Domestically exotic

Northwestern Financial Review, Mar 1, 2002 by Hilgert, Jackie

Scenic and serene, a Great dances cruise redefines domestic touring

The idea of a week at the lake takes on a new glow when you find yourself steaming through scenic Georgian Bay and the North Channel on your way to view Lake Superior`s wilderness shoreline. Then ogain, a better week at the lake might be spent skirting the marshlands of the Niagara Penin va on your -way to tour old Quebec City. How about setting out from Chicago - the city of Big Shoulders - to spend a week exploring the German and Dutch ports that ring the shores of Lake Michigan? When you spend a week at the lake - cruising - you can be as ambitious or laid back as you like because the waters of the Great Lakes flow with your mood and the ship's crew will make your week a memorable one. Considering a week at the lake? Go...full ahead.

Several cruise lines make the Great Lakes their home waters and are preparing a new season of discovery on these beautiful inland freshwater seas. Over 70 itineraries have been created with excursions varying from threeto five-day cruises looping Georgian Bay or Lake Michigan to longer five- seven- or 14-day cruises that touch the waters of all five Great Lakes. Worked into each allinclusive cruise are daily shore excursions offering a chance to shop, golf, find luck at a casino, tour a museum, or just meander along unspoiled shoreline.

To put inland cruising in perspective, 2,342 miles separate the Atlantic Ocean from the port farthest west on the Great Lakes system, Duluth, Minn, That's a greater distance than Halifax is from the entrance to the English Channel, Consequently, there are cruising opportunities to suit all tastes and budgets. The Great Lakes offer an ever-changing seascape with pastoral shorelines and mile upon mile of rugged wilderness plus ports of call that include the most vibrant American and Canadian cities.

A great first stop in planning at) excursion on the Great Lakes should be at www.cruisingthegreatlakes.org. This conprehensive Web site offers itineraries from several cruise lines, cidds information about dozens of ports of call along each route, and lists pricing for various routes, There also are links to the cruise companies' own Web sites.

Built for the Lakes

The unofficial flagship of the Great Lakes is the MV Columbus, operated by the Great Lakes Cruise Company. Itineraries for this year embark from Toronto or Port Huron, Michigan and among highlights on the water route are stops at Mackinac Island and Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., where you can ride the Algoma Railroad through forests and granite bluffs to the glacial carved cliffs of Agawa Canyon, Canada.

The 400-plus passenger MV Columbus was designed for the navigational challenges of the Great Lakes lock system. It features a restaurant large enough to accommodate all guests at one seating, a lounge for dancing, a wine bar, library, swimming pool, fitness room, sauna, gift shop, hair salon and photo lab. Price of the cruise includes all on-board meals and entertainment, including enrichment lectures, and one night's hotel accommodation in the city of embarkation.

Very Yacht-ish

Passengers receive a taste of Europe while cruising domestic waterways aboard Le Levant. Flying the French flag and operated by Great Lakes Cruise Company, this French-built luxury yacht carries a maximum 95 passengers to secluded coves, remote coastlines and hidden tributaries that larger ships must bypass. Le Levant's staterooms are generously sized, beautifully decorated and located on the outer rim of the ship's interior, giving passengers clear views of the passing scenery.

Le Levant can take you from Chicago to Toronto in eight days with several ports stops, including Door County, Wis., Detroit and Niagara Falls. Ships overcome the navigational barrier imposed by Niagara Falls by passing through the Welland Canal. Passengers can disembark to view the falls while their ship safely navigates the canal.

A special addition to Le Levant's itinerary in 2002 teams the ship's crew with the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society for a live shipwreck dive. With Le Levant positioned nearby, divers navigate their vessel over a shipwreck site and transmit audio and video from underwater cameras into Le Levant's television system.

Inland sea or seaway

Embarking from Rochester, New York, toward Quebec City, the Nantucket Clipper's seven-night cruise meanders through the 1,000 Islands region of the St. Lawrence River where, among other sites, you'll pass Millionaires' Row. Rising from this cluster of islands are the summer homes of the 20th century's wealthiest families. The largest and most infamous of these homes is Boldt Castle. George C. Boldt, proprietor of New York's WaldorfAstoria Hotel, built the castle to honor his wife, Louise. In the midst of construction, Louise died. Devastated by her unexpected death, Boldt never returned to Heart Island and the castle's construction stopped. Tour the now complete Rhineland-style Castle and learn more about its centurylong tale of heartbreak.