Cruise ship will take passengers along Lake Ontario
American Patriot docked in Rochester, Buffalo
Provided photo: American Patriot is first cruise ship in decades to dock in Buffalo.
A cruise ship will be passing near Orleans County as part of a Great Lakes & Thousand Islands cruise. The ship went from Rochester along Lake Ontario to Buffalo on Thursday.
The American Patriot, a 130-passenger cruise ship, is owned by American Cruise Lines. It docked in Buffalo on Thursday after leaving Rochester and will be Buffalo until Saturday at the Erie Street dock, near Erie Basin Marina.
This map shows 9-day Great Lakes & Thousands Islands Cruise from Syracuse to Buffalo with tickets beginning at $8,395.
It is the first cruise to visit Buffalo in decades. Passengers aboard the American Patriot are expected to tour the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park, the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Garden, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House and experience Niagara Falls.
Gov. Kathy Hochul praised cruise ship and its impact on tourism in New York.
“As we welcome the American Patriot, we are bringing new visitors, new revenue, and a new sense of pride to Buffalo,” Hochul said in a news release. “This is the first of many arrivals that will showcase our world-class cultural institutions like the AKG and the Darwin Martin House to travelers from across the country. We are proving once again that Buffalo is a premier destination, and with our future cruise terminal on the horizon, the best is yet to come for the Great Lakes.”
This announcement marks the first time in decades that an American-built and flagged cruise ship will offer domestic cruises in the growing Great Lakes cruise market, Hochul’s office said.
Without the need to cross borders, the new cruises are a completely unique experience apart from all other cruise lines currently on the Lakes. Where other ships dock at ports intended for foreign ships and international entry, American Cruise Lines can dock in the heart of small towns, city parks and private marinas for an authentic and exclusive experience not available with any other cruise line, the governor’s office said.
American Cruise Lines President & CEO Charles B. Robertson said, “American Cruise Lines is looking forward to calling on Buffalo with our small ship, American Patriot. Buffalo’s investment in its waterfront inspires us to continue investing in our fleet on the Great Lakes. We are honored to be the first U.S. cruise line to visit Buffalo regularly and look forward to a growing partnership with the city.”
This year, American Cruise Lines is running seven cruises that embark or disembark from Buffalo:
- The 9 day/8 night Great Lakes & Thousand Islands Cruise that operates between Syracuse and Buffalo and explores the Thousand Islands, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie
- An 800-mile, 14 day/13 night American Great Lakes Cruise that operates between Buffalo and Milwaukee, Wisconsin and explores Lake Erie, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.
Most dates in 2026 are already sold out. Dates for 2027 and 2028 have already been set and are available to book now.
Visit Buffalo President & CEO Patrick Kaler said, “The arrival of cruise ships to Buffalo harkens back to the city’s past, when passenger steamboats ferried thousands of passengers between Buffalo, Cleveland, and Detroit in the early 1900s. The return of cruise ships to Buffalo emphasizes the resurgence of interest in the city as a tourist destination. These passengers will experience the Queen City’s cultural institutions and culinary offerings and share the word once they’re back home.”
About American Cruise Lines
American Cruise Lines is the largest river cruise line in the U.S.A., with 28 small ships and 50-plus domestic itineraries on the Mississippi River, the Columbia and Snake Rivers, the Great Lakes, and protected waterways around the country, from Alaska to Florida.
