great lakes cruises cruise critic

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

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.

When planning Great Lakes cruises, you have many things to consider: when to go for the best Great Lakes cruise experience, which cruise line is best suited to your travel style, the best Great Lakes cruise ports to visit and which shoreside activities you want to prioritize. It's not the kind of trip you want to throw together at the last minute, especially since the best fare deals typically go to organized travelers who book early.

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Here, The Points Guy offers up a guide to everything you need to know about planning a sailing in the Great Lakes.

Why cruise the Great Lakes?

The Great Lakes region may not be a bucket list destination on the scale of Alaska or Antarctica. But it has a lot to offer — more than many people may realize.

Along the banks of the five lakes that are at the core of the region — Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior — you'll find some of Middle America's greatest cities, charming small towns, historic sites and wonders both natural and human-made. Plus, there are the lakes themselves, which together are roughly the size of the U.K. and make up the largest freshwater ecosystem on the planet. Accounting for 21% of all the world's fresh water, they truly are a marvel.

All this can be seen via an overland trip, of course, and many people explore the Great Lakes region by car or on motorcoach tours. But the region is so sprawling — the Great Lakes touch eight U.S. states and the Canadian province of Ontario — that logistically it's almost impossible to experience the area in a broad way on a single trip without going by ship.

On a single Great Lakes cruise, you can see the world-class architecture and museums of Chicago, take a carriage ride through the carless streets of Mackinac Island, Michigan, and gaze upon the splendor that is Niagara Falls along the New York border — all without having to get behind the wheel of a car or unpacking and re-packing your suitcase more than once.

When do cruises go to the Great Lakes?

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 weather isn't the only limiting factor. The cruise season in the Great Lakes is also limited in its length by the opening and closing of the St. Lawrence Seaway — the system of locks, canals and channels that connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. 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).

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.

When you want to go will depend on which activities you want to do, how you feel about cool weather and the price. 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.

Best Great Lakes itineraries

A relatively small number of ships sail in the Great Lakes during any given year. But, even so, they offer a wide range of Great Lakes itineraries. 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.

Lengthwise, you'll find Great Lakes voyages ranging from seven to 15 nights. Some of the sailings travel across all five of the Great Lakes. 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.

The diversity in Great Lakes itineraries extends to their start and end points. 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.

In most cases, Great Lakes sailings are one-way trips. You'll start in, say, Toronto, and work your way west to Chicago — or vice versa.

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.

Car-free Mackinac Island at the top of Michigan is a common stop on Great Lakes voyages, as is Niagara Falls, which sits between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

Pro tip: If your Great Lakes cruise begins or ends in Chicago, Milwaukee or Toronto, add a pre- or post-cruise stay of a night or two in the cities to see them in more depth.

Best Great Lakes cruise lines

Most of the world's biggest cruise lines — including Royal Caribbean , Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line — can't operate in the Great Lakes because their ships are too big to enter the region through the St. Lawrence Seaway. This has turned the Great Lakes into an exclusive zone for a handful of smaller cruise operators that focus on very small vessels.

The two main players in Great Lakes cruising are Viking (a newcomer in 2022) and Pearl Seas Cruises. Each has one vessel devoted to the region (Viking Octantis and Pearl Mist, respectively).

Both cater to a generally older crowd, which is the main market for Great Lakes cruises. Viking's itineraries have the most outdoorsy options, while Pearl Seas Cruises offers trips with a lot of small-town stops.

Two more lines that occasionally operate sailings in the region are German line Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and France-based Ponant. Tour organizer Smithsonian Journeys also occasionally offers Great Lakes sailings using chartered Ponant vessels.

All of the above lines operate ships in the Great Lakes that carry fewer than 400 passengers. Some carry as few as 202 passengers. In general, the vessels are intimate and relatively high-end, with pricing to match.

As a rule, Great Lakes sailings don't come cheap. For example, seven-night Viking sailings in the region start at $5,995 per person.

