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Great architecture and cultural institutions such as the Art Institute of Chicago — along with lots of nightlife, shopping and world-class dining — make Chicago the premier city destination in the Great Lakes region. Many Great Lakes cruises begin or end in Chicago, with some including an overnight in the city, allowing time to explore. Don't miss a stroll down the Magnificent Mile and a sightseeing boat ride on the Chicago River (a great way to get an overview of the city and see some of its architectural gems). The Great Lakes cruise season is a short one, due mostly to the weather. With winters being cold and snowy in the region, cruise lines stick to the warmer months of May to September for Great Lakes sailings. The Great Lakes probably isn't the first place that comes to mind when you think of cruising.
Highlights of Great Lakes Cruises
The iconic attraction on the island is the 135-year-old Grand Hotel, with its seemingly endless, rocker-lined front porch (the longest in the world). Afternoon tea in the hotel's parlor, or a game of croquet at its Tea Garden, are among Mackinac Island's allures. Tours in a horse-drawn carriage are another popular pastime; cars are banned on the island, leaving horse-drawn carriages as one of the main ways of getting around, along with bicycles. It's a retired Great Lakes freighter (named Valley Camp) that you can climb into and explore. In addition to touring the living quarters for its 29-person crew, you'll find a 20,000-square-foot maritime museum in its cargo hold with exhibits on the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald and more. Known as "Canada's Gateway to the West" because it's the final navigational point on the Canadian side of Lake Superior, Thunder Bay is one of Ontario's most vibrant cities and a center for art and culture.
American Queen Voyages founder makes top bid for company's Great Lakes ships - Travel Weekly
American Queen Voyages founder makes top bid for company's Great Lakes ships.
Posted: Wed, 03 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Ocean Navigator and Ocean Voyager
French luxury line Ponant has its 184-passenger Le Bellot (built in 2020) in the Great Lakes this fall, to be joined by sister ship Le Dumont d’Urville in 2023. These six-deck expedition yachts boast the kind of international cuisine and complimentary wine pours you’d expect on French-operated vessels, plus an outdoor swimming pool and a panoramic lounge. And there is the super-cool feature of an underwater sensory lounge, Blue Eye, with submarine-like views of walleye fish and other Great Lakes marine life.
Great Lakes Sailings Offer a Variety of Itineraries
Generally, the best time for cruising the Great Lakes is from July on, when the days are warmer and sunnier. Leaf-peepers may catch fall colors in late August or early September, especially in the most northern areas. However, don’t expect your standard all-inclusive, big-ship vacation with tons of restaurants, activities and kid-friendly amenities.
When do cruises go to the Great Lakes?
Great Lakes cruise business -- and Cleveland’s port -- take a hit with American Queen shutdown - cleveland.com
Great Lakes cruise business -- and Cleveland’s port -- take a hit with American Queen shutdown.
Posted: Fri, 01 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
In the end, the most important decisions are which ports you want to visit and for how long you wish to cruise the Great Lakes on a ship. There are seven-day cruises; two-week ones; those that call more ports in the US than Canada and vice versa; those that enter Lake Superior and those that only offer a quick transfer through Soo Locks. Hapag-Lloyd’s Hanseatic Inspiration offers 10- to 18-day cruises departing from Milwaukee and traveling to Halifax, Toronto or Detroit. Great Lakes cruises might all seem similar, but with an offer that ranges from Niagara Falls to historic, cultural and big-city ports, there’s plenty to choose from. Regardless of the route taken, chances are high that stops on these itineraries are places you've never thought of as being cruise ports -- and you'll be quite impressed with your findings. "We've had opportunity in the last two years to get them (the ships) prepped and ready for this itinerary," he said.
And on the Canadian side, highlights include First Nations cultural experiences, more wildlife and scenic landscapes, and the Georgian Bay Biosphere in Ontario, which UNESCO recognized as the world’s largest freshwater archipelago. Cruise itineraries include three or more of the lakes; some touch all five. On our unique Great Lakes tour boats, you will traverse great depths, watch the sun rise and set over distant horizons and learn compelling details about the region — both on- and offshore.
