Chicago Cruises, Boat Rides & Tours City Cruises

Great Lakes cruises also bring days that are all about getting up close to wonders both natural and human-made — from towering Niagara Falls to the engineering marvel that is the Welland Canal. Included tours are part of what you're paying for when you pay the high prices noted above. So you can go off on your own in any of the places these ships visit. But you might just have a no-extra-charge outing including many of the highlights of each place already planned for your voyage. As noted above, the Great Lakes offer a wide mix of attractions and experiences.

Live it up on an Island Party Boat

Chicago contains several outstanding museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago (1879-founded, one of USA's largest art museums), Du Sable Museum of African-American History (1961), Field Museum of Natural History (1893). In Hyde Park are the Museum of Science and Industry (1893) and the Oriental Institute (1919). In Lincoln Park are the Chicago Historical Society (1856) and the Chicago Academy of Sciences (1857).

When to book a Great Lakes cruise

Odyssey Lake Michigan presents special prix fixe dinner cruises, offering guests the opportunity to try one of Chicago’s most unique dining experiences at an incredible... These tiki-themed boats are always a good time, offering drink packages, stellar views, and fun vibes. You can hop on an Island Party Boat at Monroe Harbor or the Chicago Riverwalk, which is also where you’ll find their beach-inspired bar Island Party Hut. Choose from a river cruise, lake cruise, tacky tour guide cruise, or even a dueling pianos cruise.

Bicycle Tours

Woman wounded in shooting as she was leaving cruise ship at Navy Pier - NBC Chicago

Woman wounded in shooting as she was leaving cruise ship at Navy Pier.

Posted: Sat, 28 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Departing from Navy Pier, this 75-minute narrated cruise is the best way... A two-hour Lake Michigan lunch cruise is the perfect way to enjoy time with family or the company of great friends. Lake Michigan dinner cruises are the perfect setting for celebrating with friends, connecting with colleagues, or a romantic evening.

City Cruises – Signature Lunch Cruise on Lake Michigan

Outfitters such as Jack’s Livery Stable offer drive-yourself carriages. However you arrive, be sure to visit Arch Rock, which affords stunning views. Sightseeing tours are operated by local tour companies (Seadog Ventures), as well as water taxi services, coastal cruises and dinner cruises (by the ships Spirit of Chicago, Odyssey II, Mystic Blue). Chicago has one of the most beautiful lakefronts in the world, backed by a skyline of soaring skyscrapers. Travelers landing at Navy Pier will find a combination of Crystal Palace, stained glass museum, lovely Coney Island and festival marketplace stretching out into the lake.

Many Great Lakes cruises begin or end in Chicago, with some including an overnight in the city, allowing time to explore. Don't miss a stroll down the Magnificent Mile and a sightseeing boat ride on the Chicago River (a great way to get an overview of the city and see some of its architectural gems). The Chicago River, which cuts through downtown Chicago as it flows from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River, offers incredible views of the city’s skyline. Whether beginning or ending your river cruise in Chicago, you will enjoy your time in this big city with a Midwestern sensibility and friendly people. Chicago is America's third largest city and home to such American luminaries as President Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Robin Williams and many more wonderful people. The “Windy City” is a large metropolitan area that offers incredible beauty through its architecture, thriving nightlife and downtown area.

There’s always something worth celebrating with cruises on Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. Our partners offer themed cruises for major holidays, as well as a wide variety of special events that are sure to get you in the party mood. From laid-back sightseeing cruises and elegant dining cruises to heart-pumping thrill rides to upscale private charters, Lake Michigan and Chicago River cruises departing from Navy Pier offer a memorable experience for all. The Navy Pier has fireworks shows scheduled on every Wednesday and Saturday night (during summer) and on every Saturday night (during autumn). It also hosts the themed events Winter Wonderfest (in December and January, sponsored by PNC Bank).