Things to do in the Great Lakes

As noted above, the Great Lakes offer a wide mix of attractions and experiences. During a Great Lakes cruise, you might find yourself climbing aboard the bus where Rosa Parks took a stand at the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit on one day and kayaking through the wild marshlands of Point Pelee, Ontario, the next.

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.

The city-oriented stops that Viking and the other lines make, such as visits to Milwaukee or Chicago on Lake Michigan, give you time to explore the urban sensibility of the region. Brew-town Milwaukee offers the chance to explore the city's craft beer and brewing scene or to take a walking tour to the city's many outdoor sculptures. Chicago is famous for its world-leading architecture (which you can see on walking and boat tours), its Magnificent Mile lined with more stores than you've probably ever seen in one place and its world-class cultural institutions.

Then there are stops at quieter places such as Mackinac Island, where your sightseeing might include an excursion by horse-drawn carriage to historical sites. Of the three main lines operating in the Great Lakes, as noted above, Pearl Seas Cruises focuses the most on the region's small towns, with fewer stops at bigger cities.

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. Pearl Seas Cruises and Viking are particularly known for including lots of shore excursions in their base fares.

Included tours are part of what you're paying for when you pay the high prices noted above. So you can go off on your own in any of the places these ships visit. But you might just have a no-extra-charge outing including many of the highlights of each place already planned for your voyage.

Best Great Lakes cruise ports

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. Great Lakes cruises also bring days that are all about getting up close to wonders both natural and human-made — from towering Niagara Falls to the engineering marvel that is the Welland Canal.

Thunder Bay, Ontario

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. It's also a hub for outdoorsy pursuits including mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking and angling, as it's nestled within boreal forests.

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).

Wisconsin's biggest city is often surprisingly delightful to first-time visitors, home as it is to a Santiago Calatrava-designed art museum with a world-class collection, a Harley-Davidson Museum that our sister site Lonely Planet has dubbed "badass" plus stylish eating and shopping enclaves. 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.

Holland, Michigan

As the name suggests, Holland is a little bit of The Netherlands transported to the Americas. Settled by Dutch immigrants in the 1800s, it's home to the annual Tulip Time Festival, which takes place every May, and offers up such Holland-themed attractions as Windmill Island Gardens, where you'll find a working Dutch windmill, canals and dikes. Holland's downtown is a charmer with cobblestone sidewalks and more than 100 specialty shops, breweries and restaurants.

Sault Saint Marie, Michigan

Located at the northeastern edge of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Sault Saint Marie is the site of the Soo Locks, a marvel of engineering that connects Lake Superior to Lake Huron. The locks themselves are the big attractions in Sault Saint Marie — head to the observation deck at Soo Locks Park to watch freighters passing by and learn more at the Soo Locks Visitor Center.

But there are other allures, including the Museum Ship Valley Camp. 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.

Mackinac Island

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. 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. When visiting, don't miss Fort Mackinac, which dates to the 1700s.

Niagara Falls

Located on the short waterway between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, Niagara Falls is one of the world's most spectacular waterfall complexes (it's actually three waterfalls, not one) with a flow rate greater than any other waterfall in North America and a vertical drop of more than 160 feet. Visitors can take it in both from viewing areas on land and from a tour boat.

Note that Great Lakes cruise vessels don't travel directly on the 36-mile-long strait that connects Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, which is known as the Niagara River (lest they go plunging over the falls). Instead, they use the Welland Canal — another marvel of engineering and an attraction in its own right.

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. Passengers on Great Lakes cruises will find that stops in Detroit often revolve around an included visit to the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, a sprawling history museum complex that is home to the limousine that President Kennedy was in when he was assassinated, George Washington's camp bed, Buckminster Fuller's prototype Dymaxion house, the bus on which Rosa Parks was arrested and countless other rare artifacts.

When to book a Great Lakes cruise

The best time to book a Great Lakes cruise is right when a cruise line first opens bookings on that sailing, often more than a year in advance. You'll have your pick of itineraries and cabins and often the best fares.

