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Great Lakes Voyage

Program Overview

Admire magnificent coastal scenery and discover nearly two centuries of North American innovation and maritime history on this one-of-a-kind cruise itinerary from Milwaukee to Toronto—featuring all 5 Great Lakes. Experience the thunderous force of Niagara Falls; the Henry Ford Museum of Innovation in Detroit; the historical charm of Mackinac Island; and transit the Welland Canal and Soo Locks, among the greatest engineering feats of the 19th century. Extend your Great Lakes immersion with the Milwaukee Pre-Program and/or Toronto Post-Program Options.

Program Details

September 29 to October 6, 2024 (Le Bellot)
From $5,895 plus air View Terms & Conditions
  • Eight-day, seven-night voyage between Milwaukee to Toronto, featuring a cruise of all 5 Great Lakes, including a call at Mackinac Island.
  • In Toronto, cruise through 8 locks of the Welland Canal, one of North America’s most important economic lifelines, linking Lake Ontario to Lake Erie.  
  • Full-day excursion to Niagara Falls, with a cruise to Horseshoe Falls and lunch overlooking the falls. 
  • Discover the Sir Adam Beck Power Station, the world’s first large-scale hydroelectric generation project, and Niagara’s famous Floral Clock, intricately filled with 20,000 plants and flowers. 
  • Visit the Detroit Institute of Arts and see Diego Rivera’s monumental Detroit Industry mural, as well as master works by Auguste Rodin; Michelangelo; Vincent van Gogh; Edgar Degas; and Paul Cézanne. 
  • Explore the Edsel and Eleanor Ford Mansion. 
  • Private, glass-bottom boat cruise through Big and Little Tub Harbors and around Flowerpot Island in Tobermory, Ontario. 
  • Visit the SS Valley Camp, a retired lake freighter that is now a museum featuring exhibits of faithfully restored living quarters. 
  • Transit the Soo Locks from Lake Huron to Lake Superior. 
  • Watch colossal freighters lower 21 feet from Lake Superior to enter Lake Huron at the Soo Locks Interpretation Center. 
  • Horse-drawn carriage tour of Victorian Mackinac Island and clifftop Fort Mackinac with lunch at the historic Grand Hotel. 

Day 1 - Depart Home City |
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S | Embark

Day 2 - Day 2 Mackinac Island | Lake Michigan

Day 3 - Day 3 Soo Locks | Lake Superior |
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Day 4 - Tobermory, Canada | Lake Huron

Day 5 - Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | Lake Huron

Day 6 - Detroit, Michigan | Lake Erie

Day 7 - Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada
for Niagara Falls

Day 8 - Toronto | Disembark | Return to Home City

View detailed program itinerary >

This elegant, exclusively chartered, 5-Star Luxury Small Ship features private balconies on all staterooms and suites, complementary alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and warm and inviting public areas.

Le Bellot

Le Bellot, ushers in a new generation of five-star small ships, combining revolutionary design and a new standard of luxury for unparalleled cruising. Dock in smaller ports inaccessible to larger ships, where authentic cultural experiences and majestic scenery await you.

Learn more about Le Bellot >

Milwaukee Pre-Program Option

Rich in architectural treasures and world‑class institutions, vibrant Milwaukee is the perfect extension to your Great Lakes cruise. Enjoy a panoramic tour of the historical North Point neighborhood — home to one of the finest collections of Victorian mansions in the Midwest — and tour the expansive Milwaukee Art Museum, an impressive addition to Milwaukee’s revitalized waterfront. Visit the striking Pabst Mansion, built in Flemish style by Pabst Brewing Company president Frederick Pabst. Accommodations for two nights are in the centrally located Pfister Hotel.

Toronto Post-Program Option

Start your Great Lakes voyage early in cosmopolitan Toronto, one of North America’s most celebrated cultural melting pots. Enjoy a walking tour of the Distillery District, Canada’s premier arts, culture and entertainment destination, and visit Fort York, built in 1793 on the shores of Lake Ontario. Enjoy lunch in the CN Tower’s 360-degree revolving restaurant. Visit Casa Loma, a Gothic Revival mansion and garden built in the style of a European castle by Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. Tour the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto’s crowning jewel with a collection of over 80,000 works. Accommodations for two nights are in the historical Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

The Pre- and Post-Program Options are available at an additional cost. Details will be provided with your reservation confirmation. 

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Program Itinerary

Day 1 Depart Home City | Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S | Embark

Arrive in the world-class city of Milwaukee on the shores of Lake Michigan and transfer to embark the deluxe Le Bellot.Tonight, gather for the Captain’s Welcome Reception.

Day 2 Mackinac Island | Lake Michigan

Cruise Lake Michigan for Mackinac Island, where you’ll set off on a nostalgic horse‑drawn carriage ride through town, passing quaint shops and Victorian homes. Stop for lunch in the elegant main dining room of the Grand Hotel Mackinac, overlooking the world’s longest porch and the Straits of Mackinac. Continue your carriage island tour, with a photo stop at the famed Arch Rock, and a guided visit to Fort Mackinac. Enjoy free time to explore the shops and galleries.

Day 3 Soo Locks | Lake Superior | Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Transit the Soo Locks from Lake Superior to Lake Huron. Arrive in Sault Ste. Marie and explore the SS Valley Camp, a retired lake freighter that is now a museum. Tour exhibits of the ship’s rooms and quarters as they appeared in the early 20th century, and an exhibit detailing the tragic loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Continue to the Soo Locks Interpretation Center to watch colossal freighters ascend 21 feet within the locks, from Lake Superior to enter Lake Huron. Later tonight, watch a First Nation Native American dance performance on the ship.

Day 4 Tobermory, Canada | Lake Huron

Venture out to explore beautiful Tobermory aboard a glass‑bottom boat. Cruise from Little Tub Harbor via Big Tub Harbor—with the remains of Sweepstakes, the schooner that sank in 1885—to Big Tub Lighthouse and around Flowerpot Island. Enjoy time at leisure in Tobermory and return to the ship for lunch as you cruise Lake Huron.

Day 5 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | Lake Huron

Discover Detroit on a guided tour, followed by a visit to the historic Fisher Building. Next, explore the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. Its collection includes Abraham Lincoln’s chair from Ford’s Theatre, Thomas Edison’s laboratory, the Rosa Parks bus, and many more exhibits representing defining moments in U.S. history. Detroit is known as the birthplace of Motown,
and tonight’s entertainment by Tee Turner of  The Miracles features these soulful tunes.

Day 6 Detroit, Michigan | Lake Erie

Begin at the Detroit Institute of Arts, one of the most significant collections of art in the nation. See Diego Rivera’s monumental “Detroit Industry Murals,” as well as masterworks by Auguste Rodin, Vincent van Gogh, Michelangelo, Edgar Degas and Paul Cézanne. Then, step into history during a visit to the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House and grounds, an example of design excellence.

Day 7 Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada for Niagara Falls

Drive along the Niagara River to embark upon an exciting Hornblower Cruise to the base of Horseshoe Falls. Experience the sheer force and thundering roar of this geological wonder. Then, enjoy an exclusive lunch on the 33rd floor of the Hilton Niagara Falls with spectacular falls views. Then, visit the landmark Niagara Parks Power Station, and the Niagara Falls Tunnel (optional) to descend 180 feet in a glass-paneled elevator, leading to an observation deck at the river’s edge. Pause at the Whirlpool Rapids for a view of the Niagara Gorge and the famous Floral Clock. Attend the Captain’s Farewell Reception tonight.

Day 8 Toronto | Disembark | Return to Home City

Following breakfast, disembark and transfer to the Toronto Airport for your return flight home.