Buffalo Has Welcomed It’s First Luxury Passenger Cruise Ship

After years of talk and a whole lot of fanfare over the last few weeks, something has happened in Buffalo that has not happened in several decades, and it has many people all over Western New York excited for what this may mean for travel and tourism in the 716 and beyond.

It was a few years ago when New York Governor Kathy Hochul talked about a resurgence in folks taking pleasure cruises on the Great Lakes. A whole new industry of luxury lake travel has been developing, and with Western New York's prime position on Lake Erie, it's a no-brainer for Buffalo to be a major stop for people traveling on one of the largest bodies of fresh water.

READ MORE: State Releases Details About Buffalo Great Lakes Terminal

Just days after the state announced its plans to build a lake cruise ship terminal on the Buffalo Outer Harbor, the city welcomed the first luxury passenger cruise ship to the waters around Buffalo for the first time in many decades.

The American Patriot, a 130-passenger luxury lake cruise ship which features private balcony staterooms and suites, along with lounges, a walking track, restaurants, a fitness center, and more, arrived in Buffalo as part of a 9-day cruise that explored the Thousand Islands, Lake Ontario, and Lake Erie, while making stops in Buffalo, Syracuse, and Rochester.

As the ship was moored in Buffalo, the passengers took in the sights, sounds, and tastes of Buffalo as they toured Canalside, Downtown, and several other regions of Western New York, including the mighty Niagara Falls.

This is just the first of many cruises that will pass through Buffalo, with the Queen City of the Great Lakes to take a major position in the industry once the cruise terminal is complete in 2028.

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