Because the Great Lakes has such a short season with a limited number of ships, sailings in the region are often in high demand and people plan early. Newcomer Viking, notably, has told TPG it has seen brisker sales this year for its Great Lakes trips than sailings to Antarctica — one of the world's ultimate bucket list destinations.

If you wait to book, you're not entirely out of luck. Cruise lines often run sales in the fall or in the early months of the year (a period known in the cruise industry as "wave season" ). You can take advantage of discounted fares and other perks. Some of the most desirable cabins might be sold out; being flexible about your sail date or itinerary can help.

In general, waiting until the last minute is not the best idea, unless you live in a gateway city such as Chicago, Milwaukee or Toronto and don't need to book flights. While some less preferred sail dates or cabin categories may have availability a few months out, spurring cruise lines to drop rates, you might have trouble finding affordable airfare and pre- or post-cruise hotel accommodations that do not eat up your cruise savings.

What to bring on a Great Lakes cruise

When it comes to packing for a Great Lakes cruise, your mantra should always be: dress in layers. It can be chilly in the morning in the more northerly parts of the Great Lakes, particularly at the start of the Great Lakes cruising season, but then warm up fast.

If you're planning to do some outdoorsy pursuits, such as kayaking or hiking, be sure to bring appropriate activewear. And don't forget to pack a rain jacket, if not a complete rain gear outfit, including a wide-brimmed waterproof hat, rain pants and waterproof shoes or boots.

Also, and this is critical: Don't forget your passport. Many of the places you'll visit in the Great Lakes will be in the United States and do not require a passport. But every Great Lakes cruise includes at least a few — and sometimes many — stops in Canada, where a valid U.S. passport, passport card or NEXUS card is required to enter if you're a U.S. citizen.

Bottom line

There's a lot to see and do in the Great Lakes region, and it's hard to argue that there's a better way to see and do it than on a cruise. Cruise vessels departing from such cities as Chicago and Toronto can take you to all of the highlights of the region — from the breweries of Milwaukee to thundering Niagara Falls — in a single trip. That's something that you'll be hard-pressed to accomplish any other way.

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Great Lakes Cruises

By emergencymedic , June 13, 2011 in Ask a Cruise Question

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emergencymedic

We are going to cruise Lake Michigan in August on the Niagara Prince. Does anyone have any info they can share? Thank You

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There are a couple of reviews at

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/accl-cruises/cl/

Bring your Dramamine. Lake Michigan is the worst of the Great Lakes in terms of being rough. I lived in that area most if my life and can say it's a tough lake to sail. And seeing you'll be on a very small boat, you're going to really feel the water.

blondietink

All of the Great Lakes can easily get very rough. I live 10 miles south of Lake Ontario and depending on the water level and wind direction, can be tricky to boat/sail. Lake Michigan is HUGE and can get waves accordingly. Cargo ships have sunk on all of the Great Lakes at one time or the other. Anyway, a small motor boat with shore in sight is fine for me, but you wouldn't catch me on a small cruise line out in the middle of any of the Great Lakes. Just MHO.

For the most part, they don't go tooling around the middle of the lakes, as they are going from one port to the next along the shoreline. And just like ocean cruises, they can and do change itineraries based on weather conditions. I also live in the middle of 3 of the lakes, and while we are always hearing about people (3 this past week unfortunately) dying due to their boats going over, but I can't recall the last time I heard of any commercial accidents.

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America’s Great Lakes are a little-known, unspoiled wonderland, boasting diverse natural beauty, scenic wildlife and some of the most interesting cities in North America. Over 750 miles across with 10,000 miles of coastline, the Great Lakes cover an area twice as large as Pennsylvania. Glide silently by kayak past otters in Georgian Bay, hear the roar of Niagara Falls, hike through verdant old forests or visit Canada’s prominent museums to marvel at art inspired by these shores. Here are some highlights you may experience during your journey:

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great lakes cruises

By welsh-girl , February 6, 2012 in Ask a Cruise Question

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We are a couple from the UK and we are thinking of going on a Great Lakes cruise in 2013.

