Here is the scoop. The St. Lawrence River is over 700 miles long from the end of Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which opens into the Atlantic Ocean. West of the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Great Lakes stretch for many more hundreds of miles, and contain a wealth of aquatic life in a wide variety of mammals, fish, and plants. This system of Lakes is unbelievably large, containing 1/5 of the world’s freshwater. The key at this point is to think of fresh water.

Beluga whales are known to migrate along the Atlantic coast and have been seen in the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. So whale watching tours on the extreme east end of the Great Lakes may in fact be productive at certain times of the year when whales are migrating. But, how about Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, do Beluga whales or any whales for that matter, migrate to the west end of the Great Lakes?

Archaeologists have found whale bones in the Great Lakes region that appear to have been deposited there millions of years ago. And the presence of Beluga whales in the St. Lawrence Seaway would tend to indicate that whales may migrate further west into the Great Lakes.

To confuse the matter further there are a number of websites that show pictures of whales and claim those whales were photographed while frolicking in Lake Michigan. There are even individuals who claimed to have seen whales in Lake Michigan while on Great Lakes cruises.

There are enough of these claims to be convincing even to some of the natives of the region who may be unfamiliar with the Lakes despite their proximity to them. But, the real truth is that none of these claims are true. Sadly, there are no whales living in the western Great Lakes, nor has there ever been. All of these sites are simply pulling your leg.

On the other hand, in the case of ‘truth-may-be-stranger-than-fiction, ’ there are several credible reports of alligators in the western Great Lakes. Most of these have been found in the area of Chicago, and the last one captured was about 3 1/2 feet long. It was found in a river by Chicago that feeds the Great Lakes. It is believed that it was released into the Lakes as a pet that had outgrown its owner’s ability to care for it. (Unfortunately, releasing such an animal into an environment like the Great Lakes usually results in a slow death caused by the cold of the average winter. So, please don’t do this.)

There have also been reports of sharks seen swimming up the River near Chicago. I’ve been unable to find any confirmed sightings, but I believe it is possible since the Great Lakes are connected to the upper end of the Mississippi River, and sharks have been known to swim many miles upstream. However, this would be a very rare occurrence, as sharks like whales, are saltwater creatures in the Great Lakes are freshwater.

If you’re planning a Great Lakes cruise, and hoping to see whales, I’m afraid you might be slightly disappointed. But whales or no, the Lakes are a marvelous place to tour and one of the most beautiful regions on earth.

At 77 feet long, the Red Witch is somewhat smaller than her more northern cousin the Manitou, which resides in Traverse City, Michigan. Still, even though she is a little bit smaller, the Red Witch will carry a respectable 49 passengers for a wonderful afternoon of fun.

The Red Witch is operated by Lakeshore Sail Charters out of Chicago, which also offers Great Lakes cruises on the Crescendo, a 36 foot Beneteau that carries up to 6 passengers.

You can take Great Lakes cruises on Red Witch one of three ways, you can charter the entire ship for your group event, or if you have a small group and you agree to share the ride with another small group, you can enjoy a lower rate. According to their website, a shared charter is priced at $600 for two hours in 2009 pricing. This covers up to 10 people and after that it is $50 for each additional passenger. If you want a 3 hour tour, the fee is $900 for the first 10 people and $65 per person after that. Tours include soft drinks, water and snacks. These rates are a significant discount over the regular rate which starts at over $1000 for the two hour tour if taken on a weekday.

The other way to get a ride on the Red Witch is to take advantage of one of the special events this small charter company offers. The Red Witch offers a few “ticketed” events every year, this means that individuals can buy a ticket to sail on these specially scheduled events. The events that Lakeshore Sail Charters schedules are Wednesday and Saturday fireworks cruises, Whale Watching/Happy Hour cruises, and Musical Mondays. Tickets start at $50 per person, which is cheap enough when compared to the charter rates.

Besides, anyone who has lived around the Great lakes, or knows anything about the Great Lakes will tell you that the Whale Watching/Happy Hour cruise must be very interesting indeed. Even if you don’t see any whales, I’m sure you will return happy, and if you do see a whale…well, I guess you will return even happier.

Like all sailing vessels, the Red Witch makes tours of an approximate length, and the actual time it takes for the cruise may vary slightly based on the wind and weather, but the fun will always be large. If you live somewhere in the vicinity of Chicago and you long for a schooner ride, you might consider taking your Great Lakes cruises on the Red Witch.

