THUNDER BAY — This will be the final season on the Great Lakes for cruise ship operator American Queen Voyages, but a spokesperson for a group that promotes cruising in the region says the overall outlook remains bright.
Still, the company has decided to sell the 202-passenger Ocean Navigator and Ocean Voyager and focus its business on its river and Alaska cruise itineraries.The company said its inability to operate it and its sister ship for 12 months of the year have led to extended off-season operational costs that outweigh the vessels' benefits to its business objectives.
"Several years ago, we decided to develop the north shore of Lake Superior between Thunder Bay at one end — being the turnaround port — all the way as far as Marathon. We've developed a project called the Lake Superior North Shore Inside Passage, to include all the communities as cruise destinations. Thunder Bay, Silver Islet, Red Rock, Rossport, Schreiber, Terrace Bay, Slate Islands, and eventually hopefully Marathon.