Has anyone out there done this type of cruise and has any one any advice for us.

2013 is going to be the year of the "Holiday of a Lifetime" for us so we want to make sure that we have as much information as possible.

Thanks all in advance:)

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Starry Eyes

I love cruising. I live within ten miles of one of the great lakes. Still I have never been on a great lakes cruise...I do not ever expect to go on a great lakes cruise. Sailboats, sure. fishing boats, certainly. there may be a few small ships marketing great lakes cruises, but not the type of ships or cruising I crave. I wish my type of ship...or close...would sail the great lakes in summers.

What type of cruise were you envisioning?

There are very few cruise lines doing the Great lakes

Freighter travel may work but not sure what other passenger ships cruise there

glasgow_canuck

There are a few companies who do Great Lakes cruises - you'll get a number of hits just by googling. There are also cruises on the Kawartha Lakes where I grew up and I used to see them going past our beach in Bobcaygeon on a regular basis - ontario waterway cruises - they do 5 day cruises along the Trent-Severn Waterway and I think also do cruises on the Rideau Canal.

After living on two of the Great Lakes most of my life, I've not really seen the reason for cruises on them. But I guess, to each his own. Visiting Sheboygan and Detroit on a cruise just doesn't seem like an idyllic vacation.

Voyages of Discovery has small boats that do the Great Lakes. They do 7 day itineraries from Detroit in the summer. I really wouldn't call them cruise ships in the real meaning of the term, but they do provide a way to travel the lakes. One word of warning. The lakes can be very, very rough and in small ships you will feel a lot of motion. Lake Michigan, one of the lakes I used to live near, is known as one of the most trecherous. Be prepared to bring motion medication.

Access to the Great Lakes, either through the Welland Canal in the East or the Chicago River in the South, is very limited.

Only the smallest of cruise ships can fit.

As mentioned, the lakes can get very rough.

A very small ship can be very uncomfortable if conditions go wrong.

Thank you all.

The "cruise ship" that we have seen so far is called the Yorktown, it's very small, only 138 guests.

I'm so glad that I posted here. We had no idea that sailing on the lakes could be so rough.

Perhaps an itinary from Detroit to Quebec may be calmer..We are thinking about traveling in September 2013

I got a brochure on Great Lakes Cruises the other day. Yes, it was for the Yorktown. It looked interesting, but the prices were quite high. However, these trips do sell out.

One company we really like for all sorts of river cruises in the US is American Cruise Lines. www.americancruiselines.com

Generally an older crowd which suits us just fine. No casino. Some alcohol is included.

A couple websites are http://www.greatlakescruising.com and http://www.stlawrencecruiselines.com

I'm not sure if I will ever do a cruise like this, given the high cost, and the fact they are very small ships. But if i ever do I would like to do one through the Welland Canal. While not the exotic location of Panama, its a much more impressive canal, with something like 8 locks and a couple hundred foot vertical.

I am looking out at the greatest of all the Great Lake right now. Lake Superior, which looks as much like as an ocean as anything. I am bias, but the beauty of the caribbean cruises I have been on is no greater. Both have there appeal. In summer, I'd rather be on Lake Superior than the carrbbean, but come winter, I am heading back to warmer climates for a week. It's just nice to have a choice.

The Yorktown looks like it has interesting itineraries

You never know when the seas will pick up but Sept in the Great Lakes would be more unpredictable

Most North American registered ships are pretty expensive

We did a cruise on the Canadian Empress it was a cute ship, but expensive trip for what it was

we did enjoy the people on the cruise but the cabins were TINY

Enjoy whatever cruise you choose

While the Great Lakes have many beautiful areas and may be attractive for some, the itinerary seems to be an odd choice for your "Holiday of a Lifetime". Just curious about what kind of a trip are you envisioning and what is it about the area that you're interested in seeing. Maybe if you tell us that, someone may have some other suggestions with more options for you.

