American Cruise Lines Adds Sheboygan to Great Lakes Schedule
American Patriot is scheduled to dock along South Pier on a nine-day Lake Michigan and Upper Peninsula itinerary, with up to 130 guests expected ashore June 26.
American Cruise Lines will add Sheboygan, Wisconsin, to its Great Lakes schedule on June 25, when American Patriot is due to make the line’s inaugural call in the Lake Michigan city. Four Sheboygan visits are planned from late June through early August.
The calls put Sheboygan alongside Wisconsin communities such as Milwaukee, Green Bay, Algoma and La Crosse, which already receive Great Lakes or river cruise traffic during the summer. Cruise the Great Lakes projects cruise ships on the Great Lakes will generate a $300 million economic impact this year.
American Patriot to call at South Pier
The first Sheboygan visit is part of American Cruise Lines’ nine-day, eight-night Lake Michigan & Upper Peninsula cruise. American Patriot, the line’s new Patriot Class coastal ship, is scheduled to dock along South Pier during the evening of June 25, with passengers able to explore the city the following day.
Local businesses expect added visitor traffic
For downtown businesses, the first calls arrive during an already busy visitor season. Jane Davis-Wood, president of Relish Kitchen Store, said the store serves travelers from across the United States and abroad.
“We have a lot of yachtsmen in. We have golfing entourages,” Davis-Wood said. “We have spillover from the racetrack and then all the chef-driven dining here.”
“A lot of people will bounce back and drive through or book the boats,” Davis-Wood said.
City says cruise effort took several years
Sheboygan Mayor Ryan Sorenson said the cruise stops came after several years of local work. “You kind of chuckle when you say, ‘We have cruise ships in Sheboygan,’” he said. “I think it’s a big win for the community.”
Sorenson said established cruise stops elsewhere in Wisconsin helped Sheboygan make its case to operators. “I think us selling Sheboygan and showcasing our community was a no-brainer for them to incorporate us in another stop along the way,” he said.
The initial call is expected to bring up to 130 guests ashore on June 26. The remaining Sheboygan visits are set to follow during the summer schedule ending Aug. 9.
