Latest news with #AmericanQueenVoyages
Travel Weekly
05-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
River cruise veteran John Waggoner on the Victory revival
John Waggoner abruptly exited retirement last year to revive Victory Cruise Lines, purchasing its two former ships from the bankruptcy of American Queen Voyages, the line he'd founded. Cruise editor Teri West spoke with Waggoner days before the naming of the Victory I about the brand's revival and what the future might hold. John Waggoner Q: What has the journey been like to reach this moment? A: We didn't have much time to think about this because the boats came up for auction, and there was only 30 days that you had to get your letter of interest in, get your deposit in, go to the auction, close, do a cash closing and then you have two boats. And you go, "All right, well, now we need to set up a whole company and do a bunch of repairs and set up a sales and marketing team, set up a reservation center, set up office space, hire all the crew." And we've done all that in just over a year, like 380 days. Q: I'd imagine that a lot of it was just pure adrenaline. A: I think more terror, but yeah. But I would say fear is a good motivating factor sometimes. Q: What do you think makes the Great Lakes a good cruise destination? A: One couple has been on 60 different cruises, and their reason to take this cruise is, "We don't have to fly overseas. We don't have to take a six- or eight- or 10- or 12-hour flight. You're right here. We get to stay close by for medical care and everything else, and we get to learn more about our country." Q: Are there other locations that these ships are headed? A: We just need to hit a home run our first year, so we need to focus just on the Great Lakes. But for 2026, I think we'll add some Eastern Seaboard cruises, maybe a Bahamas trip and maybe winding up in New Orleans. We're working on those itineraries now, but they won't be until the end of 2026. Q: American Cruise Lines bought four of American Queen Voyages' vessels, then scrapped a couple of them. I'm curious how you felt about that. A: I put my heart and soul into American Queen, and anytime you put your heart and soul into something you see get destroyed, you have to say, "Geez, that just doesn't feel good at all." Q: How will the experience on these vessels differ under the new ownership? A: One guest just said, "John, after you left, the spark went out. The flame went out. You could see it in the employees. So service wasn't as good, food wasn't as good, entertainment wasn't as good, because a lot of the really good people left. But now that you're back, oh, my God, there is more heart and soul. Everybody is so friendly, the food is excellent, the entertainment is excellent, the short trips that you put together." And I think that's a difference between an owner that's been in the maritime business for 50 years and the fact that you bring the whole team together that's an experienced team. Q: How are you feeling about, not just what folks onboard are saying but about sales, bookings and where business is headed? A: We were at about 70% of our revenue target before we even ran our first trip, which is remarkable. I would say I'm like every other cruise operator in the last three or four weeks. As an investor, watching my 401(k) go down is concerning, but I think we'll all get through that.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Cruise ship fire in Portland may have been caused by maintenance lapse, NTSB says
Apr. 22—A 2023 cruise ship fire that injured one person and caused more than $2 million in property damage when docked in Portland was caused by equipment failure that possibly resulted from a lapse in maintenance, federal officials say. An explosion and fire in the Ocean Navigator's engine room forced about 200 passengers and crew members to evacuate and left one employee burned in October 2023, forcing operator American Queen Voyages — now known as Victory Cruise Lines — to cancel at least one planned voyage. The explosion was likely caused by debris in the lubrication system of one of the two auxiliary diesel engines powering the ship's generators, "which caused catastrophic mechanical damage" the National Transportation Safety Board found found in a report dated April 2. It's not clear where the debris came from, but the NTSB suggested that its presence in the oil stream could have stemmed from employees failing to adhere to the manufacturer-recommended maintenance schedule, which specifies when to change the oil and filters. View this document on Scribd The oil filters had been used for more than 3,300 hours — well over the recommended 1,000-hour benchmark for replacing them, the report said. The oil itself had been in the engine for more than 5,000 hours, five times the recommended limit. The ship had four 2,000-horsepower Caterpillar diesel engines, two main engines for propulsion and two auxiliary engines for generating electricity. For months leading up to the fire, crew members had been loading significantly more lubricant oil into the failed auxiliary engine than the other engines, which should have indicated that something was wrong, the NTSB