Port Milwaukee celebrates record-breaking 2026 cruise season
Viking Polaris arrives at Port Milwaukee on April 23, 2026
MILWAUKEE - Port Milwaukee closed its 2026 cruise season on Saturday, Oct. 31, welcoming nearly 20,000 passengers throughout the season.
2026 cruise season
By the numbers:
Milwaukee's 2026 Great Lakes cruise season officially began on April 23 with the arrival of the Viking Polaris and concluded on Oct. 31 with the departure of the American Patriot.
Over the course of the season, Port Milwaukee welcomed 62 cruise visits from eight different ships, bringing nearly 20,000 global travelers to explore Milwaukee and the Great Lakes.
Back in 2025, Milwaukee hosted around 11,000 cruise passengers over the course of 22 ship visits.
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The cruise lines docking at Port Milwaukee in 2026 include American Cruise Lines, Pearl Seas, Ponant, Hapag Lloyd, Victory, and Viking.
Port Milwaukee welcomes American Cruise Lines for 1st time
Port Milwaukee welcomed American Cruise Lines to the city for the first time Wednesday. City officials expect 2026 to be a record-breaking season.
What they're saying:
"Milwaukee's 2026 cruise season was another exciting opportunity to showcase our city to visitors from around the world," Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said. "Each ship docked along our shoreline brings visitors who support our local businesses and restaurants, and contributes to the vibrancy of our waterfront. I am grateful for the Port Milwaukee team and our cruise industry partners that make this possible. I look forward to building on this momentum in the 2027 season."
"This record-breaking season brought the world to Milwaukee, giving nearly 20,000 cruise visitors a chance to discover our incredible food, explore our neighborhoods, visit our cultural institutions and experience the hospitality that makes this city so memorable," Visit Milwaukee President and CEO Peggy Williams-Smith said. "Those visits bring customers through the doors of our local businesses and introduce Milwaukee to new audiences around the globe. We’re so proud to work alongside Port Milwaukee and our tourism partners to keep that momentum growing."
Port Milwaukee welcomes 1st cruise ship of 2026 season
Port Milwaukee welcomed the Viking Polaris on Thursday, April 23 – the first cruise ship to call on the city for the 2026 season.
According to a news release, additional data detailing the 2026 cruise season’s local economic impact will be released at a later date.
The 2027 cruise season will officially kick off on May 8, 2027, with the arrival of Viking Octantis at Port Milwaukee’s new South Shore Cruise Dock, marking the start of another exciting season on the Great Lakes.
The Source: Information in this post was provided by Port Milwaukee.