Viking Expedition Cruises | "Great Lakes Explorer"
8 Day Cruise | Milwaukee to Thunder Bay | 2024-2025
With Viking Great Lakes Cruises, discover the maze of granite islands that comprise the Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve. Hike and kayak through tranquil beauty and sweeping vistas. Experience Victorian charm on Mackinac Island, then venture into the boreal forests of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park on Lake Superior’s northern shore. This cruise explores coastal wetlands replete with birdlife, combs pristine beaches, and even gets acquainted with native cultures of The Great Lakes, all while cruising aboard the luxurious Viking Octantis.
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Day 1 - Embark in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Day 2 - Mackinac Island, Michigan Day 3 - Georgian Bay, Canada Day 4 - Georgian Bay, Canada Day 5 - Georgian Bay, Canada Day 6 - Scenic Cruise: Soo Locks Transit Day 7 - Thunder Bay, Ontario Day 8 - Disembark in Thunder Bay |
Sailing Dates | Viking Great Lakes Explorer Cruise
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Great Lakes Explorer | 8 Day CruiseDeparting From: Milwaukee, WI to Thunder Bay, ON
Ports of Call: Milwaukee, WI • Mackinac Island, MI · Silver Islet, ON • Thunder Bay, ON itinerary
Day 1 | Milwaukee, WI
Day 2 | Mackinac Island, MI Day 3-5 | Explore Georgian Bay Day 6 | Sail the Soo Locks Day 7 | Silver Islet, ON Day 8 | Thunder Bay, ON 2022 sailing dates
Sep 10 - Sep 17
2023 sailing dates
May 19 - May 26
Jun 2 - Jun 9 Jun 30 - Jul 7 |
Starting at
USD $6,495.00 to $17,995.00 Per Person, based on double occupancy * |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 - Embarkation Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Arrive to Milwaukee to embark with Viking Expedition Cruises. You'll have free time to explore this revitalized Lake Michigan city on your own, before meeting your fellow travelers and expedition leaders on board your ship. Docked on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Viking Octantis awaits the journey. Settle in on the ship before attending a briefing for the next day. Explore more before or after your expedition cruise. Ask your Great Lakes Cruise Specialist for more details. OPTIONAL PRE-CRUISE EXTENSION: 2 NIGHTS IN CHICAGO**
Explore the world-class Art Institute of Chicago and admire the works of one of America’s greatest architects, Frank Lloyd Wright. View the city’s skyline from the water during a river cruise and savor hearty, soul-warming cuisine as you explore Chicago’s food heritage.
HERE YOU WILL FIND YOUR DAILY ITINERARY & HOTEL INFORMATION ALL THIS IS INCLUDED:
2022 PRICING:
NOTE: Extension is not available on all departure dates; confirm availability & seasonal pricing when booking. Pricing may vary by departure or activity date. Activity order may vary. Accommodations are subject to change depending on availability; if advertised hotel is not available, a similar hotel will be confirmed. |
Day 2 - Mackinac Island, Michigan
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Explore this car-free island by carriage, bicycle or on foot; even paddle a kayak along the shoreline. Once your Viking Great Lakes cruise arrives, enjoy an exciting day on idyllic Mackinac Island, located in the Straits of Mackinac, which link Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. This charming island is well known as a haven for pedestrians and bicyclists; motor vehicles are banned here, and the only way to access the island is by boat. Take a sightseeing excursion by horse-drawn carriage to important historical sites. Or, choose to dine at the elegant Grand Hotel, a Victorian-era building with the world’s longest front porch. Alternatively, explore the forested shores of Mackinac Island by kayak. Today's Choice of Inclusive Shore Excursions or Upgrades mackinac by horse-drawn CARRIAGE
Highlights: Revolutionary War Fort, Victorian -Era Hotel and Scenic Downtown
Duration: 3 Hours Discover the historical sights and yesteryear charm of scenic Mackinac Island. A National Historic Landmark, the 4-square-mile island has undergone extensive preservation and restoration, including the banning of almost all motor vehicles. You will embark on a horse-drawn carriage ride to view the island’s major landmarks. See Fort Mackinac, one of the few surviving Revolutionary War fortresses still in existence. Built atop a bluff overlooking the Straits of Mackinac, this former military outpost was the site of two strategic battles—both American losses—during the War of 1812. Admire the elegant facade of the Victorian-era Grand Hotel; a vacation destination for several US presidents, the hotel’s 660-foot-long front porch is billed as the “longest in the world.” Stroll the bustling downtown streets during a guided walking tour, then enjoy free time to explore the charming shops, or sample the island’s renowned fudge. Afterward, you will return to your Viking Expedition ship. Shore excursions vary by departure and are subject to change. MACKINAC ISLAND NATURAL WONDERS BY BIKE
Highlights: Two-Wheel Tour Highlights Natural Beauty
