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7 Night Great Lakes Explorer Cruise from Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Ship: Viking Octantis

Cruise Line: Viking Oceans

Sailed: Thursday, Jun 27, 2024 from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

Ended: Thursday, Jul 4, 2024

The itinerary information below reflects the original day-by-day port of call schedule for the Thursday, Jun 27, 2024 departure of the Viking Octantis. If Viking Oceans modified this itinerary for weather or operational reasons after departing , the modified schedule would not be reflected here.

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Itinerary

Day by Day Summary and Map

Day 1 - Thursday - Jun 27, 2024

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

Embark your ship and settle into your stateroom. Milwaukee was first settled by Europeans in 1818, when French-Canadian fur trader Solomon Juneau arrived. German, Polish, and Eastern European immigrants followed, bringing with them a long tradition of beer brewing. For several decades in the 20th century, Milwaukee became the world's most prolific beer producer. Today, the city is a vibrant center of art, history, and culture. The RiverWalk, a pedestrian walkway along the Milwaukee River, is a popular spot for enjoying relaxing strolls or viewing public art installations.

Day 2 - Friday - Jun 28, 2024

Mackinac Island, Michigan, United States

Steeped in the charms of simpler times, Mackinac Island is a gem of the Great Lakes. Located in the Straits of Mackinac where Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas are closest and Lakes Huron and Michigan meet, this bucolic haven preserves gilded Victorian-era treasures along car-free streets traversed by horse-drawn carriages. The perimeter road is the only state highway in the US that does not permit motor vehicles. More than 80% of Mackinac is protected as a state park, from its Greek Revival Grand Hotel and British-built Fort Mackinac to its preserved wilderness areas.

Day 3 - Saturday - Jun 29, 2024

Fathom Five National Marine Park, Ontario, Canada

Fathom Five National Marine Park is nestled between the waters of Georgian Bay and Lake Huron. Its rugged landscapes offer a picturesque backdrop to the blue-tinged waters that are a popular destination for scuba divers to explore an array of sunken shipwrecks. Nearby Flowerpot Island is famed for its rock formations and historic lighthouse, with hiking trails that showcase a wealth of treasures. The Saugeen Ojibway People are collaborating with Parks Canada on an environmental project to protect the freshwater ecosystem, for today and beyond.

Day 4 - Sunday - Jun 30, 2024

Killarney, Ontario, Canada, Canada

Killarney was founded by a French-Canadian fur trader in 1820; he named the post Shebahonaning, or "canoe passage". Its location on the northern shore of Georgian Bay made it ideal for trading. Nearby, the stunning cliffs of the La Cloche Range rise dramatically above the shores of Lake Huron. These remarkable mountains are the pinnacle of Killarney Provincial Park, a vast wilderness of lakes and eastern mixed forest. This breathtaking expanse of protected land is laced with hiking trails and-true to Killarney's original name-canoe routes that link the area's lake system.

Day 5 - Monday - Jul 1, 2024

Frazer Bay, Canada

Frazer Bay is located off a remote finger of land on the eastern tip of the North Channel in Ontario's Georgian Bay, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Its eponymous hill reaches almost 600 feet, offering sweeping views of the surrounding landscape. The bay lies near Killarney Provincial Park, a vast wilderness of lakes and eastern mixed forest framed by glacier-sculpted pink granite cliffs. Across the channel lies scenic Manitoulin Island, the world's largest freshwater lake island and itself home to another 108 freshwater lakes-some with islands of their own.

Day 6 - Tuesday - Jul 2, 2024

Soo Locks, United States

The Soo Locks is a series of parallel locks that make river travel between Lake Superior and Lake Huron possible, thereby linking Superior to the lower Great Lakes and the Atlantic. Opened in 1855 to allow ships to bypass the river's 21-foot fall over roiling rapids, this innovative lock system-along with the Erie Canal built 30 years prior-was one of the great engineering projects of its day. Today, it guides ships past the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie in Ontario and Sault Ste. Marie in Michigan; its bridge crosses over the Soo Locks, connecting the two cities.

Day 7 - Wednesday - Jul 3, 2024

Silver Islet, Canada

Silver Islet sits on the southern edge of the Sibley Peninsula at the mouth of Thunder Bay. Nearby Sleeping Giant Provincial Park attracts outdoor enthusiasts year-round with its diverse wildlife and many miles of hiking trails that lead to spectacular views of the Canadian Shield landscape. Less than a mile from its shores are the remnants of an abandoned silver mine. Located 1,200 feet below Lake Superior, this unique underwater mine was one of the largest and most valuable silver mines, producing the modern-day equivalent of $78 million before flooding in 1884.

Day 8 - Thursday - Jul 4, 2024

Thunder Bay, Canada

Thunder Bay is known as "Canada's Gateway to the West" for its location at the final navigational point on the Canadian side of Lake Superior. Originally founded as a fur trading post, a settlement was established in 1803 and Fort William was erected. In 1970, Fort William and neighboring Port Arthur were merged to form the City of Thunder Bay. Today, it is one of Ontario's most vibrant cities and a center of art and culture. Its Waterfront District is beloved for its views across the bay of the Sleeping Giant, a long line of mesas that resemble a giant lying on its back. Transfer to your ship and settle into your stateroom.