said. "The need to add significantly more lube oil to replenish the consumed oil in the no. 2 auxiliary engine indicated that there was likely an issue within the no. 2 auxiliary engine — either the engine was burning lube oil or the lube oil purifier was removing a larger quantity of contaminated oil during the purification process," the board wrote. But the report also noted crew members' quick work to contain the blaze. "The crew's quick action to secure engine room ventilation and engine fuel sources prevented the spread of fire and ultimately resulted in the fire self-extinguishing," the NTSB said in the report. The board recommended that crew members routinely train and practice dealing with machinery, fuel and oil systems and ventilation, and they should be careful to follow recommended maintenance schedules. Copy the Story Link We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others. We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion. You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs. Show less
USA Today
06-04-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Great Lakes cruises: Victory Cruise Lines relaunching with US, Canada sailings this month
Great Lakes cruises: Victory Cruise Lines relaunching with US, Canada sailings this month Show Caption Hide Caption How to find the best price, perks when booking a cruise Find the cruise that works for your budget with these tips. Problem Solved Victory Cruise Lines, a small-ship cruise operator, is relaunching with two refurbished ships, Victory I and Victory II. Itineraries range from nine to 14 nights and include shore excursions, onboard lectures, and multiple dining options. Prices start at $4,999 per person, covering pre-cruise accommodations, transfers, meals, drinks, and various onboard amenities. A small-ship cruise operator is about to make a comeback in the U.S. Victory Cruise Lines is relaunching this month with Great Lakes and Canada cruises. American Queen Voyages' founder John Waggoner is reviving the brand with two 190-passenger ships, Victory I and Victory II. The vessels, which were purpose-built to sail the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway and French-Canadian Maritimes, were previously owned by American Queen Voyages before it shut down last year (Waggonner was no longer involved with the company at the time). American Queen Voyages acquired Victory Cruise Lines in 2019. Both ships have been refurbished, and will sail popular and lesser-visited ports within North America. Many of Victory's customers want to 'wrap (themselves) in the American or Canadian flag,' according to founder and chairman Waggoner. 'I think what we find is that a lot of our guests have traveled all over the world, and now they are looking for something that's at home,' he told USA TODAY. When will Victory Cruise Lines relaunch? Waggoner and his wife Claudette, who co-owns the company, will host Victory's first cruise of the year. The 10-night cruise aboard Victory I will sail from Portland, Maine to Toronto, Canada on April 16 ahead of the ship's christening. Victory II will be christened in Chicago on May 12. What can guests expect? Victory will sail itineraries ranging from nine to 14 nights in 2025. Those include All 5 Great Lakes cruises, which visit Erie, Huron, Michigan, Ontario and Superior, sailing from either Chicago or Milwaukee to Toronto (or departing from Toronto). The 5 Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway itinerary will sail between Chicago and Montreal, while the Great Lakes & Thunder Bay cruise round-trip from Chicago includes two great lakes – Michigan and Superior – and an overnight stay in Michigan's Mackinac Island, among other sailings. Stops will include Detroit and Marquette in Michigan; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Port Colborne, Ontario – giving guests access to Niagara Falls – and more. Victory will also be the only cruise line to dock at Chicago's Navy Pier. The company offers a variety of excursions along the way, from a visit to the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and the Museum Ship Valley Camp, where guests can learn about the area's history, to a behind-the-scenes tour of Lambeau Field where the Green Bay Packers play. 'And then you hit Cleveland, where you dock right (near) the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,' Waggoner added. 'And then Detroit, where you get to go to the Henry Ford Museum of (American) Innovation.' The ships will also host a LakeLorian program in partnership with the National Museum of the Great Lakes, offering lectures from historians and naturalists. Other onboard features include three dining concepts, a sun deck and a salon and spa. How much does Victory Cruise Lines cost? Available cruises currently start at $4,999 per person, according to Victory's website. The fares include a pre-night hotel stay, transfers from the hotel to the ship, food and drinks onboard, a tour in each port, Wi-Fi and more. 'What I hope (guests) take away is the grandeur and the beauty of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway,' Waggoner said. Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@