and Historic Sites Duration: 3.5 Hours - Active - Sightseeing - Demanding Experience Mackinac Island’s natural beauty during a bike ride along scenic Lake Shore Drive. The island is well known for being free of most motor vehicles and a haven for pedestrians and bicyclists. Meet your guide, receive your bike and a short safety briefing, then set out from the downtown area on Lake Shore Drive. This 8-mile road encircles the island, passing many of its famous landmarks. Your guide will lead you past lovely vistas, forested landscapes and isolated beaches. Stop to admire Arched Rock, a natural limestone formation looming over the shoreline from 146 feet above. You will also see several of the island’s historic sites, such as the cliff top Fort Mackinac and the elegant Victorian-era Grand Hotel. While you ride, learn about the island’s fur-trading history, strategic importance within the Great Lakes and emergence as a resort destination. Afterward, you will return to your Viking Expedition ship. Shore excursions vary by departure and are subject to change. straits of mackinac by kayak
Highlights: Scenic views of the Upper Peninsula from the Water
Durations: 3 Hours - Active - Natural World - Moderate Paddle into the Straits of Mackinac for a scenic journey around Mackinac Island. Located in its namesake straits, where Lake Huron meets Lake Michigan, the island is an ideal place to go out and kayak among striking natural settings. At your disembarkation point, meet your guide and naturalist, then receive your life jacket and a short safety briefing. Board your kayak and head out into the straits. Depending on the weather, your guide will choose the best route for your excursion. You may enter the straits and paddle over underwater caves and rock formations en route to Arch Rock. Or, enjoy striking views of the Mackinac Bridge, stoic island lighthouses and the West Bluff as you glide over the water toward Devil’s Kitchen. Admire the beautiful views of the Upper Peninsula before returning to your Viking Expedition ship. Shore excursions vary by departure and are subject to change. MACKINAC ISLAND & THE GRAND HOTEL and lunch
Highlights: Horse Drawn Carriage Tour and Lunch at Elegant Hotel
Duration: 4.5 Hours - Meal-Sightseeing-Moderate Explore the highlights of Mackinac Island and enjoy lunch at the iconic Grand Hotel. You will embark on a leisurely horse-drawn carriage tour—almost all motor vehicles are banned from the island—to view the island’s major landmarks. See Fort Mackinac, one of the few surviving Revolutionary War fortresses still in existence. Built to defend the surrounding waterway, this former military outpost sits atop a 150-foot-tall bluff overlooking the Straits of Mackinac; it was the site of two strategic battles during the War of 1812. Explore the bustling downtown streets during a guided walking tour, then head to the Victorian-era Grand Hotel. Built in 1887, this Queen Anne–style hotel is a registered National Historic Landmark. Here, you will enjoy its fabled buffet-style lunch while admiring sweeping views of the Straits of Mackinac from the world’s longest front porch. Afterward, you will return to your awaiting Viking Expedition ship. Shore excursions vary by departure and are subject to change. |
Day 3 thru 5 - Georgian Bay, Canada
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Discover some of the 30,000 islands that comprise this UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Spend three days exploring Little Current, Manitoulin Island, Killarney or Parry Sound in Georgian Bay, a UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserve. Hike the Cup and Saucer Trail, a land of perpendicular cliffs and dense hardwood forests, and paddle among the many uninhabited islands in a kayak. Take a RIB tour, or land on one of the islands with a zodiac for undisturbed bird- and wildlife-watching. A Day in the Life of an Explorer Enjoy the stillness of dawn while watching the sun rise over the lake with a warm cup of coffee from your Nordic Balcony. Discover the ecosystems of the Great Lakes by kayak and witness ongoing conservation efforts as you paddle among the magnificent islands of Georgian Bay.Learn songs, traditional fishing techniques and plant uses from members of the Anishinaabe First Nations. Admire windswept pines, endless beaches and towering cliffs as you sail across the water on a zodiac cruise through the inlets that weave through the archipelago. Explore the local flora and fauna hiking on cliff top pathways and along canopy-covered trails that crisscross the diverse landscape of the bay. With your Viking Resident Scientists, study photographs taken during excursions into the bay to better understand bird migration patterns across the islands. |
Day 6 - Scenic Cruising: Soo Locks Transit
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Pass between Lake Superior and Lake Huron via this 1850's-era engineering marvel. Pass through the Soo Locks in the St. Mary’s River, heading from Lake Huron into Lake Superior. Observe the massive gates of this ingenious feat of engineering as they close, then watch as the water flows in through the gravity-fed valves to bring your Viking Expedition ship up to the level of Lake Superior.
