Victory Cruise Lines

The Great Lakes are an inland sea in all but name, and Victory's small coastal ships are built to fit the locks and canals that link them. The vessels are traditional in style, with a single dining room, a lounge, a tavern and outside cabins, and carry few enough passengers that faces quickly become familiar.

The interest lies ashore and along the route: the Victorian resort of Mackinac Island, where cars are banned, the passage through the locks, and waterfront cities such as Chicago and Toronto. Lecturers come aboard to talk about the region's shipping, geology and history. It is a gentle, distinctly North American voyage, well suited to travellers who prefer to stay close to home waters.