CLEVELAND — A new Viking cruise ship making its maiden voyage was welcomed in Cleveland on Tuesday.
The city is just one of the stops on the 15-day Great Lakes Collection excursion for the new Viking Polaris ship that holds nearly 400 guests and 250 crew members.
"We're getting one of the top-of-the-line cruise vessels that are coming to Cleveland, so I hope these visitors get to see our community and all we have to offer," said Cleveland City Council President Blaine Griffin.
The 665 foot ship was built in 2022 and will make stops in 13 locations along the Great Lakes.
Viking already has one ship doing the rounds in the Great Lakes, but after being fully booked, they decided to add a second ship to the route. Other stops in the cruise from Toronto to Duluth, Minnesota include Mackinac Island in Michigan, Wisconsin's Door Peninsula and Ontario's Georgian Bay.
When docked in Cleveland, guests can do narrated tours, arts and even food tours around the city. You can go on a biking tour of the Towpath Trail or hike in Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
"We've increased this industry by 700% over the past couple of years. To watch us rebound and be back in the hospitality industry, which does so much for our economy, this is a huge day," Griffin said.
Viking Cruises will dock in Cleveland eight times this year. A total of 55 cruise ships will stop in the Port of Cleveland this season, including visits by Pearl Seas Cruises and American Queen Voyages.
Cruise the Great Lakes is expecting about 170,000 people to visit Great Lakes ports, bringing in an estimated $150 dollars a day per guest in Cleveland and approximately $180 million total to the Great Lakes area.
