Pearl Mist Cruise Ship’s First Visit to a Soaking Wet Duluth! (And Scares the Life out of Me)

Cruise ships don’t salute in the mornings, so as to not wake all their passengers up. Or so I believed. So I left my earphones in the car and my guard down, expecting a peaceful 6am arrival. Nearly a very expensive mistake, as my camera went flying, coming completely out of my hands and doing a full flip before I somehow managed to catch it with one hand holding an umbrella and even managed to keep filming. Jump scared me SO bad! But arriving for the first time through the canal, the cruise ship Pearl Mist! Built in 2009 and measuring 324ft long with the capacity for 210 guests and 70 crew, the ship is less than half the size of the larger Viking cruise ships, but still a beautiful vessel. She is Pearl Seas Cruise Line’s only ship currently, but they have hopes to expand by the look of it. Unlike the Viking ships, she features balcony state rooms since she doesn’t have to deal with the harsh Antarctic waters, which makes her a fan favorite among Great Lakes cruisers. A lot of people also prefer the smaller ship feel over a floating skyscraper, allowing for a more personalized vacation, sort of operating as a public yacht. Because of this, she carries a high price tag for trips. The vessel was renovated in 2023 with an all new interior. Unlike most cruise ships, she has an upper viewing lounge above the bridge, giving panoramic views forward. That lounge and balcony setup does give what would otherwise be a very sleek vessel a bit of an odd appearance, but she’s still gorgeous! Unlike the Viking cruise ships, she’s here for a 2 day stay, one day for the guests to tour the city, then a second day to swap out with a new set of passengers. This is an experimental run, so it will be her only trip to the city this season. Should it prove popular she may return more often in the future, and I hope she does!