zThe Great Lakes + Canada - Our Cruise + Tour

On arrival, you’ll be met and chauffeured to our deluxe city-center hotel for your pre-cruise stay in Chicago. The balance of this day and evening are yours to relax and enjoy as you wish here in this exciting city.

After breakfast and a leisurely morning to enjoy as you wish, we’ll take you to Navy Pier, one of the city’s premier downtown attractions and home to restaurants, shops, the iconic Centennial Wheel, and an inviting beer garden overlooking Lake Michigan. The mv Victory I is the only cruise ship to dock in this privileged location – the perfect place from which to begin your Great Lakes adventure! Step aboard and settle in to your outside stateroom before joining your fellow travelers for a congenial dinner with wines, cocktails, and beverages.  Meals B+D

Delight in this day of cruising as we navigate northward along Lake Michigan. Take in the scenery from the expansive Observation Deck, enjoy congenial conversation in the Lounge, or join our engaging Great Lakes experts for an enriching talk. Elegant dining in two distinct venues – the Coastal Dining Room and the casual al fresco Grill - and our Open Bar enhance your day at sea.  Meals B+L+D
 

With no cars allowed on the island, your horse-drawn carriage tour is a great way to experience the Victorian ambience of this National Historic Landmark. Learn about the island's history and see spectacular turn-of-the-century summer homes built by early captains of American industry. High atop a bluff overlooking the Straits of Mackinac, your tour of Fort Mackinac delves into its strategic importance during the War of 1812.
 
Your sightseeing tour ends at the Grand Hotel, famed for its colonnaded verandah. Opened in 1887, it’s still the longest front porch in the world. As you take in the breathtaking views from this hilltop setting and walk through the Grand’s elegant interior spaces, you may recognize them from Somewhere in Time, the 1980 film starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour that was filmed here. Sit down to the hotel’s renowned Grand Luncheon Buffet and then return to ship as our cruise continues.  Meals B+L+D

This morning, the mv Victory I transits through the historic Soo Locks where freighters, barges and tugboats traverse the 21-foot drop of the St. Mary’s River between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. The first lock here was built in 1855 and the canal was navigated by 27 vessels during its first year of operation. Today, more than 10,000 ships hauling 86 million tons of cargo pass through these historic parallel locks each year, even though they’re closed during the winter when ice shuts down shipping on the upper Great Lakes! 
 
Today you can also join your fellow passengers for flexible Hop-on Hop-off touring. Exploring at your own pace, you’ll be able to visit a number of the town’s highlights including the Valley Camp Museum. Here in the enormous hold of a cargo ship that plied the Great Lakes from 1917 through 1966, you’ll find fascinating exhibits that trace the rich maritime history of the Great Lakes. Other sightseeing stops afford the chance to visit the River of History Museum, to see the historic homes of Water Street, and to marvel at the Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church, one of the oldest churches in the United States.  Meals B+L+D

Sail into beautiful Georgian Bay and step ashore on Manitoulin Island to visit the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation. With its art galleries and state-of-the-art exhibits, this heritage museum is a great place to learn about the region's First Nations people. You can even participate in a smudging ceremony - an ancient ritual that uses smoke from cedar, sage, sweet grass and other plants regarded for their healing powers. A drum and dance performance offers further insight into Ojibwe culture.

You’ll also make a stop at the Immaculate Conception Church. With its unique in-the-round architectural style that evokes a teepee and the circle of life, this church is the spiritual focal point of the local community and brings together the beliefs and customs of the native Ojibwe culture and the Catholic Church.  Meals B+L+D

Enjoy this day of cruising – enriched by our shipboard experts, fine dining, congenial camaraderie with your fellow passengers and our Open Bar. Your A+R Host is on-hand throughout to ensure a more rewarding and completely carefree experience.  Meals B+L+D

A+R guests enjoy today’s Premium Excursion to the Henry Ford Museum. More than just a showcase of the auto industry, this museum explores 300 years of history and innovation. Among the highlights are the limousine that transported John F. Kennedy through Dallas on November 22, 1963, the bus on which Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat in 1955, and even an artfully deconstructed, amazingly displayed Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman.
 
