Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Great Lakes cruise guide: Best itineraries, planning tips and things to do

cruise ships on the great lakes

Even better, AQV will be docking its overnight ships at Navy Pier in Chicago -- an advantage no one else has. Explore the beautiful and clear waters of the Great Lakes, the largest freshwater ecosystem in the world. You will visit the delightful town of Holland, the slow-paced lifestyle of Mackinac Island, and marvel at the unique geologic formations and untouched wilderness that lines each Great Lake's coastal shores. Canada's largest city knows how to draw travellers into its beating heart. With its lively streets, its different quarters with varied cultural influences, such as the Chinese and Polish quarters, Little India and Portugal Village, bars, restaurants and shops of all kinds elicit charm.

Pearl Seas Featured Cruises

Shore experiences include kayaking, hiking, lobster fishing, and glass-bottom boat tours. According to the marketing association Cruise the Great Lakes, nine ships are on the lakes this year, which marks a return after no cruises at all in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions. The number of passengers in 2022 has increased by more than 25 percent compared to 2019, the association reports. Our category G rooms are a spacious retreat with all the amenities a modern traveler expects. Each room offers 275 square feet of space encompassing a full-size bathroom, a large opening picture window, and a private balcony. This room is also conveniently located near the Atlantic Lounge and Dining Room.

Look over Niagara Falls

The Jewel of the Great Lakes has been a summer getaway for Midwesterners since the Victorian era and it retains much of its Victorian-era charm. 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.

cruise ships on the great lakes

Pearl Mist Deck Plan

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. Experience the great beauty of Lake Michigan cruises, where pristine shores and stunning vistas await. Delve into the rich history and vibrant culture of the region with our Lake Erie cruises, offering captivating insights into this storied waterway.

Great Lakes 2022 Cruise Season Kicks Off With American Queen, Viking Cruise Ships; Banner Year Ahead

Explore the #1 sculpture park in the country, the #2 botanical garden in the country, and one of the top 45 most-visited museums worldwide. Admire masterpieces of art and nature with both indoor and outdoor gardens and a world-renowned sculpture park. At the north of Georgian Bay, in Honora Bay, Manitoulin Island is a real delight with its tree-filled landscapes, waterfalls, calm waters and houses edging the lake. Choosing to roam through this landscape on horseback is about getting off the beaten track, through forests, fields and over hills, meandering along the Niagara, with a stunning view over the La Cloche Mountains.

The best cruises on the Great Lakes

Journey through beautiful landscapes on our Lake Superior cruises, renowned for its rugged beauty and preserved wilderness. 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. Learn the history of Odawa Mnis (Manitoulin Island) and Wiikwemkoong, as you make your way to Canada’s only officially recognized unceded territory. Next travel to Holy Cross Mission ruins, the site of a Roman Catholic Parish church in the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Reserve, north-eastern Manitoulin island. End your journey, with an introduction to the residential school system specific to Odawa Mnis.

Located on the shores of two lakes - Michigan and Macatawa, Dutch traditions are a large part of the city's identity. Guided by a local Hollander in traditional Dutch attire, visit Windmill Island Gardens, home to De Zwaan, the only authentic Dutch working windmill in the USA, with its abundant botanical beauty in bloom. Stop for lunch at one of West Michigan's best blueberry farms, Bowerman Blueberries' Farms, for a historical agricultural experience and blueberry inspired meal.

Niagara Falls

Travel through University Circle, home to a variety of the area’s finest museums. Explore Euclid Avenue's "Millionaires' Row," once home to some of the nation's most powerful and influential industrialists. Travel to the Flats, known for its happening nightlife, and Ohio City, a trendy dining and entertainment hub with high-end cocktail bars and beer gardens, alongside fashionable bistros and gourmet farm-to-table restaurants. Along the way, your engaging guide will point out historic and iconic sites, with a possible stop at one of the Cleveland script signs for a group photo. Start your journey at the Table Rock Welcome Centre, a retail and observation complex located in a renovated historical building. After, begin your Journey Behind the Falls, an amazing experience which offers a unique view of the Falls from below and behind.

cruise ships on the great lakes

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. Enjoy a breathtaking aerial adventure which departs from our floatplane base in Parry Sound Harbor and follows Georgian Bay’s rugged coastline. Soar above the scenic Killbear Provincial Park, past historic Parry Island, and over the fantastic South Channel.

Great Lake cruise ships making 600 port visits in 2024 - WOODTV.com

Great Lake cruise ships making 600 port visits in 2024.

Posted: Mon, 04 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

With its nearly one hundred historical buildings, the Village demonstrates how Americans lived and worked since the founding of the country. Many of the buildings, from the 17th century to the present, are staffed by costumed interpreters who conduct period tasks like farming, sewing, and cooking. A collection of craft buildings such as pottery, glass-blowing, and tin shops provide demonstrations while producing materials used in the Village and for sale. 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. One thing that all three of the main lines operating in the Great Lakes have in common is that they include tours during at least some stops and sometimes every stop in their base fares.

Cruise vessels that operate in the Great Lakes can't access the region until the locks on the St. Lawrence Seaway open for the summer, something that typically happens the last week of March. They need to be out of the Great Lakes before the St. Lawrence Seaway closes for the winter (typically in December). The Great Lakes region may not be a bucket list destination on the scale of Alaska or Antarctica. Here, The Points Guy offers up a guide to everything you need to know about planning a sailing in the Great Lakes. One issues with Great Lakes is that there are not many ports large enough, that passenger can got on land by walking a gangplank.

Stop at Eyaawing Museum & Cultural Center to learn the story of the Grand Traverse Band of Anishinaabek, led by a native guide. Enjoy a guided exploration of the Grand Traverse Lighthouse, a restored keeper’s dwelling, and climb the Lighthouse Tower for a spectacular view of Lake Michigan, Cathead Bay, Grand Traverse Bay and the Manitou Passage. Travel through Leelanau State Park on your way to Fishtown-Leland, featuring weathered fishing shanties, smokehouses, overhanging docks, fish tugs and charter boats.

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