ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – A cruise line is set to dock in Escanaba over the weekend.
Victory Cruise Line will be making its first of more than 30 trips to Little Bay de Noc around 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 4. The cruise line’s ships were previously owned by American Queen Voyages, which made Escanaba a regular stop in 2023.
Visitors will explore some of the gems Escanaba has to offer with the help of local tour guides like Mark Cowman.
“They really want to focus on the cultural side of things,” Cowman said. “They’re going to be visiting the Chamber of Commerce where we have a couple of museums, Sand Point Lighthouse, the Delta County Historical Society, the Bonifas Arts Center. They want to come here and get the small-town culture.”
Another cruise line, Pearl Seas Cruises, is also planning two stops in Escanaba this summer. Cowman says the renewed interest in the area and the response from cruise passengers in 2023 are a positive reflection of the Delta County community.
“They love the small town, they love the attitude of the people, the friendliness,” he said. “That’s what they tell us when they get back on the ship. They didn’t know what they were coming here for necessarily because we’re not a big-name town, but when they’re done here they end up saying, ‘This is what I really went on a trip to go see. This is the kind of thing I like to check out.’ I just think it’s a great compliment that they come back to us.”
When American Queen Voyages made its inaugural visit, the community gathered to give the passengers and crew a big welcome. Cowman says a celebration for this cruise line is in the works and will be announced when the weather is a bit warmer.
Visit deltami.org/events-calendar to see when Victory Cruise Lines will be in town. To learn more about the cruise, visit victorycruiselines.com.
