Great Lakes Cruising Poised for Record $300 Million Impact in 2026
The forecast signals how the Great Lakes are moving from niche itineraries to a fuller cruise market, giving inland ports a larger stake in seasonal tourism.
Great Lakes cruising is forecast to set another regional record in 2026, with Cruise the Great Lakes projecting $300 million in economic impact for destinations across the lakes. The regional cruise marketing partnership expects more than 23,000 passengers, more than 800 port visits and a 25% increase in economic impact from 2025 as cruise activity runs from spring into fall.
The forecast includes American Cruise Lines’ entry into Great Lakes service, bringing the region to seven cruise lines and 10 ships operating on the lakes and St. Lawrence River. Milwaukee and Cleveland are among the ports preparing for record schedules, while Erie officials are still working to secure a confirmed cruise call.
“We forecast this upcoming season to be even stronger than 2025, both in terms of passenger numbers, destinations visited, and economic impact,” Sally Davis Berry, tourism director of Cruise the Great Lakes, said.
Seven cruise lines and 10 ships scheduled
The 2026 roster named for the region includes Pearl Seas Cruises’ Pearl Mist; St. Lawrence Cruise Lines’ Canadian Empress; Viking’s Octantis and Polaris; Ponant’s Le Bellot and Le Champlain; Hapag-Lloyd’s Hanseatic Inspiration; Victory Cruise Lines’ Victory I and Victory II; and American Cruise Lines’ American Patriot.
“Certainly, we are seeing a growth in demand,” Berry said. “Already all of them are adding dates.” Viking Cruises is among those expanding the 2026 lineup, with a new 10-day Great Lakes journey featuring coastal wetlands and Great Lakes islands.
American Patriot, the vessel tied to American Cruise Lines’ first Great Lakes season, is a 2025-built, 3,000-gt, U.S.-flagged ship from Chesapeake Shipbuilding with 56 cabins. At Milwaukee, American Patriot is scheduled for eight calls, all turnarounds, as part of two new itineraries to the city.
Milwaukee and Cleveland prepare for record seasons
Port Milwaukee expects 64 cruise vessel calls and more than 80 itineraries between late April and October, up from 23 calls and 11,255 passengers in 2025. The port is forecasting 20,000 passenger visits this season, including 32 turnaround visits and 11 Milwaukee round trips.
Milwaukee’s cruise activity generated $2.5 million in local economic impact last year and is projected to exceed $3.5 million in 2026. “Each arrival brings new energy to our waterfront, supports local businesses and creates a powerful opportunity to showcase what makes our community special,” Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said.
The South Shore Cruise Dock-East, the port’s third designated cruise dock, is slated to begin operations this season and is designed for the largest cruise ships now operating on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway route. Construction on the $17 million dock project began in September, and Port Director Benji Timm said it was 75% complete at the season-opening news conference.
In Cleveland, the port expects 57 cruise ship calls and close to 10,000 passengers in 2026. Last year, Cleveland recorded 53 calls, nearly 9,000 passengers and more than $1.3 million in local spending, continuing a cruise business that began with the port’s first modern cruise ship call in 2017.
David Guthiel, chief operating officer of the Port of Cleveland, said passengers typically spend $100 to $150 per visit in the city. “That’s a pretty good impact on local businesses and restaurants,” Guthiel said.
Erie remains a potential future stop
Erie, Pa., is also seeking a place on future schedules. Cruise the Great Lakes met with Erie representatives on March 25 to discuss the bayfront’s potential as a cruise destination. No cruise line has been contracted for an Erie stop.
“It’s not the easiest process that happens overnight, but it’s something that we’ve been working on,” Julie Slomski, executive director of the Erie-Western PA Port Authority, said. Hannah Stancliff, director of conventions and sales for VisitErie, said the goal is to generate more economic impact for Erie.
American Cruise Lines opens its inaugural Great Lakes season May 22, with American Patriot sailing round trip from Buffalo. The nine-day Great Lakes & Thousand Islands cruise includes a Syracuse, N.Y., hotel stay, while Milwaukee’s season is scheduled to run through an Oct. 31 American Patriot call.
