The Columbus is a 400+ passenger state-of-the-art luxury cruise ship, built in 1997. At 473 feet long, the ship has a 71 foot beam, and gross tons of 15,000. This makes the Columbus one of the larger cruise ships that will be working the Great Lakes next summer. There are a number of domestic cruise lines offering luxury cruises, but only a few operate ships that are quite so large or as luxurious. For residents of the US and Canada, the Columbus offers an added attraction because it is operated by a foreign crew, giving passengers a feeling that they’re farther away from home than they may actually be.

The month of September can sometimes be a stormy one on the Great Lakes, but can also be one of the more pleasant months of the year. Spring months are often filled with storms and late fall beginning in October and bring many cold rains. This leaves June, July, August, and September as the prime cruise months. September is the end of the main cruise season, a time when the leaves on the trees begin to take on brilliant hues of orange, red and yellow, which can make this a beautiful time for touring the Great Lakes. The evenings are frequently cool, and the days are generally still warm to enjoy without a jacket, although those on the water will want to consider bringing warm clothing.

As always, there are a number of other options available for anyone wanting to take a color tour cruise. These range from small boats to large ships, and from cruises that last only a few hours to those that last several days or a couple of weeks; all of the Great Lakes have at least some options available for color tour cruises.

Generally Great Lakes cruises are all small ship cruises, because the size of the ships that sail the Great Lakes is dictated in large part by the size of the channels the ships have to pass through to enter the Great Lakes and by the depth of the harbors, which tend to be shallower than those found on the oceans. The Columbus just fits within the small ship category as it carries less than five hundred passengers and that makes it able to enter the Great Lakes with ease, carrying passengers in both directions.

The great advantage to sailing on small ships is that they provide a much more intimate cruise experience than you would find on the larger cruise ships which are basically small cities at sea. You get a chance to know me to and no some of your fellow passengers, and you may even get a chance to learn a little bit about the crew and a few crew members.

If you’re planning a Great Lakes cruise in 2011, you might want to remember that the Columbus is returning to the Lakes once again, and consider booking your cruise on what is perhaps one of the most interesting luxury cruise ships working the Lakes.

Travel Dynamics International hopes to change that by introducing the Clelia II, a 50 suite, 100 passenger liner that was completely refitted in 2008 and is currently sailing the Lakes on some of her first trips since refitting. Part of the refitting included many safety items, like a fleet of zodiacs and state-of-the art navigational and communications equipment. Like all ships plying the Lakes, the Clelia II meets stringent U.S. Coast Guard requirements for reliability and passenger safety. The ship has also been equipped with fin stabilizers and an ice strengthened hull which allows it to offer cruises earlier and later in the season than some others.

The company describes the ships’ public areas as “Decorated with rich fabrics, handsome wood, polished brass, rare antiquities and fine works of art…” This definitely puts the Clelia II well within the class of “luxury” accommodations.

The ship has a library with internet access, 2 lounges with audio-video facilities, beauty salon, gym/spa, boutique, hospital, elevator, dining room, 2 sun decks, Jacuzzi, and a swimming platform. And perhaps best of all, everything is new. It’s like the difference between staying in a luxury hotel and a new luxury hotel and doing it while on a Great Lakes cruise.

The cabins of the Clelia II are reported to be 215 square feet and larger, and each one is appointed with a number of luxury features like satellite TV with DVD/CD player, telephone, refrigerator, air conditioning, mini-bar and a marble bathroom with a teak floor, terry robes and slippers, fresh flowers, and a fruit basket. The cabins each have a sitting area or separate living room and a bedroom with twin or queen sized beds. The ship also offers 24 hour room service.

The Clelia II’s 100 passengers are served by a staff of 60, making the ratio of staff to passengers better than most luxury hotels. The men and women who staff these ships are able seamen, and among the best available on any Great Lakes cruise. This ship truly offers a wonderful opportunity to tour the Great Lakes from the deck of a luxury cruise liner.

