2 0 Five Great Lakes, one grand adventure The immense Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System offers pristine natural beauty, exciting entertainment options and a Midwestern charm. Alex Smith reports on a warm and welcoming region that’s beginning to attract the attention of the cruise world The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System stretches over 2,000 miles inland between the USA and Canada, connecting the Gulf of St. Lawrence with Duluth, Minnesota, on Lake Superior. Along the clear waters of the St. Lawrence Seaway and all five Great Lakes, unique ports dot the shoreline, rich with historic, maritime and Midwestern charm. The water is an everyday part of life in these communities, and they go out of their way to celebrate the cruise ships and their passengers as they sail into the region throughout the spring, summer and autumn. The cruise world is increasingly starting to take notice of this warm and welcoming destination. Following a 22-year hiatus, the first foreign-flagged cruise ship transited the system in 1997 and there have since been a total of 20 different cruise ships operating in the Great Lakes. This destination is increasingly becoming popular for luxury size cruise ships, with nine ships calling in 2022 and 11 expected in 2023. Cruise ships can call at the Great Lakes between April and October. Managing and promoting the seaway system is the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS), a government corporation responsible for operating and maintaining the US portion of the seaway between Montreal and Lake Erie. Working hand in hand with its Canadian partners at the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC), the GLS has promoted the COVER STORY
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