The Great Lakes are beautiful! We have lived by Lake Michigan all our life and enjoy it very much! Lake Michigan does not get rough very often. We have a good size boat and can go out very often in the summer. The port where we keep our boat will be having cruise ship coming in this summer. We love cruising the Carribean in the winter but love the Great Lakes in the summer.:)

The port where we keep our boat will be having cruise ship coming in this summer.

What ship will be stopping there??

The MV Columbus did the Great lakes in Sept 11 but not sure if she is returning this year

People we know did the trip from Toronto to Chicago & enjoyed the cruise, mostly German speaking passengers though

I cruised the Great Lakes via private boat for 15 years. I've seen the ships at various stops. The ships are "small" without the extra amenities of the large ships. They looked nice and comfortable. Yes the lakes can get rough but I doubt the captain would take you out if there is a storm.

I can only guess that this would be a very relaxing cruise and if you go during June/July time frame it would be lovely on the lakes.

The lakes are really beautiful, but the stops on the itinerary are not what I would call interesting. I have family in the Detroit area, and I can't see what there is to do there. Sheboygan? What is there to see and do in that small town? I lived in Wisconsin for 30 years and Sheboygan isn't an interesting city. Sailing on the Great Lakes is fantastic, but cruising them? A totally different thing.

The MV Columbus did sail the Great Lakes for a few years. It was marketed only to German speaking tourists. It stopped in Milwaukee because that city has a very large German population and lots of German restaurants. I don't believe she's sailing there in the next couple of years.

Thank you all for your replies.

The holiday of a lifetime part-Is to celebrate 2 big birthdays and a 35 wedding anniversary-when you live in the UK then the Great Lakes sound an amazing area to visit.

I have a sight problem so want to make the most of the next couple of years and thought that the wildlife and scenery would be something else.

We've cruised parts of the caribbean-was Ok but we aren't worried if we don't go again :)

We were just looking for something that we thought was different, that appealed to us and that wasn't too long a flight away. We have cruised /toured the areas in Europe that we want to visit.

Land tours aren't that appealing as sitting in a "coach" for long periods and living out of a suitcase from hotel to hotel isn't our idea of fun.

With the info that you have give us I'm beginning to think that the itinary from Detroit to Quebec with a few days in Quebec afterwards may be our best option.

So thank you all once agian and keep the ideas rolling in :D

Thank you all for your replies.   The holiday of a lifetime part-Is to celebrate 2 big birthdays and a 35 wedding anniversary-when you live in the UK then the Great Lakes sound an amazing area to visit. I have a sight problem so want to make the most of the next couple of years and thought that the wildlife and scenery would be something else.   We've cruised parts of the caribbean-was Ok but we aren't worried if we don't go again :)   We were just looking for something that we thought was different' date=' that appealed to us and that wasn't too long a flight away. We have cruised /toured the areas in Europe that we want to visit.   Land tours aren't that appealing as sitting in a "coach" for long periods and living out of a suitcase from hotel to hotel isn't our idea of fun.   With the info that you have give us I'm beginning to think that the itinary from Detroit to Quebec with a few days in Quebec afterwards may be our best option.   So thank you all once agian and keep the ideas rolling in :D[/quote']   Have you been to Alaska? If not, and if you want magnificent scenery and wildlife, then that's the place for it. In terms of flight time, it's no more than a couple of hours farther than it would be to get to Detroit. You might then also consider a post-cruise train trip across Canada from Vancouver to Quebec - we haven't done that part, as it's expensive, but it's definitely on our "bucket list".

