A crowd on shore waves and cheers as we sail out of the Welland Canal into Lake Erie. This ship that’s cruising to all five of the Great Lakes is rare sight in itself. And our Victory1 has the retro lines of a passenger ship that might have plyed these inland seas a century ago.
Victory Cruise Lines’ ships carry no more than 190 guests each on trips between Toronto and Chicago. We’re exploring shorelines and visiting places that few cruisers have had the chance to see.
First stop is historic Port Colborne, on the Welland Canal joining Lake Ontario to Lake Erie and a short drive from Niagara Falls. Then Cleveland, where we dock an easy walk from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. then the Motor City of Detroit.
After a day skimming the shores of Lake Huron, it’s Mackinac Island, then Sault Ste. Marie and sailing into Lake Superior. The cruise winds up on Lake Michigan and docks at historic Navy Pier in downtown Chicago. Each day offers complimentary tours like a memorable boat ride along the thundering cascades of Niagara Falls, going behind the scenes at the Soo Locks, or a horse carriage ride around historic Mackinac.
Optional premium excursions offer gourmet experiences and architecture tours, including homes designed by Frank Llloyd Wright.
There’s an expert on board telling daily tales of the history and foibles of the lakes and the cultures that called them home. Will Van Dorp is our lively “Lakelorean,” in a partnership with the National Museum of the Great Lakes, sharing his expertise in pre-dinner talks as well as informally with passengers. Despite his lifelong fascination with all things Lakes, he somehow found himself living in New York City. But he’s spending his summer on Victory 1 and sharing the scenes and ships we pass on his Tugster blog.
Days start with a hearty breakfast, either a buffet at The Grill on the upper deck or served in the Coastal Dining Room. After optional complimentary tours on mornings in port, both restaurants offer lunch. The dinner menus are exceptional, featuring half a dozen beautifully prepared and presented entrée choices daily, including fish, meats, and vegetarian options. The portions are always generously satisfying.
The top-deck buffet by day transforms into an optional sit-down restaurant Tuscan Grill in the evening. Its twist is that you cook your entrée to your taste on super-hot stones brought to the table. Choices range from filet, prime rib and chops to shrimp and tuna steaks. You’re provided an apron– more for show than necessity– and the result is literally fresh from the grill. They go to great lengths to make these Tuscan dinners special, starting with an amuse bouche and a menu with Italian titles for all the courses. But we’re still catering for Americans, so you can also get sides such as penne mac and cheese.
In all my years of cruising. I’ve seldom found a crew as charming and eager as Victory’s team. Many of them have worked on much bigger cruise ships in the past and they find it refreshing to be able to get to know guests and their preferences. They’re intuitive and just happen to arrive to refill glasses of complimentary wines just before you realize they’re empty.
As the brilliant summer sun lights the sky in shades of orange, red and violets, guests gather to sip evening cocktails on the observation deck and it’s easy to strike up conversations. Many Victory guests are Americans and Canadians who have lived or travelled around the Great Lakes on land in the past. I’m one of them. I have fond memories as a child of outings to Lake Huron and Michigan, where I dreamed of shipping out on one of the big ore carriers that are still a main way that heavy cargo gets delivered around the freshwater seas.
But many other guests are discovering the Midwest for the first time and are pleasantly surprised at how lush and green everything is around the lakes. Some profess they’ve chosen this adventure close to home because of uncertainty about travelling abroad. It helps that it saves them a lot on air fare.
They call them Great Lakes for a reason—the five inland seas hold 20 per cent of the world’s supply of fresh water. This is your chance to explore them in a style few people will ever have the chance to experience.
The inspiration that got us here
Victory is the passion of the line’s founder, John Waggoner, who was born with a spirit of adventure and a joy in restoring classic cars and ships. He’s got a collection at home of 30 sports cars from the 1960s and 70s and a fleet of vintage motorcycles. His life at sea has ranged from fishing boats to ferries and he founded and headed American Queen Voyages, whose fleet included paddle wheelers on America’s rivers,until he retired a few years ago.
But ships kept calling him back. When the two 24-year-old lake cruisers run by the former AQV line were put up for auction 18 months ago, Waggoner’s bid won and he’s been running a marathon ever since, restoring the ships and assembling support teams and crews.
Upgrading the ships stem to stern to be ready to start sailing in April was a mighty challenge. Workers lived aboard for months using the Victorian-style Compass Lounge as a workshop while installing all-new carpets, drapes and wallpapers throughout the ship. They finished just days before the refreshed Victory 1 was christened for her first cruise from Toronto in April. The charming Waggoner sails on board the ships regularly to charm the guests and continually fine-tune the passenger experiences.
Shipping out
Victory’s staterooms are well laid out and feature ample storage space and panoramic views. While there are no balcony cabins, those on the fourth deck feature doors that open to a public promenade with deck chairs. Everything’s fresh, with new carpets, drapes and wallpapers and high thread-count bedding on premium mattresses. Passengers enjoy complimentary beverages, free Starlink wi-fi Internet access and nightly turndown service. The stateroom LCD-TVs feature satellite programming.
Victory’s 10-day cruises start in either Toronto or Chicago with a day before the cruise in a hotel and tours of the city. In addition, there are optional cruises that embark from Milwaukee, the Home of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Details are at Victory’s website.
Story by Wallace Immen, The Cruisington Times
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