In January 2020, Heather and I sat at a table full of industry VIPs at Viking's expedition cruises launch event in Los Angeles. When the Great Lakes itineraries were announced, someone at our table blurted out, "Who would ever want to go to Milwaukee?" Five years later, the answer is clear: a lot of people want to cruise to Milwaukee - and to dozens of other Great Lakes destinations that the cruise industry had largely written off.
Key Points We're Discussing
- The economic impact of Great Lakes cruising is projected to exceed $300 million in 2026 - a 25% increase from 2025's $230 million.
- Seven cruise lines will operate on the Great Lakes in 2026, with American Cruise Lines bringing the first all-domestic U.S. itineraries in decades.
- Industry skepticism at Viking's 2020 launch event proved spectacularly wrong - the destinations critics dismissed are now generating sellout voyages.
- Infrastructure development is accelerating across Milwaukee, Duluth, Thunder Bay, and smaller ports - while Cleveland's record 2025 season was followed by American Cruise Lines shifting to Buffalo and Toledo for 2026, demonstrating how smaller ports can capture opportunity.
- European interest is climbing, with German and French travelers increasingly booking Great Lakes itineraries through Hapag-Lloyd and Ponant.
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The story of Great Lakes cruising isn't an overnight success - it's decades of slow, non-linear growth finally reaching critical mass. And for those of us who believed in this market when the industry experts were skeptical, watching it unfold has been deeply satisfying.
What the Skeptics Missed About Great Lakes Cruising
That dismissive comment at the Viking Expeditions launch stuck with me. Here was a room full of travel industry leaders - journalists, advisors, executives - and the consensus seemed to be that cruising the Great Lakes was a curiosity at best. At the time, I wondered if I was naive to be excited about sailing these waters.
But the skeptics fundamentally misunderstood what makes Great Lakes cruising compelling. They were thinking about it through the lens of Caribbean mega-ships or Mediterranean port hopping. What they missed was something deeper - a shared cultural imagination about what it might have been like to take a steamship from Chicago in the golden age of Great Lakes travel. That romantic vision isn't unique to me. It resonates with thousands of North Americans, plus travelers from Europe and around the world who see the Great Lakes as genuinely exotic.
The numbers tell the story. In 2022, Great Lakes cruises generated about $120 million in economic impact with roughly 150,000 passenger visits to regional ports. By 2025, those figures had grown substantially - the season delivered over 22,000 individual passengers, more than 700 port visits, and an estimated $230 million in economic impact. The 2026 projections from Cruise the Great Lakes show the trajectory continuing: over $300 million in economic impact, 23,000+ individual passengers, and more than 800 port visits across the region.
Passenger numbers have more than doubled since the modern cruise era began - from roughly 10,000 annual passengers to over 22,000 in 2025. And this growth accelerated after 2022, when new maritime customs regulations made cross-border travel easier at four Great Lakes ports, followed by a 25% spike in 2023 as post-COVID travelers sought new experiences.
Experiencing the Great Lakes Firsthand
In June 2025, I sailed Viking Octantis from Duluth to Toronto - a voyage that touched all five Great Lakes and completely reshaped how I think about expedition cruising. The experience was fundamentally different from anything I've done in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, or even Alaska.
What struck me most was the authenticity of the destinations. When we pulled into Alpena, Michigan, or explored Wikwemikong on Manitoulin Island for an Indigenous cultural presentation, these weren't tourist attractions purpose-built for cruise passengers. These were real communities welcoming visitors to experience their actual lives and heritage. Compare that to increasingly developed ports in Alaska or the Mexican Riviera, where the cruise tourism infrastructure can feel disconnected from local reality.
The natural wonders exceeded my expectations. At Tobermory, Ontario, we explored Flowerpot Island - those iconic rock pillars rising from Georgian Bay - and viewed shipwrecks through crystal-clear water that rivals anything in the Caribbean for visibility. Fathom Five National Marine Park protects nearly two dozen wrecks, and seeing them from Zodiac excursions and special operations boats launched directly from the ship created intimate encounters with maritime history.
And then there's the freighter experience. At the Soo Locks and Welland Canal, we'd be parked and watch 1,000-foot lake freighters pass by just feet away - the legendary "Lakers" and "Salties" that move millions of tons of cargo annually through the Great Lakes system. These aren't distant ships on the horizon. We were close enough to see the crews, close enough that watching these vessels - some dating back 50+ years - felt like witnessing living maritime history. Anyone who knows the story of the Edmund Fitzgerald understands why these working ships command such reverence. These are its brothers and cousins, many still active, with captains sharing their voyages on Instagram and TikTok. The connection between past and present on the Great Lakes runs deep.
The Ships and Lines Making It Happen
The Great Lakes cruise market has evolved dramatically in just a few years. For 2026, seven cruise lines are operating or entering the market:
Viking Cruises operates Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, 378-passenger expedition ships with submarines, Zodiacs, kayaks, and the expedition infrastructure that brings destinations like remote Lake Superior anchorages within reach. Viking offers itineraries ranging from 8 to 15 days, with the flagship "Great Lakes Collection" covering all five lakes. Both vessels will operate on the Great Lakes in 2026.
