Cruise the Great Lakes forecasts record growth in 2026

GREEN BAY – Cruise the Great Lakes, the region’s cruise marketing program, has announced its forecast for the 2026 cruising season, with seven cruise lines operating ten ships and six planned stops in Green Bay.

“Over the last few years we’ve been fortunate to be able to welcome a couple of cruise ships every year,” said Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich. “Next year, we’re looking to triple that number… We understand how important tourism is to the health of our economy here in the city and also in the state of Wisconsin, and cruise ships are a growing part of that economy. It’s fantastic for us to be included in that equation and for Green Bay to be part of that conversation.”

“In these past few years, I’ve seen huge growth in the interest and excitement for cruising on the Great Lakes,” said David Spiegelberg, tourism development specialist at Travel Wisconsin. “I remember the first time driving up to the port of Milwaukee several years ago and seeing this cruise ship coming into port.

Never in my wildest dreams over a very long tenure in tourism could I imagine a beautiful sight like a cruise ship like that on the waters of the Lake Michigan coastline.”

The 2026 season continues the long-term growth of Great Lakes cruising, delivering more passengers, port visits and a record-breaking $300 million economic impact on large and small regional destinations.

The economic impact in Green Bay alone is expected to surpass $320,000, but Brad Toll, CEO of Discover Green Bay, said there could be an even greater impact over time as passengers make plans to return.

“The thing that excites us maybe the most, though, is when the passengers are getting back on the ship, we often hear from them that they want to come back when they can — come back on a vacation and spend more time here,” Toll said. “So the economic impact that comes just from the ship arriving continues to pay us back down the road.”

And according to Port of Green Bay Director Dean Haen, there is still more growth to be seen in the cruise industry in Green Bay.

“I’ve watched this industry grow from its infancy, and we are definitely not at its maturity,” he said. “There’s opportunity here… The fact that these vessels can pull into our downtown and get off [the ships] and access things that they can’t in other ports — as you can imagine most ports are industrial property and that’s where [passengers] would typically get off — we have a unique opportunity here. They’re getting off in downtown Green Bay where there’s a farmers’ market and there’s shops, eateries and coffee shops. That’s very unique and a great asset and I think there’s a lot of potential for Green Bay.”

And a new facility being constructed at the port means larger cruise ships could be stopping in Green Bay in the future, Haen said.