Sharon Price and her husband, Samuel, were among the first passengers to disembark in Thunder Bay, Ont., on Sunday, as the northwestern Ontario city marked the official start of the 2025 cruise ship season.

"We are sort of seasoned Viking cruisers and it's been wonderful," said Price, who hails from Delaware, as she exited Viking's Octantis.

"Although we live in a small state that borders the Atlantic Ocean, it's a whole different ball game, a whole different kind of water."

The Octantis is bringing 378 passengers and 256 crew members on a two-week tour of the Great Lakes. After making a day-stop in Thunder Bay, it departed to make room for its sister, Viking's Polaris, Sunday evening for a turnaround call.

"The arrival of the first cruise ship of the year is always a bit symbolic of t

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