Pearl Seas Cruises runs the 210-passenger Pearl Mist with itineraries from 8 to 16 days, including a comprehensive voyage from Milwaukee to Quebec City via the St. Lawrence Seaway. Pearl Seas has operated on the Great Lakes for over a decade and includes shore excursions at every port.
Ponant brings French luxury expedition cruising with Le Bellot and Le Champlain, including partnerships with Smithsonian Journeys for educational programming. Their 8-11 day itineraries focus on cultural immersion and naturalist-led exploration, with bilingual English/French programming that appeals to the growing European market.
Victory Cruise Lines returned to the Great Lakes in 2025 after the bankruptcy of American Queen Voyages disrupted the 2024 season. Victory operates two vessels - Victory I and Victory II - each carrying up to 190 passengers and accessing ports that larger ships cannot reach. Victory has partnered with the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo for their "LakeLorian" enrichment program featuring historians and naturalists.
St. Lawrence Cruise Lines operates Canadian Empress, a smaller river-style vessel connecting the Great Lakes to the St. Lawrence Seaway system.
Hapag-Lloyd brings German expedition cruising expertise with Hanseatic Inspiration on select Great Lakes itineraries. Their cruises are bilingual in English and German, attracting European travelers who see the Great Lakes as an exotic North American destination.
American Cruise Lines enters the market in 2026 with the 130-passenger American Patriot - notably, the first all-domestic U.S. Great Lakes cruises in decades. Their itineraries stay entirely within U.S. waters, eliminating passport requirements and allowing docking at small-town marinas and city parks rather than international port facilities. American Patriot, which entered service in 2025, will be the newest ship operating on the Great Lakes.
Great Lakes Cruising By the Numbers
Understanding the scale and trajectory of Great Lakes cruising requires looking at key statistics and facts that demonstrate how rapidly this market has grown from a niche curiosity to a significant economic driver for the region.
2025 Season Results
According to Cruise the Great Lakes, the official regional cruise marketing program, the 2025 season delivered:
- Individual passengers: 22,000+ (up 10% from 2024)
- Port visits: 700+ (up 30% from 2024)
- Passenger visits to ports: 150,000+
- Economic impact: $230 million USD (up 15% from 2024)
- Operating cruise lines: 6
- Average ship capacity: 150-378 passengers
- Cruise prices: $5,000 - $40,000+ per voyage
- Cleveland port calls: 53 (up from 22 in 2024), bringing approximately 8,700 passengers
2026 Season Projections
- Individual passengers: 23,000+ (up 5% from 2025)
- Port visits: 800+ (up 15% from 2025)
- Passenger visits to ports: 175,000
- Economic impact: $300 million USD (up 25% from 2025)
- Operating cruise lines: 7 (adding American Cruise Lines)
- Ships operating: 10
- Itineraries planned: 148
Passenger Spending & Port Economics
A 2021 University of Minnesota Duluth study found that cruise passengers spend an average of $111 per port stop. That figure jumps to $188 in "turnaround" ports where one voyage ends and another begins - explaining why cities compete aggressively to be embarkation points rather than just port calls. Cleveland's 2025 season demonstrated this value: with 8,700 passengers spending an estimated $150 per visit, the city captured roughly $1.3 million in direct visitor spending. For context, Duluth - located more than 2,000 nautical miles from the Atlantic Ocean - is the world's most inland port with access to the world's oceans.
Historical Context
It's worth noting that historical Great Lakes passenger service and modern cruising are related but distinct concepts. The steamship lines of the 1800s and early 1900s were primarily transportation - vessels like the SS South American carried passengers between cities like Chicago, Detroit, and Mackinac Island, serving the booming resort industry and connecting railroad terminals. These weren't "cruises" in the modern sense where the ship itself is the destination. They were how vacationers reached the Grand Hotel or summer cottages in the north woods before highways made driving practical.
That said, the romantic appeal of leisure travel on Great Lakes vessels has deep roots. The region has remained a popular vacation destination even as the mode of transport evolved from steamship to automobile. Modern expedition cruising represents something new - the ship as experience rather than mere conveyance - but it draws on that same cultural imagination of exploring the inland seas.
- 1800s-1960s: More than 30 passenger vessel lines operated on the upper Great Lakes alone, according to a 2011 study by Richard Stewart of the University of Wisconsin-Superior
- 1970: Passenger vessel industry effectively disappeared as highways and regional airlines expanded
- 2015: Modern cruise era begins with Pearl Mist's arrival on the Great Lakes
- 2022: New customs regulations opened four Great Lakes ports to easier cross-border travel; Viking Octantis arrives as first modern expedition ship; $120M economic impact
- 2023: 25% spike in cruise travel post-COVID
- 2025: Cleveland achieves record 53 port calls; Victory Cruise Lines returns to the Great Lakes; European booking interest climbs significantly among German and French travelers
What's Holding It Back - And What Comes Next
Heather, who books Great Lakes cruises for clients through Flow Voyages, reports strong interest but notes real obstacles. Most ships operating on the Great Lakes are older vessels that lack amenities cruisers expect from ocean ships - no casinos, limited spa facilities, fewer specialty dining options. Viking Octantis and Polaris bridge this gap with modern expedition ship features, but they're also significantly more expensive than mainstream ocean cruises.
