GREAT LAKES CRUISES
  • Cruise the Great Lakes
    • Lake Superior Cruises
    • Lake Michigan Cruises
    • Lake Huron Cruises
    • Lake Erie Cruises
    • Lake Ontario Cruises
    • St. Lawrence Seaway Cruises
    • Great Lakes Attractions
  • Great Lakes Cruise Lines
    • Victory Cruise Lines >
      • Victory I and Victory II Cruise Ships
    • Pearl Seas Cruises >
      • Pearl Mist Cruise Ship
    • Viking Expedition Cruises >
      • Viking Octantis Cruise Ship
    • Windstar Cruises
    • Ponant Explorer Cruises
    • Hapag Lloyd Cruises
    • Blount Small Ship Adventures >
      • Blount Cruise Ships
  • Cruise Itineraries
    • Canada & St. Lawrence Cruise Itineraries >
      • Victory 11 Day - Canadian Crown Jewels
      • Victory 13 Day - Canada's Southern Coast Itinerary
      • Pearl Seas 16 Day - Canadian Maritime & St Lawrence Seaway
      • Pearl Seas 11 Day - Canada & New England Fall Foliage
      • Viking 13 Day - Canadian Discovery Cruise (2022)
    • Great Lakes Cruise Itineraries >
      • Pearl Seas Itineraries >
        • Pearl Seas 12 Day - Great Lakes & Georgian Bay
        • Pearl Seas 8 Day - Great Lakes Cruise
      • Ponant Itineraries >
        • Ponant 11 Day - Discover the St. Lawrence River Cruise
        • Ponant 8 Day - Great Lakes of North America
      • Victory Itineraries >
        • Victory 16 Day - Great Lakes Lakeside Treasures
        • Victory 13 Day - Great Lakes Grand Discovery
        • Victory 11 Day - Splendor of the Great Lakes
        • Victory 9 Day - Great Lakes Masterpiece
      • Viking Itineraries >
        • Viking 8 Day - Niagara & the Great Lakes Cruise (2022)
        • Viking 8 Day - Undiscovered Great Lakes Cruise (2022)
        • Viking 8 Day - Great Lakes Explorer Cruise (2022)
      • Blount Itineraries >
        • Blount 16 Day - Great American Waterways
        • Blount 14 Day - Locks, Legends & Canals
  • Destinations
    • Illinois Cruises >
      • Chicago IL Cruises
    • Maine Cruises >
      • Bar Harbor Maine Cruises
      • Portland ME Cruises
    • Maritime Provinces Canada Cruises >
      • Charlottetown PEI CN Cruises
      • Halifax Nova Scotia CN Cruises
    • Massachusetts Cruises >
      • Boston Mass Cruises
    • Michigan Cruises >
      • Detroit MI Cruises
      • Holland MI Cruises
      • Houghton MI Cruises
      • Mackinac Island MI Cruises
      • Marquette MI Cruises
      • Muskegon MI Cruises
      • Sault Sainte Marie MI Cruises
    • Minnesota Cruises >
      • Duluth MN Cruises
    • New York Cruises >
      • Alexandria Bay NY Cruises
      • Amsterdam NY Cruises
      • Buffalo NY Cruises
      • Clayton NY Cruises
      • Kingston NY Cruises
      • Niagara Falls NY Cruises
      • Oswego NY Cruises
      • Sylvan Beach NY Cruises
    • Ohio Cruises >
      • Cleveland OH Cruises
    • Ontario Cruises >
      • Little Current ON Cruises
      • Midland, ON Cruises
      • Niagara Falls ON Cruises
      • Niagara on the Lake ON Cruises
      • Parry Sound ON Cruises
      • Sault Sainte Marie ON Cruises
      • Thunder Bay ON Cruises
      • Toronto ON Cruises
    • Quebec Cruises >
      • Gaspé QC Cruises
      • Montreal QC Cruises
      • Quebec City QC Cruises
      • Tadoussac, Quebec
    • Thousand Island Cruises
    • Wisconsin Cruises >
      • Apostle Islands WI Cruises
      • Green Bay WI Cruises
      • Milwaukee WI Cruises
      • Sturgeon Bay WI Cruises
    • Great Lakes Highlights >
      • Great Lakes Lighthouses
      • Great Lakes Locks and Canals
      • Majestic Skylines
      • Natural Wonders
      • Native American Cultures of the Great Lakes Region
      • Great Lakes Literary History
      • Great Lakes Sporting Arms
      • Great Lakes Cruising Coalition
      • Great Lakes Gardeners
      • Great Lakes Trolling Flies
  • Engage an Expert
  • Contact
  • Great Lakes Cruise News

Great Lakes Cruises

Cruise the Great Lakes

Let our Great Lakes experts help you pick the perfect cruise 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.