You’ll also tour Greenfield Village; encompassing 80 acres of interactive indoor and outdoor exhibits, the seven historic districts that make up Greenfield Village offer an inspiring look into American ingenuity and resourcefulness, showing how we've lived, worked and played over the past 300 years.  Meals B+L+D

Today's excursion begins at the Cleveland Museum of Art. With more than 61,000 works spanning 6,000 years, it's a fascinating and broad look at human artistic achievement - from ancient Greek sculptors and Monet's soothing Water Lilies to Andy Warhol's vibrant and colorful take on Marilyn Monroe. At the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, set in a striking lakefront structure designed by the renowned architect I. M. Pei, you'll discover more than just a collection of Rock & Roll memorabilia. Indeed, its well-curated and thoughtfully presented exhibits trace the evolution of this musical genre and explore its cultural impact upon generations of Americans. Among the items in the collection are Janis Joplin's psychedelic Porsche, Michael Jackson's famous glove, and scribbled lyrics that became 20th-century classics!  Meals B+L+D

Delight in today's Premium Excursion into the lovely vineyard landscapes of the Niagara Peninsula. A thrilling Hornblower Cruise will take you through the Great Niagara Gorge and past Bridal Veil Falls into the very heart of Horseshoe Falls - where the mighty spray and thundering roar of Niagara will virtually envelope you! Then sit down to lunch atop the Skylon Tower - 775 feet above Niagara Falls! From here, you’ll have breathtaking aerial views of all three of Niagara's Canadian and American cascades. And on a clear day, the view stretches for 80 miles to encompass the city skylines of Buffalo and Toronto. In the afternoon, visit a local winery for a tasting of their fine vintages and then explore the galleries and boutiques in the charming town of Niagara-on-the-Lake before returning to the ship.  Meals B+L+D

After breakfast and disembarkation in Toronto, you’ll be met by our engaging and experienced Canadian guide. Leaving the city behind, you’ll journey along Lake Ontario to Kingston for a luncheon cruise through the 1000 Islands, a lovely archipelago of 1,800 forested islands, tranquil bays and remote islets. Once patrolled by Prohibition-era bootleggers, today it’s a breathtakingly beautiful and peaceful haven between northern New York and Ontario. Back on land, we’ll continue through the rolling farmland, following the rivers and lakes of the historic Rideau Waterway to Ottawa where we’ll spend the night at the historic Lord Elgin Hotel.  Meals B+L

This morning’s sightseeing begins at the National Gallery of Canada. Originally founded in the late 19^th century, Canada’s premier art gallery is now housed in a striking contemporary structure of glass and granite. In addition to the country’s finest assemblage of European masterpieces, the National Gallery houses the world’s most complete collection of Canadian art. Continue with the city’s most important landmarks including the residence of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the home of the Governor General – the Queen’s representative in Canada. On Parliament Hill, overlooking the river and downtown, you’ll admire the Parliament Buildings of Canada with their impressive Neo-Gothic façade and towers.
 
After the city tour, we’ll depart Ottawa for Montreal. Delight in the forested hills and deep valleys of the beautiful Laurentian Mountains. The region is rich in flora and provides sanctuary for moose, deer, beavers and foxes. On arrival in Montreal, we’ll check in to The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth. This evening is yours to explore, relax and dine as you wish.  Meals B+L

With our expert Canadian guide, this morning’s city tour focuses on historic Old Montreal landmarks like the Notre Dame Basilica, a grand Gothic Revival landmark built in the early 19^th century and graced with magnificent stained glass depictions of Montreal’s religious heritage. You’ll also experience the youthful vitality of the Latin Quarter and see the handsome campus of McGill University. Then delight in the lively sights and sounds of the historic Jean Talon Market, founded in 1933. Engage with the friendly merchants, mingle with city residents, and sample some local Quebecois specialties – perhaps some artisanal cheeses or freshly baked pastries. Then return to The Fairmont and enjoy the rest of your afternoon and evening at leisure.  Meals B

We’ll chauffeur you to the airport today for your homeward journey.  Meals B