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Cruise the Great Lakes on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to experience the unparalleled majesty of the Great Lakes with luxury small-ship cruises complete with personalized service, world-class dining, dynamic activities, and the adventure of a lifetime. Everyone cruising in Canada must also undergo precruise testing (something that the majority of cruise lines also still require) even though prearrival COVID testing has been dropped for international air arrivals into Canada. Make sure to check with your cruise line and the latest government restrictions as requirements can and do change. If you are cruising between the U.S. and Canada you will, first off, need your passport. As of press time, Canada requires cruise passengers age 12 and up to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (some cruise lines require passengers age 5 and up to be vaccinated) and to have completed ArriveCAN health forms prior to arrival.
Post: Best of Chicago
Enjoy luxurious accommodations, exceptional cuisine, and personalized service every day on board our modern cruise ships. Lengthwise, you'll find Great Lakes voyages ranging from seven to 15 nights. Others focus on just three or four of the interconnected bodies of water. Some of the ships also offer sailings that combine travel on one or more of the Great Lakes with a passage through the St. Lawrence Seaway. In some cases, these latter trips include travel all the way to Montreal.
Great Lakes Cruise Port Highlights and Things to Do
It’s the largest ship in the Great Lakes, though small enough to clear (by a tight one foot) the 27-mile Welland Canal that connects Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Fans of Viking will recognize the sleek Scandinavian decor and Nordic accents, dining choices (including Manfredi’s for Italian), and a wide range of accommodations, with designs that mimic the interiors of the line’s ocean and river ships. One difference, however, is that rather than have step-out balconies, staterooms feature windows that open to let in the breeze. 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).
Chicago
Our View: Investing in Great Lakes cruise industry promising payoffs for Duluth - Duluth News Tribune
Our View: Investing in Great Lakes cruise industry promising payoffs for Duluth.
Posted: Thu, 22 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
This was our first small ship cruise, you were our first knowledgeable travel agent, we will pass your name along to friends and family. Rides on all these ‘toys’ are included with the cruise and the crew takes them out whenever possible. We enjoyed our zodiac rides to and from excursions and loved exploring in the SOB, which launches from a slipway inside “The Hangar” and has individually suspended seats for an incredibly smooth ride at high speeds. Viking has brought expedition-style cruising to the region, complete with submarines. Ask your Viking Expert for more information.Pre & Post Cruise Extensions vary by itinerary and are subject to change.
Best Great Lakes cruise ports
On this 7-night voyage, enjoy the beautiful and clear waters of the Great Lakes, the largest freshwater ecosystem in the world. From the perfect comfort of the Pearl Mist, sail among the 30,000 Islands and visit the many remarkable destinations along the way.Explore the delightful town of Holland, home to the only authentic Dutch windmill in North America. Wind down with the slow-paced lifestyle of Mackinac Island where visitors and residents travel by bicycle, horse-drawn carriage, or on foot. On your way to Parry Sound, marvel at the unique geologic formations and untouched wilderness that lines the coastal environment.Throughout your journey, let our attentive crew cater to your wishes and world-class chefs create culinary delights with a local flavor.
Great Lakes Cruise Lines
While our canceled sub ride was disappointing, there were plenty of other activities to keep us engaged and entertained off the ship during our one sea day and our days in tiny ports. In each port there is at least one included excursion, although most days there were several additional included hikes and other activities led by members of the ship’s expedition team or local guides. The Great Lakes offer cruisers access to wildlife, natural landscapes, quaint lakeside towns, and industrial history on the U.S. 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. 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.
Great Lakes Cruising: Variety of Attractions - Cruise Industry News
Great Lakes Cruising: Variety of Attractions.
Posted: Thu, 11 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The Great Lakes probably isn't the first place that comes to mind when you think of cruising. 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. We attended Great Lakes-oriented lectures presented by a highly-credential expedition team on everything from discoveries made on an epic 1000-mile hike around Lake Michigan to the geologic history of the region. We toured the working science lab, while others participated in a microplastics workshop where the observations made help inform a global database. You may not think of Cleveland, Chicago, Toronto, or Duluth, Minnesota, as hot ports on the cruise map, but this year they are.
A flock of sleek new ships is sailing here—and it isn’t far from home.
