While Champagne’s traditional, it was premium Canadian whisky anointing the Great Lakes cruise ship Victory 1. In a christening ceremony at the Port of Toronto, Godmother Emily Coleman broke a bottle across the bow of the first of two ships offering round trips between Toronto and Chicago.
The April launch of Victory Cruise Lines is the finale of a marathon year, said CEO John Waggoner, a cruise industry veteran. It was only in March 2024, that he bid on two purpose-built Great Lakes ships that were formerly part of American Queen Voyages. He managed to reassemble a talented team of experts who have worked diligently to completely recondition the 190-passenger ships. Victory I, for instance, has got new engine systems and had acres of new carpeting and hundreds of new curtains installed along with thousands of new pieces of China and glassware in the galley.
Now Victory I and shipmate Victory II are offering a series of nine to 15-night long cruises that begin or end in Toronto or Chicago as well as Chicago to Montreal and 11-night Chicago round-trip itineraries.
On hand for the ceremony was Kate Fineske, executive director of the National Museum of the Great Lakes. which is partnering with Victory to put expert LakeLorians on board each cruise to do onboard lectures and guide specialty tours of the cities along the route. The cruises from Chicago start from a berth at Chicago’s historic downtown Navy Pier, with calls at historic Mackinac Island, a transit of the Soo Locks into Lake Superior, as well as calls at Detroit, Cleveland and Port Colborne, for tours to Niagara Falls.
“Victory Cruise Lines will bring thousands of visitors to Toronto, with many taking time to explore the city’s diverse neighborhoods, culture, and cuisine,” shared Kelly Jackson on behalf of Destination Toronto. “Cruise visitation supports local jobs and businesses across the city and Victory’s resumption of service underscores Toronto’s role as a key port in the Great Lakes cruise market.”
Victory is committed to innovative quality dining throughout the cruises, Waggoner noted. Acclaimed cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner is served in multiple venues, plus culinary events throughout each cruise. Gourmet selections include freshly prepared lobster and regionally inspired dishes; unlimited beverages including an extensive wine list, choice spirits, local craft beers and specialty coffees. Dining options including the innovative Tuscan Stone Grill. There are open bars in lounges throughout the vessel.
Each Victory Cruise Lines voyage includes one-night pre-cruise hotel stay with complimentary ground transfers between the hotel and vessel; all ocean-view accommodations, some with veranda. A shore excursion is included in every port, from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland to the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Detroit. Fares include unlimited wi-fi; live daily onboard entertainment and enrichment as well as hiking sticks for excursions.
Victory is already planning a second Great Lakes season for 2026, featuring 40 voyages with several new ports and itineraries, 34 of which visit all five Great Lakes.
“We have received wonderful feedback on those 2025 itineraries,” Waggoner says. “We have also listened to our guests and travel advisors, where they want to explore in 2026 and look forward to continuing to offer new ports and itineraries.”
New itineraries include Portland. Maine to Quebec City and the reverse; Quebec City to Chicago and the reverse; and Toronto to Milwaukee on May 14 and Milwaukee to Toronto on May 23. Among the new ports and highlights are Milwaukee, Pictured Rocks, Sturgeon Bay, Whitefish Bay, Trois-Rivières, Gaspé, Baie-Comeau, and Saguenay.
Looking forward, Waggoner hinted he may also have plans for expanding Victory Cruise Lines to other locales.
“I don’t have plans to build an empire, but when I founded the company, I gave equity to the top 12 managers– and they would like to build an empire. There’s nothing like being invested in a problem,” he says.
“Everybody’s taking bets, will it be something on the Ohio River, the Mississippi, or Alaska?” Stay tuned.
Story by Wallace Immen, The Cruisington Times
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