Cruise ships returning to the Great Lakes

This article appeared in our newspaper this week.

The Great Lakes Cruise Co. will host three, eight-night cruises to Duluth, Minn., as part of the Lake Superior Grand Tour in August. The Grand Mariner, a 183-foot ship including a maximum of 100 passengers, features an upper and lower berths design allowing for easy travel through shallow waters and narrow channels.

Another tour:
The Lake Superior Grand Tour begins in Charlevoix, (Michigan) and travels the Straits of Mackinac into the northern tip of Lake Huron and through the Soo Locks. The cruise then makes stops at Whitefish Point, Munising, Marquette, Houghton, Isle Royal, Grand Marais, the Apostle Islands and continues in Duluth.

For more information visit:

www.greatlakescruising.com

The Grand Mariner is one of the ships that I've seen going down the Oswego River. There don't seem to be as many of them the past few years. As our neck of the woods is getting less popular it seems that these cruise ships are being moved around to different areas. On that webpage I also recognize another ship's name, the Niagara Prince. Someone (Bob M.?) mentioned seeing her last year around Block Island I think. The cruises that go by my place go from Warren, R.I. to Montreal or the other way around through the NYS Canal System. The ships also travel between those cities via the St. Lawrence and the ocean.

Hi Sue, ...I did see the Niagara Prince (or Princess)docked at Old Harbor on Block Island last summer. I think it may have been there as an "overnighter".

You mention Warren, Rhode Island. That is the home to Blount Marine and Bay Queen Cruises. They build those boats there and also operate Bay Queen Cruises from that location. Those of you who attended the 1998 HL Reunion in Providence will remember the boat we cruised on, the Vista Jubilee.

I imagine a cruise through all that area must bring you by many lights and some wonderful scenery.

Bob

Nice to know the memory's still ok! Yes those boats overnight several places along the way. Up this way they stay at Sylvan Beach at the eastern end of Oneida Lake. The following morning they cross the lake and join the Erie Canal to its junction with the Oswego canal. From there they head northward passing my house after a mile and continue north to Lake Ontario, northeast to St. Lawrence.

Cruising on the Great Lakes probably won't be happening too soon. Just read an article in our paper this am that said the opening of the St. Lawrence River has been postponed from March 25 to March 31 due to 18" thick ice on the river. Maybe that company should start building ice boats! Or the cruise can use one of those ice breakers.

Those cruise ships get lots of use. I believe they go to South America during our winter months. It sounds like the Great Lakes will be a great addition to their itineraries.

Enchanting and the ship sounds really nice. But $4,000 - $5,500 per person double occupancy puts it out of my price range.

Wonder what the Powerball is up to this week?

Yes, these trips don't come cheap. Want to go in the HL yacht John? I'll start rowing as soon as the ice melts and meet you at the lake.

Here's an interesting article on the St. Lawrence Seaway that appeared in our last Sunday's paper.

I hadn't realized that enlargement and year round use of the Seaway was under consideration. If it should ever happen the economic and environmental impact on the area and some of our large ports would be considerable.

doesn't the St. Lawrence freeze tight in some years? Would they be able to keep the ice broken up to allow traffic?