Local shops, live music, and outdoor dining make downtown the place to be! From the award-winning downtown to the white sandy beaches, you’ll fall in love with Holland’s small-town charm and big-city amenities. In a pre-cruise media presentation in the ship’s impressive, high-tech auditorium called the Aula, Hagen said it was partly because cruising out of Chicago just did not work out.
Cell phone service generally works well, but be aware of your location -- U.S. vs. Canada -- and roaming fees. You're given a plastic poncho to help keep you dry as the boat (not your Great Lakes cruise ship) motors up to Horseshoe Falls, the largest and most impressive of Niagara's cascades. It's said that the equivalent of one million bathtubs of water tumbles over the falls each minute. Delight in an aerial adventure over Parry Sound Harbor and a guided bike ride around Georgian Bay.
Of the two lines operating in the Great Lakes, Viking has the greatest focus on outdoorsy stops such as Point Pelee (a tiny sandspit that juts into the northwestern corner of Lake Erie and is famous as a stopover for migratory birds). Some of Viking's sailings include a call at Alpena, Michigan — the gateway to a National Maritime Sanctuary, where passengers can kayak past shipwrecks in shallow waters. Another destination that Viking visits, Silver Islet, Ontario, brings the opportunity for a trail walk through Ontario's 94-square-mile Sleeping Giant Provincial Park — a rocky, forested park named for a long line of mesas that resemble a giant lying on its back. While Great Lakes ships have traditionally been smaller, more modest coastal vessels, Viking is shaking things up by bringing a polar-class expedition ship to the region. French cruise line Ponant is also sailing the Great Lakes this fall and next with luxury expedition ships complete with underwater lounges.
They need to be out of the Great Lakes before the St. Lawrence Seaway closes for the winter (typically in December). Experience unique ports of call in the surrounding states and provinces as you cruise through the magnificent Great Lakes. Discover hard-to-reach destinations, thriving cities, and breathtaking landscapes.
Cruises at the beginning of the Great Lakes cruise season in May are generally a bit less expensive than those in June, July, August and September. Great Lakes cruise weather can be chilly at the start of the season, with low temperatures in the 40s in May in some areas and highs in the 60s. It warms up considerably by July and August, with high temperatures in the 70s and 80s. Here, The Points Guy offers up a guide to everything you need to know about planning a sailing in the Great Lakes. Though not an off-the-ship excursion, a highlight of this Great Lakes itinerary is the ship’s passage through the gravity-powered Soo Locks, which were built in 1885 and connect Lake Superior to Lake Huron.
Local musicians come onboard for performances, such as a Motown tribute in Detroit. Both the Ocean Voyager and Ocean Navigator feature recently updated traditional decor. Accommodations range from small, 146-square-foot cabins and deluxe staterooms with a shared outdoor deck to 335-square-foot owner’s suites with private veranda and living room area. Fares include unlimited open bar and use of bikes for shoreside rides. The massive Great Lakes freighter, which was built in 1917 and retired in 1966, houses displays relating to maritime history in the cargo holds, including two lifeboats from the sinking of the legendary Edmond Fitzgerald in 1975. Ports of call on Great Lakes cruises vary slightly with Mackinac Island, Little Current and Niagara Falls among the scheduled highlights.
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. To learn more about each port of call and our included as well as optional excursions, click on the individual days below. Longer cruises on the Great Lakes trace a similar route from Chicago, adding stops at Cleveland, Ohio and Buffalo, NY, both on Lake Erie.
This is partly due to the size of the locks that connect the lakes, as only the smaller ships can pass through them. Discover the cultural treasures of Toronto, the capital city of Ontario, and venture to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland to view Elvis’ motorcycle and Michael Jackson’s white sequined glove. Visit Detroit, commonly known as The Motor City, though equally famous as the birthplace of Motown Records. Explore the Killbear Provincial Park in Parry Sound, where a local naturalist will educate you on the unique ecology of the Georgian Bay. Take Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride in Mackinac Island, past the famous Grand Hotel, and tour the homes of wealthy lumber barons in Muskegon. End your journey in Milwaukee with a visit to the legendary spots that make this city famous, including the Harley-Davidson Museum.
A large percentage of all Great Lakes cruises begin or end in Chicago, Milwaukee or Toronto. But there also are Great Lakes sailings that begin or end in Thunder Bay, Ontario; Duluth, Minnesota; Montreal and Detroit. A relatively small number of ships sail in the Great Lakes during any given year. Some of the ships that operate in the region will alternate between three or even four different routes during the short summer season, giving you lots of choices.
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