First, consider seasickness. Individuals who are prone to motion sickness might want to consider cabins as close to the center of the ship as possible. The farther the cabin is from the center of ship, the more it will be affected as the ship rolls or pitches. Modern Great Lakes cruise liners are designed to minimize this movement and provide smooth sailing experiences, and the Lakes generally have much smaller waves than those found on the ocean, but many people still experience at least some motion sickness.

Light sleepers and late risers might want to consider the location of their cabins based on a diagram of the ship they intend to travel on. Locate the main hallways, stairwells, elevators, galley and anything else that might be noisy, and try to book a cabin away from these irritations. High traffic areas and areas where the crew concentrate and work may be busy early in the morning and late into the night. When finding the locations of these places, try to think in 3D. Is there something above or below your cabin that might make a difference?

Those who are a little claustrophobic might want a veranda cabin. There are now cruise liners on the Great Lakes that offer private verandas for all or most of their cabins. A veranda gives you a chance to step out of your room quickly if it begins to feel a bit tight, and it also gives the feeling that the cabin is much larger that it actually is.

This brings up the matter of cabin size. As a rule of thumb, Great Lakes tall ships tend to have smaller cabins than Great Lakes cruise liners, but when you read in a brochure that a cabin is 120 or 300 square feet it is difficult to picture in your mind exactly how big that is. How can you decide which size is best? Try matching something of known size against the size noted in the brochure. Almost anything of the right size can be used to help visualize the size of a cabin. A 1 car garage may be about 300 square feet. Many backyard decks are about 120 square feet. Look around and find something to help visualize the size of the room, it will help keep expectations in line and that will make a significant impact on cruise vacation fun.

Many couples have chosen to take a cruise for their first alone time after the wedding. Great Lakes cruises make a very viable option for such a cruise vacation. Great Lakes cruises come in a large number of flexible formats that can run from a few hours to more than a week. These can be intimate dinner cruises or luxury vacations.

Because the Great Lakes are surrounded by Canada and the United States, most people perceive them to be much safer than cruises that go overseas. You are always close to shore and generally in the ports of call you stop at everyone will speak English and accept U.S. or Canadian currency.

On a Great Lakes cruise, the honeymoon couple can be away from all of the stresses of life and yet still close to home. Far enough away that friends and family can’t reach them, yet no so far that they are completely out of reach in an emergency.

How about a tall ship cruise for a honeymoon? There are several options available on the Great Lakes, from short dinner or wine tasting trips that last a couple of hours to longer trips that may last a couple of days.

Or, maybe the choice is a luxury cruise on one of the luxury mini-yachts that cruise the Great Lakes carrying passengers on days and sometimes weeks long trips.

Without a doubt, anyone planning a honeymoon cruise should consider a Great Lakes cruise. While the ports of call aren’t as exotic as some in the Carribean or Hawaii, there also isn’t a long ocean transit to arrive at those ports. And, the Great Lakes provide some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. From rocky caves, to sandy beaches, to massive locks designed to pass ships, to the star touching skylines of cities like Toronto, Detroit and Chicago. A Great Lakes cruise can provide a honeymoon to dream over.

In fact, I found out cruise lines all have regulations about what can and cannot be carried aboard. Since the regulations are at least partly determined by the cruise line itself, the list of restricted items varies somewhat from company to company as does the disposition of the contraband. Most companies will simply confiscate the item and hold it until the cruise is over, then return it to the owners. In some instances, the goods may be destroyed or thrown away.

Perhaps the most common item to be confiscated is alcohol. Most Great Lakes cruise lines have a policy of some kind about bringing alcohol on board. Some allow it, and some do not. Along with alcohol is any kind of drugs other than prescription medicine. Remember, all prescription medicine should be brought in the original pharmacy bottles. In the eyes of someone searching a bag the difference between prescription medicine and illegal drugs is often only the label on the bottle–so, always bring the original bottle with the original label intact.

Other things to avoid bringing are anything that makes a flame other than a cigarette lighter and anything that produces heat. So, leave at home the candles, incense and hot plates. Some Great Lakes luxury cruises may also curtail the use of small appliances like irons and blow driers so be sure to check with the cruise provider before bringing these items.

