Wisconsin News

Record year for Great Lakes cruises expected to bring more visitors to Wisconsin

May 26, 2026

Nebraska resident Linda Little has been taking an annual “girls trip” with a group of childhood friends since the 1980s.

In 2024, they decided to try something a little different: a Great Lakes cruise from Toronto to Milwaukee.

Little said the cruise gave passengers plenty of time to relax in the spa or on the deck, as well as explore Midwestern port communities like Detroit and Milwaukee.

“We just enjoyed that very relaxing vibe,” Little said. “A lot of people think you can only achieve that by sitting on a beach in the Caribbean. But the Great Lakes, we found, were just wonderful, especially in the middle of summer.”

They aren’t the only ones who’ve enjoyed the experience. Great Lakes cruises are growing in popularity, with 2026 expected to be a record-breaking year.

The economic impact of cruising on the Great Lakes is projected to be more than $300 million this year, up 25 percent from last year, according to Cruise the Great Lakes, a marketing program aimed at bringing more passengers to the region.

Ten ships across seven cruise lines are slated to operate on the Great Lakes this year. Together, they will carry more than 23,000 passengers, up 5 percent from 2025, Cruise the Great Lakes says.

Wisconsin Tourism Secretary Anne Sayers, who chairs Cruise the Great Lakes, said the expected record-breaking season is “such good news for Wisconsin” because the Great Lakes can serve as a “gateway” to the state, bringing first time visitors to five of the state’s port cities.

“It’s also helping to set perceptions of the region,” Sayers said. “A lot of these folks are new. It’s first-time visitors to Wisconsin, and what they’re seeing is way cooler than they even expected, and they’re taking those perceptions back to where they’re from.”

The Port of Milwaukee welcomed its first cruise ship of the season in April and is expecting its busiest year yet.

The Port expects 64 cruise ship visits between April and October, bringing an estimated 20,000 passengers this season.

For comparison, last year the port had 23 cruise ship visits with around 11,255 passengers.

In a statement, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said the cruise industry helps bring energy to Milwaukee’s waterfront while supporting the city’s local businesses.

“Cruising in Milwaukee represents more diners in our restaurants, more overnight stays in our hotels, shoppers in our neighborhoods, and visitors experiencing our cultural attractions,” Johnson stated. “This all supports more jobs for residents, stronger business for entrepreneurs, and increased revenue for vital city services.”

The cruise season had an estimated $2.5 million impact on the local economy in 2025, and that number is expected to rise to more than $3.5 million in 2026, according to the Port of Milwaukee.

When she visited Milwaukee in 2024, Little said she was a little disappointed that the cruise ship moored in an industrial area, but she said they still enjoyed the city.

She said her group scheduled golf cart tours with City Tours MKE that allowed them to explore.

“They took us all over the beautiful city of Milwaukee,” Little said. “We were just super, super impressed with Milwaukee, and how cool it was. In fact, two of the gals have since taken weekend trips up to Milwaukee.”

Milwaukee is hoping to complete its South Shore East cruise dock by August. Johnson’s statement called it “a major investment that further positions Milwaukee as a premier destination on the Great Lakes.”

Green Bay, meanwhile, will triple the number of cruises it welcomes this year. Six are expected to stop in the city in 2026, up from two in 2025.

According to Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich, that’s expected to bring around 785 passengers to the community and generate $327,164 in economic impact. He said the passengers will explore Lambeau Field, the National Railroad Museum, the Green Bay Botanical Garden and other local attractions.

In a statement, Discover Green Bay CEO Brad Toll called it a “tremendous opportunity” for the community.

“Each ship that visits introduces travelers from around the world to our community while generating meaningful economic benefits for local businesses,” he said. “We’re excited to continue building on this momentum in 2026 and to showcase all that Green Bay has to offer cruise passengers.”

Officials hope those visiting Wisconsin aboard cruise ships exploring the Great Lakes make return trips to the Badger State.

And after her visit to the state two years ago, Little plans to come back someday.

She said her friends are looking at another cruise route that would begin in Milwaukee and head east with a stop in Chicago before returning.

“We have said that we would do that because we just found it to be just such a relaxing way to see that neck of the woods,” she said. “The people we encountered — the tour guides we had, the staff at restaurants — everyone was just lovely and friendly, or as we would say, ‘Midwest friendly.’”