Great Lakes Cruise 2025

We explored on the Viking Cruise Lines Niagra Falls, Alpena, Detroit, Mackinac Island and Milwaukee. The lucky ones were Marc, Rechelle and my Mom: Marilyn Wolff!

Here is the Video:

https://youtu.be/PS1aNx0xKpM

Great Lakes Adventure: Viking Cruise with Mom & Rechelle

This summer, Mom, Chelle, and I set out on a Viking cruise through the Great Lakes—an unforgettable journey filled with natural beauty, fascinating history, and meaningful time together.

Getting There

We drove up to Montreal and caught a direct flight to Toronto, where we boarded our Viking ship. Mom was in room 4045, while Chelle and I were in 4030.

Day 1: Getting Settled

The first night on board, we simply relaxed and got settled in. The ship featured two sit-down restaurants—one Italian and one more traditional—as well as a buffet offering everything from sushi to steaks made to order. Dessert options were plentiful!

Day 2: Niagara Falls

Our first excursion was to Niagara Falls, and it didn’t disappoint. In my opinion, it’s even more beautiful than Victoria Falls. Mom, Richelle, and I walked around, took great photos, and marveled at the rainbows forming in the mist. We stopped by the gift shop, where the coffee was terrible—but the vibes were good.

Onboard Life

• Mom could usually be found at the Explorer Bar by 4 PM.

• Chelle and I stayed active, hitting the treadmill daily in the well-equipped gym.

• The spa was a highlight—complete with a steam room, a cold “bucket shower,” and even a snow grotto that actually made snow!

• There was a small top-deck pool, but we only got one sunny day; the rest were mostly rainy.

Excursions & Ports

Alpena

We visited a shipwreck museum—fascinating stuff. The Great Lakes are home to a surprising number of shipwrecks, and we learned quite a bit.

Detroit

The Ford Museum was outstanding. Beyond classic cars, it featured historical displays like:

• JFK’s limousine

• Ronald Reagan’s limo

• The iconic Oscar Mayer Wienermobile

Mackinac Island

This was one of our favorite stops. Cars aren’t allowed, so we explored the island by foot and with a guide named Marc (spelled just like mine).

• Victorian-style homes, lush gardens, and immaculate grounds

• The Grand Hotel, where Somewhere in Time was filmed

• And of course—we had to try the island’s famous fudge

Milwaukee

We toured the Harley-Davidson Museum, where we saw:

• The very first Harley

• Elvis Presley’s Harley

• The tsunami Harley, which washed up in Canada and was donated to the museum

  
  

  We also visited the Pabst Mansion, the former home of the Pabst beer family.

Post-Cruise in Milwaukee

After disembarking, we spent an extra day in Milwaukee, and we were impressed:

• The city is clean, safe, and full of character

• They repurpose historic buildings instead of tearing them down

• I went for an 8-mile run along the scenic trail system

• We explored the local Public Market, similar to Pike Place in Seattle

• We did a wine tasting and had dinner at Saffron, an Indian restaurant where:

  
  

  • Mom loved her Old Fashioned

  • I had a smoked Manhattan lit on fire—fantastic

  • Chelle enjoyed a Negroni mocktail and even got the recipe

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Final Thoughts

• Viking’s service was almost too attentive—they interrupted a bit too much during meals, constantly asking how things were

• The ship was clean overall, but one hallway consistently had an odd smell they never seemed to fix

• The food was decent, not amazing

• Room service was available 24/7, which we took advantage of often

• Mom even hit the treadmill a few times!

• Chelle doesn’t drink, so she sometimes stayed in while Mom and I enjoyed time at the bar

• Viking allows you to bring your own wine, which was a nice perk

• The water was smooth the whole time—no seasickness

Would We Cruise Viking Again?

Probably not. While the experience was positive, we’d likely try a different cruise line next time. That said, the Great Lakes are absolutely worth exploring, and the memories we made on this trip will stay with us forever.