Great Lakes cruise program projects 175,000 passenger visits
The regional cruise association is planning a new annual season-opening event in Toronto for May 2027.
The Great Lakes cruise program is projected to attract about 175,000 passenger visits this year, 15 percent more than in 2025. Ships operating in the region carry fewer than 400 passengers each.
The Great Lakes fleet includes Ponant Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd, Viking, Victory Cruise Lines and Pearl Seas Cruises. The Great Lakes Cruise Association has approximately 30 cruise-ready ports. A typical sailing visits six or seven ports, with destinations rotated as cruise lines develop new itineraries. The association is also considering adding Cornwall in eastern Ontario to its port network.
The association plans to introduce Great Lakes Cruising Sail Away at Toronto’s cruise terminal on May 4, 2027. Victory Cruise Lines is scheduled to have a ship at the terminal during the event. Organizers plan to make Sail Away an annual gathering hosted by a different port each year.