News Summary
Milwaukee’s cruise season in 2025 ended with an 18.2% drop in passenger visits compared to the previous year. Despite welcoming over 11,000 passengers, new initiatives are underway to boost the city’s cruise traffic, including the construction of a new cruise dock and the introduction of additional sailing itineraries for 2026, signalling a hopeful outlook for maritime tourism in the region.
Milwaukee’s cruising activity took a downturn in the 2025 season, ending with the city welcoming 11,096 passengers across 22 port calls from six vessels at Port Milwaukee. This represents a significant decline of 18.2% compared to the previous year, which saw a more robust turnout of passengers. Despite this setback, the economic impact of the cruise season is estimated at approximately $2.5 million, with projections suggesting that this amount could rise to around $3.5 million for the upcoming season in 2026.
The cruise season commenced in late April with a visit from the Viking Octantis, culminating on October 9, 2025, with the arrival of Hapag-Lloyd’s Hanseatic Inspiration. The season ended with a noticeable decrease in cruise activity, following a peak in 2024 when Milwaukee recorded 27 cruise ship visits that brought in over 13,500 passengers. This decline, when compared to just four visits in 2015, highlights the fluctuating nature of cruise tourism in the region.
In a bid to enhance future growth, Port Milwaukee is set to introduce a new cruise facility, the South Shore Cruise Dock, expected to open before the 2026 cruising season. This dock will be Milwaukee’s third designated cruise dock and is designed to accommodate the largest cruise ships in the Great Lakes. Its construction will cost $17 million, funded through a combination of state and federal grants, alongside $5 million allocated from Milwaukee’s 2025 budget. Located at 2320 S. Lincoln Memorial Drive, near the Lake Express High-Speed Ferry terminal, the new dock aims to alleviate current limitations that prevent larger vessels from docking at the existing Pier Wisconsin facility due to shallow waters.
The 2026 cruise season is projected with optimism, anticipating approximately 19,000 passengers as 62 cruise ship visits have already been scheduled—significantly higher than in prior years. American Cruise Lines is set to introduce new itineraries departing from Milwaukee, including turnaround visits from their American Patriot vessel. This U.S.-made ship is poised to sidestep restrictions imposed by the Passenger Vessel Services Act, further enhancing Milwaukee’s position as a favorable cruise destination.
Pearl Seas Cruises will continue its operations out of Milwaukee through 2030, maintaining the city’s cruise activity as a solid option for tourists. The Port’s director has indicated a possible shift in docking practices with the introduction of the new dock, estimating that about 50% of vessels may utilize this new facility.
Overall, Milwaukee’s growth in cruise passenger visits parallels a broader regional trend, with Great Lakes cities expected to welcome 150,000 cruise passenger visits across 700 port stops in 2025. As the city navigates through this decline in 2025, the construction of the South Shore Cruise Dock and the initiation of new itineraries demonstrate commitment to restoring and expanding Milwaukee’s cruise industry for future seasons.
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Additional Resources
- Cruise Industry News: Port Milwaukee Wraps Up Successful 2025 Season
- Wikipedia: Milwaukee
- Urban Milwaukee: Milwaukee’s Massive 2026 Cruise Season
- Google Search: Milwaukee cruise season 2026
- BizTimes: Cruise Ship Traffic Down at Port Milwaukee
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Cruise Ship
- TMJ4: Port Milwaukee Welcomes First Cruise Ship of the 2025 Season
- Google News: Milwaukee Port cruise news
- JSONline: What You Should Know About Milwaukee’s New Cruise Ship Dock
- Google Scholar: Milwaukee cruise industry
- Maritime Professional: Port Milwaukee Looks Towards 2026 Season
Author: STAFF HERE MILWAUKEE WRITER
MILWAUKEE STAFF WRITER The MILWAUKEE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREMilwaukee.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Summerfest, Milwaukee Film Festival, and the Milwaukee Boat Show. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce and Visit Milwaukee, plus leading businesses in manufacturing and brewing that power the local economy such as Harley-Davidson and MillerCoors. As part of the broader HERE network, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Wisconsin's dynamic landscape.