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Day 7 - Thunder Bay, Ontario
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Hike boreal forests, watch for wildlife and learn about Anishinaabe First Nations heritage. Relive the region’s history at Fort William, an accurate recreation of an early 19th-century fur trading post, or hike the trails of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, an area of tabletop mountains, sweeping vistas and towering granite cliffs. Explore the unusual natural phenomenon of Ouimet Canyon, which shelters a unique, fragile ecosystem. Then, discover the roaring Kakabeka Falls, tucked away in a pristine boreal forest setting. |
Day 8 - Thunder Bay, Ontario - Disembark
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Disembark from your 8 day Great Lakes cruise to begin the return flight home, or extend your exploration with a discovery of Churchill, the "Polar Bear Capital of the World."
Explore more before or after your expedition. Ask your Great Lakes Cruise Specialist. OPTIONAL POST CRUISE EXTENSION: 5 NIGHTS IN CHURCHILL AND WINNIPEG **
Set out in search of Arctic wildlife in the “Polar Bear Capital of the World.” Witness beluga whales in their natural habitat and watch in awe as they frolic in the water. Explore plains blooming with colorful flora and teeming with life, including arctic foxes and the occasional summer polar bear.
HERE YOU WILL FIND YOUR DAILY ITINERARY & HOTEL INFORMATION ALL THIS IS INCLUDED:
2022 PRICING:
NOTE: Extension is not available on all departure dates; confirm availability & seasonal pricing when booking. Pricing may vary by departure or activity date. Activity order may vary. Accommodations are subject to change depending on availability; if advertised hotel is not available, a similar hotel will be confirmed. |
For reservations and more Information please call our Travel Specialist Toll Free at 1-888-756-9008 Email: [email protected] |
* Prices listed are available from select departure gateways: Boston, Chicago,
Dallas/ft Worth,Los Angeles,New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C.
Shore Excursions open 171 to 60 days prior to sailing, depending on stateroom category purchased.
**Optional Upgrade - Pre or Post-Cruise Packages can be reserved up to 30 days prior to sailing.
Dallas/ft Worth,Los Angeles,New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C.
Shore Excursions open 171 to 60 days prior to sailing, depending on stateroom category purchased.
**Optional Upgrade - Pre or Post-Cruise Packages can be reserved up to 30 days prior to sailing.
Complete Directory of all our Great Lakes Cruises
* Cruise fares quoted are in U.S. dollars, per person (based on double occupancy). Single Supplements also available.
Cruise Fares do not include, airfare (on select cities), Discretionary gratuites for vessel crew and tour operators,
Travel Protection, Personal Expenditures including Transportation Costs incurred while traveling to and from embarkation ports, Transfer to and from the airport along with Hotel Stays and Cancellations
(unless noted otherwise). Shore excursions vary by departure and are subject to change.
Rates and Schedules are subject to change at any time.*
Cruise Fares do not include, airfare (on select cities), Discretionary gratuites for vessel crew and tour operators,
Travel Protection, Personal Expenditures including Transportation Costs incurred while traveling to and from embarkation ports, Transfer to and from the airport along with Hotel Stays and Cancellations
(unless noted otherwise). Shore excursions vary by departure and are subject to change.
Rates and Schedules are subject to change at any time.*
Updated: 08-12-21 BB
