American Launches First All-U.S. Cruises on Great Lakes

American Launches First All-U.S. Cruises on Great Lakes

American Cruise Lines is launching a series of all-U.S. cruises on the Great Lakes starting in 2026, the company announced in a press release.

The sailings will be operated by the American Patriot and are being introduced in response to guest demand, the company said.

Three new itineraries are set to be offered between May and August 2026, with additional departures planned for 2027.

“Guests have long asked for our style of cruising on the Great Lakes,” said Charles B. Robertson, president and CEO of American Cruise Lines.

“We are now proud to offer these cruises as only Americans can, aboard a new small ship sailing 100 per cent domestically,” he added.

The company said that this announcement marks the first time in decades that an American ship will offer domestic cruises in the growing Great Lakes cruise market.

“Without the need to cross borders, the new cruises are a completely unique experience apart from all other cruise lines currently on the lakes,” American added.

While other ships dock at ports intended for foreign ships and international entry, the American Patriot can dock in the heart of small towns, city parks and private marinas, the company continued.

American’s 2026 Great Lakes itineraries include a nine-day cruise visiting the Thousand Islands and Niagara Falls, while an additional nine-day itinerary highlights Lake Michigan, Green Bay Inlet and the Upper Peninsula.

The line’s signature 14-day cruise, dubbed the American Great Lakes, travels 800 miles through three of the Great Lakes: Erie, Huron and Michigan.

All sailings offer an included pre-cruise hotel stay and complimentary domestic airfare, American explained.

“Each itinerary is comprised of days filled with excursions in small towns and time spent cruising the magnificent Lakes,” the company added.

As all itineraries begin, end and remain in the U.S., passports or international flights are unnecessary for U.S. travellers.

Former Vantage Cruise Ship Ocean Explorer on the Move

Former Vantage Cruise Ship Ocean Explorer on the Move

Vantage Travel’s Ocean Explorer is on the move again. After several weeks of being docked in Northern France, the expedition vessel is on its way to Stavanger, in Norway.

According to AIS data, the 140-guest ship left Caen on Thursday and is scheduled to arrive at its destination on July 15.

Along with its sister ship Ocean Odyssey, the vessel had been docked at the French port since late May – when Vantage Deluxe World Travel ceased operations.

At the time, it sailed to Caen with no guests onboard, starting what was believed to be an extended lay-up period.

According to French media, the ships were initially scheduled to remain docked at the port for three months.

Later, on June 29, Vantage Deluxe Travel filed for a Chapter 11 in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts, pending a sale of its brand and assets to a new owner.

Built-in 2021 and 2022, the Ocean Explorer and the Ocean Odyssey are owned by SunStone Ships and were sailing for Vantage Travel on a long-term charter.

The vessels are part of SunStone’s Infinity Class, including four additional purpose-designed expedition ships.

Built by the CMHI Shipyard in Haimen, China, the 8,000-ton vessels offer an upscale cruising experience, including a swimming pool, two full-service restaurants, a spa, a two-story lounge and more.

Before Vantage’s bankruptcy, the Ocean Explorer was scheduled to offer a series of cruises to the Arctic and Northern Europe during the 2023 summer.

The program also included voyages to the Great Lakes and New England, in addition to itineraries to Canada’s St. Lawrence Sea Way and Atlantic Coast.

The ship was then scheduled to reposition to Antarctica for the winter, offering a series of expeditions departing from Ushuaia, in Argentina.

The ship was also set to sail to additional destinations in South America, the Amazon and the Caribbean during the 2023-2024 season.

American Queen Voyages Ocean Navigator Welcomed to Chicago's Navy Pier

American Queen Voyages Ocean Navigator Welcomed to Chicago's Navy Pier

American Queen Voyages has celebrated the maiden arrival of the Ocean Navigator at Chicago's Navy Pier.

Through a partnership with sister company City Experiences, American Queen Voyages is the only overnight cruise line to dock at the downtown Chicago destination, the company said, in a press release.

Sister ship Ocean Voyager will also call on Chicago’s Navy Pier for the first time on June 8, as the two boutique coastal ships offer unique Lakes & Oceans experiences designed to navigate the locks of the St. Lawrence Seaway and all five Great Lakes.

