After years of discussions, Erie is set to become a stop for a Great Lakes cruise line.
Victory Cruise Lines announced that Erie will be included in its new Great Lakes Voyage, with the first ship scheduled to arrive on July 21, 2028.
The itinerary will take passengers through all five Great Lakes and the eight states that border them. Erie will serve as one of the featured ports where passengers will spend the day exploring the region.
“This will be an all five Great Lakes, all eight states that border the inland seas. We will be the first cruise line to do that, and Erie will play a major role in that,” said Shelly Hartfield, Vice President of Destination Development for Victory Cruise Lines.
Each cruise ship will carry approximately 190 passengers. Once docked at the foot of Holland Street, travelers will disembark and visit some of Erie’s best-known attractions, including the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, the Presque Isle Lighthouse, the Bayfront Maritime Museum, the Hagen History Center, Romolo’s Chocolates, and other local destinations.
Intermin VisitErie President and CEO Mark Jeanneret In said the addition of the cruise stop will introduce Erie to a new audience of visitors.
“It brings an audience of tourism to town and, frankly, tourists we wouldn’t otherwise be able to attract,” said Jeanneret. “It opens the door to possible future stops and gives us a great opportunity to showcase Erie to people who may not have visited otherwise.”
Officials said one of the biggest advantages is that the infrastructure needed to accommodate the ships is already in place.
“We are very excited. It’s not going to require a major investment from a port perspective,” said Julie Slomski, Executive Director of the Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority. “The ship will be docked right here.”
County Executive Christina Vogel said residents will not see any tax increase associated with the project.
“There’s not going to be any tax dollars needed to do this because we already have this facility,” Vogel said. “We just need a safety plan and to get all the pieces in place. Victory Cruise Lines will pay a docking fee to the Port Authority and cover the associated costs. It’s going to be great.”
The arrival of Victory Cruise Lines is expected to boost tourism and provide new economic opportunities for Erie while showcasing the city’s waterfront, history, and attractions to visitors from across the Great Lakes region.