Massive ship docks in Detroit as Great Lakes cruise industry continues to grow

**Jimaz** · May-01-23, 05:56 PM

Massive ship docks in Detroit as Great Lakes cruise industry continues to grow

DETROIT{WWJ} – Detroit got its first visit of the year from a massive cruise ship on Monday, with roughly 300 passengers making a stop for tours in the Motor City.

The 665-foot Viking Octantis docked at the Port of Detroit around 8 a.m. Monday and set sail again around 2 p.m. after taking tours at the Henry Ford Museum and Pewabic Pottery.

As the Great Lakes cruise industry continues to grow, Detroit is set to see a record 67 cruises dock this season, with 11 different ships, according to officials with the Port of Detroit. Last year, a record was set with 52 cruise ships coming to town....

The Octantis is currently on a long, 62-day voyage from Buenos Aires to Milwaukee. It will make stops in Alpena on Tuesday and Mackinac Island on Wednesday before ending the trip in Milwaukee on Thursday....

**401don** · May-01-23, 06:24 PM

I'm guessing they got a great price for cruising the end of April. Maybe they can build a snowman somewhere along the way.

**oladub** · May-01-23, 07:00 PM

I wonder what all the passengers will do when they get off their ship in Alpena. The world's largest cement plant is in Alpena. Maybe they could tour that. https://www.worldrecordacademy.org/2...ichigan-422380

I'm here to help.[COLOR=var[[--primaryText)]Things to Do in Alpena[/COLOR] besides walk off some weight.

**softailrider** · May-01-23, 08:27 PM

Mackinaw Island in the 1st week of May doesn't do too much for me either.

**ParisianLesion** · May-01-23, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by softailrider

Mackinaw Island in the 1st week of May doesn't do too much for me either.

GEEEEZ. Your Michigan card is hereby revoked. It's MackinaC Island.

**jcole** · May-02-23, 09:02 PM

They could put them on busses and run them up to Rogers City to see the Calcite quarry; damned thing is huge.

Originally Posted by oladub

I wonder what all the passengers will do when they get off their ship in Alpena. The world's largest cement plant is in Alpena. Maybe they could tour that. https://www.worldrecordacademy.org/2...ichigan-422380

I'm here to help.[COLOR=var[[--primaryText)]Things to Do in Alpena[/COLOR] besides walk off some weight.

**jcole** · May-02-23, 09:04 PM

Used to be that it wasn't too bad up there then; lilacs were getting ready to bloom, but climate has changed things

**Lapooty** · May-03-23, 07:47 AM

I thought the dock near hart plaza was too small for these ships?

good thing someone figured out its not, probably not a good first impression when docking at nicholson terminal

**stasu1213** · May-03-23, 08:06 AM

Detroit should focus on making that dock loading ramp bigger

**401don** · May-03-23, 08:36 AM

This Charlie Langton guy looks like a real small town goof shouting Welcome to Detroit in this video.

**oladub** · May-04-23, 09:19 AM

The ship, the Viking Octantis, has a capacity of 378 passengers and 260 crew members. Length 665', beam 77' built 2022. Open the link for photos, and its schedule. Eight day one-way tours are about $6,000. From Milwaukee to somewhere around Tierra Del Fuego is $50,000. The ship's schedule is at the bottom of the page. It could be an opportunity for an Uber driver to give Detroit tours. Its next visit to Detroit will be somewhere around May 15-16 en route from Toronto to Milwaukee.

Great Lake and Canada cruises

present location

**Hypestyles** · May-04-23, 10:01 PM

.... and do these cruise boats compensate the city, when they discharge their sewage into aged downtown sewer infrastructure and cause restroom overflowing/floods nearby..

**Richard** · May-04-23, 11:50 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

.... and do these cruise boats compensate the city, when they discharge their sewage into aged downtown sewer infrastructure and cause restroom overflowing/floods nearby..

Yes they do,it is included in the port fees and they do not just dump raw sewage,they have on board treatment plants and then it goes into a holding tank where the little bacterial enzymes go to work,it’s actually cleaner then when you flush your toilet because it all becomes liquid form.

The path it takes is on the city,if there are issues then they need to be addressed by the city so that’s where the beef would be.

**MikeM** · June-23-23, 11:00 AM

Cruise line to end Great Lakes voyages

American Queen Voyages will end operations on the Great Lakes at the end of the 2023 cruising season, the company announced. The Ocean Navigator and Ocean Voyager will go up for sale.

While bookings have been strong and guests have enjoyed the cruises on the Great Lakes, the company has been unable to create a 12-month schedule for the two vessels, making their operation too costly, company president Cindy D’Aoust told WJMN.

**expatriate** · June-23-23, 11:15 AM

Doesn't seem as appealing to me a cruising the Rhine castles, but these are folks who have probably done that already and can afford the high price of these Great Lake cruises.