Choose from seven perfectly sized ships for your private event. Shoreline Sightseeing’s water taxis are a great way to get around town. Starting in May and running through September, our water taxi service offers fast... Whether you’re a native Chicagoan, newcomer, or just visiting, a Spirit of Chicago brunch cruise is the perfect weekend outing. The spacious yachts comfortably fit up to 49 or 120 people, making them the perfect option for a large celebration or an intimate gathering.

The cruise season in the Great Lakes is also limited in its length by the opening and closing of the St. Lawrence Seaway — the system of locks, canals and channels that connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. Cruise vessels that operate in the Great Lakes can't access the region until the locks on the St. Lawrence Seaway open for the summer, something that typically happens the last week of March. They need to be out of the Great Lakes before the St. Lawrence Seaway closes for the winter (typically in December). With an overwhelming world of choices, we understand you may need some personal assistance to plan your perfect vacation.

These ships offer intimate experiences combined with crewmembers who anticipate your every want and need. It’s everything you desire on a larger cruise ship, minus everything you wish you could cast away. Book your group aboard one of Spirit’s regularly scheduled lunch, brunch, cocktail or dinner cruises, or...

You'll start in, say, Toronto, and work your way west to Chicago — or vice versa. Great Lakes cruise weather can be chilly at the start of the season, with low temperatures in the 40s in May in some areas and highs in the 60s. It warms up considerably by July and August, with high temperatures in the 70s and 80s.

One classic destination is Michigan’s picturesque Mackinac Island, famous for its 120-year-old tradition of no motorized vehicles. Visitors instead get around on foot or bike or in horse-drawn carriages. For those who want to go beyond the fudge-and-tchotchke circuit along Main Street, 80 percent of the island is Mackinac Island State Park.

Shoreline’s 40-minute Skyline Lake Tour offers a relaxing way to experience the panoramic of the city’s famed skyline as seen from majestic Lake Michigan. With the sunshine reflecting off the lakefront, there’s no better place to enjoy an afternoon in Chicago than aboard a lunch cruise. Perfect for corporate outings and special occasions, group cruises and private charters offer unforgettable experiences for up to 800 guests.

Want to take a cruise without spending half your vacation getting to your departure point? Consider the Great Lakes, which offer 11,000 miles of shoreline and the possibility of sailing far beyond sight of land. The Great Lakes Cruise Company offers departure hubs in Chicago and Milwaukee from which you can be onboard and en route to a range of destinations in a twinkling.

Officials said Williams flew to Miami last week to get on the cruise to Puerto Rico. They said she returned home Wednesday night, and initially lied about her identity. On Tuesday, deputy constables responded to a welfare check at her apartment.

For three generations, Wendella Tours and Cruises has been cruising the Chicago waterways. With its variety of tour options, cruise times and lengths, and a heated, enclosed cabin, Wendella is a great choice for families looking for flexibility. Choose from lake & river architecture, sunset cruises, and more. Join us for a fantastic tour of historic and scenic places on small ship cruise from Chicago. On this multi-day voyage over the untamed coasts and little-visited ports of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, the magnificence of native flora and fauna awaits.

Houston, Texas mom, Lakesha Woods Williams, leaves 2 children alone to go on cruise, records state

Table Of Content

• When do cruises go to the Great Lakes?
• AQSC-American Queen Steamboat Company announces itineraries for 2021 cruise season
• See the skyline aboard Mercury Cruises
• City Cruises – Odyssey Lake Michigan Groups
• City Cruises – Seadog River and Lake Architecture Tour
• Entertain the family with Wendella Boats

Step onto a real, historic fireboat and get ready for a unique experience with Chicago Fireboat Tours. The river tours are given aboard a real piece of Chicago history — a retired fireboat that patrolled the Chicago from 1937 to 1981. Tours are led by expert docents and include historic and sunset options. SeaDog also offers lakefront speedboat tours and a river/lake architecture tour, featuring views of Chicago’s iconic Buckingham Fountain, Grant Park, Museum Campus, and more. Around the world, Chicago is known for its outstanding architecture, and it’s easiest to admire the city’s legacy from the water.

