the ss keewatin

I cannot stay away from this attraction. Every time I take another tour I learn something new or what I missed in the first place. A must see/do for anyone visiting the area.

This is a tour close to home that we finally did while friends were visiting. The tour guide was very good and the boat is amazing. The renovations/reconstruction being done is slow and painful for the volunteers.Job well done to all those involved

Seeing this last passenger steamship on the Great lakes is well worth the trip to near Midland. Volunteers are working hard not only taking people on tours but assisting in the ongoing restoration. On it you feel as if you are back 100 years travelling all the way across to Port Arthur/Ft. William now called Thunder Bay on L. Superior. For once, everything was saved including all the pots and pans, dishes and cutlery for the dining room, even things like napkins and towels. The dining room and public rooms are interesting, just like they are waiting for their guests. I especially liked the state rooms that are set up with clothes etc. representing different years in the ships history, with small posted signs telling the costs of the voyage. The ship ran from 1908 to 1965. It was surprising to see how few washrooms and baths were available even though it carried many wealthy people who dressed well for dinner etc. Murdoch Mysteries filming here along with our interest in Canadian history inspired us to see it. It would be great to see more donations coming in to cover the cost of future restoration. It's worth adding to a trip seeing the other sites in the Midland area. Cost of $15 for two decks was well worth it. Free parking is beside the ship as well washroom facilities.

Thank you for your concern about the money needed to complete the restoration of the Keewatin. At 108 years old it does need work that we estimate will continue for another 108 years. We are actually well funded through the reasonable by any standards admission price of either $15 for an upper deck tour and another $5 to go and see the 170 ton quadruple expansion steam engine run..probably the only one in the world. From our opening in 2013 we have had over 50,000 paid visitors and the ship over all is in excellent condition as you saw. We take NO Government funding. Your comments about a third deck "falling in" are disturbing as we have no third deck. Work is being done to rebuild the "Storm Deck" which is the roof which requires the old roof to be removed but no visitors are allowed on that until the work is finished.We have 130 volunteers that do the work, excellent sponsors that help with materials and a great track record with visitors as the only surviving Edwardian Steamer left in the world. If you ever return ask for "Capt Rick" and I will personally take you through this magnificent vessel room by room so you can see for yourself what a treasure it is..

We were disappointed that there was no food. We like eating. Tour was okay but I guess we were expecting more. We learned Murdoch Mysteries was filmed here and got some background. Hopefully it;s now changed.

I'm not referring to Queen's Park, and certainly not to Toronto City Hall; but, if you take an hour and a half drive north of Toronto, to Port McNicoll, you will arrive at an object of universal affection. The last large steamship on The Great Lakes; the Keewatin is about 40 % as long as the Titanic[was], and 5 years earlier. This ship was saved from the scrapyard in 1966 by RJ Peterson of Douglas Michigan. We owe him a great debt for his visionary attitude. Our tour was conducted by Bill, who was very knowledgeable, answering questions in a pleasant, patient way reminiscent of people 100 years ago. It's obvious that the volunteers, who lead the tours, and work on the restoration of the Keewatin are very proud of the ship, and pleased to be associated with it. The staterooms are decorated in the styles of the various decades of the Keewatin's long career. Not all areas are fully restored; the ship is simply too large for the work to be completed in 2 or 3 years. All in all, the tours, upper and lower, make for a very pleasant exercise in nostalgia.

What a fascinating place and what an amazing story. And they are still working on it so its only going to get better. At first, we thought the $20 price for a tour of the upper decks and the engine room was a bit pricey, but two hours later we felt we'd got MORE than enough for our money. A lot of restoration has been done and much of the original fittings is still there. The engine room is a must not miss - although it hasn't been working for about 60 years, it still works and it gets turned on during the tour; the boilers and coal shutes are quite amazing too. Can't recommend this highly enough

S.S. Keewatin's antiquated yet artful decor dates back more than a century. Titanic's senior by five years, she has been largely and lovingly restored to her former glory. Unlike the Titanic of course, she is still a-float, intact from bow to stern, and open to the public. Keewatin is a rare specimen; one of only a few examples remaining in the world, of a passenger ship constructed of riveted steel panels, powered by steam, and styled in accordance with the decorum and sensibilities that characterized the early twentieth century. From the moment we stepped aboard she enveloped us in her elegance and nostalgic charm. Our tour guide enabled us to discover her, appreciate her, and be enthralled by her storied past. S.S. Keewatin is a must-see historical remnant -- well worth the trip to Port McNicol and price of admission.

We are very sorry you had this experience while visiting Keewatin Park, however the fence you refer to was around the Pirate Ship Liana's Ransom and not part of the SS KEEWATIN. The Pirate ship was in our port for the weekend but is not part of our organization and no Keewatin Volunteers were on duty in that area. It is unfortunate that the individual was so agressive and impolite in dealing with your grandchildren and there is no excuse for it. Keewatin volunteers are all part of our small community and work hard to make everyones visit a pleasant and memorable one so the word of our little hidden paradise spreads. Obviously the Pirates follow a different code of rules.

We were fortunate and picked a quiet day to go on the tour. We had a private tour that was over and hour and a half long. Very informative. I look forward to seeing all the renos and repairs they do this huge ship.

Very interesting place to visit. Our guide was very knowledgable about the history of the ship. There were only 2 of us and we had our own private tour guide! Well worth the journey and the $20!

Yes she is open again, and all polished up. New items on cargo deck, rearranged area, expanded gift shop.. new flooring in main entrance area at grand staircase, finished ballroom ceiling, and lots of other polishing. And still more work continues..And there is an excellent assortment of food prepared onsite for you to dine on!It is worth the trip from far and near.. do not miss the Keewatin.

There is something so genuine about the experience aboard this very special vessel that plied the waters of the Great Lakes so long ago. You truly are transported back in time when you're strolling across the decks of this gem of our maritime history. Nestled away in this sleepy port, it really feels like you've 'discovered' something special - something you want to share with friends and family alike. I highly recommend you take the time to see the Keewatin in all her splendor!

We booked a room in Midland for the specific reason of visiting the Keewatin. We were not disappointed. She is a ship that has returned home from Michigan after 50 years. The restoration has and still is being carried out so that visitors can appreciate a wonderful piece of Great Lakes history. In her day she was a vacationers dream of luxury. Our tour guide Justin was very knowledgeable of her beginnings - past history and future plans. Keeping in mind that she was built a year before the Titanic.....she has a double staircase just as beautiful but on a smaller scale. If you would like to travel back in time and are a maritime history lover...make the SS Keewatin a must see on your next travels.Check her web site.

We came to port McNicoll just to see the Keewatin and it was defiantly worth it.they really restored. it in 1 year they got a lot done we saw the whole ship and it was pretty cool especially the engine room but the gift shop didn't have models.the tour guide was really good at explaining the Keewatin and was really nice i highly recommend you come here