Viking cruise ship docks in Cleveland on maiden Great Lakes voyage

• The increase has been a boon for the local economy and the city's branding as a destination waterfront city.

Driving the news: Leaders from the city, county and the port welcomed the Polaris crew and nearly 400 passengers with a ceremony on board, exchanging plaques and words of gratitude.

• Port CEO Will Friedman called the Viking tour stop a "momentous occasion."

Details: Viking's 15-day "Great Lakes Collection" itinerary, which starts at $11,995, includes stops in Toronto, Niagara Falls, Detroit, Alpena on Michigan's lower peninsula, Wisconsin's Door Peninsula, Mackinac Island, Ontario's Georgian Bay and Thunder Bay, the Soo Locks and Duluth.

💭 Sam's thought bubble: You don't realize how massive these cruise ships are until you're up close.

• I'd never been inside one, but the well-appointed common areas and swanky, maritime-themed bars instantly corroborated Viking's high-end reputation.
• It felt more like a boutique hotel than those massive Royal Caribbean bacchanals.