CLEVELAND — The Ocean Navigator arrived at the Port of Cleveland Wednesday morning, marking the beginning of cruise season.
"I've never seen this part of the country," said Jim Arnold, a passenger aboard the Ocean Navigator.
American Queen Voyages, which operates the Ocean Navigator and one other ship, expects to make 28 stops in Cleveland this season.
The Port of Cleveland expects 55 cruise ships to arrive downtown from May to October, double the amount from 2017.
"The cruise ship season obviously is exploding," said Jared Magyar, vice president of operations at the Port of Cleveland. "We're seeing more cruise ships every year."
The experience on the Ocean Navigator is an all-inclusive, nine-day cruise which started in Toronto and ends in Chicago. Arnold told 3News that he spent $20,000 on the cruise for him and his wife.
There are 110 passengers on the Ocean Navigator. Leslie Baker, the manager of shore excursions for the Ocean Navigator told 3News that passengers enjoy five-star meals, along with live entertainment and music each night. The cruise also features a historian to help passengers learn about the Great Lakes.
"Cleveland has a lot to offer that people just don't realize," said Baker.
Passengers took time Wednesday to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well as local museums in University Circle.
"This is more of an activity based[trip], seeing the sights, getting to know your country a little bit better," said Baker.
Magyar told 3News that the cruise season will bring ships from three different companies to the Port of Cleveland for the first time in history.
While American Queen Voyages will make 28 stops in Cleveland this year, Viking Cruises and Pearl Seas Cruises also visit the North Coast several times.
Viking Cruises is expected to stop in Cleveland eight times in 2023. The company tells 3News that this season, both of its 378-passenger expedition vessels, the Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, will call on Cleveland. "With historic canals that are engineering marvels, cities with thriving arts and culture and unmatched wilderness, this is a phenomenal region of North America that may be familiar to many—but few have had the opportunity to explore,” says Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen in a statement. “After our first full season of Great Lakes voyages in 2022, we are grateful for the warm welcome we received from each destination and look forward to introducing even more curious travelers to the region this season and in the years to come.”
Pearl Seas Cruises' 11-night Great Lakes & Georgian Bay excursion will make six stops in Cleveland this season, allowing roughly 1,260 passengers to experience the city. A spokesperson for Pearl Seas Cruises tells 3News that the company is planning two more Great Lakes itineraries in 2024, with a total of 12 visits to Cleveland.