The number of cruise ship passengers arriving in Milwaukee dipped this season by more than 18%, according to figures released Thursday by Port Milwaukee.
The city welcomed 11,096 passengers during 22 calls between six vessels. This compares with 27 calls at the port carrying 13,568 passengers during the 2024 season.
Port Milwaukee kicked off this year’s cruise season on April 28 with the arrival of the Viking Octantis and concluded the cruising season with the Hanseatic Inspiration on Oct. 9.
Port Milwaukee spokeswoman Madison Goldbeck said the decline in cruise passengers is “no cause for concern.”
“In order to offer a variety of experiences for customers, cruise lines will vary the number of cruise itineraries offered to the same destination from year to year,” she said.
Nine vessels carried 11,502 passengers to Milwaukee during 30 calls in 2023, while eight ships made 33 calls and brought 13,611 cruise passengers to the city in 2022.
In 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic, cruise ships made just 10 Milwaukee stops.
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Optimism for 2026 season
With the 2025 season concluded, the stage is now set for what Port Milwaukee officials expect to be a robust 2026 season, when a new cruise dock will open and a new company will launch itineraries out of Milwaukee.
The 2025 cruise season generated $2.5 million in local economic impact. That figure is expected to grow to about $3.5 million next year.
“I am proud of the port’s role in strengthening our city as a premier destination while expanding Wisconsin’s reputation as a place worth visiting,” Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said in a statement. “The economic impact of this growth reaches well beyond our city limits, and I look forward to building on this momentum into the 2026 season.”
Port Milwaukee’s third designated cruise dock, the South Shore Cruise Dock will be at 2320 S. Lincoln Memorial Dr., adjacent to the home of the Lake Express ferry, and will serve the Great Lakes’ largest cruise liners. So far, 62 cruise ships have been scheduled for 2026 with an estimated 19,000 passengers expected to visit Milwaukee.
“There is an incredible sense of excitement as Port Milwaukee looks ahead to the 2026 cruise season,” outgoing Port Director Jackie Q. Carter said in a statement. “Each year, the port continues to build on its success by expanding its reach and enhancing the visitor experience.”
American Cruise Lines will launch two new cruise options from Milwaukee in 2026. The new itineraries are the company’s first Great Lakes ventures and will be operated aboard the 130-passenger American Patriot. Six calls, all turnaround visits in which a vessel boards new passengers, have been scheduled to Port Milwaukee for the 2026 season.
This marks the first time in decades that an American ship will offer domestic cruises in the growing Great Lakes cruise market. Connecticut-based American Cruise Lines is the largest river cruise line in the country with American-built ships and domestic itineraries.
“The news of more cruise ship visits in 2026 plus the opening of the new cruise dock mark an exciting next chapter for Milwaukee’s growing cruise industry,” President of the Board of Harbor Commissioners Tim Hoelter said in a statement. “This reflects Port Milwaukee’s commitment to providing first-class experiences to visitors and partners. I am thrilled to see new travelers discover all that our city has to offer and thank the Port staff for their drive to make it all happen.”
Growing Great Lakes traffic
Several ongoing efforts remain to promote the passenger cruise business in Milwaukee and throughout the Great Lakes. Port Milwaukee is the founder of the Milwaukee Cruise Collaborative, a local group promoting the city as a cruise destination. The collaborative, which includes a cross-section of the local hospitality industry, has planned, promoted and prepared for increased Great Lakes cruising passengers. Visit Milwaukee and various local stakeholders have also partnered in promoting Great Lakes cruising activity in the city.
The port is also a participant in the Cruise the Great Lakes initiative of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers. The port previously signed a Cruise the Great Lakes pledge to promote environmental stewardship practices and efforts.
