Cruise the Great LakesLet 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. While it appears that Alaskan cruising will get a reprieve, there's still no word on how to salvage the 2021 Great Lakes cruising season. Read our update about the extraordinary COVID-19 precautions our cruise line partners are taking to keep you safe. 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. 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. 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.
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Great Lakes Cruise LinesWe've gathered the most detailed overview of the companies sailing in this region. Here's a list with some quick links to explore further:
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, this state-by-state list will help you narrow down your choices:
Featured ItinerariesHere'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:
Map of the 5 Great Lakes
Elevation of the Lakes
Elevation Profile Map
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 .
Victory Cruise Lines
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Pearl Seas Cruises
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Windstar Cruises
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Viking Expeditions Cruises
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Ponant Explorer Cruises
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Hapag Lloyd Cruises
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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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Explore by Theme
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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
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 |