The menu for this dinner cruise is also better than you would find on the Spirit of Chicago. The 2009 dinner menu calls for main courses of Syrah Braised Center Cut of Beef, Seafood Ravioli Gratinee, Boneless Pork Chops, North Atlantic Salmon or a Mediterranean Vegetable Purse. The first courses and desserts are equally sumptuous and equal or exceed those found in many of the better land based restaurants. The Odyssey II experience includes the opportunity to order any of these fine meals that are prepared fresh on board every day.

Like the Spirit of Chicago, the Odyssey II offers several decks and each one has live music and a dance floor. The live music varies from jazz to contemporary and is performed by individual artists and groups. Odyssey II promises that the music won’t end until the ship returns to port.

The operators bill the Odyssey II as the “largest fine-dining cruise ship on the Great Lakes,” This may be true. At 200 feet long and 55 feet high above the water line, the Odyssey II is one of the larger Great Lakes ships offering dinner cruises. While there are other ships that are slightly larger, they won’t serve as many diners and those ships that will serve a similar number of diners appear to be slightly smaller in size and certainly not as luxurious. The Odyssey II has 3 climate controlled decks and promises skyline views from every table.

The cruise route runs south from Navy pier to the Shedd Aquarium, then back to the north to Evanston or thereabouts and then returns to Navy pier. This affords an excellent view of the Chicago skyline, and for the Midnight cruises the skyline provides an amazingly lit backdrop for this luxury cruise. The cruises last two or three hours–the exact time and route is determined by weather and the particular cruise offering.

Unlike some of her northern counterparts, Odyssey II offers cruises year around, although in the winter the are fewer days when cruises are offered and passengers may need to schedule their vacation or celebration times more around the ship’s schedule. Individuals, couple and groups are all welcome. Reservations are required, and there is a dress code so be sure to call ahead and plan to dress nicely. Lunch cruises start at $44.90 + tax and fees and dinner cruises start at $79.90 +. That is a very competitive price considering the menu and compared to the offerings of other Great Lakes cruise providers. As small ship cruises go, this one is a winner!

If you want a truly unique dinner cruise experience, the Spirit of Chicago offers a Thanksgiving Dinner cruise featuring Walnut crusted turkey breast, orange glazed ham and slow braised center cut sirloin. There are also two after Thanksgiving Champagne brunch and dinner cruises available on November 27th. There are few other small ship cruise lines that offer this level of dining, or trips as late into the fall as the Spirit of Chicago offers.

For those who like the night, the Spirit of Chicago offers a midnight moonlight cruise. This Lakes cruise includes a professional DJ, cash bar and light hors d’oeuvres. Sorry, this cruise is adults only (over 21) and you must be able to show a valid photo ID before boarding.

Another cruise offering is the Sweetest Day Dinner cruise which is offered October 17th. Offering live music, champagne and memorable views of the Sweetest Day fireworks, this cruise promises to be a winner. Fireworks cruises are always popular among dinner and evening cruisers and small cruise ships offer an outstanding platform for viewing fireworks unobstructed by either buildings or milling crowds. The Spirit of Chicago offers an upper level observation deck as well as several open patios on the other decks and should allow excellent viewing.

Fireworks cruises are available on the Spirit of Chicago on the fourth of July, Sweetest Day and News Years Eve. Since many Great Lakes cruise ships are closed for business during the winter season, this makes the Spirit of Chicago exceptional as it offers cruises most of the year.

The spirit of Chicago offers three dining decks and an observation deck and has a reported capacity of 572 passengers. They will take single passengers, small groups or even large group charters that occupy one or more decks. The decks are open and spacious and appear well lighted. The ship departs from Navy pier and the cruise provider reports that ample parking is available at the Navy Pier parking lot. There is also a continuous running (and free to ride) trolley that carries passengers from the parking a lot along Navy pier.

There is a dress code of sorts for the dinner cruises, so be certain to check with the cruise providers for exact recommendations. These cruises are generally not shirt and tie affairs, but the cruise line prefers passengers on the dinner cruises be a little more dressy. There are also enhancements you can add to your cruise to make to more memorable. These include private tables, balloons, roses, appetizer plates, open bar, champagne, wine, souvenir glasses, photographs, guaranteed window seats and other perks that add to the experience of a Great Lakes cruise on this small ship.