When do cruises go to the Great Lakes?

Navy Pier’s brunch, lunch and dinner cruises pair world-class cuisine with panoramic views of the city and lakefront. As of 2022, AQV-American Queen Voyages (fka AQSC-American Queen Steamboat Company) is the only cruise brand which boats dock overnight at downtown's Navy Pier. In 2022, AQV's sisterships Ocean Navigator and Ocean Voyager were scheduled to visit the city.

AQSC-American Queen Steamboat Company announces itineraries for 2021 cruise season

Some of the ships also offer sailings that combine travel on one or more of the Great Lakes with a passage through the St. Lawrence Seaway. In some cases, these latter trips include travel all the way to Montreal. All this can be seen via an overland trip, of course, and many people explore the Great Lakes region by car or on motorcoach tours. But the region is so sprawling — the Great Lakes touch eight U.S. states and the Canadian province of Ontario — that logistically it's almost impossible to experience the area in a broad way on a single trip without going by ship. The Great Lakes probably isn't the first place that comes to mind when you think of cruising. But in recent years, the region has grown enormously as a cruise destination — and for good reason.

See the skyline aboard Mercury Cruises

Cruise lines often run sales in the fall or in the early months of the year (a period known in the cruise industry as "wave season"). Some of the most desirable cabins might be sold out; being flexible about your sail date or itinerary can help. Note that Great Lakes cruise vessels don't travel directly on the 36-mile-long strait that connects Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, which is known as the Niagara River (lest they go plunging over the falls). Instead, they use the Welland Canal — another marvel of engineering and an attraction in its own right. For example, seven-night Viking sailings in the region start at $5,995 per person. Recalling the handsome elegance of 20th century luxury yachts, our vessels are sure to make an impression.

City Cruises – Odyssey Lake Michigan Groups

Of the three main lines operating in the Great Lakes, as noted above, Pearl Seas Cruises focuses the most on the region's small towns, with fewer stops at bigger cities. Both cater to a generally older crowd, which is the main market for Great Lakes cruises. Viking's itineraries have the most outdoorsy options, while Pearl Seas Cruises offers trips with a lot of small-town stops.

The Water Taxi stops at Ogilvie Transportation Center, Chinatown, Goose Island, the Chicago Riverwalk, Michigan Avenue, and River North. Mercury Cruises also offer Urban Adventure, Canine Cruises, and Chicago by Night tours. He hopped in the driver seat to stop it but hit the gas pedal instead of the brake, pinning several people against two concrete barriers. "These children were left unattended for many days and put in harm's way," said Keegan Childers, the chief prosecutor of the 209th District Court. "For them to provide for themselves, feed themselves, take care of themselves, as well as, what if somebody breaks in? What if there's a bad neighbor? Any number of horror, nightmare scenarios that could come up."

Outdoor attractions include the Light Tower Ride, Wave Swinger, Remote Control Boats, Ferris wheel, Carousel. If you're planning to do some outdoorsy pursuits, such as kayaking or hiking, be sure to bring appropriate activewear. And don't forget to pack a rain jacket, if not a complete rain gear outfit, including a wide-brimmed waterproof hat, rain pants and waterproof shoes or boots. Located at the northeastern edge of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Sault Saint Marie is the site of the Soo Locks, a marvel of engineering that connects Lake Superior to Lake Huron.

Because the Great Lakes has such a short season with a limited number of ships, sailings in the region are often in high demand and people plan early. Newcomer Viking, notably, has told TPG it has seen brisker sales this year for its Great Lakes trips than sailings to Antarctica — one of the world's ultimate bucket list destinations. Motor City should probably be called Museum City, as it's home to a wonderful array of museums worth a visit, from The Detroit Museum of Art and the Motown Museum to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History.

