Today we leave our ship and head home. It can be sad or happy. We are excited to be back home and see our grandchildren but we really enjoyed this cruise. We enjoyed it so much that we booked another cruise with Viking in 2026, Into the Northwest Passage (7 stops in the Arctic circle). Visiting the Arctic Circle has been on Nana’s bucket list for a while and since I have been to Antarctica, I need to go North to see the other side of the world.

DON’T MISS THE TOP 5 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CRUISE AT THE BOTTOM OF MY BLOG !

Today is unique in that we are tendering into port. A first for us. They loaded up all our luggage on a barge early this morning and we all boarded a tender with our carry on to go to immigration and customs since we have been in Canada for a while. On every other cruise, we were docked at our final port. It looks like they are rebuilding the dock so the tendering must be temporary.

We then take a bus to the airport, check our bags and now we head to the Duluth Train Museum, called the Lake Shore Railroad Museum, rumored to be the best in the USA. It is located in the historic Duluth Union Depot, the museum showcases a vast collection of historic locomotives, passenger cars, and freight cars. The exhibits provide a comprehensive look at the region’s railroad history, highlighting the role of railroads in the development of the American Midwest.

One of the museum’s highlights is its collection of vintage steam, diesel, and electric locomotives, some of which have been meticulously restored. The museum also offers interactive displays and model train layouts that are enjoyable for visitors of all ages. Of course they have HO and G-Scale so you get a video of the G-scale shelf train.

In addition to the museum, We took a scenic train ride along the North Shore Scenic Railroad, which operates out of the museum and offers beautiful views of Lake Superior and the surrounding area. While it has been rainy all day and a little foggy, you have got to love a train ride.

My children….. and grandchildren always ask me what did I like best on the cruise.  That is always a tough one but let me take a crack at it now.

Niagra Falls was magnificent, Navigating the Welland Canals , You can’t beat meeting family in Cleveland (where I was born), I always love the Henry Ford Museum and it has improved a lot, Green Bay Lambeau Field was  very interesting, Meeting Bishop Bob on Mackinac was a highlight, The zodiac rides were fun, The kayaking was great, The Submarine ride was fantastic, The Railroad Museum was a highlight., Meeting a ND couple was great,The food was fantastic, Visit Fort Williams in Thunder Bay, And of course being with Nana was priceless

So as you can see it is tough to name the top 5….. but here I go.

1. Meeting family in Cleveland was the best part of the cruise
2. The Railroad museum was unbelievable
3. The submarine ride has to be in the top 5
4. Green Bay Lambeau Field was a great tour
5. I would have to round out the top 5 with the Henry Ford Museum

There you go, the top 5 for my Great Lakes Cruise.

Now for Nana’s Top 5

1. Meet Family in Cleveland 
2. Meeting Bishop Bob on Mackinac Island
3. Green Bay Lambeau
4. Kayaking
5. Welland Canal

Well thats all for this cruise. Thanks for reading. Next up is some train work including programming as well as a Southern Regional Open House for my layout (and other Atlanta layouts) at the end of August.