Cruising Michigan’s Great Lakes Costs More Than You Expect

When it comes to spending money on vacation people are not just looking for the best deal, but the best value for the price. When it comes to going on a cruise there are definitely ways to save as big cruise lines compete with each other to get your business.

Many people have set sail on a Caribbean, European, Mexican or even Alaskan Cruise. But would you ever consider a cruise in the Great Lakes? Cruise company Viking debuted their new Great Lakes collection of cruises in 2022 when their ship, the Viking Octantis, began escorting vacationers across throughout the region.

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In 2023 they launched the Octantis' twin sister ship the Viking Polaris. These two ships offer several itineraries with several different price points. You would think that a cruise in the Great Lakes would be cheaper than a cruise in the Gulf or an ocean. But you would be wrong.

Granted, traveling to an out-of-state cruise port can be costly whether you drive to your destination or fly. But even with the added travel cost for a cruise elsewhere there is a stark difference in the cost of cruising the Great Lakes.

Like other cruise companies Viking offers a variety of options from duration to accommodations. However the cheapest ticket per person for an 8-day Great Lakes cruise in April with basic accommodations starts at a whopping $5,995 per person. On the other hand an 8-day Eastern Caribbean cruise booked through Carnival that sails out of Miami costs around $879 per person.