2024 Chicago New Years Eve Cruise – The Midnight Kiss 12/31/2023 - Choose Chicago

2024 Chicago New Years Eve Cruise – The Midnight Kiss 12/31/2023.

Posted: Sun, 31 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Speedboat Tours and Thrill Rides

The best time to book a Great Lakes cruise is right when a cruise line first opens bookings on that sailing, often more than a year in advance. You'll have your pick of itineraries and cabins and often the best fares. Known as "Canada's Gateway to the West" because it's the final navigational point on the Canadian side of Lake Superior, Thunder Bay is one of Ontario's most vibrant cities and a center for art and culture. It's also a hub for outdoorsy pursuits including mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking and angling, as it's nestled within boreal forests. All of the above lines operate ships in the Great Lakes that carry fewer than 400 passengers. In general, the vessels are intimate and relatively high-end, with pricing to match.

The locks themselves are the big attractions in Sault Saint Marie — head to the observation deck at Soo Locks Park to watch freighters passing by and learn more at the Soo Locks Visitor Center. The two main players in Great Lakes cruising are Viking (a newcomer in 2022) and Pearl Seas Cruises. Each has one vessel devoted to the region (Viking Octantis and Pearl Mist, respectively).

This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. The new DW60 model was purchased from Dutch Wheels (Holland-based company) to replace the old wheel. There is a similar in design Ferris wheel in Hong Kong (China). Among its features are the 2-sided cars (allowing faster and easier loading / unloading), fortified structure (withstanding strong winds up to 115 mph / 185 kph), safety glass (withstanding heavy storms).

The unit smelled of urine, records state, and was in disarray, with trash and left-over food strewn about. The children told the deputies their mother left to vacation on a cruise. Perfect for groups of 2 up to 800, Odyssey Lake Michigan offers all-inclusive packages, unique private space and event planners to help with every detail. Cruise ships to Chicago dock (anchor) at Navy Pier - located on Lake Michigan's shoreline (in the city's neighborhood Streeterville).

Touring the Great Lakes by ship is by far the easiest way to see a wide range of the area's attractions — from vibrant cities to natural wonders — in a single trip. Choose from dozens of itineraries as you explore iconic destinations along the Great Lakes. From the rich history of Mackinac Island and French Canadian villages to the breathtaking shoreline of Lake Superior and the cultural epicenters of iconic cities such as Detroit and Chicago, you can create memories to last a lifetime. Book your group aboard one of Odyssey's regularly scheduled lunch or dinner cruises, or have an event... The best Great Lakes cruise ports include the handful of relatively big cities in the region, such as Chicago, that are loaded with cultural sites, nightspots and restaurants, as well as charming small towns such as Holland, Michigan.

You’ll go through a brief training session before you hit the water, but you’re free to paddle the river or lake at your own pace. Or join in a guided tour to catch the sunset, fireworks, or historic highlights. Rentals are available at the Chicago Riverwalk or Monroe Harbor. Chicago Illinois is the 3rd-largest city in the USA, as well as one of the country's leading commercial, industrial, transport and financial centers.

Some Great Lakes itineraries only include stops at relatively small towns such as Midland, Parry Sound and Little Current in Ontario; and Muskegon, Marquette and Houghton in Michigan. Others mix in calls at some of the bigger cities of the Great Lakes region, notably Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland and Toronto. On longer sailings, vessels often will overnight in such places as Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Thunder Bay. Lengthwise, you'll find Great Lakes voyages ranging from seven to 15 nights. Some of the sailings travel across all five of the Great Lakes. Others focus on just three or four of the interconnected bodies of water.

Illinois River is one of the Mississippi's principal tributaries and has length ~ 273 mi (439 km). Illinois River originates in Chicago (Lake Michigan), flowing to the southwest across Illinois and emptying into the Mississippi River near Grafton. In the 18th-19th-centuries, the Illinois River has always been an important trade waterway connecting the Mississippi with Lake Michigan (the Great Lakes). The Canal's transportation operations ceased in 1900 when was opened the "Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal"/aka Chicago Drainage Canal (length 28 mi / 45 km) connecting the rivers Chicago and Des Plaines. With the Chicago Drainage Canal (1907-extended), the Chicago River's flow was reversed (now out of Lake Michigan).