"At one time there were more people asleep on boats on the Great Lakes than on any other ocean of the world."

Harry J. Wolf, 1909-1987

Marine Historian.

The Great Lakes were an established means of communication by North America’s first peoples, long before Canada and the U.S.A. were nations. Following the discovery of North America, adventurers explored the Lakes and natural habitats, while seeking the North West Passage.

As European settlers arrived in successive waves of migration, lake transportation was often the only viable means of communication between established communities in the east and pioneer settlements in the west.

For nearly 100 years, from the early 1800’s, packet boats with a dual freight and passenger role were the predominant mode of transportation within the region. However as vessels grew in size and iron hulls and steam power advanced in sophistication, the demand for ships that were more a floating hotel than freight boat grew.

Vessels became quite luxurious - rivaling the quality of accommodation on the great ocean liners of the day, but transportation - despite the quality of the appointments, was as a means of communication rather than leisure. However by the early 1900’s, towns and cities were well established around the Great Lakes and the populace looked for places to enjoy their weekends and vacation time. This was the resort era some of which, like Mackinac Island can be enjoyed to this day. Overnight cruising also came into its own, and by the 20’s and 30’s, there were many lines offering ships with all levels of accommodation.

The Chicago, Duluth and Georgian Bay Transit Company in the USA operated two well known vessels, the "North American" and "South American" that offered 7 day cruises between Detroit and Duluth or Detroit, Montreal and the Saguenay. The "South American’s" last voyage, after 50 years service, was in 1967, to the Montreal Expo. Canada Steamship Lines offered service from Detroit to Montreal and the Saguenay Fjord, and with service to Toronto and other Lakes ports with their three ships the "Noronic", "Hamonic" and "Huronic". Canadian Pacific connected their rail heads with a cruise on either the "Assiniboia" or the "Keewatin" between Port McNicoll and Thunder Bay.

Of all these great vessels, only the "Keewatin" which sailed the lakes from 1907 to 1965 lives on as a museum ship in Douglas Michigan.

After the opening of the Montreal Lake Ontario section of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959, a number of ocean cruise vessels ventured in. The first in the 1960’s were the "Princes Irene" and "Prins Willem van Oranje". These ships, in deference to their Dutch heritage called in at Holland on Lake Michigan. In 1974 Sun Lines "Stella Maris" offered 7 day cruises from Montreal to Chicago. In 1975, the "Discoverer" was brought in for limited cruising.

In recent years however, the main overnight activity has been with small pocket liners operating mainly east of Kingston in the scenic Thousand Islands on Lake Ontario and as far as the Saguenay Fjord.