Cruise ship company that visited Duluth to leave the Great Lakes

American Queen Voyages, a cruise ship company that made two stops in Duluth this summer, says it plans to pull out of the Great Lakes starting next year, a move that comes amid a surge in growth for the cruise industry on the Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway.

In an email the Florida-based company said bookings for Great Lakes cruises — including 16-day trips departing from Chicago that traversed Lakes Michigan and Superior and stopped in Duluth — have been strong, and its itineraries well received by guests.

“We decided to make this shift to refocus on what our travelers have come to know and love us for, and to continue to improve the customer experience on our river and Alaska itineraries for the 2024 season.”

The company added that its inability to operate its two vessels, the Ocean Navigator and Ocean Voyager, for 12 months of the year “has created extended off-season operational costs, which outweigh the benefits to achieve our overall business success.”

The ships are 286 feet long and carry around 200 passengers. The company now intends to sell them.

Big lake, big attraction

Prices for its Great Lakes cruises ranged from around $5,000 to $16,000 per person.

American Queen Voyages began sailing on the Great Lakes in 2019 and made two stops in Duluth last June — the first time the city had welcomed cruise ships in the past decade.

That was part of a larger revival the cruise industry experienced on the Great Lakes last year, after a two-year hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Around 20,000 cruise passengers traveled the Lakes, a new record, said Dave Lorenz, travel director for the state of Michigan. and chair of Cruise the Great Lakes.

Part of that growth was due to Viking’s decision to enter the Great Lakes market. The international cruise company debuted the 665-foot long Octantis last year and this year launched its sister ship, the Polaris.

“This very well known, very big brand, Viking, coming into the area shook up the competitive landscape,” said Lorenz.

It also sparked further interest in the Great Lakes by other cruise companies, Lorenz said.

Hapag-Lloyd launched its ship the Hanseatic Inspiration in the Great Lakes this year for the first time, which will make two stops in Duluth this summer.

That brings the total number of ships on the Great Lakes this year to 11, up from nine last year, operated by eight different cruise companies.

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