Like all other forms of travel, COVID-19 has impacted cruising on the Great lakes. Read our blog entry about attempts to re-start cruising on the Great Lakes and read our update about the extraordinary COVID-19 precautions our cruise line partners are taking to keep you safe. 

We believe next year will be a big season, so be sure to check out our 2022 Great Lakes cruise offerings. And you won't believe it, but our cruise lines are already publishing their 2023 Great Lakes cruise schedule.

About the Great Lakes

​The 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. 

Great Lake Cruise Options

There 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? 
​
Call us Toll Free at +1-888-756-9008
​

Great Lakes Cruise Lines

We've gathered the most detailed overview of the companies sailing in this region. Here's a list with some quick links to explore further:
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  • Pearl Seas Cruises
  • Victory Cruise Lines
  • Windstar Cruises  
  • Viking Expeditions Cruises (2022)
  • Ponant Explorer Cruises 
  • Hapag Lloyd Cruises
  • Blount Small Ship Adventures  (Cruises Cancelled)

Great Lakes Cruise Destinations

You'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, this state-by-state list will help you narrow down your choices:
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  • Illinois Cruises
  • Maine Cruises 
  • Maritime Provinces of Canada
  • Massachusetts Cruises
  • Michigan Cruises
  • Minnesota Cruises
  • New York Cruises
  • Ohio Cruises
  • Ontario Cruises
  • Quebec Cruises
  • Thousand Island Cruises
  • ​Wisconsin Cruises

Featured Itineraries

Here's a sampling of our Great Lakes Cruise 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.

Advice from our Experts:

REQUEST A QUOTE
Map of the 5 Great Lakes
Map of the 5 Great Lakes

Elevation of the Lakes

Elevation Profile Map
Elevation Profile Map
  • Imperial
  • Metric
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Great Lakes
​By the Numbers

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 ​.

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 ​.
Victory Cruise Lines Great Lakes Cruises
Victory Cruise Lines
Pearl Seas Great Lakes Cruises
Pearl Seas Cruises
Windstar Cruises Great Lakes Cruises
Windstar Cruises
Viking Expeditions Great Lakes Cruises
Viking Expeditions Cruises
Ponant Explorer Great Lakes Cruises
Ponant Explorer Cruises
Hapag Lloyd Great Lakes Cruises
Hapag Lloyd Cruises
Victory Cruise Lines
Pearl Seas Cruises
Windstar Cruises
Viking Expeditions Cruises
Ponant Explorer Cruises
Hapag Lloyd Cruises
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?"
Great Lakes Cruise Options
Great Lakes Cruises on Lake Superior
Lake Superior Cruises
Great Lakes Cruises on Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan Cruises
Great Lakes Cruises on Lake Huron
Lake Huron Cruises
Great Lakes Cruises on Lake Erie
Lake Erie Cruises
Great Lakes Cruises on Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario Cruises

Explore by Theme

Cleveland Skyline
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Explore by Theme

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Learn more!

Explore the Great Lakes by theme. 
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Ice, Ice, Baby

You can book a Great Lakes Cruise for spring, summer or fall. Why not winter? The answer is ice.




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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 

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Great Lakes Cruises
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2021 Great Lakes Cruises
2022 Great Lakes Cruises
2023 Great Lakes Cruises
Great Lakes Destinations
Great Lakes Cruise Itineraries
Great Lakes Cruise Lines
Engage an Expert 
Great Lakes Attractions

