Port Milwaukee is excited to welcome the Viking Octantis as the first cruise ship to call on the City of Milwaukee for the 2025 season on Monday, April 28. This marks the fourth consecutive year that Octantis will arrive as the inaugural cruise ship.

Port Milwaukee is expecting 22 cruise vessel calls this season, with a total of 44 itineraries in Milwaukee, between late April and mid-October. There will be five companies with six vessels. Port officials estimate 11,000 global passengers will visit Milwaukee this season.

Viking Octantis, sister Viking Polaris, and the Pearl Seas vessel Pearl Mist will account for Milwaukee’s early-season cruise visits. After a seven-year hiatus, Port Milwaukee is also excited for the return of Victory Cruise Lines this season. The cruise line will call on Milwaukee once again with vessel Victory I. They have three turnaround visits scheduled for 2025, and early commitment bookings have increased for the 2026 season. 

Construction of the South Shore East cruise dock begins this spring. The new cruise dock is anticipated to be operational for the 2026 season, which is already expecting around 18,500 global passengers. Mayor Johnson included a $5 million investment in his 2025 budget, which completed the financing package for the redevelopment.  

According to Cruise the Great Lakes, 22,000 passengers will cruise the Great Lakes this year - an increase of nearly 10% compared to 2024. The region’s economic impact is projected to exceed $230 million, up 15% from last year.