Great Lakes Cruise Tips: What You Need to Know Before Great Lakes Cruising
All of the above lines operate ships in the Great Lakes that carry fewer than 400 passengers. In general, the vessels are intimate and relatively high-end, with pricing to match. Some Great Lakes itineraries only include stops at relatively small towns such as Midland, Parry Sound and Little Current in Ontario; and Muskegon, Marquette and Houghton in Michigan. Others mix in calls at some of the bigger cities of the Great Lakes region, notably Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland and Toronto. On longer sailings, vessels often will overnight in such places as Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Thunder Bay. The diversity in Great Lakes itineraries extends to their start and end points.
Great Lakes Cruises That Include the Erie Canal
Enjoy a day aboard Pearl Mist, cruising the scenic Keweenaw Waterway, ornamented with sandstone cliffs and sparkling spring waterfalls. Delve into its fascinating history of Duluth with an exploration of the area’s many museums, including the Lake Superior Railroad Museum. Experience our most immersive exploration along The Great Lakes, the largest freshwater system in the world. Take an exhilarating boat ride in Niagara Falls and come within feet of its misty spray. Visit the Cleveland Museum of Art, one of the top art museums in the country, before traveling to the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit to learn how he changed the world of technology and manufacturing. On this 7-night voyage, enjoy the beautiful and clear waters of the Great Lakes, the largest freshwater ecosystem in the world.
But in recent years, the region has grown enormously as a cruise destination — and for good reason. Touring the Great Lakes by ship is by far the easiest way to see a wide range of the area's attractions — from vibrant cities to natural wonders — in a single trip. The Great Lakes cruise season is a relatively short one, running from late May through mid-September.
"The hardware is good, the itinerary is good, the staffing is good. If you book with us, you're going to cruise. We're not going to cancel on you." Before the COVID-19 pandemic, international passengers were the most likely to cruise the Great Lakes; the French line Ponant and the German line Hapag-Lloyd offered different sailings that often sold out. On AQV, the stops beyond homeports include Michigan's quaint Mackinac Island, the locks of Sault St. Marie and Niagara Falls, as well as Detroit and Cleveland. Some longer itineraries offer passengers the opportunity to visit all five Great Lakes. According to Bierdz, Great Lakes cruises tick many of the boxes that people are looking for right now. That includes small, boutique cruises that are close to home and don't require lengthy overseas flights.
Motor City should probably be called Museum City, as it's home to a wonderful array of museums worth a visit, from The Detroit Museum of Art and the Motown Museum to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History. Settled by Germans in the 1840s, "Brew City," as it's known, also is a mecca of sorts for beer lovers — and not just because it's home to the original Miller Brewing Company complex, which is open daily for tours. You'll also find lots of craft breweries that you can visit on your own or as part of a tour, and you can tour (and drink at) the original Pabst Brewery. The best Great Lakes cruise ports include the handful of relatively big cities in the region, such as Chicago, that are loaded with cultural sites, nightspots and restaurants, as well as charming small towns such as Holland, Michigan.
The ship will only stay in the Great Lakes for a few months, however, before concentrating on coastal New England sailings. Trained as a psychologist, Irene is a regular contributor to Forbes.com where she writes about food, wine and travel. According to cruise travel influencer Cruise Mummy, Great Lakes Cruises cost at least $5,000 per person for a 7-10 night cruise or about $500 per person per night.
Contributors John and Sandra Nowlan take our readers on a river cruise from Amsterdam to Nuremburg on Avalon Expression, an “active discovery” cruise. In Canada, the cruises visit Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Last summer, Pollard sailed on an 11-day/10-night cruise on American Queen Voyages Ocean Voyager that departed from Toronto and ended in Chicago.
Accounting for 21% of all the world's fresh water, they truly are a marvel. Long distances between ports also mean cruising the Great Lakes at night. The long distances covered by cruises on the Great Lakes mean lots of time spent on board. If you bring your laptop or iPad, be prepared for long periods without connections. Cell phone service generally works well, but be aware of your location -- U.S. vs. Canada -- and roaming fees.
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