Of course pets are usually not allowed on board Great Lakes cruises except for service dogs and even they require advanced permission to bring. Some people have been known to argue that the animals they want to bring are not pets and therefore fall outside the ban. Therefore, most cruise lines simply state “animals” and this is implied to include fish, birds, bug collections, etc. Likewise, plants, seeds, shrubs and other similar items are often banned. These last two categories are important especially to travelers who may go off on a shore excursion and want to bring something back on board with them. Check with the cruise line first.

Also banned on Great Lakes cruise liners and most other cruises are explosives, firearms, ammunition, fireworks, knives, axes, bottled gasses (except oxygen for breathing and again only with advanced permission), and anything else that might be considered a weapon in general.

Skateboards, roller skates, roller blades, pogosticks, bicycles, tricycles, unicycles and motorized carts or scooters (wheel chairs and scooters will again require advanced permission).

To round out the list, certain foods might not be allowed, fruits, vegetables, etc. This again can be a problem when visiting different ports.

The best advice is: When in doubt, leave it out.

Great Lakes cruise ships are different. They are smaller versions of their ocean going cousins, smaller so they can navigate the shallower waters of inlets and bays, but still large enough to be comfortable. The larger lakes liners typically run about 1/10th the size of their ocean going counterparts. With passenger lists under 200, it is often possible for passengers to come to know the crew on a first name basis. The smaller lakes liners may carry only a couple of dozen passengers as in the case of the schooner Manitou, which only has cabins for 24 passengers. With a group of passengers that small, most will come to know each other on a first name basis. The crews of these ships are highly trained and able seamen, and with such small passenger lists, they are usually able to take the time to answer questions.

Of course, much depends on which cruise line you choose, and which ship. The largest ship on the Great Lakes is usually about 400 passengers, and the smallest may be just a handful. The larger ship will offer more amenities–perhaps a ship’s store, a wider choice of meals, a licensed bar, a dance floor. On the other hand, the smaller ship may offer to take you beach combing in places that the larger ship wouldn’t dare enter, or it might have a wine tasting tour serving wine from local vineyards. Smaller ships have many niche markets they serve, and you are likely to find one that fits your needs and your pocketbook.

On a smaller ship you may be able to take a shorter tour, one that only lasts a couple of hours. Small tour operators are more likely to offer a couple of short, theme tours everyday. So, you might go wine tasting, or ice cream eating, or star gazing and be home the same day you left. That is less likely with the larger ships that need to make longer tours in order to pay the bills.

Great Lakes cruise ships may be smaller, but sometimes smaller is better.  It all depends what you are looking for in your cruise experience. Just don’t write the smaller craft off. Many people are reporting they like the little ships as well or better than the large ones.

In the mid-1990′s, that began to change and there are now several companies plying the waters of the Great Lakes with passenger craft some of which are capable of carrying up to 300 or 400 passengers.

One of the newest of this fleet of cruise ships is the Pearl Mist. This fantastic yacht will have 108 cabins, each with it’s own private balcony. According to the cruise lines website, the cabins range in size from 320 sf to double that size. There are elevators to all six decks, a spa and internet access throughout the ship. Each suite has a large, opening picture window and sliding glass doors to the private verandas.

Of course, the Pearl Mist also has the latest in technology, safety enhancements and stabilization.

The Pearl Mist is operated by Pearl Seas Cruises which is offering several cruises on the Great Lakes in 2009. These include tours of the St Lawrence Seaway and a Toronto to Chicago run.

Another cruise ship, the Clelia II operated by Travel Dynamics International has been completely refitted. Smaller than the Pearl Mist, the Clelia II is a 50 suite, 100 passenger liner. Because the Clelia II is smaller than the Pearl Mist the cabins are somewhat smaller too,  and the cabins are each reported to be 215 square feet. Each cabin has a sitting area or separate living room and twin or queen sized beds, satellite TV with DVD/CD player, telephone, refrigerator, marble bathroom with teak floor and 24 hour room service.

