Why Cleveland — yes, Cleveland — might be the hottest new cruise destination in North America

Is Cleveland the hottest new cruise destination in America?

Judging by the enormous growth of cruise ship arrivals in the city, you could make the argument. C-Town, as some locals call it, expects 49 ship visits this year when all is said and done, a whopping 700% increase from just two years ago.

The arrivals include the first visit by a vessel sailing for upscale tour company Tauck in its 98-year history. The 184-passenger vessel chartered from the French line Ponant Cruises, called Le Dumont-d'Urville, visited for the first time Sept. 9.

Also visiting Cleveland for the first time this summer was Viking Polaris, the new expedition-style ship from upscale cruise giant Viking. The 378-passenger vessel will visit Cleveland twice in September alone.

Both ships are visiting the port city along the banks of Lake Erie as part of broader Great Lakes cruises.

The two vessels join frequent Cleveland visitor Ocean Navigator, a 202-passenger vessel operated by small-ship specialist American Queen Voyages. Ocean Navigator is a regular on Great Lakes sailings that also stop at multiple destinations across the region.

In one of the quirkiest ship arrivals that Cleveland has seen in some time, a German cruise ship full of Germans is scheduled to make a rare appearance in the city later this month and again in October. The 394-passenger Hamburg is operated by the German cruise brand Plantours and is known for taking German travelers to far-flung places around the world.

Related: The ultimate guide to cruising the Great Lakes

Another small-ship cruise line, Pearl Seas Cruises, also has Cleveland on its schedule this year.

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The Cleveland cruising boom is happening as the fast-growing cruise industry looks for new destinations for expansion.

Of all of the world's major waterways, the Great Lakes region, where Cleveland is located, has traditionally been one of the least-visited by cruise vessels. The summer season, when the Great Lakes are reachable by passenger ships, is typically a time when cruise lines send the bulk of their vessels to Europe and Alaska, where demand for cruises is strong.

However, as the cruise industry expands, it is eyeing more off-the-beaten-path places such as the Great Lakes — and ports such as Cleveland — that can offer an alternative adventure for well-traveled cruisers.

For cruisers, such voyages offer an easy way to see a wide range of the Great Lakes region's attractions — from vibrant cities to natural wonders — in a single trip. Cleveland, which has changed enormously since its river famously caught fire in the 1960s, is increasingly seen as a highlight of the sailings.

As our sister publication Lonely Planet notes, the former Rust Belt factory town "still wafts an evocative industrial look. Railroad tracks, vertical lift bridges and stark warehouses pepper its shores on Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River, only now stylish eateries, breweries and galleries fill the old factories, and bike trails have emerged along the waterways."

When Tauck's vessel arrived earlier this month, passengers enjoyed a full day of guided exploring that included a visit to the city's crown jewel, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and a pub lunch and beer flight at a local craft brewery, according to the line.

Related: The ultimate guide to picking the perfect cruise line for you

"Our cruises visit top destinations around the globe, from Antarctica to Venice, Italy, to the Galapagos Islands, yet we're always thrilled to showcase world-class locations closer to home," Tauck CEO Dan Mahar said this week in a statement sent to TPG. "Cleveland has so much to offer."

Will Friedman, CEO of the Port of Cleveland, said in a statement that the city expects to see even more cruise arrivals over the next few years.

The expanded arrivals will include more ships chartered by Tauck. The tour company says it plans nine more Great Lakes cruises between now and the end of 2024 that will include a visit to Cleveland.

The 12-day Cruising the Great Lakes: Chicago to Toronto trips that Tauck markets also visit Chicago; Detroit; Toronto; Niagara Falls, Ontario; and Mackinac Island, Michigan, as well as a passage through the narrow Welland Canal. Fares start at $10,290 per person.

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