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Discover the Great Lakes + St. Lawrence
  Varies pp

  • Duration: 13 Days
  • Destinations: United States
Starting from Chicago, our exclusive journey across all five of our Great Lakes and down the storied St. Lawrence is highlighted by our 11-night cruise aboard the stylish, 202-guest Ocean Voyager. Enriched by a complete program of shore excursions showcasing the history, beauty and rich maritime heritage of the region, our all-inclusive cruise is enhanced by elegant shipboard dining, an Open Bar and engaging shipboard experts.
Additional Information

Day 1 - Welcome to Chicago

On arrival, you’ll be met and chauffeured to our deluxe city-center hotel for your pre-cruise stay in Chicago. The balance of this day and evening are yours to relax and enjoy as you wish here in this exciting city.

Day 2 - Enjoy Chicago + Embark the mv Ocean Voyager

After breakfast and a leisurely morning to enjoy as you wish, we’ll take you to the pier where the intimate and stylish mv Ocean Voyagerawaits. Settle in to your outside stateroom and then join your fellow travelers for an elegant dinner with wines, cocktails and beverages. Meals B+D

Day 3 - Cruising Lake Michigan

Enjoy this delightful day of cruising as the Ocean Voyagernavigates northward across Lake Michigan. As the day unfolds, you can join our shipboard experts for an enriching talk or gather with your fellow passengers for congenial conversation. Fine dining in two distinct venues and our Open Bar enhance this day. Meals B+L+D

Day 4 - Mackinac Island

With no cars allowed on the island, your horse-drawn carriage tour is a great way to experience the Victorian ambience of this National Historic Landmark. Learn about the island's history and see spectacular turn-of-the-century summer homes built by early captains of American industry. High atop a bluff overlooking the Straits of Mackinac, your tour of Fort Mackinac delves into its strategic importance during the War of 1812. Your sightseeing tour ends at the Grand Hotel, famed for its colonnaded verandah. Opened in 1887, it’s still the longest front porch in the world. As you take in the breathtaking views from this hilltop setting and walk through the Grand’s elegant interior spaces, you may recognize them from Somewhere in Time, the 1980 film starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour that was filmed here. Meals B+L+D

Day 5 - The Soo Locks + Sault Ste. Marie

You might wish to arise early this morning as the Ocean Voyagertransits through the historic Soo Locks where freighters, barges and tugboats traverse the 21-foot drop of the St. Mary’s River between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. The first lock here was built in 1855 and the canal was navigated by 27 vessels during its first year of operation. Today, more than 10,000 ships hauling 86 million tons of cargo pass through these historic parallel locks each year, even though they’re closed during the winter when ice shuts down shipping on the upper Great Lakes! Stepping off here in Sault Ste. Marie, you can join your fellow passengers for flexible Hop-on Hop-off touring. Exploring at your own pace, you’ll be able to visit a number of the town’s highlights including the Valley Camp Museum. Here in the enormous hold of a cargo ship that plied the Great Lakes from 1917 through 1966, you’ll find fascinating exhibits that trace the rich maritime history of the Great Lakes. Other sightseeing stops afford the chance to visit the River of History Museum, to see the historic homes of Water Street, and to marvel at the Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church, one of the oldest churches in the United States. Meals B+L+D

Day 6 - Ashore on Manitoulin Island, Ontario

Sail into beautiful Georgian Bay and step ashore on Manitoulin Island to visit the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation. With its art galleries and state-of-the-art exhibits, this heritage museum is a great place to learn about the region's First Nations people. You can even participate in a smudging ceremony - an ancient ritual that uses smoke from cedar, sage, sweet grass and other plants regarded for their healing powers. A drum and dance performance offers further insight into Ojibwe culture. You’ll also make a stop at the Immaculate Conception Church. With its unique in-the-round architectural style that evokes a teepee and the circle of life, this church is the spiritual focal point of the local community and brings together the beliefs and customs of the native Ojibwe culture and the Catholic Church. Meals B+L+D

Day 7 - Cruising Lake Huron

Enjoy this day of cruising – enriched by our shipboard experts, fine dining, congenial camaraderie with your fellow passengers and our Open Bar. Meals B+L+D

Day 8 - Surprising Detroit

America’s source of industrial innovation and creativity, Detroit has figured both in the development of the automobile and in the “Motown” sound during the 20th Century. Today’s included excursion includes all entry fees to the Detroit Institute of Art and its many galleries, the Museum of African American History, the Detroit Historical Museum and the West Canfield Historic District. You can also choose the optional premium experience at the expansive Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and Greenfield Village. Meals B+L+D

Day 9 - Fine Art + Rock & Roll

Today's excursion begins at the Cleveland Museum of Art. With more than 61,000 works spanning 6,000 years, it's a fascinating and broad look at human artistic achievement - from ancient Greek sculptors and Monet's soothing Water Lilies to Andy Warhol's vibrant and colorful take on Marilyn Monroe. At the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, set in a striking lakefront structure designed by the renowned architect I. M. Pei, you'll discover more than just a collection of Rock & Roll memorabilia. Indeed, its well-curated and thoughtfully presented exhibits trace the evolution of this musical genre and explore its cultural impact upon generations of Americans. Among the items in the collection are Janis Joplin's psychedelic Porsche, Michael Jackson's famous glove, and scribbled lyrics that became 20th-century classics! Meals B+L+D

Day 10 - Thrill to Niagara Falls

A thrilling Hornblower Cruise will take you through the Great Niagara Gorge and past Bridal Veil Falls into the very heart of Horseshoe Falls - where the mighty spray and thundering roar of Niagara will virtually envelope you! Meals B+L+D

Day 11 - Discover Toronto, Ontario

Today you’ll go ashore to explore one of Canada’s most alluring cities. Traveling through the bustling downtown and theater districts, you’ll see iconic landmarks including the 1,815-foot tall CN Tower and the whimsical Berczy Park Dog Fountain that honors humankind’s best and most loyal friend. A walking tour in the Distillery District reveals a National Historic Site where Victorian-era industrial buildings that once belonged to the Gooderham & Worts Distillery have been splendidly restored to house one-of-a-kind shops, galleries, studios, theaters and restaurants. Today, this vibrant district is buzzing with the collective talents, ideas and passions of the city’s leading artists, entrepreneurs and cultural innovators. We’ll be docked here until early this evening, so after sightseeing you’ll have time to experience more of Toronto’s sophisticated charms at your own pace. Meals B+L+D

Day 12 - Cruising the 1000 Islands

An unforgettable day unfolds as we leave Lake Ontario behind and navigate the headwaters of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Heralded as one of the most beautiful stretches of river in the world, the 1000 Islands is an enchanting archipelago of 1,800 forested islands, tranquil bays and remote islets. Once patrolled by Prohibition-era bootleggers, today it’s a breathtakingly beautiful and peaceful haven between northern New York and Ontario. Head to the expansive Sun Deck or relax by a window in the Lounge and take in the views! Final shipboard talks with our Great Lakes experts, fine dining with free-flowing wine, and our Open Bar enhance this day of cruising. Meals B+L+D

Day 13 - Disembark in Montreal

After breakfast and disembarkation, we’ll chauffeur you to the airport for your homeward flight. Meals B

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Product Code: Alexander+Roberts-1236