The economics are challenging. Great Lakes ships must be small enough to fit through the Soo Locks and Welland Canal, limiting capacity. Without the scale of a 5,000-passenger mega-ship, per-passenger costs run higher. These aren't party cruises - they're expedition and cultural immersion experiences that attract travelers willing to pay premium prices for intimate, educational voyages. As John Schmidt of Cruise the Great Lakes has noted, "These cruises don't really attract the cocktail umbrella crowd. These are not people who want to party and do a big booze up."
Infrastructure development is accelerating but follows long timelines. Milwaukee is investing $17 million in its new South Shore Cruise Dock, which broke ground in September 2025 and is expected to open for the 2026 season - a significant expansion from initial estimates that demonstrates the port's commitment to capturing turnaround service. The funding package includes a $3.5 million State of Wisconsin Capital Tourism Grant funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, a $500,000 Harbor Assistance Grant, $5 million from the City of Milwaukee, and port reserves. Duluth built customs facilities at its convention center. Thunder Bay, Toronto, and other ports are competing for cruise calls with upgraded docking and passenger handling capabilities.
The decisions port communities make today will shape cruising for decades. I've spoken with harbormasters in small Lake Michigan towns who are working with city officials to explore what facilities would be needed to attract future cruise calls. These conversations span 5, 10, even 20 years before an idea becomes reality. Critical mass of visitors is needed before tour operators can justify new offerings. Nothing happens in a vacuum.
The Cleveland-Buffalo-Toledo Story: How Smaller Ports Are Emerging
Some of the most instructive developments come from unexpected places - and demonstrate how the Great Lakes cruise market differs fundamentally from concentrated destinations like Alaska or the Caribbean.
Cleveland achieved a record 2025 season with 53 cruise ship calls (up from 22 in 2024) and approximately 8,700 passengers. But when American Cruise Lines announced its domestic-only Great Lakes itineraries in September 2025, they initially included Cleveland as a key port. By November, ACL had cut Cleveland from all 2026 routes, citing inability to find "a suitable docking location in Cleveland for 2026 that meets operational needs."
Rather than signaling a problem with the market, this shift illuminates its evolution. American Cruise Lines pivoted to Buffalo for its 9-day Great Lakes & Thousand Islands cruise (operating between Syracuse, NY and Buffalo) and its 14-day American Great Lakes cruise (operating between Buffalo and Milwaukee). Buffalo is now building a cruise terminal at Slip 2 on the Outer Harbor, expected to open in 2027. Victory Cruise Lines has also committed to add Buffalo to its Great Lakes cruises beginning in 2027.
Meanwhile, Toledo - which hadn't seen a cruise ship in more than 20 years - welcomed Victory I in May 2025. The stop was arranged with Holcim Cement for dock availability at their facility on the Maumee River. Guests discovered the Toledo Museum of Art, the National Museum of the Great Lakes, and Tony Packo's. American Cruise Lines subsequently added Toledo as Day 3 on their Buffalo-Milwaukee route for 2026.
This is exactly the opposite of what happens in mature cruise markets. In Alaska and the Caribbean, cruise traffic concentrates in a handful of major ports that become tourist infrastructure unto themselves. On the Great Lakes, cruise lines are spreading out - discovering that smaller communities often deliver more authentic experiences and face fewer infrastructure constraints than established ports. It's organic market development in real time.
The New Golden Age Is Just Beginning
The Great Lakes cruise market has proven the skeptics wrong, but this is still early days. The region that once sustained more than 30 passenger vessel lines before the industry disappeared in the 1970s is now being rediscovered with modern expedition ships, improved infrastructure, and growing awareness that these waters offer something genuinely unique.
For travel advisors like Heather, the challenge is matching clients with the right experience - understanding that Great Lakes cruising delivers intimacy, authenticity, and access to destinations most Americans will never see any other way, but in a different package than Caribbean or Mediterranean voyages. For travelers considering their first Great Lakes cruise, the appeal is experiencing parts of North America that feel undiscovered, even though they're right in our backyard.
With American Cruise Lines' American Patriot joining the fleet in 2026 as the newest ship on the Great Lakes, and growing interest from European travelers seeking exotic North American experiences, the market continues evolving. More ships are expressing interest. More ports are investing. And thousands of travelers are discovering what I experienced on Viking Octantis - that the Great Lakes offer world-class expedition cruising without the long flights to Antarctica or the Galápagos.
The person at that 2020 launch event who asked "Who would ever want to go to Milwaukee?" had it exactly backwards. The better question is: how did we overlook this remarkable region for so long?
About the Author: James Hills is the founder of CruiseWestCoast.com and has been covering the cruise industry for over 15 years. He sailed Viking Octantis through all five Great Lakes in June 2025 and attended Viking's expedition cruises launch event in January 2020. For media inquiries on Great Lakes cruising or expedition travel, contact James at FlowMediaMarketing.com or Heather Hills, travel advisor at Flow Voyages.
