DULUTH, Minn. – The Viking Octavia eerily slid under the Duluth aerial bridge in a fog, becoming the first cruise ship with Duluth as a port of call in 10 years. Welcomers lined the canal under the bridge to see the 700-foot ship. After a quick shore inspection by customs officers, 400 passengers boarded buses for day trips. The Octavia is the first of at least seven, perhaps nine, cruise ships scheduled for Duluth stops this season. The ships are expected to generate $600,000 to $700,000 a year locally on their Great Lakes voyages from Montreal.
Morning shroud. The fog lifted quickly for visitors from the Octavia to see Duluth sights on buses and also to ride a tourist train up the North Shore to Two Harbors.