Cruise the Great LakesLet our Great Lakes Cruises experts help you pick the perfect voyage to match your travel preferences. We work with all of the cruise lines serving the region, and can guide you on the trade-offs between the various itineraries, ships and destinations.
2022 Great Lakes cruise bookings are already at a very high level - partially because 2020 and 2021 guests are rolling their bookings forward to 2022, resulting in limited space. Our cruise lines are already publishing their 2023 Great Lakes cruise schedule to open up more inventory. Due to extraordinary demand, the cruise lines' call centers are completely overwhelmed. If you're having trouble reaching the cruise lines directly, give us a call at +1-888-756-9008. We work with all of them, so we'd be happy to be your advocate. Read our update about the extraordinary COVID-19 precautions our cruise line partners are taking to keep you safe. Also, read our article about the re-opening of Canadian waters to cruising, scheduled for Nov 1, 2021. Great Lake Cruise OptionsThere are six cruise lines on the Great Lakes, and our job is to help you navigate all the complex choices when comparing them. We've done all the hard work of learning the cruise itineraries, getting to know the different vessels, and looking at the calendars to see when a trip might work for you.
Ready to get started? Or call us Toll Free at +1-888-756-9008
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Once you've cruised the Great Lakes, here's your next adventure...
John Hemingway (Grandson of Ernest Hemingway)
Photo Courtesy of Carol Tedesco - Kismet Key West
Join us for an unforgettable cruise & land tour combining a luxury river cruise through Bordeaux Wine Country, VIP access to Running of the Bulls festival in Pamplona, and an evening with John Hemingway, the grandson of Ernest Hemingway.
Ernest Hemingway spent every summer of his childhood at the family cottage in Michigan, and was inspired by the vastness of the Great Lakes. His adventures eventually led him to Europe, where he popularized the Fiestas de San Fermín (aka the Running of the Bulls) in Pamplona, Spain.
Our parent company, Authentic Voyages, has partnered with the premier luxury tour company in Pamplona, Running of the Bulls, Inc. to create the Founder's Grand Cruise, a fantastic 13-day adventure filled with Bordeaux Wine, Basque Country History, and the Bulls of Pamplona. Learn more about this unique itinerary.
Ernest Hemingway spent every summer of his childhood at the family cottage in Michigan, and was inspired by the vastness of the Great Lakes. His adventures eventually led him to Europe, where he popularized the Fiestas de San Fermín (aka the Running of the Bulls) in Pamplona, Spain.
Our parent company, Authentic Voyages, has partnered with the premier luxury tour company in Pamplona, Running of the Bulls, Inc. to create the Founder's Grand Cruise, a fantastic 13-day adventure filled with Bordeaux Wine, Basque Country History, and the Bulls of Pamplona. Learn more about this unique itinerary.
The Great Lakes
Select one of the lakes below to learn more about its character and beauty.
About the Great LakesThe Great Lakes of North America are the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world. With a surface of over 94,000 square miles, they form an elongated inland sea with waves, winds, currents, depths and distant shores.
The earliest evidence of human occupation in the region is estimated at 10,000 year ago, at the end of the last ice age. Cruising the Great Lakes, you'll have the chance to see all this history in person, learning even more with the aid of the enriching educational programs offered by our luxury cruise lines. |
Map of the 5 Great Lakes
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Great Lakes Cruise DestinationsYou'd be surprised at the number of cities, towns and villages included in the ports of call for our cruises. If you're interested in a particular region of the American Great Lakes, this state-by-state list will help you narrow down your choices: |
Featured Great Lakes Cruises | 2022 ItinerariesHere's a sampling of our itineraries. We work closely with the cruise lines to bring you the very best of what's on offer: New for 2022 | Viking Cruise Lines brings their luxury river cruise pedigree to the wonders of the Great Lakes. Viking's Undiscovered Great Lakes Itinerary will wow you in 2022. An Extravagant 16-day Cruise | Pearl Seas' Canadian Maritime & St. Lawrence Seaway Cruise winds you through Quebec, Nova Scotia and Maine. Continental Luxury in North America | Ponant brings their French hospitality standard to a fascinating Ponant Great Lakes of North America 8-day cruise itinerary. |
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What's so Great About the Great Lakes? - by Cheri Dobbs and Jennifer Gabrys. "The North American Great Lakes — Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior — are so big that they border 8 states and contain 23 quadrillion liters of water. They span forest, grassland, and wetland habitats, supporting a region that’s home to 3,500 species. But how did such a vast and unique geological feature come to be?"
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More on the LakesElevations of the Great Lakes
Elevation Profile Map
Ice, Ice BabyYou can book a Great Lakes Cruise for spring, summer or fall. Why not winter? The answer is ice.
Great Lakes, February 2018, NOAA satellite. Lake Superior is 77% covered with ice. Lake Michigan is 51% covered. Lake Huron 81% covered, with only 19% open water! Lake Erie is 91% covered. Lake Ontario is only 15% covered. Read more about 2018 ice coverage of the Great Lakes at MLive.com |
Great Lakes
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Highest Elevation |
601 ft (Lake Superior) |
Lowest Elevation |
243 ft (Lake Ontario) |
Surface Area |
94,250 mi² |
Drainage Area |
201,460 mi² |
Volume of Water |
5,439 mi³ |
Avg Depth |
260 ft |
Max Depth |
1,332 ft |
Length (N-S) |
497 mi |
Length (E-W) |
750 mi |
Length of Shoreline |
10,210 mi* |
Avg Surface Temp |
48º F |
Retention Time |
320 years |
*Total shoreline length is greater than the sum of the shoreline length for the lakes because it includes the connecting channels (but not the St. Lawrence River).
Read more on the "Physical Features of the Great Lakes" from the EPA .
Read more on the "Physical Features of the Great Lakes" from the EPA .
Great Lakes
By the Numbers
Highest Elevation |
183 m (Lake Superior) |
Lowest Elevation |
74 m (Lake Ontario) |
Surface Area |
244,160 km² |
Drainage Area |
521,830 km² |
Volume of Water |
22,684 km³ |
Avg Depth |
79 m |
Max Depth |
406 m |
Length (N-S) |
800 km |
Length (E-W) |
1,200 km |
Length of Shoreline |
17,017 km* |
Avg Surface Temp |
9º C |
Retention Time |
320 years |
*Total shoreline length is greater than the sum of the shoreline length for the lakes because it includes the connecting channels (but not the St. Lawrence River).
Read more on the "Physical Features of the Great Lakes" from the EPA .
Read more on the "Physical Features of the Great Lakes" from the EPA .
Learn more about the Great Lakes
Our Great Lakes Cruise Lines
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