navybankerteacher

Thank you all for your replies.   The holiday of a lifetime part-Is to celebrate 2 big birthdays and a 35 wedding anniversary-when you live in the UK then the Great Lakes sound an amazing area to visit. I have a sight problem so want to make the most of the next couple of years and thought that the wildlife and scenery would be something else.   We've cruised parts of the caribbean-was Ok but we aren't worried if we don't go again :)   We were just looking for something that we thought was different' date=' that appealed to us and that wasn't too long a flight away. We have cruised /toured the areas in Europe that we want to visit.   Land tours aren't that appealing as sitting in a "coach" for long periods and living out of a suitcase from hotel to hotel isn't our idea of fun.   With the info that you have give us I'm beginning to think that the itinary from Detroit to Quebec with a few days in Quebec afterwards may be our best option.   So thank you all once agian and keep the ideas rolling in :D[/quote']   Take a look at American Cruise Line -- small ships - about 100 passengers, with various coastal itineraries fro 7 to 14 days -- say around New England coastal islande, Chesapeake Bay, from Baltimore down the coast to Florida, western rivers, etc

Take a look at American Cruise Line -- small ships - about 100 passengers, with various coastal itineraries fro 7 to 14 days -- say around New England coastal islande, Chesapeake Bay, from Baltimore down the coast to Florida, western rivers, etc

I agree, and I like the itineraries, particularly the New England islands and the east coast Baltimore to Florida. Here is their website: http://americancruiselines.com/destination.php?crn=10 I was going to mention a Canada/New England sailing perhaps. Royal Caribbean's beautiful Jewel of the Seas offers cruises from Boston, and the Brilliance of the Seas departs from Quebec. We enjoyed our fall foliage sailing on Princess, loved Halifax and Nova Scotia, etc. :)

There's also similar size vessels going from New York city, up the Hudson River, to the Erie Canal and out into Lake Ontario. Not sure the line but it might be the one mentioned right above.

If you want a real taste of Americana, I suggest a real old fashioned paddle wheel riverboat cruise. There's one on the Mississippi River that will take you through some beautiful, and historical areas of the US. There may be one that ends in New Orleans, an absolutely fantastic city. You'll see modern cities and glimpses of the Old South.

DH is a Cleveland native - his first cruise was the final voyage of the SS South American in 1967, his parents sailed the lakes often on both cruise ships and freighters, they owned a motor-sailer that they sailed on Lake Erie, and DH worked for two marine companies while in college. Looking at Yorktown's itineraries, IMHO the highlight of the "Great Lakes" itinerary would be the stop at Mackinac Island - DH's folks absolutely loved it. As much as I'd like to visit Mackinac, however, I think I'd opt for the Detroit-Quebec itinerary. You would transit two of the lakes and then sail through the Thousand Islands - they're gorgeous. DH and I took our oldest son camping (boat access only) on one of the islands when he was young. And ending the cruise with visits to Montreal and Quebec City would be fun.

I live on the beautiful shores of Lake Superior in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Google our city and you will see how much of an adventure you could have coming here on a cruise ship.

Lake Superior is the largest of all the Great Lakes and I do know we have had cruise ships in our Port.

If you get an opportunity to see my little part of the world you will definitely enjoy it. Crisp clean water, Boreal Forest, sunshine from 5am to 10pm in the summer months. Winter is another story as you must enjoy the cold and snow.

Good luck on research and I hope you will get to cruise the greatest of the Great Lakes

We also are boaters on Lake Michigan and love cruising around the lake. We prefer to cruise the last week of June thru the 2nd week of August. Yes it can be rough. We have crossed the lake in 8 footers which wasn't my favorite crossing. You never know what the weather will bring. We have been stuck in a port for days before we felt it would be comfortable to cross the lake. The Great Lakes are nothing to play around with - we have seen our rescue boat bring in many small fishing boats that we can't believe people go out in, especially with small kids and their dogs.

While on the loop several years ago with friends, we came across a ship that looked like the American Independence in Florida and they said they were doing the Great lakes in summers. There are many neat ports on the Great Lakes and I hope you have a wonderful time wherever you decide to spend your Holiday of a Lifetime.

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