ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – On Sunday, May 14, the first American Queen Voyages cruise ship arrived in Escanaba’s Little Bay de Noc.
The Ocean Navigator is one of two ships scheduled to make a total of 28 combined stops in Escanaba between now and October. Upon its arrival Sunday morning, passengers were greeted by the Escanaba City Band, the Players de Noc, local dignitaries, and enthusiastic community members.
“It’s a special time for us,” said Vicki Micheau, executive director of the Delta County Chamber of Commerce. “We wanted it to be a memorable one not only for our guests but of course for American Queen Voyages, so they can appreciate the welcome our community is giving them and they will know what to expect with their next 27 visits to Delta County.”
Passengers enjoyed pastries from local shops, then attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Mayor Mark Ammel presented the ship’s captain with a key to the city. Guests then made their way onto buses to tour some of Escanaba’s highlights.
“We’re hoping that the visitors find all of the things that we love about this town to be just as endearing to them as they are to us,” Mayor Ammel said.
State Representative Dave Prestin and State Senator Ed McBroom attended the ceremony to welcome the ship’s passengers to the Upper Peninsula. Senator McBroom even took a tour of the Ocean Navigator.
“It’s beautiful,” he said. “You can see why people enjoy taking these trips around and visiting all these various interesting ports. It looks like a good time for everyone who’s on board and it has very nice accommodations.”
Until its 5:00 p.m. departure, the ship was docked at North Shore Marine Terminal and Logistics. North Shore Marine co-owner Nicholas Kobasic says the partnership is beneficial for both the cruise line and the city.
“It’s been several months in the making and working with American Queen has been great,” said Kobasic. “They’ve been very helpful in getting us situated and bringing this new event to our town.”
Escanaba and Delta County officials believe the first ship’s arrival is the beginning of a boost for the area’s tourism industry and economy. Mayor Ammel hopes it’s one that will last for years to come.
“I think it’s just a really great start to a really bright future that we have ahead of us here,” he said.
The next American Queen Voyages ship will be docked at North Shore Marine on Thursday, May 18 from 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
