Travel along the Muskegon Channel as the Pearl Mist cruise ship sets out for …

MUSKEGON, MI – Bon voyage!

After a daylong stay, the Pearl Mist cruise ship has left Muskegon. The 100-stateroom vessel carrying more than 200 passengers traveled along the Muskegon Channel about 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept 2.

Several people lined the channel to take video and photographs of the vessel before it set off for the Great Lakes and for good reason.  The Pearl Mist is believed to be the first cruise ship to stop in the Port of Muskegon since cruise ships started running the Great Lakes in the late 1990s.

The vessel arrived at the Mart Dock in downtown Muskegon about 10 a.m. Wednesday. The ship was diverted to Muskegon after the docks at its normal destination in Holland were unable to receive it.

According to Port City Marine Services Capt. Edward Hogan, a berth at a dock in Holland had been taken by a freighter and a backup docking location in that city didn’t work out, thus the emergency stop in Muskegon.

Most of the passengers who came ashore in Muskegon boarded charter buses — complete with Dutch-costumed tour guides – for the 50-minute drive into Holland.

Others got on trolleys prepared by the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, or walked the three or four blocks to downtown Muskegon.

Brandon Champion covers arts and entertainment, business, sports and weather for MLive Muskegon Chronicle. Email him at bchampio@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter @BrandonThaChamp.