New Cruise Heading Towards Duluth Costs Up To $75K Per Couple
A new ship has entered the Great Lakes, and it will certainly be the talk of the town when it arrives for its first visit to Duluth later this month.
We've had a few random cruise ships visit Duluth over the years, but nothing like this, the Octantis is owned and operated by Viking Expeditions Cruises and it will start cruising the Great Lakes this year with several different ports of call, one of them being Duluth.
Duluth is a stop on the 'Great Lakes Collection' cruise, this is a 15-day cruise that starts in Toronto and ends in Duluth, with stops in all five Great Lakes, including Niagara Falls, Clevland, Detroit, Mackinac Island, Thunder Bay, and even a trip through the Soo Locks.
The ship itself is brand new, and when it's not sailing in the Great Lakes (because it's frozen) it's busy cruising around South America and the Antarctic. The 665-foot Octantis can accommodate 378 guests with a crew of 256, the ship has 189 staterooms and they aren't cheap.
The 'Great Lakes Collection' cruise that includes Duluth as a stop starts at nearly $14,000 per person or $28,000 per couple, and if you want to cruise while staying in the 'Owner's Suite' (the largest and nicest on the ship), that will set you back $75,000 per couple.
All staterooms come with an outside view and are loaded with extras including luxury beds and linens, big TVs, free wi-fi, binoculars, a minibar, and 24-hour room service. The ship even has a submarine and an onboard laboratory for scientists to work out of during certain voyages.
Viking is known for its high-end luxury exploration cruises and they've been expanding into different areas, including a new Mississippi cruise that starts this year. This cruise is clearly not for everyone, but for those who can afford it, it looks like a once-in-a-lifetime type of experience, and it's a great boost for Duluth tourism.
It looks like the ship will stop in Duluth once a month through September, and you can track the ship's whereabouts anytime using this online cruise ship tracker. The ship will dock right behind the DECC when it's in Duluth.