For the first time since the early 1900s, Great Lakes cruisers will soon be able to shuffle off to Buffalo.
American Cruise Lines, a Connecticut-based fleet of cruise ships, is making its first foray into the Great Lakes market with its ship American Patriot, offering domestic cruises that hit only American ports of call, including stops in Buffalo beginning next May.
Victory Cruise Lines will begin stopping in Buffalo in 2027, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Friday during a stop at the Outer Harbor.
Starting in May, ACL will offer a Great Lakes and Thousand Islands cruise that departs from Oswego and ends in Cleveland, Ohio. The reverse itinerary is also available, to start in Cleveland and end in Oswego.
But like most Great Lakes cruises, the trips are pricey. This one starts at $8,675 for a nine-day, eight-night cruise.
The new cruises are a major step forward in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s promise to bring cruise ships to Buffalo, which she said will provide a regular influx of tourists who will boost the local economy. The trips, which would give cruisers a limited taste of the Queen City, are expected to keep the travelers coming back for more on return trips in the future when they are able to stay longer.
Because the cruises are domestic, there is no need for them to visit a customs terminal. But it’s not yet clear where the boats will dock on their stops here, considering the Great Lakes cruise ship terminal planned for the Outer Harbor, along the south berth of Slip 2, has not yet been constructed.
It’s to be located where the former Pier restaurant was demolished in 2007. Construction on the terminal is slated to begin by early next year and finish up in mid-2027.
Associated improvements would include upgrades to seawall shoring, site remediation, improved public access and other infrastructure upgrades. Plans also call for the design of one or two small, single-story buildings for customs processing and restrooms.
“Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. is working with American Cruise Lines to find a temporary docking location for the 2026 cruising season, which would allow them to bring passengers to Buffalo before the cruise terminal on the Outer Harbor is complete,” said Pamm Lent, a spokesperson for Empire State Development.
In July, Hochul announced that Victory Cruise Lines has committed to begin stopping in Buffalo in 2027.
The state wants to convert the former site of the Pier restaurant into a home port and stop for Great Lakes cruise ships, bringing a new form of tourism to Buffalo with a new set of international visitors, while also filling in a sizable gap on the Lake Erie waterfront.
Based in Indiana, Victory Cruise Lines operates two 200-passenger cruise ships on the Great Lakes and has sent the city a letter of intent committing to stops in Buffalo. The letter is pending completion of terminal facilities in Buffalo and an agreement involving the line’s use of the seawall mooring.
American Cruise Lines is planning four 2026 excursions with Buffalo stops: May 22, May 29, June 5 and Aug. 27. Prices start at $8,675, which includes airfare.
In addition to Buffalo, the cruise stops in Clayton in the Thousand Islands, where travelers can visit the Antique Boat Museum and island mansions from the Gilded Age; in Rochester, where cruisers can walk the gardens at the George Eastman Museum; and in Cleveland, where they can visit the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame or trattorias in the city’s Little Italy section. It also travels through the Welland Canal and devotes days to traveling the lakes without stops.
During their onshore excursions in Buffalo, travelers are encouraged to visit the city’s revitalized waterfront and the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Darwin Martin house, according to booking listings on the cruise line’s website.
The cruise takes place on the new ship American Patriot, inaugurated this year, which will offer rare access to smaller ports, ACL said. Accommodating about 130 guests, it boasts spacious staterooms, each with a private balcony.
Lounges provide space for relaxation and socializing on the water, while offering views. The ship caters to a smaller crowd and focuses on comfort, elegance and coastal exploration, according to the company’s website.
The top deck features a Sky Walk, there is a fitness center on the fourth deck, and a cafe on the sundeck offers cruisers casual dining options. There is an elegant dining room for evening meals, once travelers return to the boat.
On board, cruisers on ACL can attend lectures and talks by historians and other subject matter experts, and enjoy live music and other entertainment.
Several classes of staterooms on the Great Lakes cruises that stop in Buffalo are already sold out for each sailing. The top-of-the-line Grand Suite is already fully booked on each trip, as is the entry-level single balcony room.
The second swankiest option, the nearly 500-square-feet Sky Suite with floor to ceiling sliding glass doors and a breakfast bar, is still available for $11,550 per person on some trips, along with the Vista and Premium balconies, which book for $9,115 and $8,675 respectively.
River cruise ships are smaller than the oceanliners that carry travelers to exotic locales in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The boats are equipped with traditional bows and designed for smooth sailing despite rough water conditions.
In addition to the new Great Lakes cruise, ACL cruises to such places as New England, Alaska and the Puget Sound on the coast of Washington.
The business news you need
Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.
* I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Samantha Christmann
News Business Reporter
Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!
Your notification has been saved.
There was a problem saving your notification.
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Followed notifications
Please log in to use this feature
Log In
Don’t have an account? Sign Up Today