There are several different varieties of cabins available on the Grande Mariner. Some open onto the outside deck and some open onto an inside corridor. Cabins are available with two lower berths or with upper and lower berths. A few cabins have both a double lower berth and a single upper berth. As this ship is smaller than the competing Clelia II and a bit more austere, the cabins are also smaller and less luxurious.

With that difference noted, there are some features of the Grande Mariner that the Clelia II cannot match. One is the bow ramp which allows passengers to simply walk off the ship without the need to worry about jetties and docks. Another is the extremely shallow draft of the ship, which allows it to enter shallow coastal waters where other ships dare not go.

There are also two launches, one of which has a glass bottom. Glass bottomed boats are somewhat of a rarity in Great Lakes tours, and they offer an excellent opportunity to explore sunken ships, rock formations and to view the numerous species of fresh water fish that inhabit the Lakes. The Grande Mariner has a large dining room on the main deck and an auditorium/lounge on the second deck that can accommodate all passengers.

This small ship cruise on The Grande Mariner embarks from Chicago with stops at Holland, Michigan, Manistee, Michigan, Mackinaw Island, Michigan, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin before returning to Chicago. There are seven different waterways that the ship passes through to reach these ports and some terrific scenery.

The published prices for the 2010 Grande Mariner Lake Michigan Getaway cruise run between $1800 and $2200 depending on the cabin choice. There is an additional port charge of $100 that is also shown. Cruise dates begin June and end in late July. This could be the perfect Great Lakes cruise and one of only a few on Lake Michigan. On a small ship cruise like this, there is always the chance for adventure in the small and large port cities where the ship calls and as Great Lakes cruises go, this one offers as nice a selection of ports as any other.

The port at Manistee began in the 1840s when Europeans first arrived and began logging operations. Michigan in general supplied a large amount of lumber to neighboring states and a lot of Michigan lumber wound up in Ohio after the great fire. Manistee had a hand in producing and shipping that lumber and the port at Manistee was a major employment center.

Today, there are 57 buildings in Manistee that are considered historically valuable and are part of the tour.

Manistee also is the home of the Lake Bluff Audubon Center. The center is located on 76 acres that fronts on Lake Michigan and is set up as an arboreum with specimens of many different trees and also boasts two State Champions, a Sycamore Maple and a Giant Sequoia.

There are a number of restaurants available in Manistee and the downtown port area has a large number of shops available.

This would be a good place to have a comfortable pair of walking shoes as there is a great number of things worth seeing in this Lake Michigan port city. Several Great Lakes Cruise lines make calls at Manistee, but this is not just another port for Great Lakes cruises. Manistee is a city worth visiting anytime you are in Michigan.

Lake Michigan is the sixth largest lake in the world and the third largest of the Great Lakes. It separates Michigan from Wisconsin and has long been a trade route between the two states.

Imagine touring the beautiful shoreline of this vast freshwater lake from the deck of a luxury cruise liner the size of a small yacht. There is a cruise package available that lets passengers do just that.

This Great Lakes cruise begins in Chicago, at the heavily inhabited south end of Lake Michigan and then proceeds up the shore of Western Michigan making stops at Holland and Manistee. Then it is on to explore Mackinac Island and after that, the Great Lakes cruise liner heads for Wisconsin, with stops in Sturgeon Bay, Milwaukee and eventually back to Chicago.

Along the way this Lake Michigan cruise passes some of the most beautiful shoreline in the world, and the ports of call each offer something special too. Victorian Manistee, Holland with it’s Dutch heritage and tulip farming, Mackinac Island filled with horse-drawn carriages.

This Great Lakes cruise is generally available only in June and July, with trips beginning early in the month of June and ending early in the month of August. These two months are usually the warmest time of the year in Michigan and Wisconsin, and that means a truly beautiful trip. The shores will be green and the sunsets brilliant.

This is a 6-night luxury cruise, so it will fill a large portion of most vacations, and yet is shorter and therefore much less expensive than some of the longer Great Lakes cruises that run the entire length of the Great Lakes from Niagara Falls to Duluth. If your budget is a bit smaller, this luxury cruise might be right up your alley. Great Lakes cruises are often less expensive that ocean cruises and still provide you with plenty of fun, a fair amount of pampering and a good bit of luxury.

This is one of a very few luxury cruises available on Lake Michigan and as Great Lakes cruises go, this one is mid-length, but still offers more of a luxury cruise experience than could generally be expected on one of the shorter day or weekend cruises.