City and state leaders including Choose Chicago CEO Lynn Osmond, Navy Pier President & CEO Marilynn Gardner, and Magnificent Mile Association President & CEO Kimberly Bares welcomed American Queen Voyages executives and Captain Gary Kerr to Chicago.

“Today, we celebrate the arrival of American Queen Voyages’ Ocean Navigator and Chicago as a cruise destination,” said Lynn Osmond, chief executive officer, of Choose Chicago. “Chicago’s tourism industry plays a large role contributing to the vibrancy of the city, and we are thrilled to have partners like American Queen Voyages who offer extraordinary experiences for our locals and tourists alike.”

“Travelers are ready to make up for lost time and are eager to deeply discover North America now – and Chicago is a stunning backdrop to embark on that journey,” shared Isis Ruiz, chief commercial officer, American Queen Voyages. “Ocean Navigator’s arrival at Navy Pier is a fitting way to celebrate tourism in Chicago, exploring the city’s bounty of culture and history. We look forward to an exciting season showcasing the many treasures across the Great Lakes.”

American Queen Voyages Great Lakes voyages of 11 to 16-days call on North America’s historic five Great Lakes and the storied St. Lawrence River. Port highlights include exploring the Victorian-era charm of Mackinac Island, historic Soo Locks, breathtaking Manitoulin Island, the largest freshwater island in the world, the Horseshoe Falls of Niagara Falls, the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

Photo: From left: Kimberly Bares, Dan Russell, Lynn Osmond, Captain Gary Kerr, Bill Annand, Marilynn Gardner

Viking charting a new course with Great Lakes expeditions

Welland Canal locks between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Viking’s pair of expedition ships will operate winter cruises in Antarctica. But in the offseason, one of the vessels will head to a slightly more unusual destination for an expedition ship: the Great Lakes. 

The two ships have ice-rated hulls for polar operations, but their beam and length were calculated specifically to fit through the Welland Canal locks between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, which provide access to the western portion of the St. Lawrence Seaway. 

In introducing the expedition line from the stage at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Viking chairman Torstein Hagen said, “We do our research, and we know our guests also like to be cruising near to home.” 

The unveiling of the Great Lakes itineraries brought exclamations and applause from the audience.

“I think this new cruising area, the Great Lakes, should be a very interesting place,” Hagen said, adding that he thought it had been “underserved.”

The cruises to the lakes on the Viking Octantis will start in the summer of 2022 and sail between Thunder Bay, Ontario, and Milwaukee and between Milwaukee and Toronto. Depending on the itinerary, the ship will visit Georgian Bay in Lake Huron; Mackinac Island, Detroit and Traverse City, Mich.; and Duluth, Minn.  

The voyages would mix visits to urban destinations with wildlife sightings, kayaking and hiking.

As with Arctic and Antarctic cruises, scientists will be on board; the Octantis, like its sister ship, the Polaris, has dedicated lab space. On the Great Lakes cruises, scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will conduct research on the region’s weather, climate and ecosystem and will serve as guest lecturers. 

17 Hurt When Cruise Ship Hits Seaway Lock Wall in Upstate NY

17 Hurt When Cruise Ship Hits Seaway Lock Wall in Upstate NY

Cruise Ship Saint Laurent.

Authorities say a cruise ship has crashed into a wall in a lock on the St. Lawrence Seaway in upstate New York, injuring 17 people and forcing the draining of the lock.

The U.S. Coast Guard says the 286-foot Saint Laurent was headed from Montreal to Toronto when it hit a wall in the Eisenhower Lock in Massena, near the Canadian border, around 9:45 p.m. Thursday. There were 274 French passengers and crew aboard.

St. Lawrence County emergency officials say none of the injuries are serious. Officials tell WWNY-TV in Watertown that all 17 were treated at the Massena hospital and released.

Officials say the water has been drained from the lock, and the ship will remain there with both lock doors closed until it can be moved.

The Saint Laurent is owned by International Shipping Partners.

The crash remains under investigation.