(WXYZ) — We may be coming into the heart of winter, but looking ahead to 2025, Great Lakes cruises are expected to continue to grow, according to Cruise the Great Lakes.
The organization which is the cruise marketing program released its report on Tuesday, saying it expects to welcome over 22,000 individual passengers. That's up 10% from 2024.
According to Cruise the Great Lakes, there are expected to be 700 port visits and 150,000 passenger visits throughout the Great Lakes – up nearly 30%.
The organization said 2025 will bring the return of Victory Cruise Lines to the Great Lakes, bringing the total number of cruise lines to six – Pearl Seas, Viking, St. Lawrence Cruise Lines, Ponant, Hapag-Lloyd and Victory.
“As we look to 2025, we’re excited to see continued growth in the Great Lakes cruise sector,” Cruise the Great Lakes Tourism Director Cathleen Domanico said in a statement. “We forecast this upcoming season to be even stronger than 2024, both in terms of passenger numbers and economic impact, which underscores the appeal of cruising in the Great Lakes.”
Cruising is expected to bring in $230 million in economic impact across the Great Lakes region, a 15% increase from 2024.
