Ports Welcome Economic Boost 

Port Milwaukee welcomed the Viking Octantis, the first passenger cruise ship of the 2025 season, on April 28. The port expects to welcome 11,000 passengers this year. In March, Jackie Q. Carter, director of Port Milwaukee, said six different vessels from five cruise companies will make 22 cruise vessel calls and 44 itineraries in Milwaukee this season. 

The growth in cruise tourism is the driving force behind expansion efforts at the port. Port Milwaukee is expected to break ground on a new cruise dock this year. The $17 million investment will aid in maintaining and growing the port’s position as a turnaround port on the Great Lakes. The new dock, located in the outer harbor, is planned to accommodate full logistic services for the largest cruise ships on the Great Lakes. 

This expansion comes after a strong cruising season for Milwaukee, which welcomed more than 13,500 passengers last year. The port had 27 visits from six different vessels representing five cruise lines in 2024. 

After a one-year hiatus, Victory Cruise Lines has returned to the Great Lakes. Victory I arrived at the Port of Montreal on April 25.

Victory I and Victory II cruised the Great Lakes for nearly a decade until former parent company American Queen Voyages declared bankruptcy and canceled the 2024 cruise season. John Waggoner, former American Queen Steamboat Company owner, purchased both vessels and relaunched Victory Cruise Lines this year on the Great Lakes. 

The Port of Montreal will welcome 41 operations from 20 different cruise ships in 2025, including the return of Silversea Cruises after a five-year absence. In addition to the Silver Shadow, operated by Silversea Cruises, the Seven Seas Splendor, operated by Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises’ Allura will visit Montreal for the first time. Approximately 58,000 passengers and crew members are expected to visit the port. 

Victory Cruise Lines will also make several stops in Cleveland this year. The Port of Cleveland expects 55 port calls from five different cruise lines this year, with approximately 10,000 passengers expected to disembark in the city for day tours. The Port of Toledo welcomed Victory I on May 30. The stop is part of an effort to promote Toledo as a potential future cruise ship port on the Great Lakes. 

Port Colborne, located along the shores of Lake Erie in Ontario, Canada, expects to welcome more than 70 cruise ships this year, between April 23 and October 27. More than 17,000 passengers will sail through the Welland Canal, with many stopping off at Port Colborne. Passengers on board Viking, Victory and Pearl Seas cruises will have the ability to exit the ships and take a guided tour of the city of Colborne. 

PortsToronto is also anticipating another successful passenger cruising season this year. In 2024, tourism from passenger cruises contributed approximately $200 million USD to the local economy. The port welcomed 34 cruise ships, carrying nearly 18,000 passengers, to its Cruise Ship Terminal. “The Port of Toronto is poised for another strong year, with the return of Victory Cruise Lines to the Great Lakes and a busy cruise season,” said Captain Satinder Singh, vice president, marine, for PortsToronto. “We’re expecting 48 ships between April and October, bringing more than 20,000 passengers to Toronto.”

Toronto is a popular urban destination for Great Lakes cruising, and as a turnaround port with easy access to air, rail and road transportation, often hosts arriving or departing cruise passengers for several days.