Cruising the Great Lakes: Toronto to Chicago - Westbound 2025

12 days
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USTOA

Small Ship Cruise
The Great Lakes have played a vital role in the history and culture of North America for centuries... and this cruise invites you to explore the storied waters of Lakes Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario – and some of the unique cities and towns that have grown along their shores – with a 7-night voyage between Chicago and Toronto aboard your Ponant Explorer-C...
From$10,790
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Overview

Trip type
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate

Highlights

    • The mighty Great Lakes have played a vital role in the history and cultural fabric of North America for centuries... explore their storied waters... and unique cities and towns... that have grown along their shores...Enjoy a 7-night Great Lakes cruise between Chicago and Toronto aboard a beautiful Ponant yacht
    • plus two-night stays at your choice of premium hotels in these two great anchor cities. You'll sail through Lakes Ontario
    • Erie
    • Huron and Michigan
    • calling on destinations including Detroit
    • Mackinac Island
    • Cleveland and more. Explore urban planning and revitalization in a re-emerging Detroit; celebrate American invention and ingenuity at The Henry Ford in Dearborn; enjoy lunch at Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel; ride a dune buggy along the Lake Michigan shore; sample Holland
    • Michigan's Dutch heritage
    • tulips and beer culture; experience an architectural cruise
    • a taste of Chicago in America's 'Second City

What's this trip about?

    The Great Lakes have played a vital role in the history and culture of North America for centuries... and this cruise invites you to explore the storied waters of Lakes Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario – and some of the unique cities and towns that have grown along their shores – with a 7-night voyage between Chicago and Toronto aboard your Ponant Explorer-Class ship, plus two-night stays at your choice of premium hotels in these great anchor cities!

Details

Itinerary focusOperator does not provide
Group sizeStandard Group - 25 + people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start City Toronto, Canada
End CityChicago

Travel Themes

  • Small Ship Cruise

Destinations

Activities

  • Culture

Trip includes

    • View the distinctive architectural styles of the Chicago skyline on an informative river cruise in Chicago, hearing the stories behind iconic works by Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan and others Enjoy an early morning, private opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Gratuities to Tauck Directors, ship staff and local guides Tauck's private shore excursions and distinctive inclusions valued at $4,500 Two nights in Chicago and Toronto at your choice of hotel pairs; Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park &Fairmont Royal York or Four Seasons Hotel Chicago & Four Seasons Hotel Toronto (additional cost) Seven nights aboard a Ponant small ship, cruising Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron and Michigan

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Arrive Toronto

Tour begins: 5:00 PM, Fairmont Royal York or Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. 
A transfer is included from Lester B. Pearson International Airport to your choice of two premium hotels in the heart of downtown, Fairmont Royal York or Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. Settle in and join us for a welcome reception and dinner at Casa Loma, located in midtown...
Day 2 Toronto & Niagara Falls

Drive to Niagara Falls to see the awesome power of the falls up close by boat (rain pancho provided). The falls on the border between the US and Canada – Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls – pour 6 million cubic ...

Day 3 Discover Toronto & Embark ship

Take your choice of sightseeing excursions in Toronto today. A visit to the Royal Ontario Museum offers you the world under one roof, with 40 galleries and a collection of 6 million artifacts of art, culture, and natural history, fr...

Day 4 Sailing on the Welland Canal

At Port Weller, your ship enters the Welland Canal, which links Lake Ontario to Lake Erie, for a day spent at sea. The 27-mile canal is a marvel of engineering which allows ships to bypass the Niagara River and Niagara Falls. Throug...

Day 5 A day in Cleveland

Spend a day in Cleveland, Ohio, including an early opening visit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Created by combining different elements of jazz, rhythm and blues, gospel and country music, rock and roll has transformed the mus...

Day 6 Detroit sights & The Henry Ford

After arriving in Detroit midday, you'll have a choice of activities in and around the city today. Get a guided tour of the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and Greenfield Village – a.k.a. The Henry Ford – in Dearborn (subje...

Day 7 A day on Lake Huron

Spend the day sailing Lake Huron up the scenic east coast of Michigan toward the Mackinac Straits. The eastern shore is called the Sunrise Coast, a long parade of beaches, sand dunes, inlets, small towns, and as many as 30 lighthous...

