Largest cruise ship on Great Lakes will lock through the Soo May 24
Sault Ste. Marie – River-watchers in the Canadian and U.S. Saults will get their first look on Tuesday, May 24 at the biggest cruise ship on the Great Lakes.
The Viking Octantis, named after the pole star of the southern hemisphere, won’t stop here on that date, or any time in 2022. It will just quietly slip through the Soo Locks on its inaugural cruise from Milwaukee to Thunder Bay.
“The first time Viking Octantis will pass through the Soo Locks is scheduled for May 24, which is the sixth day of the Great Lakes Explorer itinerary, which begins in Milwaukee on May 21,” Viking spokesperson Amanda Hollinger tells SooToday.
If you can’t get to the St. Marys River on May 24, you’ll have lots of other opportunities this summer to catch a glimpse of the brand-new, 665-foot, six-deck expedition ship. Upbound and downbound, the Octantis will pass through the Sault a total of 14 times this year.
Under current pricing, an eight-day cruise costs as little as $8,395 for a 222-square-foot stateroom, or up to $23,395 for the 1,223-square-foot Owner’s Suite with private garden lounge and dining area, wood-sided hot tub, library and a welcoming bottle of Veuve Clicquot.
Downbound to Milwaukee, the ship adds a stop at Duluth. Upbound to Thunder Bay, it spends three days exploring Georgian Bay. The downbound cruises cost a few hundred dollars more than the upbound trips. Six of the 14 cruises planned for 2022 are already sold out.
In 2023, an identical sister ship, Viking Polaris (named after the northern pole star), will also start cruising in our area with 15-day voyages between Toronto and Duluth costing between $18,195 and almost $50,000.
Next year, Viking will stop in the Michigan Sault, with day excursions planned for Hiawatha Highlands, Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum and Soo Locks.
Both ships carry 378 guests in 189 staterooms. Read more about the ship at this SooLeader link: https://www.sooleader.com/local-news/largest-cruise-ship-on-great-lakes-will-be-here-may-24-21-photos-5345288utm_source=SND&utm_medium=Facebook&utm_campaign=AutoPilot&fbclid=IwAR0OwCOayuYwPi7vrI7o-uRTry1r1FUGHDd4nr4gOva1k3lHE-DV6FjfZH8
SooLeader
Cruise ship leaves Milwaukee twice
Milwaukee, WI – The Viking Octantis, the largest and newest cruise ship on the Great Lakes, spent extra time in Milwaukee this weekend.
The ship arrived in Milwaukee mid-day Friday to great fanfare. And as part of the city’s role as a turn-around port, it was scheduled to leave Sunday with a new set of passengers. Early Sunday afternoon the ship was pulling out of the port of Milwaukee en route to Mackinac, Michigan.
But after making it to a point as far north as Mequon, the 666-foot-long Octantis turned around and headed back into Milwaukee’s port. The ship is scheduled to return to Milwaukee nine times this year, but with weeks, not hours, between each trip.
“On May 8th U.S. Customs and Border Protection was notified by Viking Cruise Lines that a crewmember failed to report to the vessel for departure. No further details are available,” said a Customs and Border Protection spokesperson.
In addition to accommodating 378 passengers, the ship is configured to hold up to 250 crew members. Dozens of crew members were spotted cleaning, prepping and painting the vessel during a media tour Friday.
The ship’s workforce is led by captain Anders Steen.
By 7:30 p.m. Sunday evening, the vessel was departing Milwaukee for the second time that day. It sailed under the Hoan Bridge and out into Lake Michigan. At the time of publication, it was approaching Mackinac Island.
Trips from Milwaukee end in the Canadian ports of Toronto or Thunder Bay, but along the way the vessel stops in a number of ports and passengers have a choice of multiple excursions.
The all-inclusive, eight-day trips start at $5,995.
The Octantis is a Seawaymax-size vessel, which means it is the largest possible ship that can still fit through the St. Lawrence Seaway locks connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean.
The city is rebuilding its South Shore Cruise Dock to accommodate the larger vessels, but for 2022 the Octantis will dock at the Heavy Lift Dock in the inner harbor.
In addition to Viking, other carriers are expected to call on Milwaukee 23 times this year. It’s part of what the city hopes to be a record-breaking year with more than 10,000 cruise passengers visiting Milwaukee.
Urban Milwaukee
Marine market: 134 years as a grocer
Alpena, MI – In decades past, almost every major Great Lakes port city offered a specialty grocery supplying freighters.
In recent years, the operation of those supermarkets to the Great Lakes has dramatically changed. That is due to the presence of 1,000-foot freighters, as long as three football fields, replacing the smaller boats. In addition, technological advances have created smaller crews.
Recently, a Cleveland, Ohio-based fleet grocer ceased operation, leaving only three U.S.-based Great Lakes fleet grocers in operation. Those are located in Duluth, Minnesota, Sault Ste. Marie, and at Alpena’s Marine Market.
The Marine Market, originally known as Kannowski Bros., was opened in 1888 by August Kannowski, who immigrated from Germany.
According to Kannowski’s great-grandson, Al Kannowski, his first market was briefly located on Chisholm Street, across from the current Culligan Plaza. The operation was primarily noted as a meat purveyor. The operation soon relocated just north of the 2nd Avenue bridge, on the site where Alpena Furniture is now located.
For a short period, August operated the market with his brother, Otto.
The market would next move to the current location of Alpena’s U.S. Post Office.
Marine Market’s Thunder Bay River location provided access to the arriving Great Lakes boats, along with timber industry boats and camps.
According to 1955 Alpena News accounts, Al’s father, Robert, was approached by Harry Fletcher to acquire the Second Avenue property.
According to Al, he set his sights on Ripley Boulevard property to build a new Marnie Market structure. Al commented that, at that time, Ripley was a gravel road located at Alpena’s far edges. After several presentations to the city committees and council, the property was rezoned to commercial.
After the 1956 move to Ripley Boulevard, Robert, his son, Max, and longtime employee Ed Schultz continued to operate the Marine Market.
Read the full article at this Alpena News link: https://www.thealpenanews.com/news/local-news/2022/05/marine-market-134-years-as-a-grocer/
The Alpena News
