The Cleveland Museum Of Art: A Must-See For Art Lovers …
A Tourist Favorite: Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is, without doubt, a very popular destination and part of many peoples’ bucket lists. Kids and adults are always amazed by the wonder of this gift from mother nature.