Day 8 Timeless Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island has been a popular retreat since the 19th century when wealthy industrialists built imposing summer cottages here. The island restricts the use of motor vehicles; except in emergencies, the only way to get around is ...

Day 9 Dunes & Dutch treats in Michigan

Head out from Muskegon for a choice of activities. You may choose to travel to Saugatuck to experience the giant sand dunes that line the shores of Lake Michigan; dunes as high as 200 feet rise along an area of woods and beachfront ...

Day 10 Disembark ship & Discover Chicago

In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire burned a swath through the city center, erasing thousands of buildings and leaving more than 100,000 people homeless. But the catastrophe left space for new generations of architects like Frank Lloyd ...

Day 11 Art Institute or Millennium Park

You have a choice of two sightseeing tours this morning. Visit the celebrated Chicago Art Institute, a palatial Beaux Arts-style building on Michigan Avenue that houses more than 300,000 works of art and an architectural school that...

Day 12 Journey home

Tour ends: Chicago.
 Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park or Four Seasons Hotel Chicago O'Hare Airport or Chicago Union Station. Allow three hours for check-in.

MEALS : B

PORTOFCALL : Chicago, Illinois, USA

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Dates & Availability

Price From $10,790
Price per day$899
Last Updated: 11/13/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Double Standard
Single Standard
Availability
18 Aug 2025
30 Aug 2025
$10,790
$15,969
01 Sep 2025
13 Sep 2025
$10,790
$15,969

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Tauck.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Tauck Reviews & Ratings

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Other Tauck Reviews

K

Kurlyk40

May 2024

Written on

Great Scenery but Accommodations Lacking for cost

My husband and I booked the Yellowstone tour with Tauck expecting so much more with the accommodations, food, and tour director based on the price point. We were sa...

S

Susan

Jun 2023

Written on

Nine Tours and Done

Sad to see a once good tour company stumble and fall into mediocrity. That’s Tauck post-Covid. My May 2023 tour of Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley was done o...

C

Cougess

Jan 2023

Written on

Skip this cruise - not worth it

My husband and I went on the Treasures of the Mediterranean Isles Trip jn October 2022. This was our third Tauck cruise with Ponnant but our first post covid and the...

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Tour Operator

Tauck

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It's easy to see the world's sights. To stand in long lines, push through the crowds, and generally have the same standard-issue vacation as everyone else. But that's not good enough for us, and it's not good enough for you. We believe that travel should be easy. It should be fun. It should be worth your time and the price you paid. It should re-energize and transform. And above all else, it should be beyond the ordinary. Because how you see the world matters.

In 1882, Herman Tauck arrived in New York City from Germany in search of the American dream. His determination and values were passed on to his son, Arthur Tauck, who would realize that dream. With ingenuity and an innovative spirit, Arthur started Tauck Motor Tours, a travel company that would give birth to a new industry. The first tour, through the back roads of New England, was created by this 27-year-old in 1925. It embodied the same successful formula used by Tauck today: do the right thing. Craft a life-enriching travel experience; provide it at a single all-inclusive price; ensure there is great value for money; and rely on recommendations of satisfied customers to build a following and grow the business.

Two elements that did change over the next 90+ years – and three generations of Taucks – were the scope of destinations served and the variety of modes of travel used. Today Tauck delivers life-enriching travel experiences to every corner of the globe, incorporating small cruise ships, premium riverboats, trains, helicopters and more. What started as a New England motor coach tour company has truly evolved into an extraordinary global travel company. The fourth generation of Taucks is now involved in the company. While remarkable in any business, this seamless continuity across generations speaks to shared vision and values.

Throughout its history, the concept of “family” at Tauck has gone far beyond those sharing the surname to include hundreds of valued employees, and hundreds of thousands of loyal guests. The story of Tauck is the story of a unique American family company celebrating a passion for travel – a story that will continue to inspire generations to come.

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Accommodation

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Age Requirements
No age restrictions
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Additional Information
Trip ID
tauck-GLW2025

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