The ship itself has a library, 2 lounges with audiovisual facilites, a gym/spa, beauty salon, boutique, hospital, elevator to all decks, dining room, 2 sun decks, jacuzzi and a swimming platform. The ship is also outfitted with an ice strengthened hull and a fleet of zodiacs.

The Clelia II carries 100 passengers and has a staff of 60.

These two fine cruise ships are much like floating luxury hotels, although with a staff of 6 for every 10 guests, they may have more personnel than most hotels, even some of the most luxurious.

Well,  Lakes cruises offer a whole different way to look at the Great Lakes. Imagine arriving in a different port everyday. A different place to shop, a different place to golf. And you never have worries about getting a hotel room, you bring it right with you along with your very own restaurant.

Cruises offer the budget conscious an opportunity to save. With a cruise, you know in advance what your cost will be. There are no unexpected car repairs to pay for on the road, no worries about finding parking or getting lost on the way through a strange place. Best of all, there are no traffic jams, none of those “orange cone zone” areas that north country road crews are famous for. Just the combined delays from waiting in queue for traffic to move at several of these stops can eat up a major portion of your trip. With a cruise, you leave all that behind when you board ship. No worries about reservations, meals or itinerary. It is all handled for you.

Why cruise the Great Lakes? First, the ships that ply the Great Lakes are smaller than their seagoing cousins and usually carry less than 100 passengers. So, you often have the chance to get to know the crew by name. Some, like the cruise ship Clelia II are like living in a luxury hotel that magically moves from town to town and carries you to the best attractions the area has to offer. Others, like the tall ship Manitou provide a link to the past. Second, lakes cruises are often less pricey than their ocean going kin. This is generally due to the shorter cruise times.

All told, there are dozens of companies offering some form of Lakes cruise. These range from simple dinner cruises around one of the bays to major, week long excursions. Don’t think that a lakes cruise will always be a simple little trip on a simple little boat, either. Some of these trips cover as much distance as a trip across the Atlantic and ships like the Clelia II are state of the art.

When you consider a luxury cruise for your vacation, consider one on the Great Lakes. The offerings are wide and the trips fantastic, whether you are looking for an outright luxury cruise or a simple day cruise around the harbor.

The golf cruise begins with 18 holes at Niagara falls at the Grand Niagra Resort. From there the Great Lakes cruise liner moves on to make stops for courses at Windsor, Port Elgin, Little Current and Houghton.

The outing lasts for eight days and covers courses from one end of the Great Lakes to the other. These are some of the most scenic and spectacular courses the region has to offer. All of these golf courses offer challenges to the advanced golfer and yet are easy enough for the novice.

They also offer spectacular views and marvelous scenery, as does this Great Lakes cruise in general which follows along some of the most beautiful coastline in the U.S. and Canada.

A problem that many golfers have is a spouse who doesn’t golf. A Great Lakes golf cruise might be just right for such couples. At each stop of this Great Lakes cruise, the golfers are shuttled off for the courses while the non golfing passengers are offered tours of the scenic and historic sites the areas have to offer. These tours run from a powwow on Little Manitoulin Island, to museums, arts and crafts shops, and scenic tours. There is enough variety available in this Great Lakes cruise package for it to qualify as both a golf cruise and a luxury cruise.

This Great Lakes cruise also includes a stop at historic Mackinac Island, where guests will have time to tour the island. Sorry, no motorcars allowed on this island that still maintains many of its Victorian roots, so tours here will be by bicycle, foot, horseback or horse drawn carriage.

The Great Lakes cruise ship will pass by the Mackinac Bridge, which is one of the longest bridges in the world and the longest two-tower suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere, and from there will move on to the Soo locks, the busiest locks in the world.

The liner that makes this Great Lakes cruise is the Celia II and she is being newly launched in 2009 after extensive renovation. The staterooms are spacious, and on a small boat like this, that means a limited number of staterooms. In fact, there are only 50 and the ship can only handle 100 passengers. So, make reservations early for this Great Lakes cruise.