Cruisers choosing to stay close to home, repeat guests and smoother sailing have cruise lines planning a long future in the Great Lakes.
Viking has just announced its 2028–2029 expedition voyages that include Great Lakes cruises are open for booking, Viking is looking ahead, expanding its offerings including unique Longitudinal World Cruises, which journey between the Great Lakes and Antarctica.
Pearl Seas Cruises says it’s almost completely sold out for its Great Lakes season this year.
And Victory Cruise Lines is claiming repeat visitors and guests cancelling Europe and the Middle East to sail the lakes have its ships sailing near capacity for its second season.
In addition to 10-night Toronto to Duluth and 15-niight Milwaukee circuits, Viking is also offering a summer itinerary from Greenland into the Canadian Arctic. Its 62-day Milwaukee to Ushuia journey in 2028 will be its fourth offering of the north to south global itinerary.
“Our guests are curious travelers who seek meaningful experiences and a deeper connection to the destinations they visit,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman and CEO of Viking. “Our expedition voyages are designed to bring them closer to the natural world through immersive exploration and discovery, alongside scientists and destination experts. We are pleased to offer even more opportunities in the years to come.”
The Polar Class Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris each host 378 guests in 189 staterooms and are built specifically for exploration. Optimally designed for comfort in remote destinations, the ships offer more indoor and outdoor viewing areas than other expedition vessels, the company claims.
Meanwhile, Pearl Seas Cruises, an affiliate of American Cruises Lines, opened its 2026 cruise season May 7 with a 15-night Canadian Maritimes & St. Lawrence Seaway cruise from Portland, Maine to Toronto. This year, the cruise line is featuring four different itineraries on the Great Lakes, including a 14-night Great Lakes Explorer itinerary that sails all five Lakes in a single journey, operating between Toronto and Duluth, Minn.
Pearl Seas Cruises has been exploring the Great Lakes and surrounding U.S. and Canadian coastal regions since 2014 with small ship Pearl Mist. The Pearl Mist is the only 100 per cent private balcony, fully stabilized small ship in the region and was completely renovated in 2022, the company says.
Pearl claims its summer cruises on the Great Lakes and spring and fall itineraries throughout the Canadian Maritimes and New England are essentially sold out for 2026 and already filling up fast for 2027 and 2028.
Pearl Seas also has just introduced a new eight-night Prince Edward Island & Maine Coast cruise sailing between Charlottetown, PEI and Portland, Maine, which begins operating in 2028.
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