Cruise lines sailing the Great Lakes during 2026 are sticking with tried-and-true destinations along Michigan’s shorelines.
The season, which typically runs from April to October, will include six cruise lines operating nine ships that will make hundreds of stops at port cities around the Great Lakes basin.
Michigan has eight ports of call for the upcoming season:
Alpena
Detroit
Escanaba
Houghton
Mackinac Island
Marquette
Muskegon
Sault Ste. Marie
Those are the same cities that welcomed ships in 2025. Mackinac Island routinely see the most visits; in 2025, the popular non-motorized island had 80 calls .
Hapag-Lloyd, Pearl Seas, Ponant, Victory and Viking cruise lines are all returning to the freshwater seas next year. Meanwhile, American Cruise Lines is joining the lineup for

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