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© COPYRIGHT 2021
​ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
 GREAT LAKES CRUISES
Part of the Authentic Voyages Group
1395 Brickell Ave, Suite 800
Miami FL 33131
​Toll Free: +1-888-756-9008
​Email: info@GreatLakesCruises.com
  • Cruise the Great Lakes
    • Lake Superior Cruises
    • Lake Michigan Cruises
    • Lake Huron Cruises
    • Lake Erie Cruises
    • Lake Ontario Cruises
    • St. Lawrence Seaway Cruises
    • Great Lakes Attractions
  • Great Lakes Cruise Lines
    • Victory Cruise Lines >
      • Victory I and Victory II Cruise Ships
    • Pearl Seas Cruises >
      • Pearl Mist Cruise Ship
    • Viking Expedition Cruises >
      • Viking Octantis Cruise Ship
    • Windstar Cruises
    • Ponant Explorer Cruises
    • Hapag Lloyd Cruises
    • Blount Small Ship Adventures >
      • Blount Cruise Ships
  • Cruise Itineraries
    • Canada & St. Lawrence Cruise Itineraries >
      • Victory 11 Day - Canadian Crown Jewels
      • Victory 13 Day - Canada's Southern Coast Itinerary
      • Pearl Seas 16 Day - Canadian Maritime & St Lawrence Seaway
      • Pearl Seas 11 Day - Canada & New England Fall Foliage
      • Viking 13 Day - Canadian Discovery Cruise (2022)
    • Great Lakes Cruise Itineraries >
      • Pearl Seas Itineraries >
        • Pearl Seas 12 Day - Great Lakes & Georgian Bay
        • Pearl Seas 8 Day - Great Lakes Cruise
      • Ponant Itineraries >
        • Ponant 11 Day - Discover the St. Lawrence River Cruise
        • Ponant 8 Day - Great Lakes of North America
      • Victory Itineraries >
        • Victory 16 Day - Great Lakes Lakeside Treasures
        • Victory 13 Day - Great Lakes Grand Discovery
        • Victory 11 Day - Splendor of the Great Lakes
        • Victory 9 Day - Great Lakes Masterpiece
      • Viking Itineraries >
        • Viking 8 Day - Niagara & the Great Lakes Cruise (2022)
        • Viking 8 Day - Undiscovered Great Lakes Cruise (2022)
        • Viking 8 Day - Great Lakes Explorer Cruise (2022)
      • Blount Itineraries >
        • Blount 16 Day - Great American Waterways
        • Blount 14 Day - Locks, Legends & Canals
  • Destinations
    • Illinois Cruises >
      • Chicago IL Cruises
    • Maine Cruises >
      • Bar Harbor Maine Cruises
      • Portland ME Cruises
    • Maritime Provinces Canada Cruises >
      • Charlottetown PEI CN Cruises
      • Halifax Nova Scotia CN Cruises
    • Massachusetts Cruises >
      • Boston Mass Cruises
    • Michigan Cruises >
      • Detroit MI Cruises
      • Holland MI Cruises
      • Houghton MI Cruises
      • Mackinac Island MI Cruises
      • Marquette MI Cruises
      • Muskegon MI Cruises
      • Sault Sainte Marie MI Cruises
    • Minnesota Cruises >
      • Duluth MN Cruises
    • New York Cruises >
      • Alexandria Bay NY Cruises
      • Amsterdam NY Cruises
      • Buffalo NY Cruises
      • Clayton NY Cruises
      • Kingston NY Cruises
      • Niagara Falls NY Cruises
      • Oswego NY Cruises
      • Sylvan Beach NY Cruises
    • Ohio Cruises >
      • Cleveland OH Cruises
    • Ontario Cruises >
      • Little Current ON Cruises
      • Midland, ON Cruises
      • Niagara Falls ON Cruises
      • Niagara on the Lake ON Cruises
      • Parry Sound ON Cruises
      • Sault Sainte Marie ON Cruises
      • Thunder Bay ON Cruises
      • Toronto ON Cruises
    • Quebec Cruises >
      • Gaspé QC Cruises
      • Montreal QC Cruises
      • Quebec City QC Cruises
      • Tadoussac, Quebec
    • Thousand Island Cruises
    • Wisconsin Cruises >
      • Apostle Islands WI Cruises
      • Green Bay WI Cruises
      • Milwaukee WI Cruises
      • Sturgeon Bay WI Cruises
    • Great Lakes Highlights >
      • Great Lakes Lighthouses
      • Great Lakes Locks and Canals
      • Majestic Skylines
      • Natural Wonders
      • Native American Cultures of the Great Lakes Region
      • Great Lakes Literary History
      • Great Lakes Sporting Arms
      • Great Lakes Cruising Coalition
      • Great Lakes Gardeners
      • Great Lakes Trolling Flies
  • Engage an Expert
  • Contact
  • Great Lakes Cruise News